18th Annual WriterCon at The Skirvin – Labor Day Weekend
freepressokc.com – Wednesday August 20, 2025
The 18th Annual WriterCon is set to inspire and empower writers of all genres from August 29th to September 1st, 2025, at the newly renovated, historic Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. Keynote addresses will be given by New York Times best-selling author, Laurie L. Dove, and Nova McBee, whose book, Calculated, is being made into a major motion picture.
Hosted by renowned Oklahoma author, William Bernhardt, with over 60 books to his name, including next year’s release, The Superman Wars. This year’s conference will be the largest yet with a lineup of over 60 speakers, including bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers, leading a variety of keynotes, breakout sessions, and workshops.
WriterCon has become a hallmark event for Oklahoma and the writing community, bringing together seasoned professionals and aspiring writers alike. This year, over 200 attendees from around the country and even New Zealand are expected to gather for four days of education, inspiration, and networking.
Secrets of Publishing: A Conversation with Literary Agents, Editors, and Authors
pen.org – Wednesday August 20, 2025
P&T Knitwear, in conjunction with PEN America, is pleased to welcome back award-winning author Susan Shapiro for a panel discussion of insider tips and tricks for navigating the publishing world! Shapiro will be joined in conversation by author-editor Miya Lee (New York Times Modern Love), author and literary agent Alia Hannah Habib, editors Paul Whitlach (Penguin Random House) and Rachel Kahan (Harper Collins), vice-president and publisher of Legacy Lit Krishan Trotman, and author-and-teacher Rob Cameron.
This hybrid event will be held in-person with limited amphitheater-style seating, and will be available live over Zoom for the members of PEN America.
The cost of a $5 general admission ticket for both in-person and online can be applied towards your purchase of any book or product in P&T’s café the night of an event or through online purchase.
New Literary Agent Listing: Jessica Saint Jean
firstwriter.com – Tuesday August 19, 2025
I'm a literary agent specializing in visual storytellers. I primarily represent illustrators and author-illustrators, along with a select number of writers, who work across all illustrated formats and genres in children's publishing – from board books and picture books to middle grade and graphic novels.
Author Rie Qudan: Why I used ChatGPT to write my prize-winning novel
theguardian.com – Monday August 18, 2025
“I don’t feel particularly unhappy about my work being used to train AI,” says Japanese novelist Rie Qudan. “Even if it is copied, I feel confident there’s a part of me that will remain, which nobody can copy.”
The 34-year old author is talking to me via Zoom from her home near Tokyo, ahead of the publication of the English-language translation of her fourth novel, Sympathy Tower Tokyo. The book attracted controversy in Japan when it won a prestigious prize, despite being partly written by ChatGPT.
The author speaks conversational English, but her translator, Jesse Kirkwood, is also on the line, interpreting questions and answers when needed. At the heart of Sympathy Tower Tokyo is a Japanese architect, Sara Machina, who has been commissioned to build a new tower to house convicted criminals. It will be a representation of what one character – not without irony – calls “the extraordinary broadmindedness of the Japanese people”, in that the tower will house offenders in compassionate comfort.
In the novel, Sara, herself a victim of violent crime, wonders if this sympathetic approach to criminals is appropriate. Does this sympathy reflect Japanese society in reality?
“It’s definitely prevalent,” says Qudan. One of the triggers for writing the novel, she adds, was the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. “The person who shot him became the centre of a lot of attention in Japan – and his background elicited a lot of sympathy from people. He had grown up in a heavily religious household, and been deprived of freedom. That idea had been in my head for a long time, and when I came to write the novel, it came out again as part of the process.”
The question of public attitudes towards criminals runs through the story, in serious and satirical ways. Potential residents of the tower must take a “Sympathy Test” to determine if they are deserving of compassion (“Have your parents ever acted violently towards you? – Yes / No / Don’t know”) … and the ultimate decision will be made by AI.
Nero New Writers Prize: £3,000 + Creative Writing Scholarship to Brunel University
brittlepaper.com – Monday August 18, 2025
The Nero Book Awards has launched New Writers Prize in association with Brunel University of London. The winner will receive £3,000, a scholarship for an MA in Creative Writing at Brunel, and an introduction to a literary agent. Each runner-up will receive £1,000 and a mentorship session with a member of Brunel’s Creative Writing faculty.
Note that the prize is open to adults who are citizens of, or resident in, the UK and Ireland. African writers residing in these countries are encouraged to apply.
The Nero New Writers Prize seeks to uncover untapped writing talent and support them as they develop into the stars of the future. The Nero Book Awards, sponsored by Caffè Nero, celebrate outstanding writing by authors living in the UK and Ireland. The new partnership with Brunel University expands this mission by supporting emerging writers.
