Conference weekend is October 3-4, 2026. The pre-con workshop Oct. 2 is sold out.

The Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Drive, Hurst, Texas, 76054, about a 15 minute drive from DFW International Airport.

Register here for the 2026 conference. 

The 2026 schedule will be released later in the year. In 2025, we offered nearly 100 classes, panels and workshops. DFWCon offers the largest, most comprehensive educational program of any multi-genre writers conference in Texas.

Check our Agents & Editors page for 2026.

Yes. We do our utmost to get you a meeting with your first choice of VIP, and we succeed more than 90 percent of the time. Failing that, we will fall back to your second or third choice.

DFWCon will send you an email approximately two weeks before the conference to ask for your top three agent preferences. Pitch assignments will be emailed about a week after that.

Late registrants will not receive an email for agent preferences. Stop by the pitch table during the conference to sign up for your free pitch/consultation. The pitch table is in the main gallery area at the front of the Hurst Conference Center.

Yes. Additional pitch sessions are $50 each. You may buy them at the pitch sessions table in the main gallery of the Hurst Conference Center during the conference. 

In Read & Critique sessions, writers read their work aloud and receive feedback. Session time is divided evenly among participants, with reading and critique time adjusted based on attendance. 

It’s one of the highlights of DFWCon. What do agents really think about your query letter?

Host Russell C. Connor will be joined by George Goldthwaite, who will read letters at random in his velvety voice. Author names will be withheld, so the whole ballroom isn’t staring at you. But you’ll sweat it out, as panel of agents will listen as George reads. When someone’s had enough, they’ll bang their gong. Three gongs and the letter is out. Agents will explain what problems caught their attention.

We’ve seen agents like a query letter so much — even if it doesn’t make it all the way through — they ask the author to send in the manuscript.

However, beware! if you need a fan and a fainting couch, this might not be for you. Your letter could get shredded in front of a few hundred people. Bring your A-game, but remember, few escape gong-free!

Signups will be available at the conference registration table.

Yes, the minimum age for attendance is 18.

Simply put, networking. It’s the number one reason to attend any conference dedicated to writers. You will meet and befriend so many people both publishing professionals and people new in their careers, that will pay dividends. We’ve often had people, simply by chance, meet someone who eventually makes a great impression on their career. You can also learn a great deal about the business and the craft of writing. The publishing industry is in a constant state of flux with the democratization of publishing. We keep the information fresh and the topics new at the conference every year to keep you up to date.

Whatever you’re comfortable in, within reason! We’ve seen people in tuxedos and shorts (not on the same person). Business casual is a safe bet if you don’t want to rock the boat.

Something to take notes on. Good walking shoes. Change of clothes. There will be daytime and evening events. You can wear the same clothes to both if you like. Do not bring a printed manuscript, unless directly requested.

No refunds after September 24, 2026.

Yes, you can find it here.

The conference is run by the DFW Writers’ Workshop, a non-profit organization. Our tagline is Writers Helping Writers Since 1977. We help writers of all genres and experience levels to produce and promote professionally published work. We do this by providing read-and-critique sessions, educational activities, ongoing author support, networking opportunities and a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. We’ve been meeting every week in the Metroplex for read-and-critique sessions for nearly half a century! In that time, more than 90 of our members have gotten a book traditionally published more than 350 times.

Please email info *AT* dfwcon dot org.