2022 Call for Proposals
Deadline: Wednesday, April 15th, 2022
Living in a pandemic the past two years, we have been privy to story after story–in our own lives and in the media–of the ways that writers who identify as women in whole or in part have been thrown off course in the home and in the workplace. Certainly their writing and research have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The disparities in professional development are especially high for genderqueer and women writers of color, as well as those with young children or other caretaking responsibilities. And yet in the face of all the hardship, they have shown incredible strength. This year we would like to focus on the tremendous resilience that has enabled nonbinary, women, transfeminine, and genderfluid individuals to weather the devastation. In light of recent times, we have recommitted ourselves to fostering a supportive community that offers motivation, encouragement, and educational opportunities aimed at creating equity in the literary, academic, and professional writing world.
The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference invites proposals for presentations at our annual conference to be held November 4-5, 2022, at the University of Central Arkansas.
Inspired by C.D. Wright’s legacy, our mission is to recognize, promote, and encourage a diverse range of women and genderqueer writers. We value the opportunity to develop an intersectional community that includes African American and Black, Latinx and Chicanx, Asian American, disabled, LGBTQ, immigrant, native and Indigenous, rural, and resource-poor women writers.
Participants will explore opportunities, challenges, and trends specific to women-identifying and feminine nonbinary writers through keynote presentations, panel discussions, creative readings, craft talks, and workshops led by contemporary authors. The conference will offer writers a space to gather for inspiration, further education, support, and networking.
General Information
Sessions will be 75 minutes and may employ a variety of formats, including panel and roundtable discussions, creative readings, or workshops. We encourage group proposal submissions but will also consider individual submissions. Individual proposals that are accepted will be grouped into panels by the conference organizers. An individual participant may only be included in one proposal; participants can present only once during the conference.
Conference presenters and attendees must register for and pay for the full conference, and there will be opportunities to apply for needs-based stipends. To submit a proposal, use the Proposal Submission Form.
Conference organizers hope to host an in-person conference in November; however, a shift to virtual delivery has not been ruled out, given the uncertainty of the on-going pandemic.
Suggested Presentation Topics
The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference is a space to celebrate, study, and advance the work of women and genderqueer writers in all genres. We will address the value of adding an inclusive definition of women’s voices to the collective, cultural conversations about writing and the danger of limiting or excluding these voices.
Possible topics for proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following:
● Writing for public discourse and as a political act
● Historicizing women-identifying writers and movements
● Creative readings by genderqueer and women writers
● Navigating the publishing industry as a woman, transfeminine, or feminine nonbinary person
● Highlighting challenges faced by women-identifying and genderqueer writers, particularly in the South
● Balancing writing with work, family, carework, and social groups
● Developing best practices in your craft
● Collaborating with and mentoring other women-identifying and nonbinary writers
● Responsibly engaging diverse voices and perspectives
● Writing about identity and marginalized experiences
● Writing in the disciplines: arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, etc.
● Writing for mass media: journalism, blogging, podcasts, radio, etc.
● Writing in genres: sci-fi, speculative, romance, mystery, crime, fantasy, travel, food, etc.
● Strategies for teaching and researching writing
● Engaging and sustaining a writing life
Please visit the website to access the Proposal Submission Form. Proposals can be submitted through the conference website. Email the conference director with any questions at [email protected].
Proposals will be accepted until 11:59pm (CST), April 15th, 2022.
The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference invites proposals for presentations at our annual conference to be held November 4-5, 2022, at the University of Central Arkansas.
Inspired by C.D. Wright’s legacy, our mission is to recognize, promote, and encourage a diverse range of women and genderqueer writers. We value the opportunity to develop an intersectional community that includes African American and Black, Latinx and Chicanx, Asian American, disabled, LGBTQ, immigrant, native and Indigenous, rural, and resource-poor women writers.
Participants will explore opportunities, challenges, and trends specific to women-identifying and feminine nonbinary writers through keynote presentations, panel discussions, creative readings, craft talks, and workshops led by contemporary authors. The conference will offer writers a space to gather for inspiration, further education, support, and networking.
General Information
Sessions will be 75 minutes and may employ a variety of formats, including panel and roundtable discussions, creative readings, or workshops. We encourage group proposal submissions but will also consider individual submissions. Individual proposals that are accepted will be grouped into panels by the conference organizers. An individual participant may only be included in one proposal; participants can present only once during the conference.
Conference presenters and attendees must register for and pay for the full conference, and there will be opportunities to apply for needs-based stipends. To submit a proposal, use the Proposal Submission Form.
Conference organizers hope to host an in-person conference in November; however, a shift to virtual delivery has not been ruled out, given the uncertainty of the on-going pandemic.
Suggested Presentation Topics
The C.D. Wright Women Writers Conference is a space to celebrate, study, and advance the work of women and genderqueer writers in all genres. We will address the value of adding an inclusive definition of women’s voices to the collective, cultural conversations about writing and the danger of limiting or excluding these voices.
Possible topics for proposals may include, but are not limited to, the following:
● Writing for public discourse and as a political act
● Historicizing women-identifying writers and movements
● Creative readings by genderqueer and women writers
● Navigating the publishing industry as a woman, transfeminine, or feminine nonbinary person
● Highlighting challenges faced by women-identifying and genderqueer writers, particularly in the South
● Balancing writing with work, family, carework, and social groups
● Developing best practices in your craft
● Collaborating with and mentoring other women-identifying and nonbinary writers
● Responsibly engaging diverse voices and perspectives
● Writing about identity and marginalized experiences
● Writing in the disciplines: arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, etc.
● Writing for mass media: journalism, blogging, podcasts, radio, etc.
● Writing in genres: sci-fi, speculative, romance, mystery, crime, fantasy, travel, food, etc.
● Strategies for teaching and researching writing
● Engaging and sustaining a writing life
Please visit the website to access the Proposal Submission Form. Proposals can be submitted through the conference website. Email the conference director with any questions at [email protected].
Proposals will be accepted until 11:59pm (CST), April 15th, 2022.
