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Calling all local and aspiring authors! If you love to write or want to learn more about the craft, the 2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference is for you. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, this two-day event promises to equip and encourage you in your writing journey. You’ll have the opportunity to hone your skills, learn the ins and outs of publishing and marketing, connect with other writers and come away with plenty of practical ideas and inspiration.

2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
Literary agent Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary is one of the conference’s most popular presenters. This year, he will be teaching workshops on marketing and editing. Photo credit: Julie McDonald Zander

This regional conference will be held on September 12 and 13 at Centralia College. It includes three master classes on Friday and a Saturday conference featuring two guest speakers, as well as a choice of 24 workshops taught by experienced authors. You can choose to attend one or both days.

Lunch is provided on both days and is included in the registration cost. This year, lunches will be catered by Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme in Chehalis. Tables will be arranged by genre, allowing participants to network and be inspired by writers with similar interests.

Note: Early registration with discounted pricing will be open until July 31. General registration begins August 1 and continues until the day of the conference or until all spots are filled. There are additional discounts for students. For more information or to register for the conference, visit the Southwest Washington Writers Conference website.

2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
Back by popular demand, the conference will again be offering Genre Lunch tables where participants can meet those with similar interests, enjoy great conversations and connect with others in our writing community. Photo credit: Robin Montgomery

Southwest Washington Writers Conference Friday Master Classes

This year, the conference is excited to offer three different master classes on Friday.

In the morning, Seattle author Bill Kenower will begin the day with “The Story of Your Life: The Art of Memoir.” Using his unique inside-out approach to writing, he will teach the difference between telling a story about your life and using your life to tell a story. Students will learn how to identify the narrative arc in a personal story, as well as how to transform the most challenging moments from their lives into a story that can help others.

Kenower is the author of “Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt,” “Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence,” and “Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion.” He is also the editor-in-chief of Author magazine. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Writer’s Digest, Edible Seattle, and ParentMap. You can learn more about William Kenower here.

After lunch, Eugene author Miriam Gershow will lead a hands-on workshop, “Successful Revision: Principles and Practices to Drive the Process,” where students will revise a work in progress using Gershow’s framework of discovery.

Gershow is the award-winning author of “Closer,” “Survival Tips: Stories,” and “The Local News.”Her books have been reviewed in The New York Times, Marie Claire and Bust, among others. Her flash fiction has been published widely, including in Pithead Chapel, Had, Craft, and several anthologies. You can learn more about Miriam Gershow here.

The last master class features a candid conversation between Avalon Radys and Jill Saginario, two senior editors from Sasquatch Books, for an unvarnished look at what really happens when proposals land on an editor’s desk. In their presentation, “Secrets of a Winning Nonfiction Book Proposal: An Honest Conversation Between Editors,” Radys and Saginario will give participants a behind-the-scenes look at how publishing decisions are made and the crucial elements that can make or break a submission.

2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
The AAUW’s first Evening with Authors in 2024 featured interviews with Garth Stein and Olivia Hawker, moderated by Matt Young. This year, the Friday evening event will feature interviews with Jane Porter and Patrick Hutchison, moderated by Doris Wood-Brumsickle. Photo credit: Julie McDonald Zander

Friday Evening with Authors

For the second consecutive year, attendees will have the opportunity to return on Friday evening for an Evening with Authors. The event, hosted by the Lewis County AAUW (Association of University Women), will feature an interview with Jane Porter and Patrick Hutchison, moderated by Doris Wood-Brumsickle. It will be held at the TransAlta Building on the Centralia College campus. Doors open at 6 p.m. for refreshments, book signings and a basket raffle. The program begins at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit Hope Alliance, an organization for victims of domestic abuse. Tickets can be added to your conference registration or purchased separately from AAUW.

2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
W.F. West graduate Patrick Hutchison will kick off Saturday’s conference, sharing about his best-selling debut memoir, “Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman.” Photo courtesy: Southwest Washington Writers Conference

Saturday Conference Special Guest and Keynote Speaker

Saturday’s conference kicks off with Pacific Northwest writer and builder Patrick Hutchison, author of the best-selling memoir, “Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman.” Working on the cabin described in his memoir inspired him to leave copywriting to pursue carpentry.

In “Cabin’s Journey to Publication,” Hutchison will share about the experience of writing his first book. His work has also appeared in Outside Magazine, Wired, Vice, Seattlemagazine and Seattle Weekly. Hutchison grew up in Chehalis and graduated from W.F. West High School. He now lives in Tacoma with his wife and dog. When he isn’t writing, you’ll find him most often in the woods, working on tiny homes, cabins and treehouses. Learn more about Patrick Hutchison here.

Saturday’s main keynote speaker is Jane Porter, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of more than 75 romance and women’s fiction titles. Porter will present her keynote, “How to Be the Hero in Your Own Story,” in the morning and will also teach two workshops in the afternoon: “Intense & Tight: Pacing Commercial Fiction” and “Writing Great Dialogue.”

2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
Saturday’s main keynote speaker is Jane Porter, a USA Today and New York Times best-selling author of more than 75 romance and women’s fiction titles. She will present her keynote, “How to be the Hero in Your Own Story,” as well as teach two workshops. Photo courtesy: Southwest Washington Writers Conference

Porter has more than 15 million copies in print, including her wildly popular “Flirting with Forty,” a novel chosen by Redbook magazine as its Red Hot Summer Read in 2006, which was later adapted into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear in 2008. In 2021, two of her Taming of the Sheenan romances were also turned into original movies for the Great American Family Network. Jane lives in sunny California with her surfer husband, three sons and three dogs. Learn more about Jane Porter here.

The 2025 Saturday Workshop Lineup

Following the keynote address, participants can select from a diverse range of workshops that cater to both beginners and experienced writers. This year’s topics include:

  • Poetry
  • Podcasts
  • Publishing (both traditional and independent/self-publishing)
  • Project managing your novel: How to write a book in ten months
  • Flash fiction and short fiction
  • Villains and monsters
  • Research skills for nonfiction (and fiction) writers
  • Revising, editing, proofreading and marketing
  • Plus, a host of practical skills such as how to write great dialogue, craft a compelling plot and avoid the most common writing errors.
2025 Southwest Washington Writers Conference
During breaks, participants can shop at the conference bookstore, which features books written by participants and workshop presenters. Photo credit: Julie McDonald Zander

The Southwest Washington Writers Conference

The Southwest Washington Writers Conference was started in 2014 by a group of writers in Centralia. In 2024, more than 100 participants attended the sold-out Saturday conference, featuring Seattle author Garth Stein.

Over the years, the conference has raised money for the Lewis County Literacy Council, the Lewis County Historical Museum, the Veterans Memorial Museum, the Centralia Fox Theater, and the Centralia College Foundation. This year, conference proceeds will continue to support the Centralia College Foundation for student scholarships.

The Southwest Washington Writers Conference is a nonprofit organization run by a dedicated team of volunteers. In its 11th year, the regional conference continues to draw writers from Seattle to Portland and beyond, offering quality content at an affordable price.

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