WHACK! Crime, mystery, thriller authors gather in Franklin for Killer Nashville conference
eu.tennessean.com – Sunday August 17, 2025
The body lay on the floor of the hotel, a bullet hole signaling how it had wound up in that position.
Onlookers gathered, examining the way the body fell, its positioning in the room, entry and exit wounds.
And how did the shooter disappear so quickly?
While the sleuths pondered, other hotel guests dialed 911. But the gruesome scene wasn't real. It had been staged by Killer Nashville, an annual writers conference.
The dead guy was a dummy.
"That really happened," said Clay Stafford, the man who started Killer Nashville in 2006 from an idea born over a couple too many bottles of saki.
This year's conference will be Aug. 21-24 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Franklin, near the Cool Springs Galleria. More than 450 authors, editors, book agents, public relations agents and literary accountants are expected to attend. Those scheduled to attend are flying in from locations including Australia, Japan, Spain and Lithuania.
Writers' Handbook 2026 now available to buy
firstwriter.com – Sunday August 17, 2025
The 2026 edition of firstwriter.com’s annual directory for writers has just been released, and is now available to buy both as a paperbook and an ebook.
The directory is the perfect book for anyone searching for literary agents, book publishers, or magazines. It contains over 1,400 listings, including revised and updated listings from the 2025 edition, and over 200 brand new entries.
IBPA Opens Submissions for 38th Annual IBPA Book Awards
authorlink.com – Saturday August 16, 2025
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) is now accepting submissions for its 38th annual IBPA Book Award program, a premier competition celebrating excellence in independent publishing. Authors and publishers with books released in 2025 are encouraged to enter for a chance to be recognized as a winner.
The IBPA Book Awards are designed to honor the diverse and vibrant voices within the independent publishing community. With 60 unique categories, the program ensures that every book, regardless of its niche or audience, has an opportunity to be celebrated. Categories span a wide range of genres and topics, including politics, history, parenting, cookbooks, sports, animals, fiction, and children’s books.
In a move to further champion community-centered publishing, the IBPA has introduced several new categories this year. These additions are intended to highlight works from and for AAPI Communities, Black/African American Communities, Disabled Communities, First Nations/Indigenous Communities, Latina/o/e Communities, LGBTQIA2+ Communities, and Neurodivergent Communities.
“Indie publishers serve diverse audiences and niche communities—not just the mainstream—and we celebrate that by offering unique categories to ensure every book has a chance to shine,” a statement from the IBPA noted. “Whether your title speaks to a specific cultural experience or a specialized subject, there’s a category that fits.”
A key feature of the IBPA Book Award program is the constructive feedback provided to every entrant. Participants will receive the actual judging forms, offering valuable insights on their submissions.
North East authors join forces at book festival
bbc.co.uk – Friday August 15, 2025
A book festival's return will bring together different generations of North East writers, its organisers say.
Durham Book Festival will take place between 10 and 12 October, hosting Dame Pat Barker, Steph McGovern, Eliza Clark and Ann Cleeves, whose books have been adapted into TV shows Vera and Shetland.
Former White House national security adviser Fiona Hill, who was born in Bishop Auckland, will also launch a podcast series as part of a festival commission.
"It feels very strong in terms of Northern voices this year, which is exciting," festival director Rebecca Wilkie said.
Ms Wilkie said the line-up featured several generations of authors.
"It feels wonderful to bring them together and it's hopefully reflected in the audiences that come along to the events," she said.
"I hope that it's inspirational for emerging writers or people that would like to be writers."
Author Eliza Clark, from Newcastle, said the line-up was "an amazing demonstration of the quality of writing talent" in the region.
"It's a privilege to be featured alongside some of the UK's most iconic writers," she added.
Censorship from the other side of the aisle: New book considers publishing trends
as.cornell.edu – Wednesday August 13, 2025
As a new doctoral student at Cornell, Adam Szetela Ph.D. ’25 noticed an interesting trend in the book publishing world. Rather than criticism from people on the cultural right about the morals —or lack thereof — in current titles, authors and publishers were being slammed by folks on the cultural left, who were attacking books as racist or sexist, or questioning an author’s sensitivity.
“A lot of this is coming from a place of good faith,” Szetela said about the trend, which he writes about in “That Book Is Dangerous! How Moral Panic, Social Media, and the Culture Wars Are Remaking Publishing,” published Aug. 12 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press and distributed by Penguin Random House. “But while the right is remaking the world in its image, the left is standing in a circular firing squad.”
Szetela said this new version of self-censorship is fueled by the vast reach of social media today.
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