The Cleveland Rocks Writing Conference is a one-day event aimed at writers of any genre in all phases of their career. Great Lakes Fiction Writers is thrilled to be partnering with the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Writers’ Center to host this event.
WHEN: July 25, 2026, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
WHERE: William N. Skirball Writers’ Center, Cuyahoga County Public Library, South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch, 1876 South Green Rd., South Euclid, OH 44121
COST: FREE
Registration opens on May 1, 2026 on Eventbrite 2026 Cleveland Rocks Writing Conference
Amp up your writing at this FREE conference for fiction writers (all levels and genres), courtesy of Great Lakes Fiction Writers.
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986 by a group of dedicated writers to provide support and encouragement. We welcome fiction writers in any genre, at any point in their career, especially those who wish to explore writing romance or including romantic elements in their stories. As a member of GLFW, you can join our critique group, be featured in member spotlights in our newsletter and across our social media platforms, participate in community anthology projects, and have access to an array of other resources. In addition to the annual conference, we host monthly meetings with guest speakers, a fall get-away-and-write retreat, and a holiday gathering. Whether you’re a newbie just starting out or a veteran author with multiple publications to your name, we invite you to stop by and check us out. We look forward to meeting you.
AGENDA
9:00 – 9:45 AM / CHECK-IN, LIGHT BREAKFAST, NETWORKING
For anyone interested in having their work read anonymously at the One Page Critique Panel at 2:15 PM: Drop off FOUR COPIES of the first page OR inciting event of your work-in-progress (fiction only) at check-in before noon. Your work must be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with Title, Genre, and “First Page” or “Inciting Event” written at the top of the page. Do NOT include your name anywhere on the page. We’ll randomly select first pages and read them aloud starting at 2:15 PM. Each panelist will raise a hand at the point where they would stop reading and then comment on what stopped them. One Page Critique writers will remain anonymous.
9:45 – 10:00 AM / WELCOME & CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Barbara Howard, Board President, Great Lakes Fiction Writers
10:00 – 11:00 AM / SPEAKER
Amy Safford, “Make your Book Launch Fun, Creative, and Memorable”
- The basic and critical elements of organizing a successful book launch.
- How to target and entice your audience.
- Why branding is important for your overall marketing effort.
11:00 – 11:15 AM / MORNING BREAK
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM / SPEAKER
Nicole D. Miller, “Manifest Your Book!”
- Tips on completing your unfinished manuscript.
- Vital steps to becoming a self-published author.
- Clarity on the types of book publishing options available.
12:15 – 1:15 PM / LUNCH BREAK, BOOK SALE & AUTHOR SIGNINGS
You may bring lunch and eat it in the Writers’ Center. You may also picnic outdoors or in your car. Local restaurant map available at check-in table.
Book sales courtesy of Mac’s Backs Books of Cleveland Heights.
1:15 – 2:15 PM / SPEAKER
Chuck Augello, “Making Your Mark in Literary Magazines”
- Learn about the benefits of publishing in literary magazines.
- Learn to evaluate the pros and cons of a journal.
- Learn how to create a submission strategy and identify which journals are a best fit for your work.
2:15 – 3:00 PM / BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Choose one:
- Networking
Participants are encouraged to adjourn to the common seating areas and author tables to mix and mingle.
- One Page Critique Panel: Writer’s choice of First Page or Inciting Event
We’ll randomly select an anonymous one page of work-in-progress and read them aloud. Each panelist will raise a hand at the point where they would stop reading and then comment on what stopped them. Writers will remain anonymous.
3:00 – 3:15 / AFTERNOON BREAK
3:15 – 4:15 PM / SPEAKER
Krista Hammonds, “Problematic Protagonists, a Point of View Guide to Propel Your Novel Forward”
- A reminder of first, second, and third-person viewpoints plus unreliable narrators, A better understanding of POV impacts,
- An action plan to use point of view to their advantage,
- A physical guide (in the form of a handout) to pick the right POV and get started.
4:15 – 4:30 PM / WRAP-UP
THE PRESENTERS
Chuck Augello is the author of the novels A Better Heart and The Revolving Heart, a Best Books of 2020 selection by Kirkus Reviews. His work has appeared in One Story, Ghost Parachute, Smokelong Quarterly, and over fifty literary magazines. His most recent book is Talking Vonnegut: Centennial Interviews and Essays, an exploration of the life and art of Kurt Vonnegut. He is an Associate Fiction Editor for Identity Theory and a Contributing Editor for Cease, Cows. Learn more at www.chuckaugello.com.
Krista Hammonds (she/her) has a BA in history and an MFA in writing popular fiction. Under her pseudonym Iris Matthews she writes reimagined fairytales, sweet contemporary short stories set around the Great Lakes, and sweeping historical romance novels set in 1785 London. She hails from northeast Ohio where she lives with her partner, two children, and mini Aussiedoodle rescue pup. When she isn’t writing, you can find her in the garden, playing board games, traveling, or giving presentations on her favorite nerdy craft writing topics such as objective correlatives. Learn more about her and her stories at irismatthews.com.
Nicole D. Miller, is an award-winning, 6x’s self-published author, who takes immense pleasure in crafting stories that intertwine Black culture and faith. Owner of ND Miller Publishing LLC, she specializes in assisting debut authors with manifesting their book publishing dreams. Nicole personally provides beta reading, ghostwriting and one-on-one coaching services. To further assist authors, she conducts workshops and educates audiences on the nuances of self-publishing via podcast interviews and speaking engagements. In addition to her writing endeavors, Nicole is the host for the female-led, panel discussion, Girl Talk, featuring high-achieving women leaders in the community and beyond. Additionally, in 2025, she hosted the first CLE Indie Author Expo, featuring 20+ local authors and partnering with the literary community in Cleveland to honor Cleveland’s self-published authors. More can be learned about Nicole and her publishing services at www.nicoledmiller.com and www.ndmiller.pub.
Amy Safford, MFA, is an award-winning Maine author. Her debut novel, Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place, won three international literary awards: the 2025 Eric Hoffer Spiritual Fiction and First Horizon Book Awards, and the Independent Publishers IPPY Silver Medal for Visionary/New Age Fiction. She was also named a finalist in the 2025 Independent Author Network, 2024 American Book Fest, and 2025 Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance Fiction Awards. Her stories blend historical and literary fiction, suspense and paranormal, for an enticing, thought-provoking reflection on New England history that shapes our lives today. Amy taught English composition at the University of New England and was a contributing writer to Coastal Fish of Southern Maine and New Hampshire. Her alma maters are Boston University and USM Stonecoast MFA Program. The former executive director of the Maine Psychological Association, Amy lives in Saco, Maine with her husband, Jon.