2026 Inkubator Writing Conference
About this Event
The Inkubator Writing Conference is Literary Cleveland's FREE annual festival for writers and readers.
On September 9 we will host a free virtual panel discussion on Toni Morrison ahead of our big in-person conference at the Cleveland Public Library on Friday and Saturday, September 11-12. The conference will feature writing workshops, panel discussions, craft talks, a book fair, a party, and a keynote address. See the full schedule at inkubator.litcleveland.org.
TICKETS
- Select the free virtual Toni Morrison panel ticket if you plan to attend on September 9.
- Select select the free in-person ticket option if you plan to attend one or more events in Cleveland September 10-12.
- You can select both virtual and in-person tickets if you plan to attend both.
- Only one ticket can be ordered at a time.
- If you are attending the in-person conference, please select which sessions you plan to attend. This allows us to save you a seat as space is limited. If you do not select a session you can still attend the conference but you will wait in a standby line to attend specific sessions.
- If you have capacity, help keep this conference free for everyone by adding a donation.
DEADLINE
Register for individual events (including the virtual panels) or the whole conference—all for free—is open until 5:00PM ET on September 9, 2025.
Cleveland Book Fest
Literary Cleveland's Inkubator Writing Conference is just the beginning of Cleveland Book Fest. Be sure to check out the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC) September 5 as well as the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards ceremony and events September 18-19.
Funders and Sponsors
The Literary Cleveland Inkubator Writing Conference is made possible by the Cleveland Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, the Robert H Reakirt Foundation Equities, and The Wolf Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Ongoing support for Literary Cleveland is made possible by the George Gund Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, and the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Additional support provided by the Literary Arts Fund, a project of the National Center
The Literary Cleveland Inkubator Writing Conference is sponsored by The Cleveland Public Library. Silver Sponsors include Loganberry Books, Mac’s Backs Books, Cuyahoga County Public Library, The Pilgrim Press, and Northeast Ohio MFA (NEOMFA). Bronze Sponsors include The Buckeye Flame, Debbie George State Farm Agent, and The Reading Room CLE.
Agenda
🕑: 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
SEPTEMBER 9 - Virtual Toni Morrison Panel
Info: We are launching this year’s free Inkubator Writing Conference with a discussion about the life, literature, and legacy of Toni Morrison as part of Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison, a yearlong statewide project led by Literary Cleveland and Ohio Humanities. This event will feature six of the authors who have written introductions to the new editions of Toni Morrison’s novels: Julia Alvarez, Sasha Bonét, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Imani Perry, Danzy Senna, and Kevin Young. Together we will explore Toni Morrison’s craft and use of aesthetic forms, how her writing reshaped American literature, and how she continues inspire writers today.
🕑: 05:30 PM - 08:30 PM
SEPTEMBER 10 - Kickoff Mixer at Zygote Press
Info: Celebrate the start of our 2026 in-person Inkubator Writing Conference with a free mixer at Zygote Press from 5:30-8:00PM in connection with the opening of their exhibition of art inspired by Toni Morrison. Meet and mingle with fellow writers and enjoy light food and drink from 5:30-7pm. Then from 7-8pm meet fellow writers working in similar genres. Whether you're a longtime writer or brand new, joining us from out of town or a lifelong Clevelander, we'll have a chance for you to connect with others writing similar work to help you find your people.
🕑: 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
SEPTEMBER 11 - In-Person Conference Day 1 at CPL Main
Info: Join us in person at the downtown Cleveland Public Library for free writing workshops, panel discussions, and craft talks in fiction, genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry, the business of writing and publishing, and more. Browse the book fair featuring regional publishers, presses, journals, bookstores, literary orgs, and more.
🕑: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
SEPTEMBER 12 - In-Person Conference Day 2 at CPL Main
Info: Join us in person at the downtown Cleveland Public Library for free writing workshops, panel discussions, and craft talks in fiction, genre fiction, nonfiction, poetry, the business of writing and publishing, and more. On Saturday we will also have a separate quiet writing room. Browse the book fair featuring regional publishers, presses, journals, bookstores, literary orgs, and more.
🕑: 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
SEPTEMBER 12 - Keynote with Colson Whitehead at MLK Branch
Info: Our 2026 keynote speaker, Colson Whitehead, is the author of nine novels, including The Intuitionist, The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys, and the three novels of his Harlem Trilogy: Harlem Shuffle, Crook Manifesto, and his latest: Cool Machine. Whitehead is a MacArthur Fellow, National Book Award Winner, and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. In this reading and moderated discussion with Kevin Young, Whitehead will discuss his development as a writer, his Harlem Trilogy, taking inspiration from Toni Morrison, and the place of writing today. This event will take place at the Cleveland Public Library Martin Luther King Jr. branch (10601 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106).
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 215.26
