Gen Con is the largest tabletop gaming convention in the world. In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic year for the convention) they welcomed over 65,000 unique visitors and offered over 19,000 events. By its nature, Gen Con attracts a large number of reading-oriented attendees who enjoy speculative fiction
Gen Con 2023 will be held August 3-6 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Gen Con Writers’ Symposium is a semi-independent event hosted by Gen Con and intended for both new and experienced writers of speculative fiction. All registration is handled through the Gen Con website.
In the past 28 years, the Writers’ Symposium has grown from a small set of panels over a day or two of the convention to one of the largest convention-hosted writing tracks in North America, offering hundreds of hours of programming from 70+ authors, editors, agents, and publishers to nearly 3000 unique visitors per year on average.
Our program is focused on the craft and business of writing, particularly in the speculative arenas. Being a part of a gaming convention, expect to learn about storytelling beyond books (i.e., storytelling in video games, narrative tabletops, role-playing games, etc.)
Authors who have taken part in our program over the last five years include:
- Maurice Broaddus
- Terry Brooks
- Jim Butcher
- Zig Zag Claybourne/Clarence Young
- James SA Corey
- Charlaine Harris
- Kameron Hurley
- Robin Hobb
- Mary Robinette Kowal
- Mercedes Lackey
- Patrick Rothfuss
- Brandon Sanderson
- Bob Salvatore
- Anna Smith Spark
- Margaret Weis
This is only a sampling of the authors who have attended the Symposium in the past, almost all of whom have expressed a desire to return. Many are regular attendees, and view the Symposium as a gathering of peers, mentors, colleagues, friends, and even extended family.