If you’re a writer who wants to hone their craft writing conferences are a must–and there are several great ones coming up very soon.

First, coming up NEXT WEEK:

Life, the Universe & Everything 28: The Marion “Doc” Smith Symposium on Science Fiction & Fantasy
February 11-13, 2010
Brigham Young University, in Provo Utah

I admit, I’ve never managed to make it to this conference because it’s always conflicted with something else in my life, but this year I’m planning to go up on Friday and Saturday. No, I don’t write Sci-fi or Fantasy, but everyone I know who has attended this FREE conference has spoken highly of it regardless of their genre, and if you like to draw (either illustrating books or do to comic strips) there are classes on that too.

The 2010 ANWA Writer’s Conference
Saturday, February 27, 2010
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Dobson Ranch Inn,
Mesa, Arizona 85202-5699

I’d love to go to this one, too, but it’s just not in my budget right now. I know lots of writers who attend this conference every year, however, and thoroughly enjoy it. The great J Scott Savage (author of Farworld: Waterkeep and Farworld: Landkeep) is a big speaker at this conference, so anyone who goes is guaranteed to be entertained and learn a great deal.

2010 – 7th Annual LDStorymakers Writers Conference
April 23-24, 2010
The Marriott Hotel in downtown Provo, Utah

I’ve attended every Storymaker’s conference since they first met in the Little Brown Theater in Springville (and let me tell you, it’s come a long way since then!) and wouldn’t miss it unless I was in the hospital or dead. This year there will be classes offered not only in fiction and non fiction as they’ve always had, not only in marketing and publicity, which they added a couple of years back, but also for screen writers, illustrators, and those wanting to write short stories. Basically, if you want to have anything to do with publishing, this is a great conference to attend. Hope to see you there!

2010 Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Workshop
June 14-18, Sandy Utah

I’ve never gone to this conference, either, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it from people who write YA and children’s fiction. This conference has previously been held at BYU, but has a new venue this year.