Minnesota Events for Writers and Book Lovers in 2019

It’s no secret that Minneapolis and St. Paul are very literary cities, and there are plenty of conferences, conventions, fairs, and more centered on books and writing in the Twin Cities and beyond. Whether you’re working on your first novel, hoping to meet your favorite author, networking for your editing business, or looking to sharpen your wordsmithing skills, there’s sure to be at least one event up your alley. Here’s what you can look forward to in 2019!

Patrick Tomasso via Unsplash

Some of these events are specifically aimed at improving your writing or finding a publisher; others involve authors and literature as part of a wider range of activities. The best thing to do is to check out each event’s website to get a feel for what it offers.

In addition to what’s below, current and aspiring freelancers should note that the national Editorial Freelancers Association conference is in the Midwest this year: August 21–August 23 at the Swissôtel Chicago.

Winter

MarsCon (March 1–3, 2019)
Where: Bloomington
What: Sci-fi and fantasy fan convention (find a recap of the 2018 event here)

Minnesota Writing Workshop (March 2, 2019)
Where: St. Paul
What: Full-day workshop for writers focusing on how to get published

Spring

Rosemount Writers Festival (March 22–23, 2019)
Where: Rosemount
What: Local festival for writers and readers

Minicon (April 19–21, 2019)
Where: Bloomington
Theme: Sci-fi and fantasy fan convention sponsored by the Minnesota Science Fiction Society (Minn-StF)

Teen Lit Con (April 27, 2019)
Where: Chaska
What: One-day event dedicated to teen literature, reading, and writing

LitCrawl MN (May 11, 2019)
Where: Minneapolis
What: Multivenue literary event featuring readings, activities, and more (in 2019 it’s part of Wordplay, below)

Wordplay (May 11–12, 2019)
Where: Minneapolis
What: A brand-new “party for books” organized by the Loft Literary Center

Open Book in Minneapolis, home to the Loft and Milkweed Books. Madeleine Vasaly

Summer

Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference (June 17–23, 2019)
Where: Bemidji
What: Limited-attendance writer’s retreat

Twin Cities Antiquarian and Rare Book Fair (June 28–29, 2019)
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds
What: The place to buy old and rare books

CONvergence (July 4–7, 2019)
Where: Minneapolis
What: Multigenre fan convention

Narrativity (July 12–14, 2019)
Where: Plymouth
What: Writing convention

Diversicon (July 26–28, 2019)
Where: St. Paul
What: Fan convention dedicated to diverse sci fi

Fall

Arcana (September 27–29, 2019)
Where: St. Paul
What: Fan convention focused on dark fantasy

Twin Cities Book Festival (October 12, 2019)
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds
What: “THE annual get together for devoted book lovers from the Twin Cities and beyond!”

Wordsmith (November 1–3, 2019)
Where: Minneapolis
What: A conference for writers ready to pitch and publish their work, organized by the Loft

Tellabration (November 30, 2019)
Where: Minneapolis
What: A day of free workshops, lectures, panels, and more on all forms of storytelling

Updated May 30, 2019

So, will you be hitting any of these events this year? Is there anything you think is missing from this list? Email me or let us know in the comments!

To keep up with author readings and public book clubs, be sure to also check out Rain Taxi’s literary events calendar.