TWH MAINE Fiction & Nonfiction Writers Conference Schedule and Guidelines
In-person at Sebasco Harbor Resort
June 9-15, 2027
with Virtual Agent Pitching Sessions on September 18
::Please note that this schedule is subject to small changes.::
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2027 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCE GUIDELINES
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2027 CRAFT LAB LIST AND LOCATIONS
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2027 SALON LIST AND LOCATIONS
We are hosting four Major Workshops in Fiction and two Major Workshops in Nonfiction. All Major Workshops meet June 10 and June 11 (Thursday and Friday) and June 13 and June 14 (Sunday and Monday) 10 AM-1:00 PM Eastern Time. Writer attendance is mandatory. ::There are no Major Workshops on Saturday.::
Please note that we do not record any sessions or readings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAJOR WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS.
Shanna McNair: TWH Founding Director/ Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Dana Cottage. Craft Lab: The Clipper.
Scott Wolven: TWH Consulting Director/ Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Evergreen Cottage. Craft Labs: Aft Deck and Fore Deck.
Jeffrey Ford: Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Cushman Cottage. Craft Lab: Aft Deck.
Elizabeth Hand: Major Fiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Waters Edge Cottage. Craft Lab: Fore Deck.
Rick Moody: Major Nonfiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Rocky Crest Cottage. Craft Lab: Aft Deck.
NONFICTION INSTRUCTOR TBA: Major Nonfiction Workshop Leader. Location for Major Workshop: Pebble Cottage.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CRAFT LABS.
CRAFT LAB LEADERS:
Jeffrey Ford, Elizabeth Hand, Rick Moody, Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH FOUNDING DIRECTOR: Shanna McNair.
TWH CONSULTING DIRECTOR: Scott Wolven.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH TEACHING ASSISTANTS (TAs): Krysta Berkowitz, Courtney Campbell, Tracy DeBrincat, Shawn Keller with more TBA. Teaching Assistants help guide students and faculty throughout the conference.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH DIRECTORS ASSISTANTS (DAs): Kyle Dailey, Adela Najarro and Patti Tod, with more TBA. ::Directors Assistants help directors, students and faculty throughout the conference.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TWH SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook: TheWritersHotel | Twitter: @TheWritersHotel | Instagram: #thewritershotel
====================================================================================
TWH MAINE Fiction & Nonfiction Writers Conference
JUNE 9-15, 2027
In-Person schedule
====================================================================================
Welcome to The Writer’s Hotel MAINE All-Genre “Mini MFA” Writers Conference 2027!
::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 9:
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 light appetizers and a cash bar.
Readers, in order of appearance: Elizabeth Hand, Jeffrey Ford, Rick Moody, Shanna McNair and Scott Wolven with more Faculty TBA. Public announcements 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.
Faculty Reading on Poets & Writers: https://www.pw.org/literary_events/the_writers_hotel_faculty_reading_one_of_two_at_sebasco_harbor_resorts_clipper
::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 2027 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.
Please note that the Quarterdeck space closes each night at 9 p.m.
====================================================================================
::End of day one.::
====================================================================================
THURSDAY, JUNE 10:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.) Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Six 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.
The Clipper building will be open for TWH on this day from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 4:30-7 p.m. Writers are free meet there or take their lunch and/or dinner there (brought in, not catered) or write in the space as they so choose. Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: THREE CRAFT LABS ARE GIVEN.
2:30-4:30 PM: Prose Craft Lab (Fiction and Nonfiction). Instructor: Scott Wolven. LOCATION: THE AFT DECK.
Topic: The Magnificent Seven: Revising Opening Pages
The first few paragraphs of any story are essential to capturing and holding a reader’s attention. In this revision-focused session, we will analyze exemplary compelling openings, discuss seven different approaches to strengthening our openings, and attempt to apply them to works in progress. Participants must bring a printed, double spaced copy of an opening three pages; paper or notebook; and a writing implement. No laptops or iPads, please.
2:30-4:30 PM: Reading Performance Lab (All Genres). Instructor: Shanna McNair. LOCATION: EVERGREEN COTTAGE.
Reading well is an important component in one’s career as a writer. We’ve all been to a reading where words are stumbled over, the reader is too quiet, reads far too long—or simply isn’t able to communicate their own written words very well. Every writer and poet should know how to present their work in a compelling, confident way. And every writer and poet should be able to convey their own unique voice.
