What would you like to find?

You may have met Amy Leigh Harden at last year’s Writers Conference, or maybe you attended one of the Craft of Writing book discussions this past year that she and fellow writer Amber A. Logan facilitated. If so, you know that Amy Leigh is a delightful presenter and insightful teacher. We are so excited to have Amy Leigh Harden on faculty at the 2023 Writers Conference! Read on for more about Amy Leigh Harden and our Writers Conference >

Peer critique is essential for any writer! We’ve invited Matt Crist, JoCoLibrary staff member and fellow writer, to offer craft critique at this year’s Writers Conference. Matthew is an information specialist at the Lenexa Branch, but he is also an avid writer with two manuscripts and a dozen short stories lying around. He loves discussing all things related to writing, ideas, creativity and the arts. This will be a fun, casual setting where no judgement is allowed.

When Darlene Jerome offered to present a lecture at this year’s Writers Conference on how to write your own obituary, we were immediately intrigued! Writing your own obituary is a great writing exercise. At first you may feel uncomfortable writing about yourself, but a few moments of reflection reveal your personal history is rich with stories and inspiration for characterization.  Read on for more about Darlene Jerome and the Writers Conference!

We are thrilled to announce that Natasha Ria El-Scari will join us at this year’s Writers Conference! Natasha will facilitate a discussion between Traci Brimhall and Kelly Yarbrough as they dive into the details of their writer-artist collaboration while working on the Library’s November poetry walk in Strang Park. Make sure you don’t miss out on this great discussion and be sure to check out the poetry walk behind the library during the conference! Read on for more

Marketing yourself is just as important as marketing your work. What’s your artist statement? Maybe you feel like you can better represent yourself and your creative work to the world. Bryan Voell, librarian and artist, can help you craft an artist statement that authentically reflects you and your writing. Bring your current artist statement or author bio for some one-on-one feedback at this year’s Writers Conference!

The click of the keys On the cherished typewriter Brings all of us joy This attempt at a haiku is inspired by an exciting announcement: Rye Lanae Boothe will bring her Magic Typewriter Surprise to the Writers Conference this year! You can go home with your own personalized short poem, printed from her very own special typewriter. Rye wants her poems to leave you “feeling connected, uplifted, held in a caring gaze and walk away with a one-of-a-kind piece of art in th

We are thrilled to have Johnson County Library’s very own Anna Madrigal at this year’s Writers Conference. Anna is a library branch manager who has dabbled in poetry, prose, and creative nonfiction since her teenage years. The written word has always offered her a way to explore and process the chaotic, bittersweet world we all find ourselves in.  I’m especially excited to have Anna at the conference because she is my branch manager. Over the past several years Anna

She’s back! Our photographer extraordinaire Kelly Sime will be back for the 2023 conference to take author photos! We have been truly lucky to have Kelly at many of our Writers Conferences in the past. She is a blast and takes fabulous photos. Whether you already have a headshot or have never had one before, Kelly can take your next great author photo!

Wondering about what comes after a first draft? What about knowing when to “show” vs “tell” in your writing? Maybe you’ve read a book on craft but aren’t quite sure how to best implement what you’ve learned. Amber Logan is here to help you with your writing woes! Read on for more about Amber and our Writers Conference!

We are proud to announce that Angel Tucker will be on faculty for the 2023 Writers Conference! Angel Tucker has worked in Youth Services at Johnson County Library for 19 years and currently serves as the Youth Services Manager. She is the founder of elementia, Johnson County Library’s inter-nationally recognized visual and literary arts magazine for young adults and currently sponsors and helps coordinate Race Project KC – an equity initiative that aims to bring stu