UPCOMING
2021
Friday, November 5th & Saturday, November 6th, 2021. Johnson County Library’s Virtual Writers Conference. This FREE conference is 100% online, & I’m hosting afterhours book discussions on both Friday & Saturday.
The Johnson County Library’s seventh annual Writers Conference kicks off on Thursday, November 4 with a discussion on hope and inspiration featuring conference faculty members Alyssa Cole and Michelle Tea. Friday and Saturday includes lectures and workshops on building a DIY writing career, crafting pleasure narratives, and bending genre.
The library has a limited number of FREE copies of Broken Places & Outer Spaces by Nnedi Okorafor & Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones for you. I’m so excited to talk all the writer-ly things with you in November!
REGISTER for the conference ASAP to get your books.
PAST EVENTS
August 26th – 28th, 2021 – SMIAH Writers Conference.
Friday, August 27th at 9:30 a.m. CST Author Websites 101
In this workshop you’ll get a play-by-play of the necessary components for your author website. We begin with the basics like: choosing your url, why your site needs to be responsive, and what a hosting provider does for you. As your career grows so will your website, and this workshop provides step-by-step how-tos about the additional pages, content, and functionality you’ll want to add. Walk away with an Author Website Checklist and a plan for site maintenance and expansion throughout your career.
Thursday, August 26th I’m presenting an in-depth, extended version of The Business of Writing & Authorship.
A sustainable writing career requires more than good writing, it requires an understanding of the industry and a consistent investment of time in your writing business. This workshop lays a foundation of effective, sustainable, long-term business practices for writers. This 3-hour in-person workshop with Jessica Conoley covers: an Authorpreneur’s mindset, time-blocking & marketing efficiently, & business basics like: book-keeping, when to look at setting up a business structure (i.e. LLC, corporation, etc.), & finding the right business partners. Limit 8 attendees.
Thursday, May 6th, 2021 6:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. CST Mid-Continent Public Library expanded virtual workshop: The Business of Writing & Authorship.
A sustainable writing career requires more than good writing, it requires an understanding of the industry and a consistent investment of time in your writing business. This workshop lays a foundation of effective, sustainable, long-term business practices for writers. This 1.5-hour workshop covers: an Authorpreneur’s mindset, time-blocking & marketing efficiently, & business basics like: book-keeping, when to look at setting up a business structure (i.e. LLC, corporation, etc.), & finding the right business partners.
Monday, March 15th 8 p.m – 10 p.m. CST – The Creative’s Apprentice workshop debut: Author Websites 101
In this workshop I show you how to set up a free website with all of the built in functionality you need to grow from an Apprentice creative to an Established Artist. We cover the mindset breakthrough a website can reveal, fundamentals of every website, and the building blocks you should include now that will help you as you reach the next stage of your career. Q&A follows the presentation. Attendees are encouraged to provide feedback to help refine the workshop before we roll it out to the public through TCA. To attend join the TCA Insiders tier at https://www.patreon.com/jessicaconoley
January 2021 – April 2021. Spring Group Authorpreneurship Coaching Class.
Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 – 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Virtual Critique Partner Match via Zoom. $5 to attend.
Thursday, January 14th, 2021 – 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. How to Find (& Be) A Great Critique Partner for the Midwest Romance Writers.
2020
Wednesday, December 16th, 2020 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Save the date for my Johnson County Public Library debut workshop: Getting the Most Out of Your Online Writing & Critique Groups.
Learn how to strengthen your writing support system & build your writing community virtually. We cover: ways to connect digitally, the benefits of online co-working sessions, how to join existing Zoom critique groups, ways to set up new writing cohorts, and more. Walk away knowing you can find other writers who will offer social, industry, & critique support virtually.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2020. Mid-Continent Public Library debut workshop: The Business of Writing & Authorship.
A sustainable writing career requires more than good writing, it requires an understanding of the industry and a consistent investment of time in your writing business. This workshop lays a foundation of effective, sustainable, long-term business practices for writers. This 3-hour workshop covers: an Authorpreneur’s mindset, time-blocking & marketing efficiently, & business basics like: book-keeping, when to look at setting up a business structure (i.e. LLC, corporation, etc.), & finding the right business partners.
Saturday, November 14th, 2020 from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. CST I will be in conversation with my agent, Lucy Cleland, of Kneerim & Williams discussing the Agent/Author relationship. Johnson County Library’s annual Writers conference.
Saturday, September 26th, 2020 from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST – I will answer all questions publishing as part of the SMIAH MINI Publishing Panel. I have also put together a 10 minute video class for the conference on Timeblocking with an Author’s Mindset. Register for this completely free educational conference at: https://www.smiahwritersconference.com/product-page/smiah-mini
August 7th, 2020 – November 20, 2020. Fall Group Authorpreneurship Coaching Class.
