From Proposals to Plot Twists: Gaithersburg Book Festival Workshops Help Writers Build Their Best Work
Free workshops take place May 16, offering aspiring authors and songwriters tips to hone their skills
Gaithersburg, Md. – April 14, 2026 – Aspiring authors and creatives can dive into a full slate of free workshops at this year’s Gaithersburg Book Festival, taking place May 16 at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. Led by published writers, editors and seasoned instructors, these sessions—covering everything from book proposals and submissions strategy to character creation, storytelling, and even songwriting—offer practical, hands‑on guidance that participants can immediately put to work.
The 55-minute workshops, which are designed for ages 16+, will be held during the Festival in the Adult and Teen Workshops Tent. No pre-registration is required.
How to Catch and Keep a Reader – 10:00 a.m.
In a world where so much is vying for our attention, writers have to hook agents, editors, and readers in the very first page…and keep them engaged as the story progresses. In this workshop, you will learn (and practice!) how to craft a novel or short story that captures a reader’s attention: from the initial premise and first few pages until the very end. The Writer’s Center instructor Eva Langston also will discuss how to avoid the “mushy middle” and what techniques will keep readers turning pages.
Get Published: The Guide to Submissions – 11:00 a.m.
Want to get published? Here’s the trick. If you want to win the lottery, you need to buy a ticket. If you want to get published, you need to send out materials to lit mags, agents, and publishers. Again and again. This session, led by Hildie S. Block, will show you ways to send out more (and to where), be smart about it, toughen your skin and get published! You also will set achievable goals, make plans, and share resources.
Making Wildly Imaginative Characters Through Anthropomorphism – Noon
Artists, writers, storytellers, and mythmakers have been imagining animals and natural objects as characters since the dawn of time—not to better understand the nature of animals and objects, but to understand the behavior of humans. In this workshop led by Robert St. John, you will look at character creation through anthropomorphism, and how to use it to bring wildly unbelievable characters into believable life in your fantastical stories, whether for comedy, science fiction, fantasy, horror or a mixture of all of those.
How to Publish and Distribute Your Book – 1:00 p.m.
Learn all about publishing your book from start to finish. Founder of Sligo Creek Publishing Alan Abrams will share the entire process – from formatting your manuscript and creating a book cover to obtaining an ISBN, registering your manuscript with the Copyright Office and using a print-on-demand service. The workshop will include a hand-out with detailed instructions and commentary.
Artifacts: The Craft of Descriptive Writing – 2:00 p.m.
Prompt: Artifacts. Imagine life as a catalogue, the main character as an archivist of that imagined (or true) life. Led by novelist Caroline Bock, this workshop will explore how the objects of our life define a story. Dive into details that make descriptive writing vivid and memorable. Start a new work or two of flash fiction/creative non-fiction with guided prompts.
Songwriting – 3:00 p.m.
Whether you are a musician, a poet, or a seasoned songwriter, this workshop will help you get started and complete songs you love. Jay Keating, President of the Songwriters Association of Washington, will help you understand various song structures, lyric styles, and musicality that drives successful songs.If you have a song in progress, bring it to work on! Together, we’ll explore the songwriting process and craft.
The Polished Proposal: Crafting a Non-Fiction Book Proposal That Gets Attention – 4:00 p.m.
Non-fiction authors seeking a book contract need to distinguish themselves among a crowd of writers. Led by author and American University journalism and media studies professor Dr. Sherri Williams, this workshop will instruct you how to focus your book pitch on what makes your book distinct. Dr. Williams also will offer tips that she used to obtain two book contracts. You will learn how to sharpen your proposal from a synopsis of the book down to the chapter descriptions and leave with an outline for a polished book proposal.
For the workshop schedule and more information about instructors, visit the Adult & Teen Workshops page of the Festival website. There also will be children’s workshops geared to young writers and families.
About the Gaithersburg Book Festival
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an annual all-day celebration of books, writers and literary excellence, which is celebrating 17 years in 2026. One of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the 2026 Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm (506 S. Frederick Ave.) in Gaithersburg, Md. Activities will include author appearances, discussions and book signings; writing workshops; a Children’s Village; onsite sales of new and used books; literary exhibitors and food, drink, ice cream and more. Admission and shuttles from Shady Grove Metro and Montgomery County Fairgrounds are FREE. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on X @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.
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