After our debut at AWP 2025 in Los Angeles, book inc and Project Write Now are heading to AWP 2026, this time in Baltimore!
What’s AWP?
For those who don’t know, AWP, the annual conference of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, is the largest gathering of writers, editors, publishers, and literary enthusiasts in the country. Thousands of writers descend on one city for panels, off-site readings, and the legendary Bookfair, where hundreds of literary presses and magazines set up tables, and the energy is unlike anything else in the writing world.
Flashback
Last year was our first time attending as an organization, and it was transformative. Seven book inc writers made the trip to Los Angeles, and they came back changed. They connected with publishers, sat in on panels that shifted how they think about their craft, and were reminded that they are part of something much larger than themselves.
Vida Penezic captured it perfectly: “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.” Read all of their reflections from AWP 2025 here.
Come Find Us at Booth T532
This year, we’ll once again have a table in the Bookfair exhibit hall. Come say hello, browse what we’re up to, and meet the book inc community in person. We’d love to see you IRL.
Where to Find Us Around Baltimore
Beyond the Bookfair, book inc writers will be out in the Baltimore literary scene all conference long. Here’s where to catch them:
Flash the Court Off-Site Reading
Thursday, March 5 | 6 to 7:30 p.m. | The Harbor Room, The Towers at Harbor Court, 10 East Lee Street
book inc writers Liz deBeer and Eileen Toomey will be among the readers at this off-site flash fiction event, moderated by Flash the Court Founding Editor Court Harler. Recent contributors will share work that runs the gamut — playful, serious, and everything in between — all showcasing the flash form at its finest. Learn more here.
Shanda McManus Reading with Split/Lip Press
Friday, March 6 | 6:30 to 8 p.m. | Greedy Reads Remington, 320 W. 29th Street
book inc’s own Shanda McManus will be reading from her debut memoir Brother Epistles as part of a reading hosted by Split Lip Press. Learn more here.
Tips from Someone Who’s Been There
First time at AWP? Shanda also attended the conference back in 2022 — before book inc made its official debut — and came back with advice worth passing on. Read her full Q&A here.
A few highlights to keep in mind as you plan:
- Build a daily schedule before you arrive. Review the panels in advance and map out your days. You’ll go off-script — that’s half the fun — but having a plan keeps you grounded in a conference this size.
- Pack smart for the Bookfair. Bring a backpack, not a shoulder bag. Shanda learned this the hard way: “By the end of my book fair tour, my shoulder was killing me from carrying all the books.”
- Leave room in your suitcase. You will buy more than you expect. Plan accordingly — or plan to ship.