Let’s say you’re working on a piece of writing — maybe a memoir, an essay, or even a poem — but it’s just sitting on your computer, gathering dust, and you’re unsure what to do next. Or maybe it’s the opposite — you haven’t written a thing yet, even though you want to, and find yourself just staring at a blank screen.
If either sounds like you, it might be time to seek guidance.
That’s where the Santa Barbara Writers Fest comes in. From June 20-22, the Santa Barbara Writers Conference is hosting an abridged version of the annual conference, which is currently on hiatus. For the Writers Fest, Program Director Grace Rachow describes the mission clearly: “We would like to help people pull their work in progress out of the fire.”
Throughout the weekend, there are 10 workshops hosted by writers who also teach at the annual conference. “We are lucky to have a great balance of areas of expertise plus a wealth of experience in writing, editing, publishing, and teaching writing,” says Rachow. There’s Max Talley and Marla Miller, who specialize in marketing your writing; Dale Griffiths Stamos, who will help you refine and polish your structure; and poets Laure-Anne Bosselaar and Perie Longo, to name a few.
What makes Writers Fest unique is the setting — each session is hosted in a private residence or office in Santa Barbara, including the homes of the workshop leaders, creating a cozy and intimate space to create. “We want everybody to get a chance to share their work and participate,” says Rachow. Classes are close-knit, with the smallest having eight people and the largest 15.
Each evening, writers can unwind at planned happy hour gatherings around town. There are even some nighttime “pirate” workshops, run by teachers Trey Dowell and Norm Thoeming.
Of course, participation isn’t mandatory. If you’re not quite ready to share, that’s perfectly fine. “It’s okay to observe and listen,” says Rachow. “Often, people learn more about their own writing by listening to the feedback others get.” For many, breakthroughs begin in those quiet moments of listening.
Rachow, who became Program Director in 2016, sees the Writers Fest as a sampling of what the full conference offers. She began attending the conference in 1992, determined to take every workshop to discover what she didn’t know she needed. “No matter what I was writing, I learned something from every workshop and every teacher,” she recalls.
With the Writers Fest, she encourages attendees to take a similar approach and step outside their comfort zones. “We all deal with a real aspect of writing, and sometimes what you think you need isn’t what you really need.” Maybe you’re solely focused on publishing your memoir, but a poetry class might help get the creative juices flowing.
It’s not just about fixing sentences — it’s about reawakening the joy of writing. Rachow has witnessed attendees experience breakthroughs at past writers’ conferences — something she hopes everyone will find at the Writers Fest.
Looking ahead, Rachow says they may consider turning the Writers Fest into a recurring event. But for now, the goal remains the same as always: to offer writers the support, structure, and inspiration they need. As Rachow says, “I hope everybody can get where they’re going.” —Tiana Molony
For more information on The Writers Fest, see, sbwfest2025.square.site.
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