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WFWA CHICAGO
CELEBRATE. CREATE. CONNECT.
Women’s Fiction Writers Association 10th Anniversary Conference
September 20 - 23, 2023
Fairmont Millennium Park
Chicago, IL
Registration is closed
THANK YOU TO OUR PREMIUM SPONSOR
To celebrate 10 years of connecting women's fiction writers around the world, we are convening in Chicago for a conference that celebrates the heart of what makes this association great: community, a dedication to the craft, and stories and voices that inspire.
Whether you’ve been with WFWA from the beginning and have many published titles to your name, or you’re brand new to the Association and the craft of writing, we invite you to join us in Chicago. There will be something for everyone in this celebration of our community!
FEATURING
 KEYNOTE SPEAKER
NANCY JOHNSON
Bestselling Author, The Kindest Lie (2021)
A native of Chicago’s South Side, Nancy worked for more than a decade as an Emmy-nominated, award-winning television journalist at CBS and ABC affiliates in markets nationwide. The Kindest Lie, a Target Book Club Pick last year, has been reviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, and was featured on Entertainment Weekly’s Must List. It was a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection, a Book of the Month Club pick, and was named one of the most anticipated books of 2021 by Newsweek, O, the Oprah Magazine, Shondaland, NBC News, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Post, Good Housekeeping, Parade, Refinery29, and more.
 MODERATOR
LISA MONTANARO
Branding, Business, Mindset & Productivity Coach for Writers, Prosecco & Prose
Lisa Montanaro has had the pleasure of serving as the WFWA Webinar Program Leader and Host since spring 2019, and as a member of the WFWA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee since 2018. She is the author of the book, The Ultimate Life Organizer: An Interactive Guide to a Simpler, Less Stressful & More Organized Life, published by Peter Pauper Press. Her debut novel, Truth and Other Inconveniences, a multi-generational Italian American family drama, will be published by Red Adept Publishing in 2024.
As a Branding, Business, Mindset, and Productivity Coach for writers and entrepreneurs, Lisa helps writers boost confidence and productivity, develop and promote a writer brand, and transition from hobbyist to professional. A native New Yorker, since 2012 Lisa has called beautiful Northern California home, making her part no-nonsense Italian American New Yorker and part sunny Californian. She savors life with her veterinarian husband, is a professed community theater geek, avid cyclist, world traveler, dedicated gardener, wine lover, and enjoys spending time spoiling her rescue mutts! Her blog and newsletter, Prosecco & Prose, are where she shares writerly musings, book recommendations, and virtual bubbly—both the liquid kind that goes in a champagne glass and the infectious enthusiasm kind of an eternal optimist! Visit www.LisaMontanaroWrites.com.
 CLOSING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
CAMILLE PAGÁN
WFWA Guiding Scribe
#1 Amazon Charts Bestselling Author, Certified Author Coach, and Podcast Host, Good for You (March 2023)
Camille Pagán is the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of 10 books, a master certified author coach, and the founder of Even Better Co. She is the host of the “You Should Write a Book” podcast, and has contributed to dozens of outlets, including Forbes, The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Time, WebMD. Camille is the WFWA Guiding Scribe through 2023.
AND MORE!
- 10th Anniversary Celebration & Dinner
- 3 days of breakout sessions with workshops on craft, marketing, and community
- Masterclasses offering deep dives into craft and marketing
- Pitch session with top women's fiction agents and small presses
- Networking opportunities
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Purchase author and speaker books and attend a book signing
- Meet sponsor representatives
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
ACCOMMODATIONS
The 10th Anniversary Conference will take place at the beautiful Fairmont Millennium Park, centrally located in the heart of Chicago. WFWA has negotiated a special room rate of $229/night starting Tuesday, September 19 and ending Saturday, September 23.
This rate extends three days before and after the event, but you will need to call the hotel directly to book dates outside the designated block (1-800-257-7544, ask for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association group rate).
Be sure to book early – space is limited and this special rate ends August 30.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Watch your email for conference updates, registration information, and more!
REGISTRATION CLOSURE DATES AND REFUNDS
Conference & Master Class Registration Refunds: No conference or master class registrations will be refunded after July 15.
Critique and Query registrations closed July 21. Refunds for these add-ons also closed July 21.
Celebration Banquet Guest Tickets: May be refunded until August 31. No refunds after that date.
Conference Registration Closure: Registration for conference closes on August 31. This includes Master Classes and Pitch Appointments and Celebration Guest Tickets.
Pitch Appointments: Registration for pitch appointments closes on August 31. After July 15, refunds are available ONLY IF THERE IS A WAITLIST and someone else is available to move into the vacated slot. This refund opportunity ends on August 31.
Pitch Appointment Waitlist: Advancement from the waitlist will end on August 31 to allow the Pitch Team to finalize the schedule.
*We understand the COVID-related uncertainty, and the wellbeing of our members and presenters is of utmost importance. In the event that WFWA cancels the retreat, we will endeavor to provide a refund up to the full amount for those who are registered at time of cancellation.
Small Group Gatherings
The Conference Team has had inquiries regarding availability of rooms outside of official conference sessions where small groups might gather for casual, independent discussions. We have a few rooms which could be used during breakfast, lunch or in evenings, or when official conference sessions are not running.
If you wish to reserve one of these spaces, please contact Executive Director Pam Nowak ([email protected]) for full details including availability and restrictions.
As a courtesy, WFWA will list these gatherings below on this page. Listed gatherings are not official conference sessions, are organized independently of the conference and will not be listed on the official conference app agenda. They must be writing-related and open to anyone interested in participating.
Scheduled Small Group Gatherings
- Thursday, September 21, 4:15 pm, Gold Room: Established Author Roundtable: This will be a focused discussion of the issues that confront established traditionally published authors who are several books and several years into their careers. We will share our experiences, career challenges and ideas for thriving in this ever-changing sector of the publishing industry. Hosted by bestselling authors Kristan Higgins, Jamie Beck, and Sonali Dev.
- Thursday, September 21, 5:30-7:30 pm, State Room: Indie Author Meetup
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Friday September 22, 7:00-8:15 am, Gold Room: Historical Fiction Meetup: All are welcome. Bring your breakfast to join members of the Historical Fiction Affinity Group. Whether you’re a wannabe histfic author or established, or just love to read it, let’s get together. Feel free to stay awhile or simply drop by to say hello.
Thanks to our generous sponsors:
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