Registration now closed

The 41st Annual Western Reserve Writers' Conference

A day of writing information and inspiration!

AGENDA

9:00-9:30 AM / CHECK-IN, LIGHT BREAKFAST, COFFEE & TEA
Writers' Center

For anyone interested in having their work read anonymously at the First Page Critique Panel at 1:45 PM: Drop off FOUR COPIES of the first page of your work-in-progress (prose only, fiction or nonfiction) at the check-in table before noon. Your work must be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with Title and Genre written at the top of the page. Do NOT include your name anywhere on the page. We'll randomly select first pages and read them aloud starting at 1:45 p.m. Each panelist will raise a hand at the point where they would stop reading and then comment on what stopped them. First Page Critique writers will remain anonymous.

9:30 AM / WELCOME & CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Meeting Room A/B/C

Deanna R. Adams, Conference Coordinator
Laurie Kincer, William N. Skirball Writers' Center 

9:40-10:20 AM / KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Meeting Room A/B/C

How to Write by Yourself: From One Author to Another / Brad Ricca, 2026 Writer in Residence 

Award-winning author Brad Ricca will share practical points about writing that he has found to be 100% true. Although writing is personal, and singularly individual, we can all learn from others and grow our own communities. Writing is always a journey of the self, he says, not my self, but yours. And that is where its best power lies.

Note: Sessions with an asterisk (*) include a writing exercise.

10:30-11:30 AM / BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. Liftoff to a Finished Book / Robin Yocum
Meeting Room A/B/C
Ohio author Robin Yocum will take writers from ground zero to seeing their work in bookstores. This is book writing and publishing, A-Z. How to start with an idea and a blank sheet of paper and follow through on drafting a book to completion. The session will cover idea generation, the writing process, and overcoming the pitfalls, distractions and negativity that keep writers from finishing a book.

*2. Writing Character and Dialogue in Fiction and Nonfiction / Deanna Adams
Writers’ Center Meeting Room
When it comes down to it, with most books -- fiction or nonfiction -- it really is all about the characters. Characters, real or imagined, get us involved in a story. We not only want to see them, feel their emotions, and “hear” them talk, we want to feel invested in their plight. As a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and personal essays, Deanna will guide you through the beginning of developing a good character, so come prepared to write.

3. Murder & Mayhem: Writing True Crime with a Narrative Twist / Brad Ricca, 2026 Writer in Residence
Student Success Center
True crime is one of the most popular genres to write. But what is the best way to approach it? In this session, we will look at the various roles a writer might embody while writing in this genre: detective, prosecutor, and storyteller. How do we learn to identify what cases might make good stories, and what ones may not? Writers will learn some basic approaches to writing true crime and how to do it in a way that is both entertaining and true—and what that means.

11:30-11:45 AM / BREAK & PREARRANGED EDITING SESSIONS

Individual, prearranged editing sessions with editors Mae McGraw or Eryka Parker. (These sessions will be scheduled before the day of the conference. If you register before March 1, you can enter your name in the drawing for a free 15-minute editing session.) 

11:45 AM-12:45 PM / BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. The 12-Month Author: A Year-Round Marketing Plan for Writers / Eryka Parker
Meeting Room A/B/C
Many authors pour all their energy into a book launch—but what about afterwards? In this workshop, you’ll map out a marketing plan that keeps your books visible and your readership engaged long after launch day. Dig into content ideas, promotional cycles, seasonal hooks, newsletter strategy, social media reuse, and how to harness Amazon Ads to drive sales and build brand presence throughout the year. Whether you’re self-published or traditionally published, you’ll leave with clear tools and a fresh mindset for lifelong marketing success.

*2. Picture Books: Simple but Not Simplistic / Tricia Springstubb
Writers’ Center Meeting Room
Picture books are as varied as any form of literature. They can be funny, poignant, whimsical, provocative. The very best honor the intensity of young readers' feelings while offering a fresh, engaging look at their world--all in a few words. If you're thinking this sounds like a challenge, you're right! In this workshop, we'll explore classic and contemporary picture books to discover how they work their magic, then do brief exercises to spark your own writing.

*3. Assembling a Short Story: A Metaphorical Approach / Mary Grimm
Student Success Center
A story ideally will open a door to the strangeness of another life or another world. When it begins to take shape, you have edged the door open a crack. How to open it entirely, and (metaphorically) step through, and how to bring the reader along with you? In this workshop, you’ll experiment with some hands-on approaches with the aim of learning the short story from the inside out. 

12:45-1:45 PM / LUNCH BREAK, BOOK SALE & AUTHOR SIGNINGS
You may bring lunch and eat it in the Writers' Center. You may also picnic outdoors or in your car. Local restaurant map available at check-in table.

1:30-1:45 PM / PREARRANGED EDITING SESSIONS

Individual, prearranged editing sessions with editors Mae McGraw or Eryka Parker.

1:45-2:45 PM / FIRST PAGE CRITIQUE PANEL 
Meeting Room A/B/C
Panelists Brad Ricca, Deanna Adams, and Robin Yocum.

We'll randomly select anonymous first pages of work-in-progress and read them aloud. Each panelist will raise a hand at the point where they would stop reading and then comment on what stopped them. First Page Critique writers will remain anonymous.

For anyone interested in having their work read anonymously at the First Page Critique Panel at 1:45 PM: Drop off FOUR COPIES of the first page of your work-in-progress (prose only, fiction or nonfiction) at the check-in table before noon. Your work must be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with Title and Genre written at the top of the page. Do NOT include your name anywhere on the page. 

2:45-3:00 PM / BREAK & PREARRANGED EDITING SESSIONS  

Individual, prearranged editing sessions with editors Mae McGraw or Eryka Parker.

