A Full Day of Free Workshops for Local Writers
Jax Book Fest is a big, bold celebration of authors, authorship, and the written word—held annually at the Main Library in Downtown Jacksonville. This year, it is being held over two Saturdays in September. The first weekend (September 13) will focus on workshops for local writers; the second Saturday (September 20) will be devoted to young readers and connecting them with books they'll love.
The event and all programs are free to attend. All visitors will enter via the doors at 303 N. Laura St.
# Writers' Day Event Schedule
At this year's Writers' Day from 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, in the Conference Center at the Main Library, you'll be able to pick from over a dozen different workshops—lead by publishers, authors, and other industry insiders. Between workshops, there will also be tours, opportunities to network with local writer's groups, and more.
Follow a Single Track or Choose Your Own Adventure
A Jacksonville Public Library card is required for pre-registration. If you do not have a card, click here to apply online. Registered attendees are seated first. Walk-ins are welcome (as space permits).
This conference-style event has four breakout sessions, each lasting one hour, with workshops scheduled at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Depending on which workshop you choose, you'll meet representatives from traditional, small, hybrid/subsidy, and indie publishing including:
- Simon & Schuster
- Kensington Publishing Corp.
- Indigo River Publishing
- BiblioBoard (Pressbooks Public)
Please note: Two of the workshops in the Publishing Track repeat (two or three times) to give you more flexibility in your schedule. Some of our lecture-style workshops can accommodate 100 or more attendees while the more "hands-on" workshops may limit attendance.
# Jax Book Fest 2025 Featured Author
Writing Women's Lives
What do we seek to find when we write about our female family members, women in our community, women in history, or even ourselves? You'll have a chance to learn from an National Book Award-winning author in our featured workshop with Tiya Miles from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Through a series of writing prompts and exercises, covering various forms (history, fiction, memoir, journaling), participants will explore the challenges and rewards of this kind of writing.
A Bonus Lit Chat Interview
Join us from 4 to 5 p.m., immediately after Writers' Day, for a Lit Chat Interview with Tiya Miles in the Hicks Auditorium. The author of eight books, including four prizewinning histories about race and slavery, Tiya Miles is best known for the New York Times bestselling and 2021 National Book Award-winning book, All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake. Her latest work is Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith and Dreams of a Free People, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in biography.
The programs with Tiya Miles are made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation and are part of an ongoing series of free community programs exploring and collecting African American history. To view related material or to add your story, visit our Special Collections page.
# Between Workshops
In addition to a break for lunch between the two morning and two afternoon breakout sessions, there is at least a half hour between each workshop that you can use for networking (or to grab a snack). There are several cafes and restaurants downtown, within walking distance, that are open for coffee or lunch on Saturdays. Note: Stop by our event info table for a complete list.
Tours & Resources For Nonfiction Writers
We're offering a two tours of the fourth floor where you can learn about free resources available to family and local history researchers as well as collections or equipment useful to nonfiction writers in our Special Collections Department. These include:
- Accessing local newspapers, subject and bio files, atlases, and city directories
- Using the Library’s digital images in your publication (copyright guidelines, use restrictions)
- Scanning your own images on the DIY digitization equipment in the Memory Lab
- Making your books useful to researchers
Network with Local Writers Groups
Looking for feedback from fellow authors or just more learning opportunities? Stop by and talk to a writer's group or other professionals tabling in the hallways outside/around the Multipurpose Room. Representatives from several Northeast Florida organizations as well as a local artisan publishing house (for small-run zines and chapbooks) will exhibit at this year's event.
The list of exhibitors (so far) includes: Clay County Writers (sponsored by the Florida Writers Association), Happy Tapir Press, Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes (author, editor, and book launch coach), Mystery Writers of America (Florida Chapter), Sci-Fi & Fantasy Writers of Jacksonville, FL (SFFJAX), Women Writing for (a) Change - Jacksonville, and The Write Vibe.
If you are an individual or group directly related to the advancement of the work of writers, illustrators and/or self-publishing and would like to set up a table at Jax Book Fest: Writers' Day, please email jplprograms@coj.net. Each group is given one six-foot table, which they may use to promote their organization/business and/or feature work by member authors.
Creative Break & Networking
Need a short break from note-taking and writing exercises? Create a mini zine or business card zine with a risograph printer! If you're not attending a 1 p.m. breakout session, or you have a little extra time after lunch, drop in the Center for Adult Learning from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. We're hosting a "creative break" and informal networking activity with Andrew Kozlowski, a Jacksonville-based artist and educator. Magazines, drawing utensils, and other zine-making materials will be provided.
Note: The entrance to CAL is located in the hallway connecting the Library to the Conference Center.
While you're here, check out the Library's Zine Collection or visit jaxlibrary.org/zines to learn how you can donate your own zines, indie comics, and chapbooks. Housed on the first floor of the Main Library, zines are fully searchable in our catalog and available to check out.
Reminder: Street parking downtown is FREE on Saturdays! If you prefer, parking will also be available in the Duval Street Parking Garage at 33 W. Duval Street, next to the Main Library. During special events, parking is $5 (cash or cards accepted) and there is no validation.
# Supporting Local Authors All Year Long
Jacksonville Public Library strives to make the work of Jacksonville-area authors more accessible to the reading public. To that end, we offer monthly Writer's Lab workshops, Lit Chat author talks, free self-publishing tools, and curated collections all to highlight and help encourage local authorship.
Library staff will also host an "Ask Me Anything" table at the event to answer questions about donating your book to the Local Author Collection.
Click the links below to find out more.
Additional reading:
- Find other Jax authors in the #ReadLocal Collection on BiblioBoard Library
- Watch past Lit Chat Interviews on YouTube or listen on our Completely Booked podcast
Get featured in an upcoming Lit Chat or Writer's Lab
- Review our policy for Library Programs for the Public and complete a Suggest a Program Form
- If you have questions about the form, please email us at jplprograms@coj.net.
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