SHARPEN YOUR CRAFT!
Attend an immersive writing retreat
in picturesque Udine, Italy.
July 12 – July 17, 2026
THE LEOPARDI CONFERENCE ADVANTAGE
Sharpen Your Craft
Small, intensive workshops that sharpen voice, structure, and prose.
Real Access to Faculty
Workshops and one-on-one sessions with award-winning and bestselling authors as well as top industry professionals.
A Setting That Makes You Write
Quiet Italian hills, slow mornings, long stretches of focused creative time.
Free time to explore the beautiful region or join others for group excursions.
Cross-Genre Inspiration
Fiction, genre, and nonfiction writers learn from each other’s strengths.
Serious Progress in One Week
New pages drafted, old work transformed, momentum restored.
No MFA Gatekeeping
Just high-caliber teaching and a space where every writer has a seat at the table.
Access to Top Industry Professionals
Feedback and advice from top New York literary agents and other industry professionals.
What Participants Are Saying
“It was a fantastic experience. It was more full and personal than I expected — by far. The workshop gave so much insight and chance for growth. I learned so much about story, craft, the publishing process, and refining my own words.”
“Stellar!”
“The teachers were excellent, extremely knowledgeable and approachable. The readings and even conversations outside of formal workshop times just made the experience richer.”
“This experience was unlike anything I'd ever done and was so enriching and fulfilling. The conference was set in the most beautiful place... An invaluable experience. I loved every moment of it!”
A Tribute to Giacomo Leopardi
The inspiration for the Leopardi Writing Conference is the life and work of one of Italy's most famous sons: the poet Giacomo Leopardi. Born in 1798, Leopardi is a towering presence in the history of Italian letters, and a key influence on the development of Romanticism in Europe. Founded in 2018, the Conference originated in Recanati, Italy, the birthplace of Leopardi, and like its namesake has since travelled throughout beautiful regions of Italy, and currently is held in Udine.
