Pages & Possibilities: Creative Writing Symposium
Pages & Possibilities: Creative Writing Symposium
Saturday, April 11, 8:30 a.m. in the Career Programs Building
Pages & Possibilities is the destination for budding and published authors to engage in a day of inspiration, craft, and community.
Whether you’re polishing your first chapter, shaping a memoir, outlining your next novel, or celebrating the publication of your latest book, this one day Writer’s Symposium is designed to fuel your creativity and elevate your craft. Step into a welcoming space where storytellers of all backgrounds gather to learn, connect, and grow. Throughout the day, you’ll experience:
Insightful Workshops
Led by industry professionals, editors, and published authors, each session offers practical tools and strategies to strengthen your voice and refine your writing.
Author Panels & Conversations
Ready your questions! You will have the opportunity to hear candid stories and ask your burning questions from experienced authors.
Creative Breakout Sessions
Stretch your imagination, experiment with new genres, and reignite your passion for storytelling in hands on mini-sessions that spark inspiration. You’ll also have a chance to share your work.
Networking & Community Building
Connect with fellow writers who understand the joy and the challenges of bringing ideas to life on the page. Find your next beta reader, critique partner, or creative friend.
Schedule of the Event
8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. – Check-in
9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Welcome Remarks
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – Introductory Remarks with Kate Rader, Content Strategist & Editor
10:10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Breakout Session 1
11:05 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Breakout Session 2
11:55 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Catered Lunch with Themed Conversation Tables
12:50 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. – Keynote Presentation: Caroline Bock, Publisher & Author - Washington House Publishers
1:55 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. – Discussion Session: Real Talk Q&A session with Authors
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Breakout Session 3
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Creative Corner: Open Mic Readings, Creative Discussion, Author Signings
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Closing Remarks
Featured Authors
Caroline Bock
Keynote
Caroline Bock is an author and editor. Her books include her debut novel for adults, THE OTHER BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, a workplace love story, inspired by her two-decade career at AMC, Bravo, IFC, and IFC Films, which will be published on June 2, 2026 (Regal House Publishing). She is also the author of the young adult novels LIE and Before My Eyes (St. Martin’s Press) as well as the award-winning short story collection Carry Her Home (Washington Writers’ Publishing House). Since 2022, she has been the co-president and prose editor at the Washington Writers’ Publishing House, a 50-year-old nonprofit literary press based in Washington DC and publishing writers from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Most recently, she co-edited the landmark anthology, AMERICA’S FUTURE: poetry & prose in response to tomorrow for WWPH. A graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied creative writing with Raymond Carver, she also holds an MFA in Fiction from the City College of New York. She lives in Maryland with her family.
Shaylynn Marks
Magic in the Mundane — Poetry Workshop
Shaylynn Marks is a current Poetry MFA student at Hood College. Her prose, non-fiction, and poetry has been published internationally through several journals, including Far Out Magazine, Blood+Honey, and Washington Writers' Publishing House. She was nominated as 2023 runner-up for Poet of the Year with Poetic Anarchy Press and won the 2025 Sass Magazine Readers Choice Award for Best Local Author. Check out all of her published work on shaylynnmarks.com.
Lisa V. Proulx
The Power of Personal Story: From Memory to Meaning
Lisa V. Proulx is an award-winning and international bestselling author, speaker, and storyteller with decades of experience in publishing, journalism, and live presentation. She has attended the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards in Miami for the past eight years and serves as one of the company’s core speakers and organizers. She has also presented internationally at the Dublin Writers Conference in Ireland. Lisa spent 20 years as a feature writer and columnist for the Brunswick Citizen and 10 years as a play critic and special events writer for The Frederick Gazette. Her work has appeared in national publications including Woman’s World and The Barefoot Review, as well as multiple anthologies. A former president of the Maryland Writers Association, Frederick Chapter, Lisa lives in Pleasant Valley, where she continues to write, teach, and build imaginative worlds inspired by memory, history, and the enduring power of story.