Coronavirus Pandemic Day 117 - Staying Safe While Learning

Most writing conferences and classes have gone virtual during the current pandemic if they haven't been cancelled outright. If you're having a hard time working on your wip, maybe now's the time to join with some fellow writers or take a class in order to get your mind off the news.

1) Camp NaNoWriMo

July is the second camp of the year from the people who bring you National Novel Writing Month. If you don't know anybody to join up with, my old RWA chapter Northwest Houston is holding a virtual write-in in relations to Camp NaNo. The cost is $10 for non-members, but they are a sweet, encouraging group of people, especially if you're a newbie.

2) RWA Conference

Whereas, most of the individual RWA chapters are pretty awesome and inclusive, the national organization is still trying to get its shit together. It may a good thing this year's conference is on Zoom. I mention it because I got some good advice and information from its panels back in the day, and it's one of the few national writing organizations that allows non-members to attend for a higher fee than members.

3) NINC Conference

The Novelists, Inc., Conference is a popular one among published authors of all genres. As of this writing, it is still scheduled to start September 23, 2020, in St. Pete Beach, Florida. However, the NINC will be issuing a statement next week on whether the conference will continue given the current COVID-19 spike in the state. It may be cancelled or have fewer speakers due to the travel restrictions between the U.S. and Europe.

4) WMG Publishing

With the record spikes of COVID-19 across the south, Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch are offering half-price classes, lectures, and subscriptions for the third time this year. The sale ends tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 7th. I've taken a few over the last couple years and found them valuable. Just a warning: most of them come with homework that makes you exercise your writing muscles!


At the rate things are going, those of us in the U.S. may find ourselves stuck at home for the rest of the year for safety's sake regardless of what our government says.

Hang in there! Write, study, watch Hamilton for the umpteenth time. Do whatever you have to in order to stay sane during this pandemic.

We really are in this together.