Event Proposal Guidelines

June 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET: Deadline to submit 2027 conference event proposals

June 5, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET: Deadline for overcommitted participants to step down

June–July 2026: Conference subcommittee evaluates proposals.

August 2026: AWP announces accepted events.

August 2026: Deadline for organizers to request changes to accepted events

Fall 2026: Full schedule is announced. 

Organizer: The event organizer is the person who submits the event and all relevant paperwork to AWP. This person will be the main point of contact for AWP staff and acts as the liaison between AWP and the participants. The organizer of the event doesn’t necessarily need to be a participant.

Moderator: The moderator oversees event proceedings and must ensure that presentation, discussion, and/or reading time is managed appropriately within the event’s allotted time. The moderator is considered an event participant and is expected to adhere to AWP’s participation guidelines, policies, and limitations. The moderator’s biographical note will be included in the online conference schedule.

Participant: Also commonly called presenters, participants in events are those who have been added to a conference event proposal by the event organizer. 

Each participant may be included on up to three regular event proposals and up to two regular conference events. It is rare for three proposals for one individual to be accepted, but if this happens, that participant would need to step down from one of their events to comply with the two-event limit.

The two-event participation limit includes both in-person and virtual conference events. Participation in a featured event, caucus meeting, bookfair stage event, or other pro forma event does not count toward the participation limit. 

Organizers of 2027 event proposals are responsible for submitting all information for all proposal participants with the initial proposal submission. Unlike in years past, individuals listed as participants on an event proposal will no longer need to link their AWP account to the proposal, and will not need to add their short biography to the proposal.

When adding a participant to an event proposal, the event organizer will need to provide the following for each participant: 

• participant’s full name

• the email address associated with the participant’s AWP account 

• an explanation of the participant’s experience and expertise 

To add a participant to a proposal, the organizer should enter the email address associated with the participant’s AWP user account. The participant’s name will be added to the proposal form automatically.

If the AWP account email is not provided for a participant, or if incorrect information is provided, the participant will not be able to access the Presenter Service Center should the event be accepted.

While AWP membership is not required to participate on an event proposal, all proposal participants must have a free AWP user account to be listed on an event proposal. If a proposal participant has not yet created a free AWP account, they should create an account on the AWP website before the proposal can be submitted. 

Instead of a short biography for each participant, the event organizer will be asked to submit a longer explanation of each participant’s professional or artistic experience and expertise, particularly as the participant’s experience relates to the proposal topic. This field will allow event organizers to more fully describe how the inclusion of each participant will contribute to the proposal specifically. The experience and expertise section for each participant will be viewed only by the conference subcommittee and will not be posted publicly. 

Samples

For example, on a panel addressing magical realism in fiction, you might include the following for this participant: 

Lucy Hart is the author of three novels (California, Bittersweet, and Cats on Mars) and a book of short stories (Wild Country), all playing with elements of magical realism. She was awarded an NEA fellowship in 2009 and a Guggenheim Genius Grant in 2015. Hart is not only an accomplished writer, she also teaches creative writing at the University of Southern California, and has created university writing courses specific to teaching magical realism. 

For example, on a panel addressing best practices for submitting to magazines, you might include the following for this participant:

Roger Martinez is a former fellow and current board member for the Windside Artist Residency. He is the fiction editor of the New Albany Review and often participates in panels and discussions offering advice to writers submitting work to literary magazines. He is also the program director at the Center for the Arts. His book reviews appear on Substack and in newspapers throughout the country. He is currently at work on a novel in stories and lives in Ohio.

If an event proposal is accepted, the event participants will have the opportunity to add their own public short biography through the Presenter Service Center. Once added, the public short biographies will be viewable on the online conference schedule. AWP reserves the right to edit all biographical notes.

Events are separated into two formats: readings and panel discussions. Within those formats are different categories, such as a fiction reading or a poetry craft and criticism panel discussion. It is very important to categorize your event correctly, as this is how AWP will publicize your event in our program.

