The Carrollton Writers Guild Presents: BookFest 2024

Emma Swales

Carrollton Center for the Arts is hosting its annual BookFest, a literary event packed full of presentations from award-winning and local authors as well as several writing workshops on April 6 and 7. This event will be discounted for University of West Georgia students, providing the perfect opportunity for future writers to interact with professionals and learn more about literary arts. 

BookFest is an annual event arranged by the Carrollton Writers Guild. It gives readers, writers and book lovers the opportunity to meet and interact with countless authors and adopt new skills. UWG students will be able to attend for only 10 dollars. To get tickets, students can show their ID badge at the door or pre-register at carrolltonbookfest@gmail.com.

“When we looked at everything this city does we realized the one thing that was missing was a literary event,” said Carrollton Writers Guild President Elyse Wheeler. “All of the activities and workshops that are offered at BookFest will be fun. We hope people come and learn a little more about the Writers Guild.”

The event will begin on Friday with multiple writing workshops featuring a variety of talented writers. These interactive workshops will give attendees the chance to hear from experienced authors who will share tips and tricks on how to expand their literary skills and how to effectively write a book. The first workshop will present celebrated author Meg Leader discussing the impact of setting scenes when writing and how to build a world through words. 

“The workshops host many accomplished speakers and for writers, it’s a chance to get to know other successful writers and learn the craft,” said Wheeler. “It also teaches them how to get out in the world and promote their work.”

There will also be a poetry workshop highlighting Dr. Robert Covel, Dr. Cecilia Lee and Dr. Eleanor Hoomes. These poets will join together to form a three-part presentation studying different forms of poetry and the publishing process. Friday will wrap up with author Bren McClain’s Master Writing Class, a short lecture detailing how to sharpen literary skills and a play performed by Carrollton County Community Theater. 

“In the evening there is a play written by the Carrollton Writers Guild which is called ‘The Deadline,’” said Wheeler. “It’s a mystery about writers who are being murdered in the ways that they procrastinate. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, it’s free and open to the public.”

BookFest will continue with day two on Saturday with the headline speaker Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author. He will give a deep dive into the importance of writing books and how to establish it as a career. There will be several more local and highly awarded authors following the headline speaker, all furthering the discussion of literary art and sharing secrets on how to become an accomplished writer. Once the panel sessions finish, the day will conclude with an outdoor book fair, allowing attendees to buy books and get the chance to have them autographed by authors. 

“A wise man once told me that people buy books when they like the author and get to know the author as a person and it’s not just words on a page,” said Wheeler. “For readers, BookFest is an opportunity to hear authors speak and hear their voices.

“It’s just a chance to meet them, buy a book and get autographed,” Wheeler continued. “It always adds so much depth to the reading when you get a chance to hear the author talk about what it takes to put a book together.” 

To find out more details about BookFest, visit carrolltonbookfest.com or email carrolltonbookfest@gmail.com.