After successful previous events in Portland, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2026 Portland Writing Workshop — a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event in Portland, OR on Friday, May 8, 2026.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (175 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Portland Writing Workshop! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next PWW is an in-person event happening in Portland on Friday, May 8, 2026. See you there.)

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Portland event.

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Friday, May 8, 2026, at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:

• literary agent Kat Kerr (Donald Maass Literary)
• literary agent Kim Carson Bodie (Susan Schulman Literary)
• literary agent Alex Land (Mad Woman Literary)
• literary agent Rebecca Love (Booker Albert Literary)
• literary agent Sorche Fairbank (Fairbank Literary)
• literary agent Jennifer Chen Tran (Glass Literary)
• literary agent Elisa Saphier (MacGregor & Luedeke)
• literary agent Roger Copenhaver (Yes & Literary)
• literary agent CoCo Freeman (Linda Chester Literary)
• and possibly more to come

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Chuck Sambuchino of Writing Day Workshops.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Portland event.

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS:

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday, May 8, 2026: Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, 8235 NE Airport Way, Portland, OR 97220.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next PWW is an in-person event happening in Portland on May 8, 2026. See you there.)

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WORKSHOP SCHEDULE (MAY 8, 2026)

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

9:30 – 10:30: Inspiration as an Author. Inspiration can also be learned, honed, and even stored. Learn practical tips on how writers can boost their inspiration levels—and improve their writing in the process.

10:45 – 11:50: Anatomy of a Successful Query. This workshop will take you through the do’s and don’ts of crafting a query letter that will get the attention of literary agent.

11:45 – 1:15: Lunch on your own. There are several restaurants within quick driving distance.

1:15 – 2:30: “Writers’ Got Talent: A First Page Critique-Fest.” In the vein of American Idol or America’s Got Talent, this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with our attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. (All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts.)

2:45 – 3:45: Revision and Self Editing: Get Your Work Ready for an Agent. The workshop will cover: tips on genre and story structure; the importance of showing not telling, and how to enact it in your writing; beats in fiction; scene writing versus summary, and striking the right balance in your prose; book genres and their norms.

4:00 – 5:00: Creating Compelling Conflict in Your Fiction. This craft-related course defines conflict and demonstrates the various elements of its application in writing novels or short stories.

All throughout the day: Agent & Editor Pitching.

PITCH AN AGENT OR EDITOR!

CoCo Freeman is a literary agent with Linda Chester Literary Agency. “I am a graduate of Bard College with a B.A. in Written Arts. Before joining Linda Chester, I worked for Tom Yoon Productions developing projects and editing existing material. I am very happy to have entered the world of my first love, books. I am looking for smart adult commercial fiction in a variety of genres, including mystery/thriller/suspense, fantasy, romance, women’s fiction and historical, Young/New Adult, Middle Grade and select picture books.” Learn more about CoCo here.

Kat Kerr is a literary agent with Donald Maass Literary Agency. Kat feels strongly about supporting programs like We Need Diverse Books and is passionate about creating space in this industry for those from historically marginalized communities. She is actively seeking to grow her client list and is particularly hungry for magical realism, literary leaning speculative (fantasy) and science fiction, women’s fiction, YA works with a lot of heart, and narrative nonfiction with something to say. In fiction, she seeks literary, upmarket, women’s, rom-coms, multicultural, speculative, magical realism, family saga, young adult, and select sci-fi and fantasy. In nonfiction, she seeks narrative nonfiction and journalistic nonfiction tackling current affairs and social justice issues, particularly covering topics of racism, immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights, gender equality, and poverty. She also represents select biographies and memoirs. Learn more about Kat here.

Kim Carson Bodie is a literary with Susan Schulman Literary Agency. Kim is a generalist, and interested in virtually all types of fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, she likes: BIPOC Literature, BIPOC Mystery, Bookclub, Caribbean Literature, Commercial, Contemporary, East Asian Literature, Family Saga, Fantasy, Folklore, General, Gothic, Graphic Novel, Horror, LGBTQ, Literary, Magical Realism, Neo-Western, New Adult, South Asian Literature, South East Asian Literature, Speculative, Speculative Literary, Upmarket Speculative, West African Literature, Western, Women’s Fiction. In nonfiction, she likes: Feminism and women\’s issues, Health, History, Journalism, LGBTQ, Memoir, Pop Culture, Relationships and family, Science, Self-help, Spiritual. Learn more about Kim here.

Alex Land is a literary agent with Mad Woman Literary Agency. She is seeking adult fiction, young adult fiction, and middle grade fiction in the areas of: Action/Adventure, BIPOC Literature, Fantasy, Folklore, Gothic, Historical, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Mystery, New Adult, Psychological Thriller, Romcom, Science Fiction, South East Asian Literature, Speculative, Thriller. She is always enthusiastic about representing diverse writers. Learn more about Alex here.

Jennifer Chen Tran is a literary agent at Glass Literary Management. In nonfiction, she seeks cookbooks, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and prescriptive nonfiction. She loves nonfiction (narrative or memoir with a platform) that sheds light on an unseen corner in society or history. Prescriptive nonfiction with practical takeaways, cookbooks with a unique angle or narratives centered on culinary life (see David Chang’s Eat a Peach), lifestyle titles (see Kate Oliver’s The Modern Caravan), humorous or visually-driven projects, and business books that read like memoir. Big idea books that shift how we perceive or navigate the world. In fiction, she seeks: middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, bookclub fiction, commercial/mainstream fiction, and women’s fiction. She loves middle grade and young adult that has heart and humor or visually-driven elements (see Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky). She gravitates toward contemporary fiction that braids together issues of social significance and identity (see Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek). Learn more about Jen here.

