Wicked Writing Workshop & Book Fair
Every good story starts with a first draft. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or a published author, you're invited to join us at Wicked Warren’s Brewery in Jamestown on Saturday, June 27th, for a day of crafts and drafts.
You’ll spend the day with four local authors doing what they love — working through the craft of writing across four genres: memoir, fiction, poetry, and children’s literature.
Your $50 registration fee includes all four workshop sessions, a lunch buffet, and one drink ticket. Published authors attending the workshop are welcome to set up a table at the book fair.
When the workshops wrap in the afternoon, the Wicked Book Fair begins. This is free and open to the public. Browse, buy, and meet your favorite authors — and maybe discover a few new ones.
Meet The Presenters
Jason K. Bussman, Memoir
A teacher, writer, and bartender walk into a bar. Hey, wait, that’s all me.
Whatever hat I’m wearing, I am a big fan of learning through shared stories. This workshop will challenge writers to look in the mirror and pull out the everyday moments that shape our narratives, and put them down on the page.
Rebecca Cuthbert, Horror
Award-winning author of dark poetry and feminist horror. Her work often explores the creeping dread of domestic spaces, destabilizing the familiar and rendering uncanny the commonplace details of everyday lives.
Writers will blend the genre of fairytales with the form of poetry, using the fairytale conventions of flatness, silhouettes, and circular magic as prompts. Narrative in nature rather than confessional, these poems will explore themes like loss and fear through archetypical characters and their fantastical experiences.
Michael Sheehan, Fiction
Fiction writer who loves using footnotes , spinning tales of suspense, and not replying to his friends’ text messages.
This workshop will help you find or sharpen the point of your story, which will help you decide what needs to be there and what can be taken out. We will consider the long line of suspense, the short lines, and other “engines” of your story to help you pace your novel from first page to last line.
Dawn Swanson,
Children’s Lit
When all else fails, read. When nothing is failing, read again. No one ever regrets learning to read.
As an author and Library Director with a degree in Language, Literature, and Writing, I’ve published two children’s books and edit two monthly newsletters. Let’s explore the journey of creating a children’s book—from illustration to publication, and everything in between.
Event Schedule
10:00 AM
Doors open, coffee, and welcome
10:30 AM
Session #1 - Dawn Swanson: From Illustration to Publication / Children’s Lit
11:15 AM
Session #2 - Jason Bussman: Shaping Our Narratives / Memoir
12:00 PM - Lunch Buffet
1:00 PM
Session #3 - A Blending of Fantastical Fairytales / Poetry
1:45 PM
Session #4 - Sharpening The Point of Your Story / Fiction
2:30 PM - Book Fair (open to the public)
4:00 PM - Event closes
What’s Included
For $50, you get the whole day — workshops, lunch, a drink, and a seat at the book fair.
All four workshop sessions
Lunch Buffet
One Drink Ticket
Table space at the Book Fair
Space is limited. This workshop is designed to stay small so every writer gets real attention. Secure your seat with full payment at registration. Confirmation sent by email. Spots are first-come, first-served.
Wicked Book Fair
2:30–4:00 PM // Free & Open to the Public
Not attending the workshop? Come for the book fair. Browse titles from all four presenters, grab a drink, and connect with your local literary community. No ticket required.
Local Authors: Looking for a place to sell your books and can’t make the workshop? Join us for the Book Fair.
$20 will secure you table space. Space is limited, but we will do our best to create space as we can.
Wicked Warren’s Brewery
119 West Third Street
Jamestown, NY
Wicked Writing Workshop & Book Fair
Saturday, June 27, 10 AM - 4 PM
The Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia
I will be attending the 2026 WCoNA conference and teaching a workshop.
Crafting MEMOIR: Looking in the Mirror of the Self
Writing about oneself is like looking in the mirror, seeing a version of your face, and most times we see our version of the truth: bigger muscles, straighter teeth, etc. We see what we want to see. The memoir writer is tasked with doing the opposite. Memoir writing is finding the imperfections in that reflection, finding those moments everyday moments, those experiences that are universal and relatable. As memoir writers, we have a complicated relationship with the truth. By writing our experiences on the page, we share our own personal viewpoints and truths in hopes that people will share and relate to our experiences. This generative 50-minute workshop will give you the tools to look in the mirror and pull out those moments the everyday, help you find those imperfections, and put them down on the page.
Author Talk @ Olean Public Library
Bussman will be holding an evening class about his memoir - writing it, living it, and stepping into the world of publishing.
Writer's Group Visit @ Ahira Hall Memorial Library
Come join me for a craft talk discussion at Ahira Hall Memorial Library in Brocton, NY.
Book Signing @ Next Chapter Bookstore
I will be selling and signing books at the bookstore during Small Business Saturday.
Better Off Read Festival
Join in the fun in the Lower Park on Saturday, August 30 from 10M to 4PM for The 4th Annual Better Off Read Summer Book Festival; a free-to-attend, all-ages outdoor literary festival with the mission to encourage reading, promote writing, and celebrate storytelling.
The festival features thousands of books available for $1 or less; vendor booths by local authors, artists, and merchants; complimentary attractions such as face-painting, balloon animals, and storytelling; food trucks and other concessions; a special celebrity-sponsored basket raffle; and much more.
An Afternoon with Authors
Join a handful of local authors for an author of books, beer, and delicious food.
Seymour Library Author Event
This is the second-annual author event hosted by the Seymour Library, which includes a conversation featuring a handful of local authors.
Panzarella Writing Awards
The Panzarella Writing Awards are an annual celebration of excellence in student writing organized by the Department of English and generously supported by the Patrick Panzarella Endowment. The awards are open to all students.
The banquet celebration will feature readings by contributors to The Laurel magazine and Professor Jason Bussman from his newly published collection Fumble: Just a Dad Trying Not to Drop the Ball.
Wicked Book Fair
Come have a WICKED good time with a rag tag group of misfit authors. We have everything from horror to humor, science fiction to speculative, and more... Join us for readings, brews, food , and some old fashioned tomfoolery.
FEATURING LOCAL AUTHORS: Rebecca Cuthbert • Jason Bussman • Anthony Izzo • Trenton Lutes • Liam Burke • Nick Smith • Holly Reslink
Local Author Month @ Hamburg Public Library
Going back to my hometown to participate in Local Author Month at the Hamburg Public Library. Looking forward to walking around town again and reconnecting with old friends.