2026 Writing Workshops Around Mississippi

Finding Inspiration and Community

Whether you’re beginning your writing journey or moving toward publication, the 2026 Writing Workshops Around Mississippi offer an exceptional opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and strengthen your craft—right in your own region.

This statewide series, hosted by the Mississippi Writers Guild, brings engaging, hands-on workshops to writers across Mississippi—from the Gulf Coast to the Hills, and from the Delta to the Appalachian/Black Prairie. By partnering with local chapters and selecting centrally located venues, we aim to make high-quality writing education accessible to multiple communities throughout the state.

These workshops are made possible in part by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Each workshop featured accomplished authors, editors, publishers, and marketing professionals who will guide attendees through:

The writing craft across genres
The steps to traditional and independent publishing
Understanding literary agents and representation
Strategies for author branding and marketing

Workshop Facilitators

Joe Lee

A graduate of Mississippi State University, Joe Lee has a background in radio, television, and journalism and was a radio disc-jockey and a television weatherman before becoming a full-time author and publisher. He is the editor-in-chief of Dogwood Press, a small but traditional publishing house headquartered in central Mississippi, and Resting Place, the seventh volume of his critically acclaimed Oakdale suspense series, is his ninth novel. Dogwood Press: https://dogwoodpress.com/

Eliot Parker

Eliot Parker is the author of four thriller novels: most recently A FINAL CALL, which was a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA) in 2022 and also an honorable mention in thriller writing at the London Book Festival. The book also won second place in the BookFest Book Awards in 2022 in the Crime/Thriller Fiction category. His thriller novel A KNIFE'S EDGE was an Amazon #1 bestseller. Snapshots won the 2021 National Indie Excellent Awards (NIEA) for short story anthology and also won the PenCraft and Feathered Quill Book awards for short story collections. His thriller novel FRAGILE BRILLIANCE won the West Virginia Literary Merit Award and was a finalist for the Southern Independent Booksellers Association (SIBA) prize in 2017.

John Floyd

John Floyd’s work has appeared in more than 400 different publications, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Strand Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post, Best American Mystery Stories (2015, 2018, and 2020), and Best Mystery Stories of the Year (2021 and 2024). A former Air Force captain and IBM systems engineer, John is also an Edgar Award finalist, a Shamus Award winner, a six-time Derringer Award winner, a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, and a past recipient of the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s lifetime achievement award. [http://www.johnmfloyd.com/

Melissa Carrigee

Melissa Carrigee is the owner of Brother Mockingbird, a small but progressive publishing house focusing on well-written stories and talented authors. Melissa began her publishing career as a literary agent. From there, she worked as a creative director on a children's book line for a publishing house. Combining the skills she gained in both positions, she launched Brother Mockingbird Publishing. Melissa's goal is to bridge the gap between publisher and author, forging a partnership beneficial to both parties. With a support staff created by publishing professionals she met throughout her career, Brother Mockingbird Publishing offers the author experience, professionalism, and integrity.
https://www.brothermockingbird.net/

Susan Marquez

Susan Marquez has been writing since high school. She wrote concert reviews for her school newspaper. After a career in advertising and marketing, Susan began writing full-time in 2001. She has written over 3000 articles in local, regional, national and international publications, ranging from magazines, newspapers, and business journals to trade publications and online sources. She also writes newsletters, press releases, and website copy for select clients. "Having a curious nature and a desire to learn is what keeps me going as a writer. Everybody has a story, and I love to hear them and write about them." http://susanmarquezmedia.com/

Richelle Putnam

Richelle Putnam holds a BS in Marketing Management and an MA in Creative Writing. She is the senior editor of The Bluegrass Standard Magazine, a Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Teaching Artist, a two-time MAC Literary Arts Fellow, and a Mississippi Humanities Speaker. She is also the Arts/Arts Education Project Director for The Montgomery Institute. Among her six published books are a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Silver Medalist and a 2017 Foreword Indies Book Awards Bronze Medal winner. She believes you should always dare to dream, discover, and do …YOU ... at any age. Visit her website at www.richelleputnam.com.

Wynne Huddleston

Wynne Huddleston is a National Board Certified music educator with 25 years of experience in elementary music education and holds a Master of Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. She also pursued graduate-level studies in creative writing at the University of West Alabama. A dedicated arts leader, Huddleston has served as Secretary of the Mississippi Poetry Society and as a board member of the Mississippi Writers Guild. Her poetry collection, From the Depths of Red Bluff, explores themes of childhood, Southern summers, loss, and redemption, and she was named the 2014 Mississippi Poetry Society Poet of the Year. Her work has appeared in Poets for Living Waters, Gemini Magazine, and Enchanted Conversation. Born in Lone Star, Texas, and raised primarily in Mississippi, she now lives in Little Rock, MS, where her family and the Mississippi landscape continue to inspire her writing.

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Advancing & Preserving the Literary Arts in Mississippi

No Writer Without a Voice

2026 Writing Workshops Around Mississippi

Each workshop featured accomplished authors, editors, publishers, and marketing professionals who will guide attendees through:

Workshop Facilitators

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