Roger Copenhaver is a literary agent with Yes & Literary. Yes & Literary is a literary agency dedicated to amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices and other marginalized storytellers. “While our primary focus is on amplifying queer voices, we’re always open to hearing from authors that feel like they have a story that makes an impact and has something to say about the world.” Roger enjoys books across a wide range of genres, from literary fiction to commercial and lighthearted reads, but what really resonates with them are those that dive deep into the human experience. Whether it’s something light and fun or serious and personal, they’re drawn to stories that are impactful and leave a lasting impression. Learn more about Roger here.

Sorche Fairbank is a literary agent and the founder of Fairbank Literary. Our tastes tend toward literary and international fiction; voice-y novels with a strong sense of place; big memoir that goes beyond the me-moir; topical or narrative nonfiction with a strong interest in women’s voices, global perspectives, and class and race issues; children’s picture books & middle grade from illustrator/artists only; quality lifestyle books (food, wine, and design); pop culture; craft; and gift and humor books. We are most likely to pick up works that are of social or cultural significance, newsworthy, or that cause us to take great delight in the words, images, or ideas on the page. Lately we have been doing extremely well in the humor/gift/pop culture category, international fiction, and children’s picture books by illustrator artists, and we’d love to take on more projects in those categories. Above all, we look for a fresh voice, approach, story, or idea. Learn more about Sorche here.

Rebecca Love is a literary agent with Booker Albert Literary. From a young age, she has been fascinated with epic worlds like LOTR and The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Books with romantic elements like Ella Enchanted, The Goose Girl, and The Cruel Prince all have places in her top ten. She also adores historical fiction like The Wednesday Wars and iconic masterpieces like Monica Hesse’s They Went Left, but her all-time favorite novel has to be the grounded fantasy The Scorpio Races. Her favorite tropes are houses-with-personality (think House of Leaves or The Haunting of Hill House), zombie apocalypses like in the book World War Z, and underwater worlds. Regardless of genre, Rebecca is looking for stories that have good pacing, grounded worlds, and believable characters. She is interested in fantasy of all kinds and anything that has a good hook. She would love to see more scary YA and MG historical fiction. Learn more about Rebecca here.

Elisa Saphier is a literary agent at MacGregor & Luedeke. She is open to most fiction and memoir except for high fantasy & science fiction, series writing (she likes standalones), picture books, and probably chapter books “I am always most excited to find great writing and full characters, regardless of genre.” In adult fiction, she seeks: literary psychological thrillers/mystery; queer romance (especially but not exclusively friends to lovers and forced proximity); literary fiction; literary memoir; stories of marginalized people where the marginalization isn’t the story; dark academia; suburban malaise. In young adult fiction, she loves: found family; queer coming of age; emerging awareness of identity; amateur theater In middle grade, she enjoys: true to life fiction; questioning of self and belonging; amateur theater. Learn more about Elisa here.

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ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2026 Portland Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at a specific Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2026 PWW on our calendar.

That event is the 2026 (Online) Chesapeake Writing Workshop, August 14-15, 2026, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches. This means that 2026 PWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online Chesapeake WW agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online August 14-15, 2026 event.

(That said, if you want to formally register for the August online Chesapeake Writing Workshop and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Portland attendees.)

If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Portland. Following the conference on May 8, 2026, we will be in touch with all Portland attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2026 online CWW (August 14-15, 2026). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.

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         More agents may be added at any time.

These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.

(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

PRICING

$169 — EARLY BIRD base registration pricing for 2026.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Portland event.

Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories can be seen here.)

“I met Mai Nguyen at the Toronto Writing Workshop
and sold her manuscript to Simon & Schuster for six figures.”
– literary agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary Agency

“I signed Sarah G. Pierce from the Seattle Writing Workshop,
and we recently sold her book to Orbit/Redhook.”
– literary agent Pam Gruber of Highline Literary Collective

“I met Amber Cowie at a Writing Day Workshops conference. We sold
her best-selling crime novel to Lake Union / Amazon.”
– literary agent Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary

“I met my client, Dana Corbit Nussio, at the Michigan Writing Workshop.
Dana signed a new three-book contract with Harlequin Romantic Suspense.”
– literary agent Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates

“I signed Nedda Lewers from a Writing Day Workshops event. Her debut
novel from Putnam Children’s was an Indie’s Introduce Best Book of 2024.”
– literary agent Kelly Dyksterhouse of Tobias Literary Agency

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from instructor Chuck Sambuchino, who previously taught at this Portland workshop. (This rate is a special event value for Portland Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 15-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

• All types & genres of fiction for adults, young adults, and middle grade readers (virtual critiques): Faculty member Lorin Oberweger, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Horror, fantasy, sci-fi, urban fantasy (virtual critiques): Faculty member Bob McGough, a published novelist, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Women’s, mainstream, science fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, mystery (virtual critiques): Faculty member Michelle McGill-Vargas, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Swati Hegde, an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Children’s picture books (virtual critiques): Faculty member Rosie Pova, a published author, will get your work in advance, critique your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you submit a picture book, it must be 1,000 words or fewer (can have illustrations or not).
• More critique options possibly forthcoming

How to pay/register — Registration is now open.

To register, click the button above. Or reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The PWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Portland workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION

Because of limited space at the venue of Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, the workshop can only allow 175 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next PWW is an in-person event happening in Portland on Friday, May 8, 2026. See you there.)

Are spaces still available?Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register:

To register, click the button above. Or reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The PWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Portland workshop specifically.

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your letter.)

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Portland Writing Workshop.