Join us for the 50th Midwest Writers Workshop
MWW23 Conference: Craft + Community
TWO registration options!
- In-Person: Wednesday, July 19 – Saturday, July 22, 2023 ~ Ball State Alumni Center, Muncie, Indiana
- Virtual: Thursday, July 20 – Saturday, July 22, 2023
MWW23 is our BIG 50th celebration! Whether you attend in person or online (using Zoom), we’ll have top-notch instructors leading interactive sessions, enlightening panels on vital topics, and networking opportunities to help you expand your writing community. We have an incredible faculty of some of our favorite authors, and many MWW alums!
This hybrid version of MWW allows us to offer plenty of instruction, networking, and the sense of community that makes MWW so special. Come to Muncie, Indiana, and join us at the beautiful Ball State Alumni Center for our 50th writers’ conference, or join us virtually wherever you’re located.
Our hybrid MWW23 includes:
**In-person sessions and/or Zoom video conferencing that feature a variety of topics determined by each faculty member, writing prompts, and vital, informative, enjoyable discussions to build your skills as a writer.
**A remarkable faculty who know their stuff, providing information for aspiring writers at all stages of their journey.
- Fiction – Jess Lourey: Amazon Charts bestselling, Edgar®, Agatha, and Lefty-nominated, Anthony and Thriller Award winning author of crime fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, YA adventure, and magical realism
- Fiction/Thriller/Suspense – John Gilstrap: Thriller Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of over two dozen thrillers
- Fiction/Mystery – Lori Rader-Day: Edgar® Award-nominated and Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark award-winning author; teaches creative writing for Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies
- Fiction/Young Adult – Barbara Shoup: author of eight novels for adults and young adults; Writer-in-Residence at the Indiana Writers Center and a faculty member at Art Workshop International
- Fiction/Thriller – Matthew Clemens: collaborator with Max Allan Collins on 17 TV tie-in novels and numerous thriller and mystery novels
- Nonfiction – Michael Martone: award-winning author of numerous nonfiction books and essays; creative writing instructor for forty years at Iowa State University, Harvard University, Syracuse University, the University of Alabama, and Warren Wilson College
- Nonfiction – Jill Christman: author of If This Were Fiction: A Love Story in Essays and two memoirs; professor in the Creative Writing Program at Ball State University, senior editor of River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative
- Nonfiction – Kelcey Ervick: author and illustrator of the graphic memoir, The Keeper and co-editor of The Field Guide to Graphic Literature. And author of award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction; professor of English and creative writing at Indiana University South Bend
- Nonfiction – Brent Bill: author of more than twenty books and numerous articles and short stories
- Nonfiction – Lou Harry: written for more than 50 media outlets and more than 40 books; playwright whose work has been staged by American Lives Theatre, Catalyst Productions, the Phoenix Theatre, and more
- Poetry – Mark Neely: award-winning author of poetry Beasts of the Hill, Dirty Bomb, and Ticker; professor of English at Ball State University, and a senior editor at River Teeth: a Journal of Nonfiction Narrative
- Poetry – Liz Whiteacre: author of poetry collection Hit the Ground; associate professor of English at the University of Indianapolis, teaching creative writing and publishing and advises Etchings Press
- Children’s – Chadwick Gillenwater: (also known as Professor Watermelon) is an experienced school librarian, children’s book author and creative writing teacher
- Publicist – Dana Kaye: life-long entrepreneur and founder of Kaye Publicity, Inc., a literary public relations agency
- Friday afternoon Keynote – Jane Friedman: has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting; editor of The Hot Sheet, and author of The Business of Being a Writer
- Friday Keynote – Haven Kimmel: #1 New York Times bestselling author of two memoirs, four novels, and two books for children
MWW ALUMS
- Kelsey Timmerman: New York Times bestselling author of the Where Am I? series: Where Am I Wearing?, Where Am I Eating?, and Where Am I Giving?
