Five days of workshops, writing, & community.
We create space for you and your writing.
We believe in the radical power of the simple act of writing.
We value the importance of community, creative expression, and the incredible cross-pollination that happens when people get together to put new writing into the world.
We’re dedicated to creating space for you and your work, for learning and connecting, and for making lasting friendships.
We’re saving a space for you. Come join us.
Chris Wells, fiction
Chris Wells has been teaching writers of all kinds for fifteen years in New York City, LA, the Hudson Valley and online. Through weekend intensives, weekly writing groups, one-off workshops and one-on-one sessions, Wells guides people to find the deeper truth and meaning in what they’re writing, inspires folks to develop a writing practice, and to reach their goals.
Wells teaches regularly at Omega Institute, and also at Actors’ Center NYC, LA County Museum of Art, Cal State Sacramento, CalArts, the Rowe Center and more.
Sari Botton, memoir
Sari Botton is a bestselling author, editor, and teacher with decades of experience. You may know her best from her wildly successful Substack, Oldster Magazine, which has been a Substack Featured Publication every year since 2021. She’s the former Essays Editor for Longreads, and she was the Writer-in-Residence in the creative writing program at SUNY New Paltz for the spring of 2023.
As an editor, teacher, and bestselling former ghostwriter of memoirs, she’s learned how to gently coax important, compelling stories out of people. She believes everyone has the ability to write, and stories to tell. Often they just need the assurance of a skilled guide like Sari.
Justen Ahren, poetry
Justen Ahren is the founder of Devotion to Writing, a workshop, residency, and retreat helping writers cultivate a daily writing practice. He served as West Tisbury Poet Laureate from 2012-2015, and Martha’s Vineyard Poet Laureate from 2015-2018. Justen founded and directed Noepe Center for Literary Arts from 2007-2017. He’s published two collections of poetry, A Strange Catechism, and A Machine for Remember, and a forthcoming book on creating a daily writing practice based on his teaching writing for more than 10 years.
2026 Conference Location
This year, we’ll be taking over the Inn at Manchester in Manchester, Vermont, for the entire conference. And we’re including everything you need to nestle in and focus 100% on your writing! Including:
A delicious welcome banquet
Beautifully appointed rooms, each with its own character
New, quiet heating and cooling in each room
A hot breakfast every morning is included with your stay (for Inn at Manchester guests only)
Catered lunches every day
Catered dinners every evening, including a night out at the Crooked Ram across the street
Unscheduled time for writing every afternoon and evening
A gorgeous, centrally located setting with a fire pit and a pub
What writers have to say about the Southern Vermont Writers’ Conference
We need to keep writing to capture a little piece of ourselves. To see ourselves on the page. To leave behind a legacy. To tell the stories longing to be told.
— Jon Kaplan, SVWC 2025
Writing is such a solo practice, and at this time in the world, coming together in community is incredibly important. Working on personal pieces in community can be healing and transformative. What’s more, receiving feedback from a seasoned workshop leader, and your peers, can help you bring your writing to a new level. A win-win all around.
- Sari Botton
Every day of the conference I felt challenged, inspired and nurtured. Bonus: so much FUN!
- Tricia Tierney, SVWC 2025
Have questions? We have answers.
We want you to feel great about signing up to join us! Let us know how we can help.