If you would like to see a full list of past events, please visit our conference archives.

If you are unsure which category your event proposal best fits into, please email [email protected] for assistance. 

Readings

Each reading features two to five writers. Presses may propose events in this category, including anniversary readings celebrating milestones in their publishing history. Readings may also showcase outstanding authors from the region in which the annual conference is held.

Fiction Reading

These readings are by two or more authors of novels and short story collections.

Multiple Literary Genres Reading

Readings by two or more writers in two or more literary genres fall under this category.

Nonfiction Reading

These readings are by two or more authors of memoirs, essays of creative nonfiction, and literary biographies.

Poetry Reading

These readings are by two or more authors of poetry. 

Panel Discussions: Craft & Criticism

These events focus on the craft of writing. Presenters who read from or discuss their own work during these panel discussions do so in a limited capacity (not longer than five minutes), and only to expand upon the discussion of other texts, authors, or subjects. Discussions may also be focused on topics that highlight the region where the conference is being held.

Fiction Craft & Criticism

These events focus on the craft of writing short stories and novels. These presentations may focus on topics of craft that apply to fiction along with other artistic mediums, including mixed media collaborations and interdisciplinary forms.

Multiple Literary Genres Craft & Criticism

These events focus on topics of craft that apply to two or more literary genres. The discussion should be around how issues or the topic of discussion play across at least two literary genres. These presentations may also focus on topics of craft that apply to genre bending and blending aesthetics.

Nonfiction Craft & Criticism

These events focus on the craft of writing nonfiction. These presentations may focus on topics of craft that apply to nonfiction along with other artistic mediums, including mixed media collaborations and interdisciplinary forms.

Poetry Craft & Criticism

These events focus on the craft of writing poetry. These presentations may focus on topics of craft that apply to poetry along with other artistic mediums, including mixed media collaborations and interdisciplinary forms.

Children’s & Young Adult Literature

These events focus on the elements of craft in writing for children or young adults and other topics.

Playwriting & Screenwriting

These events focus on elements of craft in playwriting and screenwriting, as well as appreciations of other writers and discussions of cultural trends in theater, cinema, and television.

Translation

These events focus on theories and strategies of translation, cultural differences, and the practical considerations of international literary markets for translated works. They may also include discussions with translators reading from recent work and may be followed by a short reading or speech by the translated author.

Tributes

Tributes are appreciations of outstanding living authors, literary mentors, and editors or those who have died within the last twenty years. Discussions may be focused on individuals who hold significant literary ties to the region where the conference is being held. Such events typically include speakers testifying about the tributee’s work as an artist, mentor, or teacher. The testimonies can be followed by a short reading or speech by the honoree. 

Panel Discussions: Professional & Industry

These events focus on the professional aspects of working in the writing industry, including the perspectives of writers championing their own work, publishing industry professionals, and/or individuals managing other literary organizations.

Agents, Contracts, Contests & Marketing

These events address the business side of publishing. Events should provide advice in selecting a literary agent, entering literary competitions, understanding copyright laws and issues of libel or defamation, finding a publisher, executing a contract for publication, organizing reading tours and book launches, and promoting and marketing one’s own literary work.

Artistic & Professional Development

These events provide advice on how one should manage one’s talents, life, and career for greater artistic or professional success. Topics may include managing the writer’s life; employment or promotion, either within or outside academia; post-MFA/PhD opportunities; community outreach; managing writing groups; writing residency opportunities; time management; familial or parental concerns; literacy; job interview skills; development of resumes or CVs; internships; and jobs in professional writing, criticism, editing, publishing, arts administration, and academia.

Publishing, Editing & Technology

These events are addressed to editors, publishers, distributors, and the technological facilitators of literary books, anthologies, journals, book reviews, websites, and electronic media. Topics may include marketing, graphic design, editing, rights acquisition, copyright, website development, organizational development, business realignments in publishing, small press administration, designing publications for digital tablets, and technological innovations influencing reading, writing, and publishing.

