TWH MAINE All-Genre “Mini MFA” Writers Conference Schedule and Guidelines
In-person at Sebasco Harbor Resort
June 10-16, 2026
with Virtual Agent Pitching Sessions on June 27
::Please note that this schedule is subject to small changes.::
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2025 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCE GUIDELINES
We are hosting five Major Workshops in Fiction, one Major Workshop in Nonfiction and one Major Workshop in Poetry. All Major Workshops meet June 11 and June 12 (Thursday and Friday) and June 14 and June 15 (Sunday and Monday) 10 AM-1:00 PM Eastern Time. Writer attendance is mandatory. ::There are no Major Workshops on Saturday.::
Craft Labs in each genre run at the same time on the schedule. Choose well! Please note that we do not record any sessions or readings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAJOR WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS.
FICTION INSTRUCTORS:
Shanna McNair: TWH Founding Director/ Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Dana Cottage
Scott Wolven: TWH Consulting Director/ Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: The Clipper
Julia Bouwsma: Major Poetry Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Juniper Ledge Cottage
Elyssa East: Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Evergreen Cottage
Jeffrey Ford: Major Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Location for Major Workshop: Cushman Cottage
Elizabeth Hand: Major Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Water’s Edge Cottage
Rick Moody: Major Nonfiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Rocky Crest Cottage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CRAFT LABS.
CRAFT LAB LEADERS:
Maine Poet Laureate Julia Bouwsma, Elyssa East, Jeffrey Ford, Elizabeth Hand, Rick Moody, Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven (more instructors TBA).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH FOUNDING DIRECTOR: Shanna McNair.
TWH CONSULTING DIRECTOR: Scott Wolven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH TEACHING ASSISTANTS (TAs): Erin Donovan, Chanelle Loftness and Rachel Moore. More TAs are TBA. Teaching Assistants help guide students and faculty throughout the conference.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH DIRECTORS ASSISTANTS (DAs): Creighton Blinn, Pete Follansbee and Adela Najarro. More DAs are TBA. ::Directors Assistants help directors, students and faculty throughout the conference.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook: TheWritersHotel
Twitter: @TheWritersHotel
Instagram: #thewritershotel
====================================================================================
TWH MAINE All-Genre “Mini MFA” Writers Conference
JUNE 10-16, 2026
In-Person schedule
====================================================================================
Welcome to The Writer’s Hotel MAINE All-Genre “Mini MFA” Writers Conference 2026!
::We will be sending our “Daily Digest” each morning to attendees, which will contain any important notes and conference documents. Please check your email for it each morning. ::
====================================================================================
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10:
5:00-6:00 PM: Conference check-in at The Clipper.
TWH Directors Scott Wolven and Shanna McNair will be available to meet and greet attendees! TWH materials will be distributed, including TWH badges and folders.
====================================================================================
6:00-7:30 PM: Faculty Reading at The Clipper.
Our first of two Faculty Readings! Come and listen to instructors and guest readers. There will be a short book signing immediately following the reading. This event is free and open to the public. Adults only. There will be a cash bar.
Readers, in order of appearance: Elizabeth Hand, Rick Moody, Jeffrey Ford, Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven. Public announcements will be made on the Poets & Writers Literary Event Calendar and on TWH social media.
Print: A Bookstore will be bringing books for our instructors to sign! We will also have a table of High Frequency Press books for sale, including keepsake ARCs.
::Please note that immediately following the reading, there will be a private event for conference attendees only.::
====================================================================================
7:30-10:00 PM: Meet and Greet Mixer at The Clipper.
TWH 2026 Meet and Greet Mixer. Meet your fellow writers and get acquainted! The Quarterdeck can also be utilized (is a recreation space with pool tables, candlepin bowling, foosball, shuffleboard, video game stations and more) but the main space for TWH will be at The Clipper.
====================================================================================
::End of day one.::
====================================================================================
THURSDAY, JUNE 11:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers at Sebasco’s Main Lodge.
Informal and unsupervised: this is an available space for TWH attendees to meet up, if they wish. Bring your coffee and your notebook and enjoy the space or arrange to meet a TWH friend here. It’s up to you. (This space is not reserved just for TWH attendees and hotel guests will also be in the space if they so choose.)
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Seven Major Workshops are held.
Each attendee will belong to their own Major Workshop group. All writers should come prepared to discuss their workshop-mates writing in detail and have typed comments to offer. Those writers being “workshopped” that day will have their comments to review after class; bring your printed copies to class each day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1:00-2:30 PM: Lunch.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: Three Craft Labs.
2:30-4:30 PM: Fiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Nonfiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Poetry Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage, Cushman Cottage and The Clipper.
This event fosters TWH community. Each TWH Salon will be its own event with its own readers. Signups will take place in advance. Writers will read in a casual setting and receive casual feedback after their reading. All TWH attendees, whether they are reading or not—are welcome to come and listen. There will be a cash bar. ::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day two.::
====================================================================================
FRIDAY, JUNE 12:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers at Sebasco’s Main Lodge.
Informal and unsupervised: this is an available space for TWH attendees to meet up, if they wish. Bring your coffee and your notebook and enjoy the space or arrange to meet a TWH friend here. It’s up to you. (This space is not reserved just for TWH attendees and hotel guests will also be in the space if they so choose.)
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Seven Major Workshops are held.
Each attendee will belong to their own Major Workshop group. All writers should come prepared to discuss their workshop-mates writing in detail and have typed comments to offer. Those writers being “workshopped” that day will have their comments to review after class; bring your printed copies to class each day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1:00-2:30 PM: Lunch.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: Three Craft Labs.
