Kaz Conference Writing Workshop is the home of small, focused writing cohorts in nonfiction, playwriting/screenwriting, poetry and fiction. We also host virtual conferences, bootcamps and intensives on the business of being a writer. Our montly workshops are virtual and take place via ZOOM. We also offer in person 4 day conferences - the next one will be the annual "All Write, Columbia Writers Conference" at the Spencertown Academy this November 2023. The Kaz Conference Writing Workshop is organized by award winning author and activist Donna Kaz ("UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl On Tour;" "Push/Pushback, 9 Steps to Make a Difference with Activism and Art.") There are two to four cohorts and/or intensives each month including the Advanced Manuscript Boot Camp (fiction/nonfiction); Creative Nonfiction Writers Workshop; Writing Comedy Intensive for Women (all genres); Playwriting Intensive for Women (Plays/Screenplays); Activist Playwriting Intensive; and ONE to ONE Road to Publishing Intensive (all genres). All cohorts are small (4-8) and in each workshop writers receive feedback every other week on submissions. Talks on the practical training of writers are included in every workshop. Because reading and reviewing other work helps to strengthen ones own writing, peer review is a requirement of all sessions. The Kaz Conference Writing Workshop is committed to diversity and our faculty reflect an all-encompassing and equal world. Our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshops because the stories we tell become the world we live in. UPCOMING: ACTIVIST PLAYWRITING WORKSHOP (2024); MEMOIR COHORT (JAN/FEB 2024). There is a submission fee of $10 per submission. Submission fees are non-refundable. This fee covers submission processing fees, hosting fees and ongoing operational costs. Rolling admissions. I look forward to hearing from you and reading your work.
-Donna Kaz
Director Kaz Conference
ALL WRITE, COLUMBIA WRITERS CONFERENCE - FALL NONFICTION 2024
All Write, Columbia Nonfiction Writers Conference, NY – a four day intensive writing conference focused on the craft and the business of writing nonfiction. DATES: November 7 – 10, 2024
WHO: The conference is open to all levels of nonfiction writers, from beginners who are just starting to write flash nonfiction to more advanced writers with a memoir manuscript. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted.
WHAT: The third annual All Write, Columbia Writers Conference focuses on nonfiction. 2024 faculty will include Donna Kaz and Mardi Jo Link as workshop leaders. Additional faculty will include award-winning authors, editors, agents and marketing experts such as Rahne Alexander, Michele Blankenship, Jen Beagin, Melissa Holbrook Pierson, Priya Doraswamy, Taylor Harris, Vanessa Mártir, Nayt Rundquist, Pramila Venkateswaran, Venise Berry, Lisa Cron and Jennifer Chen. The All Write, Columbia conference is committed to diversity and our faculty reflect an all-encompassing and equal world. Our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writer’s community that continues beyond the workshops. Develop both your craft and your creative marketing savvy in this small, focused conference.
WHERE: Workshops, opening reading and other events will be held in person at the Spencertown Academy of Arts. https://spencertownacademy.org/ Guest panelists/authors are zoomed in.
HOW: Tuition: $500 - includes all workshops (plus an individual 45 minute workshop of 15 – 20 pages of your own fiction work); opening night reception, guest author talks, publishing/PR panel, craft workshops, breakfast and lunch on Friday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. NOTE: Housing is not provided but we will provide a list of local hotels and discounts. A limited number of partial scholarships will be available for local writers from Columbia/Greene County, NY.
Schedule (subject to change)
Thursday, November 7 - 6PM to 9PM Opening Reception
Friday, November 8 – Workshops and Craft Talk
Saturday, November 9 Workshops and Creativity Talk
Sunday, November 10 – Workshops, Public Reading, Closing Reception
TO APPLY: Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines will not be considered for the conference. Submissions will be judged by conference the leader and 20 writers will be selected to participate.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:
1) Nonfiction submissions should be at least 10 pages but no more than 14 pages – 12pt font.
2) All submissions must be double spaced and all pages must be numbered.
3) Nonfiction submissions may be essays or excerpts from memoirs. No more than two short pieces per submission.