Writing Organizations

These events focus on issues related to good management of literary organizations, writers’ conferences, and community centers; audience development; community service; administration; marketing; board development; fundraising; programming; facilities management; strategic planning; and teaching outside academia. 

Panel Discussions: Academic

These events focus on the practice of teaching writing, particularly in academic settings.

Pedagogy

These presentations focus primarily on issues related to effective teaching of writing at all levels: graduate workshops, undergraduate seminars, K though 12, and writers-in-the-schools or community classes. Pedagogy events may be focused on the teaching of a single genre or multiple genres. Proposals should clarify which levels of education the presenters will focus on.

Program Development

These events are designed for the administrators of various kinds of creative writing programs: residency programs, low-residency programs, undergraduate programs, graduate programs, and programs at two-year colleges. The presentations focus on the elements of good program administration: admissions, state and regional accreditation requirements, curriculum development, recruitment of faculty, fundraising, alumni development, marketing, and strategic planning. 

Caucuses

Caucuses should be submitted in this category; please see the caucus section of this page for information about caucuses. 

When submitting your event proposal, you must select either the in-person or virtual event preference option. If you select the in-person option, you are confirming that if your event is accepted, you would like it to take place in person in Chicago, Illinois. If you select the virtual option, you are confirming that if your event is accepted, you would like to virtually prerecord it in fall 2026, to be made available online during the conference in March 2027.

Once you have submitted your event proposal, you will not be able to change your event preference. As in-person and virtual events require different resources and planning, we cannot allow events to change format once they have been evaluated and accepted.

All in-person events will be outfitted with the appropriate number of microphones and speakers; you do not need to request these items in advance. 

If the event participants wish to request internet access and/or the use of an LCD projector and screen during their event, the proposal organizer must submit all A/V requests for the event with the initial event proposal. Audiovisual equipment can be requested to allow in-person presenters to show slides or other visuals, to play audio or video files, or to include a remote presenter via video call. 

As our resources for providing additional audiovisual equipment on-site are limited, we ask that additional audiovisual equipment only be requested when it is fundamental to the execution of the event. Consider whether the additional A/V equipment is a “must have” or a “nice to have”. If the equipment is not essential to the on-site execution of the event, we ask that an additional A/V request not be submitted. 

If AWP receives more A/V requests than we have the resources to provide equipment for on-site, please note that we may need to prioritize requests based on the provided A/V statement of need. For example, events that request A/V to show long, detailed presentations, to show extensive visual or audio materials, or to include one or more remote presenters via video call will be prioritized over events that only wish to briefly show images or websites.

Accepted event organizers and participants will be notified of the audiovisual equipment that will be available in their assigned meeting room when the full conference schedule is announced in fall 2026.

If your proposal was submitted before it was complete, email us at [email protected]. When we hear from you, we will eliminate the incomplete proposal, and you may submit a new version.

Make sure you’ve entered your email address correctly and wait for your confirmation email. Confirmation for your proposal will be sent via email a few minutes after you submit. You can revisit your submitted proposal at any time by visiting AWP’s submission portal. If you’d like to download a PDF copy of your proposal, you can do so by clicking the Print button next to your proposal in your My Applications page.

Be sure to have current contact information for your event participants. Missing or incorrect email addresses may prevent important information from reaching your participants. AWP does not sell or trade email addresses. 

AWP welcomes the creation of new caucuses through our annual conference event proposal system. Proposed caucuses should be made up of a specific demographic group that shares academic, literary, and professional development concerns. Please note that subject matter already designated under the eighteen event categories within the proposal system (e.g., pedagogy discussions or children’s and young adult literature sessions) is not an eligible basis for creating a caucus.

