City: Colorado Springs, CO

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Address: 5580 Tech Center Dr.

Description: First held in 1993, this highly regarded writers conference has been a force in the Colorado writers market from the start. This is the place writers come to be with their own and make those industry contacts that might—just might—propel them into an actual book. Past faculty have been best-selling authors like Nora Roberts and Robert Crais. Industry professionals like Donald Maass lead workshops that leave the participants enthused, focused, and excited. There are read-and-critique sessions where top agents and editors read participants’ material aloud to the room, then give their knowledgeable thoughts on that work. There are specialized workshops and lectures, agent and/or editor pitch sessions where participants get to meet one-on-one with the people in a position to sign them on, meeting time with other writers, and banquets with impressive keynote speakers. There is also the Pikes Peak Writers Fiction Contest. The contest deadline is the previous winter, and the conference registration opens early in the year.