CANCELLED Wednesday, May 6, 2020 6 p.m.-8 p.m. I’m back hosting Writers United at the Johnson County Public Library’s Central Resource Branch 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. Join me for a night of connecting with other local writers as well as opportunities for feedback on your work-in-progress. Can’t wait to see you there! Jo Co. Library has cancelled all programming through 8/31/20.
CANCELLED Monday, March 16, 2020 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Writers United is branching out to the Mid-Continent Public Library. We’ll have four editors providing FREE line, poetry, story, and query letter edits. Bring your current work-in-progress and get some writing time in, or come with the intent to connect with other writers and expand your support system. I’ll be hosting the evening and can’t wait to connect with our writers north of the river. We’ll be in the Woodneath Community Halls 1 & 2, 8900 NE Flintlock Rd, Kansas City, MO 64157. Jo Co. Library has cancelled all programming through 3/31/20, and MCPL has cancelled programming through 4/15/20 due to Coronavirus.
2019
December 4, 2019 6 p.m.-8 p.m. I’m back hosting Writers United at the Johnson County Public Library’s Central Resource Branch 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. Join me for a night of connecting with other local writers as well as opportunities for feedback on your work-in-progress. Can’t wait to see you there!
November 14-17, 2019 The Johnson County Public Library hosts it’s annual Writers Conference. There are a slew of great presenters, and I’m honored the library has asked me back to present again this year! The conference is free to attend and is held at the Central Resource Branch, 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212.
Have you been looking for another writers who is invested in their craft and will offer feedback on your latest work-in-progress? Are you willing to invest your time in a fellow writer and expand your critique and editing skills? Join Editor Tiffany White of Writers Untapped and me for a Critique Partner (CP) Matchup session! This two-hour workshop covers CP basics and allows you the chance to connect with (up to) twelve other potential CPs during the speed-match portion. Walk away with a list of writers as dedicated to the craft as you are, as well as a road map on how to navigate the opening stages of a CP relationship. Join me on Friday, November 15 or Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. in the Learning Lab. Space is limited so be sure to register for this great chance to connect with other writers.
Curious how your First Page comes across to editors and publishers or want to see how other writers are opening their stories? Come to the Carmack Room on Friday, November 15 or Saturday, November 16 from 3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m. I’ll offer up live critiques alongside other editors at the First Page Reads sessions. If you want to submit your first page for consideration head over to the library website to register and upload your page.
And Saturday, November 16 from 1:00 p.m.-1:50 p.m. You finished your draft! The story is done! It’s time to… let someone else read it. Sharing a manuscript for the first time can be daunting, but when you have the right Beta Readers sharing can be educational, encouraging, and exciting! Jessica Conoley covers the Beta Reader Basics in this workshop. We’ll break down: what a Beta Reader is, how to find one, what they can do for you and your work, how to cultivate long-lasting, trustworthy relationships with your Betas, and more. Walk away with a blueprint on how your Beta Readers can help your writing shine.
Please come up and say hi at the conference. I’m always excited to put a name to a face and hear about what you’ve been working on!
July 10, 2019 6 p.m. -8 p.m. Join me at Writers United at the Johnson County Public Library’s Central Resource Branch 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. “Writers, unite. You might be seeking critique, a great prompt or just shared space to focus on your work-in-progress. Find inspiration and other local writers here at the Library. Connect with the Johnson County writing community and hone your craft. Light refreshments will be served.” This month we’ll have a quiet table for you to work at, a writing prompt table to inspire you, the feedback table to swap work with other writers, our connect table to meet other writers, and introducing the Industry Insights table that will include guest Shannon Thompson!
June 5, 2019 6 p.m. -8 p.m. Join me at Writers United at the Johnson County Public Library’s Central Resource Branch 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. “Writers, unite. You might be seeking critique, a great prompt or just shared space to focus on your work-in-progress. Find inspiration and other local writers here at the Library. Connect with the Johnson County writing community and hone your craft. Light refreshments will be served.” I’ll also be hosting in July!
2018
November 1-4, 2018. The Johnson County Public Library hosts it’s annual Writers Conference. The three-day conference is free to attend and is held at the Central Resource Branch, 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. Register for Jessica’s sessions at https://www.jocolibrary.org/newsroom/2018-writers-conference. Friday, November 2nd at 10:00 a.m., Jessica joins the Work/Write Balance panel with Diana Reese and Aya Abdul-Rauf to share more about her experience as a working writer. Join her How to Find (and be) a Great Critique Partner workshop Friday at 2:00 p.m. Submit a first page of your work for a critique in the First Page Reads Panel where Jessica will critique work alongside literary agent Lisa Bankoff and J.D. Tulloch of 39 West Press on Friday at 3:00 p.m and Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, November 3rd at 10:00 a.m. learn about Steps to Traditional Publication in Jessica’s final solo workshop of the conference.