4) Put your name on the submission at the top of page 1. 5) Save your submission for upload in a wpd, .doc, .docx, or .pdf as follows: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_TITLE NOTE: Because of the size of the venue, no guests will be allowed to accompany writers invited to All Write, Columbia.
5) Final decisions will be made via email by September 30, 2024
I look forward to reading your submissions. Donna Kaz – All Write, Columbia Conference Director
ALL WRITE, COLUMBIA WRITERS CONFERENCE - FALL NONFICTION 2024
All Write, Columbia Nonfiction Writers Conference, NY – a four day intensive writing conference focused on the craft and the business of writing nonfiction. DATES: November 7 – 10, 2024
WHO: The conference is open to all levels of nonfiction writers, from beginners who are just starting to write flash nonfiction to more advanced writers with a memoir manuscript. Open to writers who are at least 18 years old. Just 20 writers will be accepted.
WHAT: The third annual All Write, Columbia Writers Conference focuses on nonfiction. 2024 faculty will include Donna Kaz and Mardi Jo Link as workshop leaders. Additional faculty will include award-winning authors, editors, agents and marketing experts such as Rahne Alexander, Michele Blankenship, Jen Beagin, Melissa Holbrook Pierson, Priya Doraswamy, Taylor Harris, Vanessa Mártir, Nayt Rundquist, Pramila Venkateswaran, Venise Berry, Lisa Cron and Jennifer Chen. The All Write, Columbia conference is committed to diversity and our faculty reflect an all-encompassing and equal world. Our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writer’s community that continues beyond the workshops. Develop both your craft and your creative marketing savvy in this small, focused conference.
WHERE: Workshops, opening reading and other events will be held in person at the Spencertown Academy of Arts. https://spencertownacademy.org/ Guest panelists/authors are zoomed in.
HOW: Tuition: $500 - includes all workshops (plus an individual 45 minute workshop of 15 – 20 pages of your own fiction work); opening night reception, guest author talks, publishing/PR panel, craft workshops, breakfast and lunch on Friday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. NOTE: Housing is not provided but we will provide a list of local hotels and discounts. A limited number of partial scholarships will be available for local writers from Columbia and Greene County, NY only.
Schedule (subject to change)
Thursday, November 7 - 6PM to 9PM Opening Reception
Friday, November 8 – Workshops and Craft Talk
Saturday, November 9 Workshops and Creativity Talk
Sunday, November 10 – Workshops, Public Reading, Closing Reception
TO APPLY: Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines will not be considered for the conference. Submissions will be judged by conference the leader and 20 writers will be selected to participate.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION:
1) Nonfiction submissions should be at least 10 pages but no more than 14 pages – 12pt font.
2) All submissions must be double spaced and all pages must be numbered.
3) Nonfiction submissions may be essays or excerpts from memoirs. No more than two short pieces per submission.
4) Put your name on the submission at the top of page 1. 5) Save your submission for upload in a wpd, .doc, .docx, or .pdf as follows: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_TITLE NOTE: Because of the size of the venue, no guests will be allowed to accompany writers invited to All Write, Columbia.
5) Final decisions will be made via email by September 30, 2024
I look forward to reading your submissions. Donna Kaz – All Write, Columbia Conference Director
Kaz Conference Writing Workshop 4 week activist playwriting intensive! Less than 18% of all plays produced in the US are written by women, trans, BIPOC or LBGT writers. Globally that percentage is far less. Without the vision of ALL writers for the stage, the theatre is like a play without a second act. This is the impetus behind the playwriting Intensive with award winning playwright and Guerrilla Girl, Donna Kaz aka Aphra Behn. Aphra will lead this 4 week intensive where just 6 intergenerational writers will meet weekly to write and rewrite new plays (from 10 minutes to full length). Writers will submit new work or rewrites every other week, receive feedback and participate in class discussions based on the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process. 2024 is the time to put pen to paper or brush off that final draft document of a stage play. Something stops you from finishing your work and submitting it. You are a bit fearful of your writing because there is a certain power in it. Yep, you possess power in the world and that’s, well, that’s revolutionary. This intensive is for you – writers for the stage who, for whatever reason, have put your plays to the side. It is time to step it up, gals. There’s an election coming up! Trans, LGBT and women's rights are restricted. Write about it. The intensive takes place via ZOOM for 4 weeks - you will receive weekly critiques of each 10 to 30 page piece of playwriting submitted from Kaz and the rest of the cohort. Here is more info:
COST: $350.00.
