Conference Info
SEPTEMBER 1–30
Presented by Ali Black and Balance Point Studios
Framing the Future: Comics Making in the Rust Belt at the West Side Market
Coaster Stories
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Nonfiction/ New Cleveland Journalism - Panel
Poetry/ Wilding the Mind: Disruptive Techniques for Poetic Experimentation - Panel
Business/ An Editor's Advice on Nonfiction Book Proposals - David Gray
Beyond/ Crafting Children's Books That Matter: Through the Lens of a Mother and Publisher - Cori Sykes
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
Poetry/ Writing From the Collective: the “We” Point of View in Poetry - Tiara Dinevska-McGuire
Business/ How to Catch an Editor’s Attention from Page One - Jess Jelsma Masterton
Beyond/ Let’s Thrive: Building Creative Writing Communities - Panel
Teen/ Characters + Chaos + Constraints = Comics - Matt Haberbusch
Nonfiction/ What Is a Hermit Crab Essay and How to Write One - Amy Fish
Poetry/ It's A Holiday - Siaara Freeman
Business/ How To (Authentically) Market Your Writing Career - Prince Shakur
Beyond/ Words are Also Migrants - Manuel Iris
Teen/ Drawing Connections: Teen Poetry Workshop - Raja Belle Freeman
Nonfiction/ Page Count Live: Literary Magic with Elissa Washuta
Poetry/ Bees, Rocks, Heat, & Garbage: Poetry And The Outside World - Panel
Business/ The Dreaded Query Letter: How to Make Yours Shine - Jacqui Lipton
Beyond/ Superman, the Future of a Legend: A Live Interview with Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Teen/ Collaborative Storytelling - Cynthia Larsen
Nonfiction/ Writing as the Art of Caregiving - Sean Thomas Dougherty
Poetry/ Sestina & Ghazal: Forms that move your emotions - Kisha Nicole Foster
Business/ Writing for Social Change: How Creatives Can Influence and Amplify Justice Movements - Panel
Beyond/ Editing the Region: Publishing, Place, and the Local in Literary-Cultural Production - Panel
Teen/ Microfiction: A Story in 100 Words - Amy Hughes
Welcome
Welcome! We look forward to welcoming you on September 22-23 for the ninth annual Inkubator Writing Conference. See the information below for details to help plan your visit.
Virtual Events
Inkubator Writing Conference virtual events take place Tuesday through Saturday, September 18-20 via Zoom Webinar. Those who register will receive Zoom links and instructions for accessing the free online programs three days in advance. The virtual conversations will also be broadcast live on Facebook and will be available to view for 30 days after the program.
In-Person Conference Location & Map
The Literary Cleveland Inkubator Writing Conference takes place Friday and Saturday, September 22-23 in-person at the Cleveland Public Library Louis Stokes building (525 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44114).
Click the map below to enlarge it.
Lodging
Hotel lodging is available downtown. Nearby options include:
Hyatt Regency Cleveland At The Arcade
Drury Plaza Hotel
Hampton Inn
Parking
Nearby parking garages include:
ABM Rockwell Garage
Memorial Plaza
200 Public Square Garage
Metered parking is available nearby and is free on Saturdays, though it may be difficult to find a spot.
Transportation
We encourage the use of public transit to attend the conference. The Cleveland Public Library is a .2 mile (6 minute) walk from the Public Square bus terminal and Tower City rapid station.
Registration & Check-in
Plan to arrive early at the downtown Cleveland Public Library to check in and receive your conference materials before attending your first session.
Check in Friday, September 22 from 10:00-11:00am and September 23 from 8:00-9:00am
Food & Drink
Coffee and water will be available for free at the conference with some light snacks. Literary Cleveland will offer box lunch options for purchase both days as well as a Friday dinner buffet option. Place your food order before September 15.
Nearby breakfast options include Rising Star Coffee, 1890 Restaurant, Mike & Dee's Diner, and chains like Au Bon Pain and Dunkin'. Nearby lunch and dinner options include Ohio City Burrito, Rebol, Citizen Pie, Barrio, and chains like Shake Shack, Potbelly, and more.
Sights
Downtown visitors are in walking distance from Public Square, Tower City, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, Playhouse Square, sports arenas, the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. Further afield we recommend visiting the West Side Market, Edgewater Park, Wendy Park Coast Guard Station, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Plus no trip to Cleveland is complete without stops at indie bookstores Clevo Books, Visible Voice Books, Appletree Books, Loganberry Books, Mac's Backs Books, Third Space Reading Room, Book Brothers, the Bookshop in Lakewood and more. Snag a Cleveland Bookworm Challenge map for more places to visit.
Cleveland Book Week
Literary Cleveland's Inkubator Writing Conference is just the beginning of Cleveland Book Week. Be sure to check out the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony and events September 26-30 as well as the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC) September 30.
Conference Accessibility
Literary Cleveland is committed to making the Inkubator Writing Conference as accessible as possible.
- Public transportation is available near the Cleveland Public Library with a rapid station at Tower City, a central bus terminal at Public Square, and bus stops on Superior Ave.
- There are elevators in all multilevel event spaces.
- The venue’s sidewalks, pathways, and doorways are accessible, and there is zero-step entry to the Cleveland Public Library Louis Stokes wing.
- Accessible restrooms are located on the second floor (where the conference will be held) as well as the lower level near the auditorium.
- All rooms at the conference are wheelchair accessible. Workshop spaces will have seats in the first row and back row marked as reserved for individuals with accessibility needs. Please use these accommodations if you need them and we ask that no one question anyone’s use of this accommodation as some disabilities are invisible.
- Library signage is in Braille.
- Large format versions of the program schedule will be available.
- Speakers will have text outlines of their workshops, talks, or panels available on request.
- ASL interpretation will be provided for the Keynote address.
- Closed captioning will be provided for virtual events held online September 18-20.
To request accommodation or accessibility support, please contact ADA Coordinator Michelle Smith at 330-622-0606 or send an email no later than 14 days before this event.
Past Conferences
Check out our past conferences below.
