The Return of the Writers

Grace Rachow started her Santa Barbara Writers Conference (SBWC) journey as a student and budding scribe back in 1992, and soon became involved in its administration later in the decade before taking over as director in 2016. So she’s as thrilled as anyone to have the word-lover’s institution returning to an in-person gathering for the first time since 2019 beginning on Sunday (and for its whopping 50th Anniversary) – when more than 200 writers and dozens of workshop leaders, speakers, and staff hunker down at the Mar Monte Hotel for six days. 

But rubbing shoulders with writers, whether legends or locals just dipping their toes into the world of putting pen to paper, is a big part of what SBWC is all about. 

“The whole reason to go to a conference isn’t the workshops and learning things about writing,” she said. “They’re no small part of it, but the larger reason is the people you meet, the friendships you make, and the support you receive and give. We have a really long legacy of being a friendly conference and supporting one another. Even people who show up thinking they’re not even going to speak to anyone the whole week end up having made lifelong friends by the end. There’s so much peer support and after being here, you can keep interacting throughout the year.”

There are lots of ways to “do” the conference – from immersing in a pair of daytime workshops that meet each weekday morning and afternoon to sampling as many as 10 throughout the course of the convention – not to mention the famous late night Pirate Workshops or read-and-critique sessions for night owls that often last till the wee hours. Every 150-minute weekday time slot also features seminars on the business side of writing, while the days conclude with hour-long themed panels boasting five or more writers with such subjects as mysteries, memoirs, and more. Those are open to the public, as are the weekday evening speaker series devoted to a single author discussing their process and taking questions, including Shannon Pufahl, who adapted her own critically-acclaimed novel On Swift Horses for a film that is currently in production. Admission is just $15 per event. 

It’s a format that has proved out over decades, with SBWC serving as a starting block for such future famous authors as Fannie Flagg and Christopher Moore. But there have also been some alterations in recent years to adapt to changing times in the literary world. There are panels on hybrid publishing, for example, but maybe the biggest one is that writers no longer have to sign up for the full six-day conference to attend, as people can choose to attend for as little as a single day. 

“That’s really worked out well because many people just don’t have a full week to devote to the conference or aren’t ready to make that commitment,” Rachow said. “Now more people are able to come and everybody’s much happier and less stressed about it.” 

On the other hand, the 2023 conference has nearly sold out for full week participants, the first time that’s happened since the Miramar days, more than 20 years ago, Rachow said. But slots for shorter stays are still open, so it’s not too late to come get a taste. 

“Something happens to everyone at the conference but it’s not the same for everyone,” she said. “For some who doubt their own ability, it builds the confidence to go on. For others, they might get some feedback that cracks the shell of their ego a little bit, which helps them get to that place where they can go forward and really be a fine writer. But everybody gets what they need.” 

The 2023 Santa Barbara Writers Conference takes place June 18-23 at the Mar Monte Hotel. Visit www.sbwriters.com.