Writer Courses, Contests and Conferences for 2025
New! What’s going on in Careers and Writer News this Summer/Fall of 2025?
We’re adding more to our list weekly, visit us again soon!
Courses
5-Day Writing Camp for Teens | Camp Gotham | Live NYC in July | “Camp Gotham is a dynamic writing experience that immerses participants in fiction and creative nonfiction, blending craft lectures, hands-on writing exercises, and inspiring neighborhood field trips. Throughout the week, campers will engage in icebreakers, freewriting, discussions on essential storytelling techniques, and workshopping their own projects in preparation for a public reading.
Afternoons bring creative exploration, featuring field trips that spark imagination, guest speakers sharing industry insights, and dedicated time to refine personal projects. Writing elements covered include voice, structure, character development, dialogue, and both fiction and nonfiction storytelling. The camp culminates in a special Saturday reading at P&T Knitwear bookstore in Manhattan, where campers showcase their work to an audience of family and friends.”
Grammar and Grammar-pa’s brush up on writing skills | Courtesy of writingclasses.com | “Here to help you refresh those grammar skills, tighten up those word choices and keep your professional presence as sharp as a fresh sea breeze. We know the tides of time have a way of shifting memory, occasionally swapping out "accomplished" for "that thing I did back in ‘85." Science tells us that, as we sail past 50, our brains start prioritizing wisdom over word retrieval, leaving us in a pickle when trying to sound as sharp as we once did.”
But don’t let your vocabulary drift away like an unmoored sailboat! This Grammar refresher course will expertly navigate your resume through the rough seas of outdated phrasing, ensuring your writing lets you continue riding life’s waves with confidence. Visit writing classes.com and let us work our magic—because even the best captains need a little course correction now and then. Online, May 31.
Futurescapes Writers Workshops | 10th Anniversary Fall Workshop September 11-14, 2025 | Apply by June 1-August 10, 2025 | “Futurescapes is extremely competitive. We are dedicated to bringing together the best and brightest in the world of speculative fiction. You must apply for admission. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. It is recommended that you apply early as the workshop’s limited spots will fill quickly.”
Contests
Foyle Young Poets Award | Enter by July 31, 2025
Bard College | Bard Fiction Prize $30K | Enter by June 1, 2025
National Book Foundation | National Book Awards $10K | Enter by June 6, 2025
University of Pittsburgh Press | Drue Heinz Literature Prize $15K | Enter by June 30, 2025
The Story Prize $20K | Enter by July 1, 2025
16th Annual Student Summer Reading Contest | New York Times | Enter from June 6-August 16, 2025
Conferences
Join Your First Board, Advice from Recruiters | May 28 | Online | BlueStep Career Professionals
“This Online Event Will Uncover:
The discreet realities of the board recruitment process
How top candidates attract and secure board invitations
What sets exceptional board candidates apart
The critical role recruiters play in confidential board searches
Live Q&A with premier boardroom talent experts”
Sacramento Book Festival (Sacramento, CA) | May 31 | “For the second year running, Sacramento will have its very own book festival. Authors will be available to meet the public and talk about your writing. Signed copies of your work will be on sale and feel free to expand your fan base. Aspiring writers will be able to meet members of the California Writers Club, to gain guidance on how to develop their art. Leaflets and CWC promotional material will be available for distribution to visitors. “
Have a course, contest or conference happening this summer you would like us to post?
email oceanviewresumes@gmail.com with your info for publishing.
