Romance Writing

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

Mark your calendar now for Writer's Digest University's annual virtual conference for romance writers!

Romance Writing

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

Writer's Digest University's annual virtual conference for romance writers!

$199.99

February 20–22, 2026

  • SEVEN all-new, one-hour webinar presentations provided by bestselling romance authors
  • Live Q&A with the speakers
  • Network with fellow writers
  • OnDemand recording access for one year
  • Bonus OnDemand Webinars and an issue of Writer's Digest Magazine
Enroll Now

Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home!

Writer’s Digest University is pleased to present a one-of-a-kind online event for romance writers! On February 20–22, 2026, our WDU Romance Writing Virtual Conference will provide expert insights from seven bestselling romance authors. Spend the weekend learning the finer points of the romance writing craft.

$199.99

February 20–22, 2026

  • SEVEN all-new, one-hour webinar presentations provided by bestselling romance authors
  • Live Q&A with the speakers
  • Network with fellow writers
  • Unlimited OnDemand viewing
  • Bonus OnDemand Webinars and an issue of Writer's Digest Magazine
Enroll Now

Experience the education, camaraderie, and opportunities provided by a live writing conference without ever having to leave your home!

 

Writer’s Digest University is pleased to present a one-of-a-kind online event for romance writers! On February 20 - 22, 2026, our WDU Romance Writing Virtual Conference will provide expert insights from seven bestselling romance authors. Spend the weekend learning the finer points of the romance writing craft.

Conference schedule

Conference chedule

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 20, 2026


FRIDAY
| FEBRUARY 20, 2026


SATURDAY | FEBRUARY 21, 2026


SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 21, 2026


SUNDAY | FEBRUARY 22, 2026


SUNDAY
FEBRUARY 22, 2026


More sessions coming soon!

Meet the speakers

Jen DeLuca

Jen DeLuca was born and raised near Richmond, Virginia, but now lives in Arizona with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets. She loves latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. Her novels, Well Met, Well Played, and Well Matched, were inspired by her time volunteering as a pub wench with her local Renaissance Faire.

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Danica Nava

Danica Nava is an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and works as an executive assistant in the tech industry. She has her MBA from USC Marshall School of Business. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and daughter.

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Abigail Owen

Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and international bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs (happily ever afters)!

Abbie has a degree in English Rhetoric (technical writing) from Texas A&M University (gig’em Ags!), and an MBA from California State University-Sacramento. Prior to becoming a published author, she spent 15+ years using the other side of her brain in various tech- and business-related roles.

Other titles include: wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, AuDHD, spreadsheet lover, Jeopardy! fanatic, organizational guru, true classic movie buff, linguaphile, wishful world traveler, and chocoholic.

Abbie currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their (mostly) angelic teenagers, and an adorable fur baby.

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Jennifer Probst

Jennifer Probst is the New York Times bestselling author of the Billionaire Builders series, the Searching For... series, the Marriage to a Billionaire series, the Steele Brothers series, the Stay series, and the Sunshine Sisters series. Like some of her characters, Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New York's Hudson Valley home. When she isn't traveling to meet readers, she enjoys reading, watching "shameful reality television," and visiting a local Hudson Valley animal shelter. Follow her at JenniferProbst.com.

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Annie Rains

USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains lives in a small, coastal North Carolina town, full of lovable folks, scenic downtown areas, and nature—similar to the towns she writes in her books. Annie’s love of reading and writing books grabbed hold of her at a young age and never let go. Her first book was published in 2015, and she’s been writing heartfelt, page-turning stories ever since. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s reading from her never-ending TBR stack on her bedside table, taking long walks while plotting her characters’ happy endings, and living out her own happily ever after with her husband, three children, feisty rescue cat, and mischievous dog. Learn more at AnnieRains.com.

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Vanessa Riley

Vanessa Riley is an award-winning author of over twenty-five novels like Island Queen (a GMA buzz pick), A Duke The Lady and A Baby, and the Lady Worthing mystery series (2024 Georgia Author of the Year for Mystery). Her works spotlight hidden narratives of Black women and women of color, emphasizing power, sisterhoods, and family sagas across historical fiction, romance, and mystery genres. With a doctorate from Stanford University and other engineering degrees from Penn State, Vanessa brings a research-oriented approach to her inclusive storytelling about Caribbean, Georgian, and Regency eras.

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Denise Williams

Denise Williams wrote her first book in the second grade. I Hate You and its sequel, I Still Hate You, featured a tough, funny heroine, a quirky hero, witty banter, and a dragon. Minus the dragons, these are still the books she likes to write. After penning those early works, she finished second grade and eventually earned a PhD in education, going on to work in higher education. After growing up a military brat around the world and across the country, Denise now lives in Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, son, and two ornery shih-tzus who think they own the house.

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Sariah Wilson

USA Today Bestselling author Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children. She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their children in Utah, along with cats named Pixel, Callie, and Belle who do not get along. (The cats, not the children. Although the children sometimes have their issues, too.)

Sariah's book ROYAL DATE was selected as one of the first winners in Amazon's Kindle Scout program. Her novella ROYAL DESIGN helped launch Amazon Publishing's Kindle in Motion technology, and she had her own Kindle World for THE ROYALS OF MONTERRA. Her books THE FRIEND ZONE and ROOMMAID were selected by Amazon as one of the Best Romances of 2019 and 2020, respectively. She has repeatedly hit Amazon's overall Top 100 (both in and outside the USA) and been a #1 bestseller on Amazon category lists multiple times. Her book ROOMMAID was the most read book from Amazon's website in September 2020.

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