Writers’ League of Texas has been to providing a forum for information, support, and sharing among writers; to help writers improve on their craft and market their skills; to promote the interests of writers and the writing community at large; and to elevate the art and enterprise of writing.
The Writers’ League of Texas (WLT) was founded in January 1981 as the Austin Writers’ League. Inspired by the example of the Washington Independent Writers, the original founders sought to develop a meaningful support system for writers that would focus on the craft, business, and community of writing. The group was incorporated in June 1984 and in November 2000 the organization’s name was changed to the Writers’ League of Texas to better reflect the demographics of its membership and the scope of the organization’s programs and services.
With over 1,300 members statewide and growing, the Writers’ League of Texas is a vibrant community that serves to educate and uplift Texas writers, whatever stage they may be at in their writing careers. In addition, the WLT offers valuable service to communities across the state with free programming in libraries and local schools.
From the WLT’s earliest projects to today, programming has been designed and implemented to meet identified needs of writers, both WLT members and non-members alike.
The WLT’s core programming currently includes:1
- Year-round classes (both in-classroom and online) taught by learned instructors (both published writers and other professionals with an expertise to share)
- Third Thursday – a monthly panel discussion in Austin that is free and open to the public and covers both the craft and business of writing (available as a podcast)
- Summer Writing Workshop – a week long intensive writing workshop focused on craft
- Agents & Editors Conference in Austin, TX – a weekend long conference, one of the premier literary conferences in the country, bringing together publishing industry professionals with writers at all stages of development
- Project WISE – a program that brings writers into AISD public schools
- Texas Writes – a program that sends writers to rural libraries across the state for half day workshops; and regular contests, including manuscript contests and annual book awards.
Anonymous on March 10, 2020