Caucuses can also create and facilitate opportunities for communication between AWP and their caucus members. AWP very much wants to hear from the caucuses about their needs and how they would like to be supported. AWP may also call upon caucus leaders to address issues between AWP and caucuses’ members to solve problems and create solutions.

Nonprofit literary organizations whose mission is to support a particular demographic group can propose new caucuses. If no affiliated organization exists or can offer their support, AWP will still consider proposals. A proposal for a new caucus must be sent to [email protected] by the proposal deadline for the following year’s conference, and be accompanied by the following materials:

1. a petition signed by thirty AWP members, including first and last names and email addresses;
2. if applicable, a one-page letter from the executive director or senior official of the sponsoring nonprofit detailing how the organization will help administer the caucus;
3. a caucus description not to exceed 500 characters, including spaces; and
4. a statement of value not to exceed 500 characters, including spaces.

The Conference Steering Committee of the AWP Board of Directors will evaluate new caucus proposals. Once a proposal is accepted, the caucus will need to be submitted through AWP’s electronic proposal system for recordkeeping purposes.

After a caucus holds two annual meetings, the AWP board reevaluates the caucus for automatic acceptance onto the conference schedule. To receive this status, the caucus must demonstrate a need that goes beyond the programming accepted through the regular proposal process.

Please visit the How Events Are Selected page for an explanation of the selection and scoring process.

All event organizers will be notified of submission results via email in August. After notification, accepted event organizers will have the opportunity to make minor changes to their event title, description, and/or participant list.

To ensure that all proposal organizers and participants receive all updates from AWP regarding this event proposal, all participants should make sure their communication preferences are up to date and opt in to receive mailings with conference information. If you are unsubscribed from our Mailchimp audience, you will not receive important updates regarding your event proposal. If you have any questions about your communication preferences, please email [email protected] for assistance.

AWP is committed to making all reasonable arrangements that will allow conference attendees to participate in conference events.

Many accessibility services require advanced planning and reservations for a conference as large as AWP’s. To help us better prepare, all requests for accessibility services, equipment, or accommodations, should be submitted in advance. AWP can best meet accessibility needs when requests are sent to [email protected] by Wednesday, February 24, 2027. AWP will make every effort to accommodate requests that arrive after February 24. Please visit our Accessibility Overview page for more information.

All accepted presenters must register for the conference. Presenters on events accepted through the conference subcommittee adjudication process can register at our reduced presenter rate. The rate will be made available to all eligible presenters, who will be notified via email about how and when to register.

Presenter registration includes admission to AWP’s bookfair, meetings, panels, readings, and public receptions during the conference period. Meals, lodging, and travel are not included. For information on lodging at AWP’s official conference hotels, accepted presenters can visit the #AWP27 hotel information page in the Presenter Service Center. For local travel information, please visit the Parking & Getting Around Chicago page (coming soon).

Participants on bookfair stage events are not eligible to purchase a registration at the presenter rate. 

If your event is accepted, you will be asked to upload an event outline by February 17, 2027. An outline can include any written remarks you have prepared, reading material you plan to share, or a list of moderator questions. This document can be uploaded only by the organizer or the moderator.

This event outline will be available for attendees to download from the online schedule when it goes live in the fall. You may replace this document with an updated version at any time as your plans come into better focus closer to the event.

For the 2027 conference cycle, event outlines will be mandatory, and events without outlines uploaded by February 17, 2027, will be removed from the schedule.

This feature was added to the proposal system to encourage event participants to start preparing for their event well in advance. Additionally, these copies are essential for holding an accessible event. Consider members of your audience who have disabilities and may wish or need to follow along with a written text. It is also helpful for ASL and CART interpreters to see event information beforehand.

For more information on preparing accessible event outlines, please review the AWP Conference & Bookfair Event Outline Guide.

Please visit the Attendee Terms & Conditions page for an explanation of these policies, which are automatically agreed upon by anyone who attends the conference.