Thousands of writers! Hundreds of independent and university presses and MFA programs! Dozens and dozens of panels on craft, publishing, and the writing life — including cutting-edge discussions on how to resist AI in teaching and writing, battle book bans, and find innovative publishing avenues! And writer, director, actor, visual artist, and Baltimore icon John Waters is the keynote!

There’s so much going on at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (aka AWP) Conference & Bookfair — coming to the Baltimore Convention Center on March 4th-7th — that you may need an Excel sheet/dance card to keep track of it all.

It’s the first time the event’s been held in the DMV since 2017, when it was in Washington, DC. That was also the last time I attended. To prepare for this year, I reached out to several pros for advice on attending the annual convention, which is a rite of passage for many writers.

First, keep in mind that there is a registration fee. One very good option for those who just want to sample the offerings is the $25 Saturday-only registration. Also, many of the official offsite readings are free and open to the public. (For example, on Thursday, March 5th, at 5 p.m., there’s the “It’s a Big Dill Reading” at the iconic Pickles Pub, where I’ll be reading along with writers from six fabulous small presses. It’s free, but please RSVP here.)

Now, back to that advice from those veterans of many AWPs…

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“Imagine you’re in a greeting line at a wedding. ‘Hi, haven’t seen you in a decade. Great to see you. Bye.’ That’s what AWP is like when it’s in that 12-15,000 range. Imagine 12-15,000 introverts pretending to be extroverts for three to four days. No way to do everything — panels, readings, offsite readings. I have a few friends who show up every year but spend the majority of their time in the hotel bars.”

– Richard Peabody, poet, editor of Gargoyle Magazine, and literary citizen extraordinaire who’s approaching his 16th AWP this year. (And he’ll be doing more than seeing friends in hotel bars. He’ll be feted for his 50-year career in a special panel discussion on Thursday, “Fifty Years of Gargoyle: A Celebration of Gargoyle Magazine & Richard Peabody.”)

“Definitely go into it with a game plan. It can be an overwhelming event (in a good way) because there are so many great things to attend. That being said, don’t be afraid to abandon your plan to do something that speaks to you in that moment. The vibes are real. For example, some of the best offsite events I attended were ones that I decided to go to instead of my original plan at the very last minute. Most importantly, have fun and meet people!”

– Sarah Daniels, publisher and executive director, Mason Jar Press

“AWP can be overwhelming in a lot of ways, and it’s important to not burn yourself out by giving yourself too much to see/do. That said, if something unexpected strikes your interest, be open to following that thread; some of the most enjoyable AWPs for me have been unexpectedly meeting up with friends and just wandering the Book Fair all day instead of going to any of the panels I had intended to see.”

– Mychael Zulauf, founder and editor, akinoga press

“To make the most of all AWP has to offer — and there is so much — plan your schedule in advance. Note second choices to be on the safe side. Carry a notebook and take notes. You may think you’ll remember all that great information, but the amount of it will be overwhelming. And do plan on spending some serious time at the Bookfair and getting face-to-face time with members of the literary community. Don’t be shy. Say hello and a few kind words to many of the people who love reading and writing as much as you do. Ask questions. Lots of questions.”

– Barbara Diehl, senior editor, Baltimore Review

“This will be something like my 15th AWP, and the biggest thing I’ve learned is to try to go into the week with a generous mindset. I’ve seen a lot of writers show up to try to find a journal to publish a story, or find a press to publish a book, or find some other concrete thing to satisfy a very specific goal. But AWP is huge, and the chances of making the right connection for anything like that are low. So, what I mean by a generous mindset is this: Go to AWP and simply try to meet some new people and discover some new writers. Care about other people and what they’re doing, first. If you’re a generous writer, then I think you’re much more likely to find the connections you’re hoping for without needing to directly seek them. So, being generous to others ends up being the best way to be generous to yourself.”

