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.
View All Workshops by Track
View All Workshops by Breakout Session
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. To see a list of all workshops (grouped by breakout session), read this month's Adult Programs blog or pick up an event guide on your way in.
Note: Pre-registration has ended but there are still several workshops with seats available. Walk-ins, including those without library cards, will be welcome (as space permits).
# Jax Book Fest Featured Author
During Jax Book Fest: Writer's Day, you will have two chances to learn from a National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author:
Writing Women's Lives (Featured Workshop)
What do we seek to find when we write about our female family members, women in our community, women in history, or even ourselves? Through a series of writing prompts and exercises, covering various forms (history, fiction, memoir, journaling), you will explore the challenges and rewards of writing about women's lives. Our featured writing workshop with Tiya Miles runs from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. Note: Space is limited! If you miss this program, stick around for the Lit Chat Interview, which also serves as our keynote presentation.
Featured Author Talk
Join us from 4 to 5 p.m., after the workshop portion of the event concludes, 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.
Meet Our Other Presenters
Depending on which workshop(s) you choose, you'll meet fellow authors or representatives from traditional, small, hybrid/subsidy, and indie publishing including:
- Casey R. Kelley, book influencer and founder of Black Book Bash
- Fati D. (aka Ashley McInnies), editor of The Banyan Review
- Leticia Gomez from Kensington Publishing Corp.
- Licia Rester from Indigo River Publishing
- Mindy Marqués Gonzalez* from Simon & Schuster
- Nash Steele from BiblioBoard (Pressbooks Public, Indie Author Project)
Note: Some publishers will offer surprise gifts to workshop attendees (while supplies last).
*If you are pursuing or even considering the traditional publishing route and want to know more, don't miss "Decoding the Book Publishing Process" with Mindy Marqués Gonzalez. She is a VP and Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster who has worked with several New York Times bestselling authors. This workshop does repeat (three times) to give you more flexibility in your schedule.
# What to Do Between Workshops
There is a half hour between each workshop that you can use for networking (or to grab a coffee). 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.
Take a Tour of 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. The list of exhibitors (so far) includes:
- Clay County Writers (sponsored by the Florida Writers Association)
- Happy Tapir Press (local artisan publishing house for small-run zines and chapbooks)
- 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
- The Write Vibe (creative writing group)
Take a Creative Break with Zine-Making
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. session, or you have a little extra time after lunch, drop in the Center for Adult Learning** between 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.
**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 for 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.
# How We Support Local Authors
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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