Everyone has different challenges when they read. Some need to slow down, some get dry mouth. There are a lot of variables. Shanna and Scott will hone in on each person’s challenges and offer ways to alter habits and strengthen skills. Each writer will get feedback on their reading performance and will get tips and tricks to use in their career to ensure that each reading, going forward, will go well. Attendees will need to bring a two-minute printed sample of writing to share with the group.
2:30-4:30 PM: Two Prose Craft Labs. LOCATION: AFT DECK & FORE DECK Topics are TBA.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage and Cushman Cottage.
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 feedback after their reading. All TWH attendees, whether they are reading or not—are welcome to come and listen. There will be refreshments. Dana Cottage Salons are hosted by Scott Wolven and Shanna McNair. Cushman Cottage Salons are hosted by Jeffrey Ford.
::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day two.::
====================================================================================
FRIDAY, JUNE 11:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.) Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Six 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.
The Clipper building will be open for TWH on this day from 1-7 p.m. Writers are free meet there or take their lunch and/or dinner there (brought in, not catered) or write in the space as they so choose. Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: THREE CRAFT LABS ARE GIVEN
2:30-4:30 PM: Prose Craft Lab. Topic TBA. LOCATION: EVERGREEN COTTAGE
2:30-4:30 PM: Two Prose Craft Labs. Topics are TBA. LOCATION: AFT DECK & FORE DECK
++Those who signed up for this Craft Lab will work with Shanna & Scott privately, if they choose to. Please make arrangements for this directly with Shanna or Scott. All attendees have been placed in their alternative Craft Lab on the schedule as well. ++
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4:30-7:00 PM: Dinner.
Writers take this food break on their own.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage and Cushman Cottage.
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 feedback after their reading. All TWH attendees, whether they are reading or not—are welcome to come and listen. There will be refreshments. Dana Cottage Salons are hosted by Scott Wolven and Shanna McNair. Cushman Cottage Salons are hosted by Jeffrey Ford.
::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day three.::
====================================================================================
SATURDAY, JUNE 12:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.) Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
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.
:: The Clipper building is not open for TWH on this day.::
7:00-9:00 PM: Salons at Dana Cottage and Cushman Cottage.
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 feedback after their reading. All TWH attendees, whether they are reading or not—are welcome to come and listen. There will be refreshments. Dana Cottage Salons are hosted by Scott Wolven and Shanna McNair. Cushman Cottage Salons are hosted by Jeffrey Ford.
::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day four.::
====================================================================================
SUNDAY, JUNE 13:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.) Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Six 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.
The Clipper building will be open for TWH on this day from 1-7 p.m. Writers are free meet there or take their lunch and/or dinner there (brought in, not catered) or write in the space as they so choose. Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: THREE CRAFT LABS ARE GIVEN
2:30-4:30 PM: Prose Craft Lab. Topic TBA. LOCATION: EVERGREEN COTTAGE
2:30-4:30 PM: Two Prose Craft Labs. Topics are TBA. LOCATION: AFT DECK & FORE DECK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 2027 group of writers are invited to read on stage at The Clipper for a short time each (depending on the number of attendees). There will be light appetizers and a cash bar. ::This event is not open to the public. For TWH Community only.::
====================================================================================
::End of day five.::
====================================================================================
MONDAY, JUNE 14:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.) Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Six 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.
The Clipper building will be open for TWH on this day from 1-7 p.m. Writers are free meet there or take their lunch and/or dinner there (brought in, not catered) or write in the space as they so choose. Please be careful to dispose of trash before leaving the space.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2:30-4:30 PM: THREE CRAFT LABS ARE GIVEN
2:30-4:30 PM: Prose Craft Lab. Topic TBA. LOCATION: EVERGREEN COTTAGE
2:30-4:30 PM: Two Prose Craft Labs. Topics are TBA. LOCATION: AFT DECK & FORE DECK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 Awards will be presented to awardees by TWH Director Shanna McNair. Three awards will be given: two in Fiction and one in Nonfiction. 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.::
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7:15-10:00 PM: TWH Bookfair in The Clipper
Attendees will bring their books to sell and/or their interests to display and talk about. This event is free and open to the public. Adults only. There will be light appetizers and a cash bar.
We will also have a table of High Frequency Press keepsake ARCs and released books for sale.
The Quarterdeck next door 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 our TWH Bookfair will be at The Clipper.
Please note that the Quarterdeck closes each night at 9 p.m.
====================================================================================
::End of day six.::
====================================================================================
TUESDAY, JUNE 15:
7:30-9:30 AM: Informal meetup for TWH early risers. LOCATION: SEBASCO’S MAIN LODGE PORCH AND COMMON SPACE. (Optional.)
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.)
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 September 18, 2027, 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 2026-27