DATES: TBD APR 2024
LOCATION: The playwriting Intensive for Women takes place via ZOOM!
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION: 1) Submit 5 to 10 pages of your best piece of playwriting. (This is not what you might work on at the intensive). 3) All submissions must be formatted via standard play formatting i.e. Dramatists Guild guidelines or Final Draft. 4) Put the title of your submission, name and contact information on page 1. If your submission is an excerpt of a larger play you may include a brief (50 word) synopsis. 5) Save your submission for upload in a wpd, .doc, .docx, or .pdf as follows: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_TITLE
I look forward to reading your submission! Donna Kaz aka Aphra Behn (Guerrilla Girl) Kaz Conference Writing Workshop Director
FIND YOUR MEMOIR COHORT - NOW FORMING FOR APR/MAY 2024 via ZOOM. Applications are now being accepted for the Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort via ZOOM. Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For one month this winter just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 20 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion. The Kaz Conference was founded by award winning author Donna Kaz (UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl) and is committed to diversity. Our faculty and cohorts reflect an all-encompassing and equal world and our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshop because the stories we tell become the world we live in. In this workshop you will discover what is working in your pages, where your readers have questions, and what your peers want to see more of. These responses will spark fresh ideas about how you can strengthen your story and inspire you to return to your desk to complete and publish your work. Virtual workshop tuition: $375 for 5 weeks - includes two reviews of your writing samples from Donna Kaz and your cohort.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION: Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines will not be considered for the workshop. 1) Submissions are accepted in nonfiction only. 2) Submit up to 10 pages of a work of nonfiction (may be an excerpt from a larger work). 3) All submissions must be double spaced, 12pt font. All pages must be numbered. 4) Put the title of your submission, your name and the date at the top of page 1. 5) Save your submission for upload in a wpd, .doc, .docx, or .pdf as follows: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_TITLE.
NOTE: We accept writers on a rolling admissions basis. I look forward to reading your work. - Donna Kaz: Kaz Conference Founder and Director
FIND YOUR MEMOIR COHORT - NOW FORMING FOR APRIL 2024 via ZOOM. Applications are now being accepted for the Kaz Conference Keep Writing Virtual Nonfiction Cohort via ZOOM. Are you a nonfiction writer working on a memoir? For 5 weels just 6-8 writers will gather via ZOOM -- at each workshop two writers will workshop 10 to 20 pages of a work of creative nonfiction/memoir. The sessions include discussions on the business of being a writer i.e. publishing, legal issues, agents and self promotion. The Kaz Conference was founded by award winning author Donna Kaz (UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl) and is committed to diversity. Our faculty and cohorts reflect an all-encompassing and equal world and our goal is to challenge, inspire and foster a writers community that continues beyond the workshop because the stories we tell become the world we live in. In this workshop you will discover what is working in your pages, where your readers have questions, and what your peers want to see more of. These responses will spark fresh ideas about how you can strengthen your story and inspire you to return to your desk to complete and publish your work. Virtual workshop tuition: $375 for 5 weeks - includes two reviews of your writing samples from Donna Kaz and your cohort.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION: Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not adhere to the guidelines will not be considered for the workshop. 1) Submissions are accepted in nonfiction only. 2) Submit up to 10 pages of a work of nonfiction (may be an excerpt from a larger work). 3) All submissions must be double spaced, 12pt font. All pages must be numbered. 4) Put the title of your submission, your name and the date at the top of page 1. 5) Save your submission for upload in a wpd, .doc, .docx, or .pdf as follows: LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_TITLE.
NOTE: We accept writers on a rolling admissions basis. I look forward to reading your work. - Donna Kaz: Kaz Conference Founder and Director