3:00-4:00 PM / BREAKOUT SESSIONS

*1. Energize Your Stories with Micro Memoir / Annmarie Kelly
Meeting Room A/B/C
Are you writing a memoir? Have you been drafting childhood memories for years? How’s that family history project you wanted to start? We all have noble goals, but it’s easy to lose focus and momentum throughout a big project. Enter micros. These extremely short stories of only a few hundred words can help us hone the skills we need for longer endeavors—strong openings, sensory imagery, narrative arcs. You will leave this session with micro memoir drafts, along with a list of places to send your finished stories!

2. The Art of Editing Your Work / Tara Pringle Jefferson
Writers' Center Meeting Room
Having someone else put eyes on your work, whether a beta reader or editor, is beneficial to most writers. But before you pass along that first draft, a thorough revision ensures you're sending your strongest material. This session will review keys to a strong self-edit, from the first pass to the last. 

*3. The Play’s the Thing! 15 Tips for Writing a Script / Kelly Boyer Sagert
Student Success Center
Discover the art of crafting stories for the stage (or the screen) in this engaging scriptwriting presentation. This session will share how to effectively narrow the idea down through orienting the characters in time and place, identifying and answering a burning question, welcoming surprises, and much more. You’ll receive practical tools for a solid start for further development or performance. (Fun fact: Kelly’s first play arose from a random idea she came up with via a creative exercise at one of Deanna Adams’ writing retreats!)

4:00-4:15 PM / PREARRANGED EDITING SESSIONS

Individual, prearranged editing sessions with editors Mae McGraw or Eryka Parker.

4:00-4:30 PM / DOOR PRIZES, BOOK SALE & AUTHOR SIGNINGS

TODAY’S PRESENTERS

Deanna R. Adams is an award-winning writer, speaker, and instructor. She is far too interested in books of all genres to stick to just one and so she writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her nonfiction books include several rock history books, a memoir collection, and a book for aspiring writers, The Writer’s GPS: Guide to Writing & Selling Your Book. Her young adult crossover novel, The Truth about Justyce, debuted #1 on Amazon’s New Releases in 2020. Her latest novel is A Place We Belong, a historical novel. She has been the coordinator of this conference since 2001.

Mary Grimm has had three books published, Left to Themselves, Transubstantiation, and Stealing Time. Her stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Antioch Review, and the Mississippi Review, as well as in a number of journals that publish flash fiction, including Helen, The Citron Review, and Tiferet. Currently, she is working on a series of climate change novellas set in past and future Cleveland. 

Tara Pringle Jefferson is author of Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing (Amistad/HarperCollins). Her voice has been featured on New York magazine’s The Cut, Black Enterprise, and Essence. When she’s not writing, she finds peace among her houseplants and flowers. A Cleveland native, she lives in northeast Ohio with her husband and two children.

Annmarie Kelly is the author of Here Be Dragons, a memoir about the wonderful misery of raising children. She also hosts Wild Precious Life, a literary podcast about making the most of the time we have. Annmarie teaches at Stanford, Tri-C, and Ashland University where she works with incarcerated students trying to obtain their degree. She’s been named both an Erma Bombeck and Ernest Hemingway Writer-in-Residence. Annmarie lives in Cleveland where she’s currently writing a book with the ghost of her father.

Mae McGraw is the pen name for Kim Wuescher. Bitter Medicine is her debut historical mystery and the first in her Katie Harris series, which is set in Ohio’s post-Civil War period. Kim’s first career was teaching AP English and Senior English at a local public school. She enjoys writing, editing, and all things historical.

Eryka Parker, an award-winning contemporary romance author writing as Zariah L. Banks, is a book coach and publishing professional with nearly two decades of industry experience. As the founder of Legacy Book Coaching & Consulting, she helps authors transform their ideas into market-ready books that impact and inspire. Drawing from years of experience guiding authors to award-winning success, Eryka specializes in helping writers develop sustainable marketing strategies that build visibility, grow readership, and keep their books selling long after launch day.

Brad Ricca, Cuyahoga County Public Library's 2026 Writer in Residence, is the award-winning author of seven books, including his newest, Lincoln's Ghost. His work has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Beat, LitHub, Belt, Book Riot, and on the official Star Wars website. He has appeared in documentaries on the History Channel, AMC, and has been a guest on many podcasts and other shows. His independent film, Last Son, won a Silver Ace Award at the Las Vegas Film Festival. He has a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, where he was awarded the Richard A. Bloom, M.D. Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Kelly Boyer Sagert is an experienced freelance writer who has crafted numerous scripts for stage plays, including one nominated for the Ohio’s Governor’s Award for the Arts. She is working on her third documentary script. Previous ones include the Emmy Award-nominated Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, and Victoria Woodhull: Shattering Glass Ceilings, which appeared at the Cleveland International Film Festival in 2025. 

Tricia Springstubb’s most recent picture book, Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures, is an American Library Association Notable and one of Reader's Digest's 100 Best Children's Books of All time. She's also the author of a chapter book series and many middle grade novels, including The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe, Looking for True, and How to Tell a True Story. Her work has received numerous starred reviews, appeared on lots of "Best Of" lists, and been the recipient of two Ohioana Awards for Juvenile Literature. She is a huge fan of this conference! 

Robin Yocum is known for his fiction set in the Ohio River Valley. His latest novel, The Last Hitman, was released in December 2025 from Crooked Lane Books. He is the author of six additional works of fiction. His novel, The Sacrifice of Lester Yates, was a finalist for the 2021 Dashiell Hammett Award for outstanding crime writing. Favorite Sons was named the 2011 Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense by USA Book News. A Brilliant Death was a Barnes & Noble No. 1 bestseller and a finalist for both the 2017 Edgar Award and the Silver Falchion Award for best adult mystery.