WriterCon Newsletter (July 2025)

WriterCon Starts Aug 29, App Invites Go to Attendees This Week, PLUS New Agent and Publishing Opportunities

Hey Friends! It’s been a while. I have been uncommonly busy these past few months, juggling two books in progress, a nonfiction book just sold, the WriterCon cruise, prep for the fall conference, new books from my publishing imprint, and oh yes—real life. Cats and kids and comic books, oh my!

As I write this, Lara is already packing for the WriterCon Retreat, July 16-20. We still have a few rooms available, so no, it is not too late to join us for a deep dive into your work-in-progress or work-in-planning. It’s five days of intensive writing and instruction at the gorgeous Canebrake Resort. And the food is FANTASTIC!

I hope you’ll forgive me if I again mention my latest reissue, The Code of Buddyhood, my first-published standalone novel, now available in a spiffy new edition. My favorite review: "The Code of Buddyhood will take you back to your schooldays and remind you of friendships, growing up, growing apart and lost loves....It's a book everybody will enjoy. Don't miss it." -- Rave Reviews

WRITERCON ANNUAL CONFERENCE

I’ve been working on the schedule for WriterCon (August 29-Sept 1 in OKC) and hope to have it ready to roll out this week. Which means that later in the week, all our registered attendee will receive the first email inviting them to get into the conference app and start planning. We have over sixty speakers and over eighty breakout sessions, plus contests, one-on-one consultations, manuscript reviews, pitching to agents and editors. And much more. DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!

For more info, visit: www.writercon.com

The Latest News in the Book World

8th Note Press Closed. It sounded like a great idea when TikTok decided to get into publishing. They made other publishers' authors famous! But I guess influencing is easier than publishing. They bought thirty books and none took off. For some authors who already had promising career, it was a setback. Learn more here.

NetGallery to Compete with Goodreads. Have you heard about Booktrovert? This is a new program from NetGallery, which normally provides advance reader copies to industry folk. Booktrovert will target readers and gives authors the chance to host eBook giveaways and other special marketing promotions (basically competing with Amazon's Goodreads).

Agent & Publisher Opportunities

New Nonfiction Imprint from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

FSG bought the nonfiction imprint North Point Press and will publish books across a range of topics and categories, with a focus on “practical topics.”

New Comics Line at Time Bomb

Comics publisher Time Bomb will debut two new lines, WestWords and Comic Scene, starting next year.

New Agents at Lucinda Literary Agency

Former Random House editor Craig Pyette and former Lucinda agent Lauren Eldridge have (re-)joined Lucinda. Craig is interested in seeing researched nonfiction, true crime, health, and science books. Lauren is open to both fiction and narrative nonfiction.

New Agent at Neighborhood Literary

Tianna Kelly, formerly with Simon & Schuster, joined Neighborhood and she is open to some of the most popular genres out there, including romance, romantasy, fantasy, and speculative fiction.

New Agency: Antsu Literary

Wadzanai Mhute, who previously served as book editor for Oprah, has launched a new agency, Antsu. He’s open to both fiction and nonfiction.

The WriterCon Facebook Page

Join our Facebook group and learn about breaking book news and opportunities first! My favorite part of the page, though, is seeing how many WriterCon writers are successfully publishing and marketing their books—two new ones this month alone! Something must be working! Click Here to Join.

The WriterCon Podcast

The latest episode of the WriterCon podcast features an interview with our WriterCon Sunday keynote speaker, bestselling debut novelist Laurie L Dove. After a successful career in other fields, she took a shot at her first novel—and now she's got a new career. I love her positivity. This is how she opens: "Your Dream Will Arrive."

You can get this anywhere you get podcasts, or watch the video version on my YouTube channel. Or, since you’re smy special friends, I can put a link RIGHT HERE!

See Ya Real Soon!

Till next time, keep writing, and remember—you cannot fail if you refuse to quit.

William Bernhardt

willbern@gmail.com

www.writercon.com