#FREE Workshops for Aspiring & Up-and-Coming Authors
Are you an aspiring author? Thinking about self-publishing? Need tips for marketing your work? Want to learn how to get your book on the library's shelves? Get help writing, publishing, and marketing your book with free workshops at the Library!
Authors Roundtable: First Saturday in September
Come learn how local authors are making a difference in their community on Saturday, September 7 at 10:15 a.m. at the Main Library (or live on Zoom). The group meets in the "Learning Space" on the Conference Level, across from the Center for Adult Learning. Authors Roundtable is a local 501C3 that supports authors in reaching their highest potential by hosting educational forums, workshops, classes, and events.
Looking for a local writer's group? Join Authors Roundtable one Saturday a month at the Library to get help writing, editing, publishing, or marketing your book. All genres are welcome.
#Jax Book Fest 2024: Writer's Day
Join us starting Friday, September 20 from 12 - 5 p.m. at the Main Library for a two-day celebration of great books, fantastic authors, and all things reading! In between workshops, you'll also have the opportunity to network with fellow writers and writer's groups. We'll also be joined by three #1 New York Times bestselling authors, dozens of Jacksonville-based authors, and a few Florida Writer's Groups for Reader's Day on Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Read more at jaxlibrary.org/bookfest.
Hands-On Workshops (Limited Seating)
(50 seats available, Conference Center: Multipurpose Room 1)
- Writer's Lab: Poetry Unleashed (Building Bonds Through Verse)
- Workshop with Taryn "Love Reigns" Wharwood from 12 - 1:30 p.m.
- Explore self-expression and collaboration through poetry
- Writer's Lab: Visual Storytelling
- Workshop with bestselling creator Vashti Harrison from 2:30 - 4 p.m.
- Intro to writing and illustrating children's books
- Story and character development exercises
Lecture-Style Labs
(380+ seats available, Conference Center: Hicks Auditorium)
- Writer's Lab: Sense of Place & Identity in Immigrant Fiction
- Workshop with Sohrab Homi Fracis from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
- Evoke the homeland left behind and the protagonist's new land
- Expand sense of self or identity to accommodate both settings
- Writer's Lab: Writing Stories, Lifting Voices, Sharing Lives
- Oral History 101 workshop with Dr. Kitty Oliver from 4 - 5 p.m.
- Collecting, writing, and preserving stories of marginalized communities
- This program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation
Self-Publishing Workshop (Choose One)
(Limited seating, Center for Adult Learning: Computer Lab)
Our partners at Biblioboard will be offering FREE one-hour, hands-on workshops on how to format and publish your manuscript using Pressbooks Public. With this FREE online tool, you can submit your e-book to the Florida Indie Author Collection or get your manuscript ready for on-demand printing. Pressbooks is a great option if you want complete control over your own content or the ability to collaborate with other authors and editors.
Choose the time that works best for you: 12 - 1 p.m., 2-3 p.m., 4-5 p.m. You can use the Library's computers to follow along or feel free to bring your own laptop.
Pre-registration is strongly recommended (as some programs may reach capacity). You will need a Jacksonville Public Library card if you want to register in advance. If you don't have a card but you are a Duval County resident, you can apply online in as little as two minutes.
Networking & Resources for Writers
Looking to make friends with and learn from other authors? Need help getting your manuscript ready to print? From accountability partners and feedback on each other's works-in-progress to writing tips and advice for avoiding pitfalls and navigating the publishing (and self-publishing) worlds...
Drop by the Conference Level anytime between 12 - 5 p.m. on Friday, September 20, for networking and resources. We'll be joined by representatives from Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida, Biblioboard, First Coast Romance Writers, Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter, and Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville.
