2008 Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference

Famous Southwest writer N. Scott Momaday headlines the 4th Annual Mayborn Nonfiction Conference. Joining Momaday are literary journalist and National Book Award winner Bob Shacochis; former editor and writer at National Geographic and author of "River of Doubt" author; Ali Wolfe, the daughter of Tom Wolfe and a literary journalist for Conde Nast Portfolio magazine; and other leading writers, editors, literary agents and book publishers.

The conference happens July 18-20 (Friday-Sunday) at the Hilton Lakes Hotel, Grapevine, Texas (Five minutes from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport). Registration price includes meals.

The conference is geared toward aspiring literary nonfiction writers, established authors and journalists, and book lovers. The conference also offers literary nonfiction writers the chance to compete for cash prizes and recognition within the publishing world.

The conference offers a $3,000 cash award for the first prize winner in the manuscript competition, along with a publishing option with UNT Press. The conference is also awarding $12,000 in cash prizes for shorter nonfiction essays. The 10 best nonfiction pieces selected by jurists will be published in the second edition of "Ten Spurs," the literary journal jointly published by Hearst Newspapers and the Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism.

The deadline for submitting entries is June 13 (Friday). Writers of the top 70 entries will be invited to participate in writing workshops led by top writers. In addition to the workshop sessions, the conference features lectures, readings and roundtable discussions.

Past speakers have included Nobel Prize nominee Joyce Carol Oates, journalism pioneer Gay Talese and celebrated literary nonfiction writers Hampton Sides and Mary Roach.

Conference attendees can sign up for 15-minute private consultations with literary agents during "Close Encounters of the Literary Kind." The cost is $50.

The 4th Annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest is presented by the University of North Texas Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism.

For more information, visit www.TheMayborn.unt.edu or call the Mayborn Conference office at (940) 565-4564, or conference writer-in-residence, George Getschow, at 972-746-1633.