By Kristen Nevarez Schweizer
March 4, 2026
San Diego Writers Festival is borderline radical because, as a free, open-to-the-public event, it treats the written word as a community resource rather than a commodity—no badge math, no industry-only velvet ropes, no cost.
“Our mission is simple,” says SDWF Executive Director Marni Freedman, “Bring people together through ideas, stories, and creativity. By keeping the festival free, we make sure everyone in the community has a seat.”
On Saturday, March 28, the San Diego Writers Festival returns to Coronado for its seventh annual, one-day takeover of the Coronado Public Library (and other nearby venues), inviting aspiring debut authors, devoted readers, and everyone in between into the same big, generous conversation as internationally-famous writers, national journalists, and local publishers.
Keynote spotlight: Jodi Picoult
This year’s keynote is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult. Picoult has 63.7 million books in print and is about to publish her 30th novel.
The San Diego Writers Festival continues to grow, drawing over 10,000 registrants to its 2021 digital event (featuring James Patterson) and is projected to host more than 3,000 in-person attendees this year. The festival’s sessions reflect the diversity found within and adjacent to storytelling, with genre-specific conversations, craft talks, panels, readings, practical “how to actually do X” sessions, plus an on-site bookstore hosted by Warwick’s and an author tent crawl expo for anyone who enjoys the thrill of buying a book directly after hearing from the writer.
Guests can expect a packed schedule that nods to the full ecosystem of storytelling: memoir, fiction, romantasy, publishing, journalism, poetry, adaptations, and beyond. At the moment, the festival website is promoting 32 events, with more to come.
Festival Schedule (as of February 26, subject to change)
9:00–9:30 AM
- Gill Sotu Kicks Off the Festival with Spoken Word, followed by DJing in the Quad!
9:30–10:30 AM
- Spiritual Writing: Lived Experience and the Supporting Science
Panelists: Daniel Branco, Tara Diliberto, Timothy Spenny, Rizwan Virk
Moderator: Alan Steinfeld - Talking to Writers: Interview Workshop with Writers Symposium by the Sea founder Dean Nelson
- Perfect Pitch: Everything You Need to Know About the Querying Process with Lyn Liao Butler
- Funny, Not Funny: Authors Read from Shaking the Tree Vol 7
- Removing the Hurdles: How to End Procrastination and Enjoy Writing More with Stephen Kiernan
- The Debut Experience: Four Authors on What They Learned and What They Wish They’d Known
Panelists: Danielle Bruno Baldwin, Lisa Cheek, Rossana D’Antonio, Elizabeth Delozier
Moderator: Matt Pallamary - Promptapalooza with Kristen Fogle, Executive Director of Writer’s Ink
11:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Dare to Care: Writing that Changes Hearts and Minds
David Ambroz in conversation with Anastasia Zadeik - Unfinished: The Role of the Artist in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Lucas Cantor Santiago in conversation with Marni Freedman - Writer Identity: Moving Beyond Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Sexual Orientation
Panelists: Rafael Agustin, Gemma Baker, Jeanell English, Christine Pride
Moderator: Laura Cathcart-Robbins - The Art of Fear
Panelists: KC Grifant, Justin Key, Jonathan Maberry, Lilliam Rivera
Moderator: Dennis Crosby - All the World’s a Stage: Playwriting Tips from Award-Winning Teaching Artists
Panelists: Shairi Engle, Phil Johnson, Gill Sotu
Moderator: Katie Harroff - I’m Still Here: Writing Trauma into Healing
Panelists: Andrea Leeb, Mimi Nichter, Bridey Thelen-Heidel
Moderator: Gina Simmons Schneider - Our Stories, Our Home: Filipino-American Authors on Writing for Kids
Panelists: Rachell Abalos, Tracy Badua, Jaimie Aurelio Trembley
Moderator: Monica Fernandez
12:30–1:30 PM
- Dare to Manifest Your Brightest Future
Katherine Woodward Thomas in conversation with Marni Freedman - So You Want to Give a TEDx Talk: The Pitch, the Prep, and the Presentation
Panelists: Madhushree Ghosh, Jesse Leon, Irena Smith
Moderator: Bridey Thelen-Heidel - Don’t Blink: Horror Everywhere
Luke Dumas and Jonathan Maberry - Paper Portals: The Power of Setting, Place, and Dreamscape Through Poetic Practice (Christy Lee Barnes)
1:00–2:00 PM
- Getting to the Green Light: Screenwriters Share Their Stories
Panelists: Rafael Agustin, Gemma Baker, Cheryl Guerriero
Moderator: Merridee Book - Understanding Publishing Options: Book Sherpas to Big Five and Everything in Between
Panelists: Monica Fernandez, Tammy Greenwood, Holly Kammier, Jeniffer Thompson
Moderator: Lee Wind - Never Can Say Goodbye: Navigating the Sacred Space Between Life and Death
Darnell Lamont Walker with Lisa Deaderick - Let Your Passion Light Your Future
Zoe Ghahremani
2:30–3:30 PM
- Dare to Dream: Jodi Picoult with Marni Freedman and Anastasia Zadeik
Jodi Picoult in conversation on By Any Other Name and “intellectual freedom and the freedom to read.” - The “One Minute” Workshop: Industry Experts Help Shape Your Elevator Pitch
Panelists: Lyn Liao Butler, Jennifer Coburn, Kristen McGuinness, Jane Ubell - End of Days — Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America
Chris Jennings with Dean Nelson - Fantasy + Hot Romance = Romantasy That’ll Keep You Up All Night
Panelists: Sara Hashem, Sunya Mara, Foz Meadows
Moderator: Nicole Paquin - SDPA Featured Poets (Selected Poets Read Their Work)
Jane Muschenetz, Michael Klam, Carly Marie DeMento, Karla Cordero - Books to Film: Writers on Making the Jump from Page to Screen
Panelists: Keith Corbin, Jeanell English, Justin Key, Matt Quirk
Moderator: Jeanell English / TBA
4:00–5:00 PM
- Based on a True Story: Historical Fiction Writers on Bringing the Past to Life
Panelists: Maria Dolores Aguila, Jennifer Coburn, Jill G. Hall, Janell Strube
Moderator: Stephen Kiernan - On Love: Failed Fairytales, Complex Realities, and Finding Yourself
Panelists: Bonnie Comfort, Deb Miller, Zoe Shaw, Katherine Woodward Thomas
Moderator: Marijke McCandless - Set Yourself Up to Make Your Publishing Dreams Come True: An Insider’s Perspective
Christine Pride with Laura Cathcart Robbins - Glassless Minds Poetry Open Mic
- Mystery Authors Writing Across Genres
Panelists: AC Adams, Dennis Crosby, Gary Phillips, Caitlin Rother
Moderator: Matt Coyle
Events are subject to change. Visit the festival website for more information.
