The 19th Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

This year’s morning keynote at the 19th Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference is Sara Maurer — debut novelist, Michigan native, and the author of A Good Animal (St. Martin’s Press), a Book of the Month Club selection.

Morning Keynote Address – Write Here. Write Now – Sara Maurer

Leaning Into my Roots Defined my Voice and my Story – Most people believe that the publishing industry is focused on and operates solely in the coastal metropolitan areas like New York or Los Angeles. Sara will share how she turned being a Michigander into an asset as she wrote and sought representation for her debut novel, A Good Animal, which is set in the Upper Peninsula where she lives.

Afternoon Panel – Obstacles: Partners on the Path to Publication – Sara Maurer and Kate Crane

Kate Crane’s debut took 18 years; Sara Maurer didn’t start writing until after a corporate career. The two debut authors discuss their nonlinear paths to becoming traditionally published authors and how they learned to make obstacles an integral part of creating the art they most wanted to make. Attendees will come away viewing obstacles as lighthouses that illuminate each step of their individual paths to writing the book that only they can write. This panel is for anyone who wants insight and support around achieving a daunting goal that excites and terrifies them at the same time.

📚 Register: https://rochesterwriters.com/2026-fall-conference/