Southampton Writers Conference Marks 51st Summer on the East End

Next month, the Southampton Writers Conference will return for its 51st summer, continuing a literary tradition on the East End that began in 1976.

Held July 15-19 at Stony Brook Southampton, the conference brings together writers, poets, editors and publishing professionals for five days of workshops, lectures, panel discussions, readings and conversations about the writing life. This year marks its 20th summer of the conference as part of Stony Brook University.

Participants can study fiction, poetry, memoir, children's literature and other genres while working closely with faculty and fellow writers in small, collaborative groups. Attendees will meet with the same group every day to help foster strong relationships and provide insights to co-attendees' work.

The conference is known for the sense of community that develops throughout the week, whether during afternoon salons, evening readings or informal conversations.

Over the years, the Southampton Writers Conference has welcomed many of the country's most celebrated authors, including Joyce Carol Oates, James Baldwin, E.L. Doctorow, Tom Wolfe, Elizabeth Strout, Mark Doty, Melissa Bank and Colson Whitehead.

This year's conference will feature craft talks and lectures by Megan Giddings, Maya Shanbhag Lang, Susan Minot, Jenny Xie and others, along with salon readings, publishing and agent events and nightly readings featuring Billy Collins, Gayle Forman, Matthew Klam, Frederic Tuten and Meg Wolitzer.

Applicants may choose between immersive workshops or the conference lecture series, which includes access to afternoon programming, salons, evening readings and social gatherings throughout the week.

Spots are still available for the commuter-only lecture series and the commuter-only Emerging Writers Workshop, with applications being accepted through July 1. The lecture series costs $150 and the Emerging Writers Workshop costs $350.

Designed for local writers ages 20 and older who are newer to creative writing, the Emerging Writers Workshop is led by Bobby Crace, managing editor of The Southampton Review and a faculty member in Stony Brooks MFA in Creative Writing program. The workshop helps participants build confidence, generate new work and explore revision while also introducing the fundamentals of publishing and submission strategies.

Participants in the Emerging Writers Workshop also receive access to the conference's lectures, salon readings, publishing events and evening programs throughout the week.

Applications and additional information are available on the Southampton Writers Conference website.