For the first time ever, book inc (and its umbrella organization Project Write Now) attended the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference (AWP). This annual event brings together thousands of writers, publishers, editors, and literary enthusiasts. This year it was in Los Angeles. Not only were we there, but we had a table in the legendary Bookfair exhibit hall! And not only did we have a table at the Bookfair, but seven book inc writers attended!

The book inc Writers at AWP 2025

• Evelyn Camu, fantasy novelist and Brooklyn Public Library associate
• Rachel Deel, fiction writer and former documentary producer
• Paula Fitzgibbons, memoirist and essayist breaking cycles through stories
• Elizabeth Jannuzzi, memoirist and program manager at Project Write Now
• Vida Penezic, novelist and essayist originally from Yugoslavia
• Eileen Toomey, award-winning writer and instructor at Project Write Now
• Vickie Hardin Woods, memoirist, avid hiker, and dedicated pie baker

We asked each of them to share their insights from the conference. See their answers below.

MEMORABLE PANELS & UNEXPECTED LESSONS

Evelyn Camu: “The ‘Wrangling the Doubt Monster’ panel taught me to stay connected to why I’m pursuing my writing project when feeling doubtful and to reconnect with my passion for the work.”

Rachel Deel: “A translation panel challenged my assumptions. I learned you don’t need perfect fluency, as translation is more conversation than perfection. It becomes its own thing, making it as much a personal journey as anything else.”

Paula Fitzgibbons: “The panel on publishing, ‘Publishing Paths 101,’ offered me new insight into publishing that changed my plans entirely. I thought I would self-publish, but this workshop has changed my mind.

Elizabeth Jannuzzi: “The ‘To Publicist or Not to Publicist’ panel highlighted the importance of writing book reviews for literary magazines as part of being a good literary citizen.”

Vida Penezic: “At ‘Making the Cut’ panel, I learned about ‘transfer of burden’ – that moment when readers can relax and follow where the author leads without effort. I now examine my writing through this lens.”

Eileen Toomey: “The woman who ran the very first panel I attended had made her dent by writing and publishing a quirky cookbook. She handed me her card with a note on the back: ‘We publish non-fiction. But honestly, no one wants to read your memoir.’ I realized I’d need to be strategic about pitching my work.”

Vickie Hardin Woods: “The panel ‘Beyond Chat GPT’ showed how writers and AI can collaborate. One key takeaway: Writers have been left out of AI development, and that’s been a problem. We need to be involved.”

MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

Evelyn Camu: “Meeting author Daniel A. Olivas was a highlight. He shared his experience writing Chicano Frankenstein in just 50 days and offered valuable advice for my own story.”

Rachel Deel: “I connected with the Los Angeles Review of Books team. They approach literary publishing with humor and know their audience well. Meeting them showed me these are the kind of people I want to work with.”

Paula Fitzgibbons: “I connected with five different publishers that I would love to use for my book. I also connected with a variety of literary magazine publishers and will send pieces to them.”

Elizabeth Jannuzzi: “I attended an offsite reading for River Teeth, Hippocampus, Fourth Genre, and Under the Gum Tree. All lit mags that I’d love to be published in. Now, when I submit to these journals, I can mention that I supported their event.”

Vida Penezic: “Meeting the book inc people in person and helping at our table made me feel part of the book inc community in a concrete, real-life sense.”

Eileen Toomey: “I found a small press whose books displayed on their table really caught my eye. I said, ‘I think my memoir would look great between ‘Weed Man’ and ‘Rrriot Girrrls…’ on this table.’ When told to wait for submissions to open, I replied, ‘Looks like you might miss out,’ and secured an invitation to submit the following week.”

Vickie Hardin Woods: “I found a publisher interested in my first manuscript.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR WRITING PRACTICE

Evelyn Camu: “Having a consistent writing practice that works for me is most important for sustaining a long-term writing career.”

Rachel Deel: “BOLD. I’m going to be BOLD with my writing after seeing all the strange, funky outlets I didn’t know existed. I have permission to truly play on the page.”

Paula Fitzgibbons: “Writing is still a vital form of communication, information, and art form. A robust writing community is crucial for the success of the written word.”

Elizabeth Jannuzzi: “You gotta be in it to win it! There are so many writers out there – you can’t be shy. You’ve got to promote yourself.”

Vida Penezic: “I’m not a weird, deluded person laboring in darkness. I’m part of a large community, and there are infinite ways of being a writer. My way is legitimate.”

Eileen Toomey: “The AWP experience was all about connecting. I so enjoyed the book inc table and meeting friends I’d only seen on Zoom. The joy at the Bookfair was palpable – I wanted to buy everyone’s book. I came home with more than intended but no regrets.”

Vickie Hardin Woods: “I’ll write with more confidence after learning that all writers go through the same things I do.”

FINAL REFLECTIONS

Evelyn Camu: “Meeting writing friends in person was unforgettable. Hearing Latinx writers talk about their published books gave me hope for my own story.”

Rachel Deel: “I’ve been reading from a new lit mag called Elastic that I picked up. It’s their first issue, which feels sacred. My people are out there.”

Paula Fitzgibbons: “I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with others from PWN and felt an immediate kinship to them, which made the conference so much more meaningful.”

Elizabeth Jannuzzi: “Meeting everyone in person was wonderful, but it was interesting to note that Zoom and Slack have successfully created a tight book writing community. We can foster strong virtual connections, which can then be enhanced by in-person visits.”

Vida Penezic: “I loved being surrounded by 12,000 fellow writers who share something in their makeup that makes us members of the same subspecies. The LA Convention Center felt like home.”

Eileen Toomey: “Now that I am in the beginning moments of marketing my book, I see that beyond the actual business of it, there is the community aspect. We are all in it together!”

Vickie Hardin Woods: “Loved meeting my book inc friends in person.”

Next year’s AWP is in Baltimore. We know we’ll be there, and we hope to see you!