- D.E. (Dan) Johnson: author of four historical mysteries
- Sandi Baron: author of Bridging the Mississippi, her first creative nonfiction
- Leah Lederman: a Pushcart-nominated author of short stories and creative nonfiction
- Larry D. Sweazy: a multiple-award author of nineteen western and mystery novels and over one hundred nonfiction articles and short stories
- J.R. Jamison: author of Hillbilly Queer: A Memoir
- Kelly O’Dell Stanley: graphic designer and author of three books on creativity and faith
- Sherry Stanfa-Stanley: award-winning writer and author of Finding My Badass Self: A Year of Truths and Dares
Why attend?
This conference is the perfect opportunity for you to take that idea for a book and get it started, or dust off that novel and get it polished and ready for publication. Wherever you are in the process, MWW is the right place for you.
MWW23 has five decades of experience in helping writers to get words on the page, find their voice—and their community—and publish their work! Our faculty’s sessions and panels will provide you with the tools you need to improve your craft, and you might just make some writing buddies while you’re here.
That’s our goal and the vision behind our mission statement: to nurture writers of all levels at every stage of their journey, and to provide and build a writing community in the Midwest and beyond.
**Private Facebook Group plus evening “Talkabouts” (for ALL attendees!) for camaraderie and to build connections with other participants and faculty.
**Can’t attend all the sessions live? No problem. MWW is offering archival video access to ALL attendees for sessions for three months following the conference.
The cost for our in-person MWW23 experience is $399 $349.
This year we’re offering our in-person attendees FOUR DAYS of instruction and activities. You’ll have the chance to discuss craft with faculty members and network with other writers, and if you’re dizzy by the end of it (with all of that information and inspiration!), not to worry. For up to three months after the conference, you can watch session recordings to revisit something you found particularly helpful and get inspired you all over again, or catch the sessions you might have missed. We encourage you to check out sessions outside of your genre, too! This will teach you new ways of looking at your craft and challenge you to stretch your writing.
The In-Person Experience, July 19-22:
- Manuscript evaluations: Evaluation of your first five pages plus a one-page synopsis of a manuscript, completed or in progress. The $50 fee covers a 15-minute one-on-one in-person appointment during the conference. For more information/to sign up for Manuscript Evaluations, click here.
- Office Hour with each faculty: Have you ever wanted to sit with a published author and pick their brains on topics like: publishing, revising, or anything else that relates to becoming an author? This is your opportunity. You don’t need an appointment, just drop in for these informal sessions with our faculty members.
- Meal fellowship with participants: Sign up for lunches (pre-order when you register) and hang out with other writers at the Ball State Alumni Center. (See FAQ for details.)
- Ball State Bookstore on-site vendor: Purchase books by our MWW23 faculty and Board. Get them autographed!
- MWW Consignment Bookstore: If you’re a published author attending in-person, you can sell your books at our consignment bookstore. (See FAQ for details.)
- MWW merchandise: Take something home to commemorate your MWW23 experience!
Note* In-Person attendees will have virtual access to live sessions as well. Virtual attendees will have virtual access only.
The cost for our Virtual MWW23 experience is $199.
The Virtual Experience, July 20-22:
- Enjoy sessions in real time: From the comfort of your home (think: pajamas!), you’ll be able to participate in a live chat with other virtual attendees and join the Q&A with the instructor.
- Morning Coffee Fellowship: Say good morning to your fellow attendees, share insights from sessions, and ask questions about that day’s activities. Bring your mug of coffee or tea!
- Join our evening Talkabouts: These Zoom gatherings are designed to help you get to know one another (virtual and in-person attendees), share your writing or favorite tidbits of the day, and maybe join in on a writing sprint.
- Tap back in later: Recordings in a private YouTube channel will be available for three months after the conference, so you can review any content that you missed—and even check out a session you normally wouldn’t! Insights from other genres will inform your writing and get you thinking outside of the box!
Join us to be inspired and equipped for the next step in your writing journey!