Saturday, May 12, 2018 8 a.m.-8 p.m. The Mid-Continent Public Library hosts LitUp Festival a great event featuring books and art for the next generation. I’m working in the background on this one, just on standby to help out our teen interviewers as needed in illustrator D.E. Uhlig‘s 10:00 a.m. session and author Shannon A. Thompson‘s 11:15 session. If you’re at the fest come say hi. I’d love to chat and fangirl(boy) with you about all of the amazing talent MCPL has lined up. I’m super excited for the night’s keynote–Nnedi Okorafor Ph.D. at 6:45 p.m! The all day conference is free to attend and is held at MCPL’s Independence branch: 317 US 24 Highway, Indpendence, MO 64050
2017
Friday, November 3, 2017 4:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m. & Saturday, November 4th, 2017 3:00-3:45 p.m. The Johnson County Public Library hosts it’s annual Writers Conference. Jessica Conoley will live critique work alongside Jim Doering, Managing editor of the Blue Monday Review, and Andrew Karre, Executive editor at Dutton Books for Young Readers, at the “First Page Reads” sessions. The three-day conference (November 2nd-4th) is free to attend and is held at the Central Resource Branch, 9875 W. 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212.
Saturday, August 12, 2017 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. The Color Eater debut and Q&A with me at the Uptown Arts Bar, 3611 Broadway, Kansas City, MO, 64111.
Saturday, April 15, 2017 7:00 p.m. – 9 p.m. Kansas City Voices Meet the Staff at the Uptown Arts Bar. (3611 Broadway, Kansas City, MO, 64111) This fundraiser features some of the editorial staff of Kansas City Voices arts and literary magazine. Come hear what Annie Raab, Alan Proctor, Jan Rog, Ken Buch, Mary Silwance, and Jessica Conoley have been working on.
2016
Friday, January 13, 2016 7:00 p.m. – 9 p.m. WTF stories for your earballs at the Uptown Arts Bar. (3611 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111) The WTF writers group hits the stage once again for a night of unexpected adventure, laughter, and fun as we read our latest work. Be hypnotized by Dawn Downey’s creative essays, mystified by Annie Raab’s magical realism, captivated by Teresa Vratil’s wit, laugh out loud at Dane Zeller’s dialogue, and just say WTF? when I read some of my flash fiction.
Wednesday, November 30, 2017 noon – 1 p.m. Tune into KKFI 90.1 FM in Kansas City to hear my on Artspeak Radio. Maria Vasquez-Boyd and I will be talking about the upcoming issue of Kansas City Voices magazine.
Friday, January 15, 2016 7:00 p.m. – 9 p.m. Join me at the Uptown Arts Bar (3611 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111) for the Annie Raab Writes Fundraiser. Writers and musicians are pooling our talents for the evening to help raise funds for Annie’s residency in Morocco. I’m on the talent line up and will be reading some of my new work.
2015
Friday, December 11, 2015 6:00 p.m. – 10 p.m. I’ll be reading as part of the Salon for the Arts. Come on out to 2016 Baltimore Studio 303 KCMO 64108 to hear some fantastic stories, do a little holiday shopping with local merchants, see some fantastic art, and meet some very talented, fun people.
Friday, November 6, 2015. I’ve be delving into the brains of kids at Rosehill Elementary School. I’ve been invited to share with 4th, 5th, and 6th graders the magic of world building as part of their annual Creative Writing Workshop.
Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. I’ll be launching Volume 13 of Kansas City Voices at the Plaza Branch of the KCMO Public Library (4801 Main St). Come to hear good stories and meet great people. I’ll also be announcing some big changes on the way for Whispering Prairie Press!
Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. I get to do the interviewing! I’ll be asking Dawn Downey all the scary questions I dread getting asked in an interview. This nail biting interrogation will happen at the launch of her newest book From Dawn to Daylight: Essays. Join us at 7600 West 90th Ter. Overland Park KS 66212 for a fun time.
Tune in to 90.1 KKFI, Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at noon. I’ll be interviewed on the Artspeak Radio program by Maria Vasquez Boyd about my most recent issue of Kansas City Voices magazine.
Join me September 6, 2015 from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. at the dotPOP!shop (731 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66101). I’ll be reading for the “Truer Words Never” literary salon. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of a literary salon, all it means is good stories, weird–yet charming–people, and a chance to talk to writers about our work.
Tune in on August 8, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. to KLWN AM radio 1320 out of Lawrence, Kansas. I’m a featured guest on The House with Jeremy Taylor.