2:30-4:30 PM: Fiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Nonfiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Poetry Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage, Cushman Cottage and The Clipper.
This event fosters TWH community. Each TWH Salon will be its own event with its own readers. Signups will take place in advance. Writers will read in a casual setting and receive casual feedback after their reading. ::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day three.::
====================================================================================
SATURDAY, JUNE 13:
DAY OF MAINE RECREATION: A full day of free time in the great state of Maine. Enjoy!
Writers take this day-long break on their own. Sebasco Harbor Inn offers golf, tennis, Candlepin bowling and more.
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage, Cushman Cottage and The Clipper.
This event fosters TWH community. Each TWH Salon will be its own event with its own readers. Signups will take place in advance. Writers will read in a casual setting and receive casual feedback after their reading. All TWH attendees, whether they are reading or not—are welcome to come and listen. ::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day four.::
====================================================================================
SUNDAY, JUNE 14:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers at Sebasco’s Main Lodge.
Informal and unsupervised: this is an available space for TWH attendees to meet up, if they wish. Bring your coffee and your notebook and enjoy the space or arrange to meet a TWH friend here. It’s up to you. (This space is not reserved just for TWH attendees and hotel guests will also be in the space if they so choose.)
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Seven Major Workshops are held.
Each attendee will belong to their own Major Workshop group. All writers should come prepared to discuss their workshop-mates writing in detail and have typed comments to offer. Those writers being “workshopped” that day will have their comments to review after class; bring your printed copies to class each day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1:00-2:30 PM: Lunch.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: Three Craft Labs.
2:30-4:30 PM: Fiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Nonfiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Poetry Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:00-10:00 PM: TWH Open Mic at The Clipper.
This event fosters TWH community. Signups will take place in advance. The full TWH 2026 group of writers will read on stage at The Clipper for a short time each (depending on the number of attendees). There will be a cash bar. ::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day five.::
====================================================================================
MONDAY, JUNE 15:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers at Sebasco’s Main Lodge.
Informal and unsupervised: this is an available space for TWH attendees to meet up, if they wish. Bring your coffee and your notebook and enjoy the space or arrange to meet a TWH friend here. It’s up to you. (This space is not reserved just for TWH attendees and hotel guests will also be in the space if they so choose.)
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Seven Major Workshops are held.
Each attendee will belong to their own Major Workshop group. All writers should come prepared to discuss their workshop-mates writing in detail and have typed comments to offer. Those writers being “workshopped” that day will have their comments to review after class; bring your printed copies to class each day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1:00-2:30 PM: Lunch.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: Three Craft Labs.
2:30-4:30 PM: Fiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Nonfiction Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
2:30-4:30 PM: Poetry Craft Lab. Instructor and topic TBA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:: Please note there will be a cash bar for all events, starting with the Sara Patton Ceremony.::
7:00-7:15 PM: Sara Patton Stipend Awards Announcement Ceremony at The Clipper.
Three $500 Sara Patton Stipends will be presented to awardees by TWH Director Shanna McNair. Three awards will be given: one in Fiction, one in Nonfiction and one in Poetry. Please see our website at at the bottom of the page for full details: https://www.writershotel.com/twh-maine-mini-mfa-conferences. ::Past and present TAs and past and present Workroom or Private Study participants are not eligible; High Frequency Press writers are not eligible. All other attendees are automatically entered. This is a merit-based award.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:15-9:00 PM: Final Faculty Reading at The Clipper.
Our final Faculty Reading! Come and listen to instructors read. There will be a short book signing immediately following the reading. This event is free and open to the public. Adults only. There will be a cash bar and light appetizers.
Readers, in order of appearance: Julia Bouwsma, Elyssa East, Jeffrey Ford, Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven (more readers are TBA). Public announcements will be made on the Poets & Writers Literary Event Calendar and on TWH social media.
Print: A Bookstore will be bringing books for our instructors to sign! We will also have a table of High Frequency Press keepsake ARCs for sale.
::Please note that immediately following the reading, there will be a private event for conference attendees only.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9:00-11:00 PM: TWH Attendees only: final meeting spot for the conference at The Clipper
TWH 2026 final Meet and Greet Mixer. There will be a cash bar and light appetizers. The Quarterdeck can also be utilized (is a recreation space with pool tables, candlepin bowling, foosball, shuffleboard, video game stations and more) but the main space for TWH will be at The Clipper.
====================================================================================
::End of day six.::
====================================================================================
TUESDAY, JUNE 16:
Checkout Day!
Thank you so much for being with us for our TWH MAINE “Mini MFA” All-Genre in-person program! We’ll see you in June for our virtual Agent Pitching Sessions on Zoom, which will conclude our conference. Looking forward!
====================================================================================
::End of day seven.::
====================================================================================
TWH MAINE All-Genre Writers Conference
Agent Pitching Sessions Virtual SCHEDULE
Saturday June 27, 2026, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Time
====================================================================================
11:00 AM-1:00 PM: Agent Pitching practice.
Log in and check in! There will be one Zoom link (below) for this day of virtual sessions. Writers will log in via this online schedule to register.
Practice pitching with TWH Directors Scott Wolven and Shanna McNair. Scott and Shanna will be available to hear pitches and answer questions before the Agent Pitching Sessions. This is an optional session.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:00-5:00 PM: Pitching Session with Literary Agents
Writers have their literary agent lists and relevant information about participating agents and are prepared to pitch. Scott and Shanna will match each writer, so that they can pitch their manuscripts one-on-one in breakout rooms. Participating agencies for our pitching sessions are TBA.
This event concludes our conference.
====================================================================================
::End of day eight.::
====================================================================================
All materials © The Writer's Hotel 2025-26