By Ellen Weeren
For A Reason To Write
Harpers Ferry based organization announces five events for 2026, from online flash fiction to residential retreats, featuring nationally recognized authors, agents, and writing instructors
Harpers Ferry – A Reason to Write, a literary workshop and writing retreat organization based in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, is bringing a full season of writing workshops and residential retreats to the region in 2026, featuring nationally recognized authors, a literary agent, editors, and award-winning flash fiction writers. The series runs from June through November, with events designed for writers at every level, from first-time workshop participants to novelists preparing to query agents.
The 2026 lineup spans five events across a range of forms and audiences.
The series opens online on June 27 with Prompt-A-Palooza 2, a 90-minute generative flash fiction session led by poet and flash writer Francine Witte, held via Zoom (registration: bit.ly/Promptapalooza2).
The following month, on July 18, A Reason to Write hosts What You Don’t Yet Know About Writing, a one-day in-person workshop for writers ages 15 to 21, led by Adam Payne and Michael Stein of YNST Magazine on the banks of the Shenandoah River in Harpers Ferry.
The workshop covers generating new work, editing with a working editor, and the path to publication, all for $149, including lunch, snacks, and materials.
September brings Writing Your Family History with Linda Tate, a five-day residential retreat (September 16–20) set in the outskirts of Harpers Ferry. Tate, a former West Virginia Professor of the Year, PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of Power in the Blood: A Family Narrative (Ohio University Press), will lead participants through the family history memoir: turning genealogy research, oral histories, photographs, and archival materials into compelling narrative.
Early-bird registration is $1,350 per writer (50% deposit by June 30); the regular rate is $1,475. Meals are included; lodging is not.
In October, literary agent and author Tommy Dean leads Unstuck Your Novel: A Novel Opening Workshop (October 4–9), a six-day intensive focused on the first pages that make or break a manuscript with agents, editors, and readers.
Drawing on his experience representing writers at Rosecliff Literary and editing Fractured Lit and Uncharted Magazine, Dean will guide participants through close reading, guided writing prompts, and small-group work.
The workshop also features bestselling thriller author John Gilstrap, who currently has a project in development for Netflix, leading a session on plot structure. Early-bird registration is $1,350 (four spots available); the regular rate is $1,500. Registration deadline is September 1.
Register at AReasonToWrite.com/workshops.
The 2026 series closes November 2–6 with the Generative Flash Workshop led by Kathy Fish, widely regarded as one of the foremost teachers of flash fiction in the country, joined by guest leaders Joy Deva Baglio and Sarah Freligh.
That retreat, held in Charles Town, is full, a sign, organizers say, of the demand for serious literary programming in the region.
A waiting list is now open; writers interested in attending if a spot becomes available may contact Ellen Weeren at [email protected] or (571) 224-8012.
“The Eastern Panhandle has always had a rich storytelling tradition, and I believe it deserves a permanent home for serious literary work,” said Ellen Weeren, founder of A Reason to Write. “We are bringing writers and teachers from across the country to this region because the landscape, the history, and the community here are genuinely inspiring. My goal is for the Eastern Panhandle to become a destination for writers the way it already is for history lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.”
All events are open to writers nationwide.
Full details and registration for each workshop are available at AReasonToWrite.com/workshops or by contacting Ellen Weeren directly at [email protected] or (571) 224-8012.
About A Reason to Write
A Reason to Write is a literary workshop and retreat organization founded by Ellen Weeren and based in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. It brings nationally recognized authors, editors, and writing instructors to the Harpers Ferry and Charles Town area for immersive workshops, residential retreats, and community writing events. A Reason to Write serves writers at all stages, from first-time workshop participants to working professionals preparing manuscripts for publication. More information at AReasonToWrite.com or Ellen Weeren at (571) 224-8012.
