Writers In Paradise is widely considered one of Florida’s preeminent annual writer’s conferences. It is consistently held on the pristine campus of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. This conference was initially founded in 2005 by Dennis Lehane and Sterling Watson. Les Standiford serves as Co-Director along with Dennis Lehane, and Marina Pruna is the Conference Coordinator. As a resident of St. Petersburg, I’ve had the good fortune to attend several conference workshops and many of the series of Evening Readings, which are held during the weeklong January conference and are free to the public. Recently, I took the opportunity to pose a few questions to Les Standiford and Marina Pruna about their experiences running the conference and their vision for its future.
Gale Massey, author of the forthcoming book, Ledo Creek Lodge.
Gale Massey: Thanks for agreeing to discuss Writers In Paradise with me. The conference has meant a great deal to many writers wanting to hone their craft and enter a strong supportive community. WIP has been going strong for over two decades. What do you think sets it apart from other writing conferences?
Les Standiford: WIP 2026 will mark the 22nd year for the conference. I think it has evolved considerably over that time, and as it has become better known and the word has spread, I believe that WIP is today regarded as among the best writing conferences anywhere. Dennis Lehane and I have coined the motto for the conference–one which we feel is in large part responsible for our success—and one which we would have had emblazoned on a crest except for the fact of its vulgarity. I will refrain from repeating it verbatim, but let’s see if I can convey the gist: “NOA*******S!” (Insert plural of Anglo-Saxon term for a certain bodily orifice). It is a maxim that we stick to religiously when seeking out faculty, and we think the principle trickles down, so to speak, to characterize all the passengers on our great big metaphorical boat that sails for eight days every year.
GM: Yes, I think we can all fill in the blanks on that one. WIP is known for an exceptional core faculty and visiting industry leaders such as editors and agents. What do you look for in the speaker you invite to the conference?
LS: Expertise. Experience. Enthusiasm. And, uh, see above, WHICH DOESN’T BEGIN WITH E.
GM: That seems to be a solid core value. How do you curate the mix of emerging and established voices in the lineup?
LS: Well, by this point our own alums have begun to achieve success and it’s not only our pleasure but an effective form of advertising to include those fine writers among our new faculty. Folks like Vinod Busjeet, Nancy Johnson, Gale Massey and Jemimah Wei.
GM: Thanks for that shoutout. I attended several conferences before I gained traction with a few short stories. Who do you consider the ideal attendee for the conference?
Les Standiford
LS: Ideal is the aspiring writer who might want help in the same way as a person wanting help in building a sailboat. If you want help in learning how to build a sailboat that looks good and is unlikely to sink while still within sight of shore, then you’re coming to the right place. But here it is not about wearing cool nautical clothing. It is about cutting wood and joining timbers and sanding and caulking and who knows how many other practical things.
GM: WIP is also known for helping new writers build community through weeklong intensive workshops and evening readings which are open to the public. How has this format served the conference over the years?
LS: The daytime workshops and craft talks are about the nuts and bolts of effective writing. The nighttime readings are exhibitions of just how well the faculty know their stuff. In case anyone was wondering.
GM: I can attest to that. What do you think makes for a successful keynote or craft talk at this conference?
LS: I think of the keynote or the closing programs as a kind of quote or tease, Boy, wouldn’t you like to hear more from these people? And quite often, as in the cases of Luis Urrea, Karen Russell, or Liz Strout, they are so struck by the positive vibes here they actually do come back for full bore stints as workshop leaders.
GM: Those are all remarkable writers, but tell me, what is the most challenging part of organizing the conference?
LS: Ha! How much time do we have? One of the ongoing issues is getting a highly accomplished writer to clear a schedule and plan to spend 10 days or so away from a writing desk or a book tour. But I think Marina needs to elaborate on this one.
Marina Pruna
Marina: There are lots of moving parts when coordinating any event, and this conference is no different. Staying organized and focused are a must and therefore also a challenge. What can be shelved and what is a true emergency when everything is on deadline is another one. Thankfully, Les is great at talking me off the cliff’s edge when I’m in panic mode.
GM: Speaking of panic mode, can you share a time when something didn’t go as planned and how that was handled?
LS: Hard to beat having to close down the in-person version of the conference at the last-minute owing to covid. But every single faculty member who was scheduled to appear that year agreed to do a modified online version of their scheduled turn and the evaluations were over the moon. That was very gratifying.
GM: I remember how efficiently the conference pivoted that year. How has the conference changed or responded to industry trends?
LS: I’m not so sure we are affected by industry trends. We focus on helping folks write good books. Of course, the editors and agents do offer practical help in getting those good books in the hands of the right agents and editors. But even they, when asked how to succeed, tend to answer, “First, write a good book.”
GM: What is changing or evolving within the conference? What do you see for the next five year or ten years?
LS: Good question, and one I wish I knew the answer to. What’s constant is the need for developing writers to get the help they need to reach the next level and over the past 21 years I haven’t seen anything to beat the best way of doing that being a chance to sit down in the presence of a master writer who will tell the compassionate truth about the material submitted for inspection.
GM: Finally, what is your favorite moment of the conference week each year?
LS: Hands down it is the participant readings at the closing brunch. One writer chosen by the members of each workshop as their representative. Always a knockout to hear so many good, diverse voices, and proof that something good has been going on during the 8 days.
MP: I agree with Les one hundred per cent, and for me personally, there’s a moment, usually during one of the evening readings or at a craft talk, that someone says something that becomes the theme of that year’s conference. Maybe it’s a joke that everyone repeats (a keynote speaker running late walks into a bar…) or some simple piece of advice that takes on deeper meaning throughout the week (Don’t overexplain. Trust your audience…). It’s something that usually happens early in the week, and when it does, I think, ah, there it is, the ribbon that will tie us all together this week.
GM: Which goes to the importance of each writer becoming a part of the larger writing community and ultimately a good literary citizen. Thank you both for taking part in this discussion and best wishes for a successful WIP 2026!
Writers In Paradise website.
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