Brand-new Pre-Conference Workshop Opportunities
on May 15th 2026 for Writers and Poets
It has been several years since UPPAA offered a Pre-Conference Workshop on Friday, the day before our Spring Conference in Marquette, Michigan. For Spring Conference 2026, UPPAA are pleased to announce three Pre-Conference workshops on Friday May 15th, 2026. The workshops will be presented by Julie Covert and Kathleen Carlton Johnson in the Peter White Public Library meeting rooms on the 2nd floor.
Seats will be limited to 25 participants and offered on a first-come, first-served basis as soon as Spring Conference registration begins in mid-March 2026. Each workshop will be an optional “add-on” item to your registration process as you complete registration in the TicketTailor app. This is the same app that confirms your Saturday attendance and the optional Friday Night Live segment of our weekend programming.
Friday May 15th, 2026 (2:00pm – 5:00pm) in the Heritage room:
Developing Your Poetic Voice, with Kathleen Carlton Johnson (cost: $45)
Robert Lowell says of poetry,” Poetry is a profession of private truth”. Regardless of whether we live in a rural area or a city, poems are all around us. An effective poet must be skilled in: image, language (concise meaning), sound, insight, and structure
In this workshop, you’ll also learn how to turn off the “automatic editing” that can stifle our creative output on the page, so as to access the subconscious poet within. Other topics will include: the importance of reading a broad scope of literature beyond poetry to grow our literary boundaries, how to create a safe space of solitude for composition, being ready to strike whenever the creative impulse hits, finding a poet’s circle to read with, and resources to help you get your work published
About Kathleen Carlton Johnson
Kathleen Carlton Johnson been published in several small press publications: Diner, Rattle, William and Mary Review, The Third Wednesday, U.P. Reader, and MacGuffin, to mention a few. She has just published her 17th chapbook, Roots in Water. Kathleen is well aware of the joys and pitfalls of self-publishing. We are pleased to have her join us once again as a presenter.
Friday May 15th, 2026 (1:00pm – 4:00pm) in the Shiras room:
Create Your Writing Mini-Trail Guide, with Julie Covert (cost: $45)
A 3-hour workshop to help you map a trail plan for your book journey.
- Would you climb a mountain without camping gear? Without food and water? Without a map?
- Would you consider starting a business and applying for a business loan without creating a business plan?
- No? I don’t blame you; it’s be scary, silly, dangerous, or a financial mess.
- So, give your book the trail plan it deserves.
Your book will be more successful if you create a trail plan for your writing journey.
In this workshop, we’ll help you hone your message so you write exactly to where you want to go without getting lost in the forest of words.
This workshop is excellent for those considering writing a memoir, and can be applied to fiction and non-fiction. You’ll walk away with actionable steps to help you make sure your pen is going to lead you in the write direction (pun intended) on your writing journey. So, let’s help you create a mini-trail guide for your book.
- This is a “worksheet workshop”, no PowerPoints will be used! Each participant will receive a printed blank mini-planner, and it can be emailed to those who have pre-registered, so they can bring their laptop and work on it during the workshop (recommended.)
- I’ll begin with a brief overview of the objectives of the planner, then discuss each aspect of the planner with time for folks to work on each step as we go through the planner.
- Throughout, I’ll take Q&A as we go to give participants one-on-one guidance and feedback.
- Discussion through Q&A will be the emphasis, rather than lecture, so participants can understand how to create a great plan for their book.
- At the end of the workshop, participants will have honed their ideas for their books and have actionable steps of what to do next, including how to finish their mini-planner if they didn’t during the workshop.
- Each participant will work on their planner in solo, rather than in a small group.
Friday May 15th, 2026 (4:15pm – 5:15pm) in the Shiras room:
Know Your Writing-Style Color and Make It Help You Write Better with Julie Covert (cost: $10)
A 1-hour interactive presentation about identifying your writing and communication style so you can make your time at the keyboard more productive.
- Do you get frustrated when can’t write as easily as you’d like?
- Does something hold you back, that you can’t put your finger on?
- Come learn what your Writing-Style Color is.
- When you can identify your style then you can learn how to make it work to your advantage, rather than hold you back.
About Julie Covert
Julie Covert is a book coach and editor with over 10 years experience working with writers of all level. She helps writers who feel overwhelmed and unsure, find a sure footing in the writing world. Some have called her a book midwife, mentor, task-master, and cheerleader; others have called her fun to work with. She enjoys helping writers with book coaching, editing, and indexing.
