7/6/2022 – St. Helena, CA – The Wine Writers’ Symposium returns virtually August 8-10, 2022, exploring the theme “The Changing Landscape of Wine Media.” The program is the only of its kind in the world. In last year’s virtual format, the Symposium attracted more than 300 writers from 23 countries.
“Our hope is that attendees will walk away from the 2022 Symposium with fresh skills, a deeper understanding of wine writing and publishing at large and a greater network. This year, we also hope attendees will gain further insights on journalistic ethics, other creative outlets and additional ideas around how to monetize their talents, as classic full-time wine writing positions are increasingly rare,” said Sarah Bray, Executive Director of the Wine Writers Symposium.
Over the course of three half days of keynotes, panels, and roundtables, topics essential to today’s wine writer will be explored. Creative versus technical writing will be considered, as will the fine art of separating the story from the subject. Practical skills such as conducting interviews and interpreting data will be discussed, and an overview of the increasingly complex publishing landscape will be presented.
The program is designed to seize upon this unique moment in wine writing history, with topics developed for active writers who would like to further their understanding of the wine writing field and expand their communication skills.
Day One – Beneath the Surface: the purpose of this day is to lay a solid foundation to support the writerly craft tackling the major changes the wine writing industry has undergone in recent years.
Day Two – Cultivation: the second day of programming represents the act of cultivation: the hard work a writer must apply to their career to bear fruit.
Day Three – Harvest: after establishing the playing field, defining boundaries, and sharpening tools, the final day will focus on how to reap the benefits.
The Symposium seeks to expand its reach through a virtual platform and to help foster new voices in the industry with a focus on inclusivity and diversity. The topics and speakers selected for this year’s symposium reflect these goals.
New this year is the insight of three new board members from the writing field: Dorothy J. Gaiter, Ray Isle, and Elaine Chukan Brown, who all joined the Wine Writers Symposium Board of Directors in January 2022.
“We are thrilled to announce the addition of three new positions to the board to reflect the ‘for writers, by writers’ premise of the program. Their input and leadership have been an essential part of reimagining the program and redefining our audience and mission,” said Bray.
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required for participation, and all applicants must submit a work sample by July 30th. All submissions will be reviewed for authenticity, as all work must be one’s own and published within the last 36 months. To see the full list of speakers and explore the agenda further, interested writers should visit: WineWritersSymposium.org. A full list of FAQs is also available on the site.
About the Wine Writers’ Symposium
The Wine Writers’ Symposium, née the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers, founded by Meadowood Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Vintners, draws top wine book authors and editors, wine magazine writers and critics, newspaper wine columnists, bloggers, and other editorial content creators together to speak, listen, debate, explore themes prevalent in contemporary wine writing and network with their peers. When held in person, a combination of lectures, panel discussions, group and individual writing sessions, wine tastings, and fine dining make the Symposium an unmatched career enrichment opportunity for editorial writers in wine and wine-adjacent fields.
