The Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference


A few frequently asked questions about the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference


I'm new to writing, and nervous about showing my work. Is the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference for me, or is it only for experienced writers?

Don't be intimidated! This is the conference's eighth year as one of the Midwest's premiere literary events, and we've always prided ourselves on the great comfort writers take in the conference environment, regardless of their level of development. The conference offers workshops that are designed to benefit both the inexperienced and the experienced writer. For some of our conference attendees, their writing is very personal-they've had career paths that have taken them away from their creative expression and their goal now is to simply get some words down on paper. Meanwhile, other attendees have been developing their craft for years and have published their work in literary journals. We even offer master classes for writers who've completed book-length manuscripts and want their entire novels, memoirs, or poetry collections read by acclaimed authors.

What exactly happens in the workshop?

It depends on which one you sign up for, as each class has a particular focus, but basically you'll be writing, reading, and discussing fiction or poetry or memoir (or a mix of genres), and you'll gain insights on your work specifically and on writing in general. Check out the descriptions on the workshop page, and our list of faculty. The authors on our faculty are not only excellent teachers of creative writing, but they've excelled in their fields to an exceptional degree… some of our writers have had novels on bestseller lists within the last year; others are editors of some of the country's most renowned literary journals; others have won top awards. We also offer the opportunity to work with publishing professionals who are active in the industry.

What are some of the other components of the conference, other than the workshops?

We like to offer a variety of opportunities-for those wanting instruction even beyond the workshop, we have something new this year: afternoon sessions (for an additional fee) with a particular technical/professional focus. These include "mini-courses" in agents and query letters; small press publishing; and an author's guide to the internet. We also have evening events that allow for some socializing at the end of each day. And, of course, there are all the benefits of being on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus; you can visit the art collection of the Sheldon Museum, see a film at the Ross Theater, attend Jazz in June. And the campus is within walking distance of great restaurants, bars, bookstores, and the historic Haymarket area.

I've looked over the list of workshops and faculty, and I still can't decide. What do I do?

Email the conference director, Timothy Schaffert, at tschaffert2@unl.edu, or the assistant director, Emily Danforth, at nswc@unl.edu. We're always happy to tell you more about the conference and the faculty, and to help you figure out the best option.

What is the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference's association with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?

The conference is part of the creative writing program within the English Department of the university. The university has a rich literary history that could be said to have begun with Willa Cather (a student of the university) and continues to this day with esteemed projects such as the journal Prairie Schooner and, of course, the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference which has brought in Pulitzer winners, National Book Award winners, and best-selling authors.

Conference staff:

Timothy Schaffert, Conference Director, is the author of three novels, most recently Devils in the Sugar Shop, a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. His novels have been selected for the Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers program and the American Bookseller Association's Book Sense program. He writes about the publishing industry for Poets and Writers magazine, is a contributing editor for Prairie Schooner, and teaches creative writing and literature courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Emily Danforth, Assistant Director, holds an MFA in Fiction from the University of Montana and is currently completing her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her short stories have recently been seen in dogwood, Willow Springs, and 971 MENU, and two have been nominated for Pushcart prizes. In 2007 Emily was named as one of the top six emerging lesbian fiction authors from the Astraea International Foundation for Justice and Sarah Waters selected her as the 2008 recipient of Chroma Magazine's International Queer Fiction Award for her short story "The Truest Way to Name Something."