– Zach Powers, executive/artistic director of the Writer’s Center in Bethesda

“Like many, I recommend putting together an itinerary ahead of time with panels, readings, and offsites for each day of the conference. I also include a list of places to eat and grab a cup of tea, so I have a ready list of options available. But I also recommend staying open to the unexpected during the conference. Whenever I have attended AWP, I have always returned home with new connections, pages and pages of notes, and a TBR that has grown exponentially — even when my itinerary has gone off-course (in the best ways).”

– Kathryn Fay, publisher, Modern Artist Press

“If you have a cough, please mask up. Pace yourself; you won’t get to everything you want to, and you’ll wear yourself out trying. Allow for a little downtime to rest, visit some local attractions, and hang out with your hundreds of brand-new BFFs. If you’re the type to leave in the middle of a panel that isn’t meeting your expectations, then please grab a seat in the back so you can exit quietly. The book fair is HUGE. Map out the tables/readings you want to hit ahead of time. Pack an empty bag, and have a snack and a water bottle in your bag at all times. If you’re flying in and buy ‘too many’ books (is there such a thing?), ask your hotel’s front desk where you can find a FedEx and ship the extras home!”

– Julia Tagliere, editor, Baltimore Review

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Now, here’s some very specific advice for those seeking publication of a poem, a story, or even a manuscript. The editors of many independent and university presses will be at their tables or booths at the Bookfair. This is your chance to talk to them. Admittedly, writers are more introverted than extroverted, so when you approach that table or booth, know what to expect…

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“I always ask writers what they enjoy writing and what they’d like to know about the Baltimore Review. Pretty basic, right? But, from there, we can go off onto all kinds of interesting tangents. There are a lot of fascinating humans out there. Of course, I’m interested. I’m a writer myself. And I like them to ask what, for me, makes a wonderful poem or story — which makes me think that’s my lead-off question. Seriously. I’m going to do that. I might see some surprised faces.”

– Barbara Diehl, senior editor, Baltimore Review

“I welcome them to the table and tell them if they have any questions about any of the books or the press in general, to feel free to ask. Then I just let them browse. I generally try to give as lowkey/low-pressure an experience as possible, especially given how much AWP can be. And I love when someone asks, ‘What do you recommend?’ as it almost always opens the door to a really interesting conversation.”

– Mychael Zulauf, founder and editor, akinoga press

“The first thing I always say is hi and thanks for stopping by to see us. Then I just chat with people. I really have no agenda — I enjoy meeting people and hearing about their writing projects or whatever is engaging them at the moment (whether it’s fashion, the show they’re streaming, their knitting project, or whatever else they are into). The one thing I want them to ask me is how to submit to us.”

– Sarah Daniels, publisher and executive director, Mason Jar Press

“I am a big introvert, but I love talking to writers about what they are reading and writing. I am also happy to answer any and all questions about Modern Artist Press and our books. (So come find me at table 611 and ask me anything!)”

– Kathryn Fay, publisher, Modern Artist Press

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You’ll find me at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House booth (545), and I will add that it’s great to hear that you’ve read, or want to read, one of our books. It matters that you write but also that you buy books — and read them, too!

Lastly, there are plenty of touristy guides to Baltimore. However, Annie Marhefka, executive director at Yellow Arrow Publishing, has written a very personal one about the city that she loves. First-run, signed, and numbered copies of Baltimore USA will be available at AWP via publisher Scrawl Place.

See you in Baltimore!

[Editor’s note: The Independent will be at AWP, too! Come see us in booth 845!]

Caroline Bock writes stories — from micros to novels. She is the author of the novel The Other Beautiful People, forthcoming from Regal House Publishing in summer 2026. A graduate of Syracuse University, she studied creative writing with Raymond Carver and poetry with Jack Gilbert and Tess Gallagher. In 2011, after a 20-year career as a cable television executive, she earned an MFA in fiction from the City College of New York. She has short fiction forthcoming in the Hopkins Review. She is the co-president and prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House. She lives in Maryland with her family.