The whole point is to be read.

TBR
A new writing and publishing conference coming to Cambridge on
January 17, 2026

January 17th, 2026
8:30am - 5pm
on the Lesley University Campus
1815 Mass. Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138

“One For the Books” Closing Party & Celebration
6:30pm
La Fabrica, Central Square

For writers, by writers.

TBR is for writers at two distinct stages of their careers:
those gearing up to publish their first book, and those writing and selling their second, third, fourth, fifth books and beyond.

What’s happening at TBR…

  • 30+ panel sessions and presentations, organized into tracks based on where you’re at with your project(s)

  • 75+ presenters, featuring renowned authors and leading publishing professionals

  • 5 keynote addresses, one for each track

  • Innovative "Publishing Matchmaker" 1-on-1 appointments with literary agents

  • Round Table discussions, providing deeper dives on specific topics of interest to you

  • Productive opportunities for networking throughout the day

  • Meaningful service opportunities during the conference

  • “One For the Books” closing party and literary celebration at La Fabrica in Central Square

Publishing Matchmaker: Matching you with agents you want to meet who also want to meet you.

Agent Meetings

We’ll match you with agents you want to meet who also want to meet you. We keep describing it as “Tinder for Writers” because nothing else explains it quite as succinctly.

Intensive Craft Sessions

Sessions that dive deep into elements of craft that writers will find useful throughout their careers, not just beginner stuff you’ve heard a million times before.

The Big Topics

Are chatbots going to take my job? How do I get my work done when the world is falling apart? We’ll address the most pressing issues of the day, in ways that are engaging, provocative, and most of all: useful.

Early excitement for TBR

“What a great idea! So looking forward to it. It will help us get through this next year of madness and chaos.”
— Kathy T., writer
“I think there is a strong need for community and connection in person and I am so happy writers will have this.”
— Marjan Kamali, author of LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN
“Thank you for doing this! I’m new to Boston and hoping that I can find more friends and go-to writing community.”
— Alexis W., writer
“This conference is going to kill it!”
— Taryn Roeder, head of publicity, Abrams Books, and conference presenter
People dancing and enjoying themselves at a party in an industrial-style venue with brick walls and blue lighting.

About us

Co-founders of TBR, Sonya Larson and Whitney Scharer have been friends for over twenty years, which feels impossible, since they’re both twenty-six. Equally impossible is that they bring a combined thirty years of experience to planning literary events, from 1000-person conferences to intimate book clubs and everything in between. In addition to working on this conference together, they are first readers of each other’s writing, dear friends, and women who can and will bust a move on the dance floor if the right song comes on.

TBR is a labor of love. Whitney and Sonya missed getting together in person with other writers, and kept hearing that other people missed it too. They sent out a survey to their networks, and instead of the twenty responses they thought they’d get (they are nothing if not masters of low expectations), they got three hundred. Buoyed by that energy and enthusiasm from the community, they’ve spent the past year planning TBR. They’ve enjoyed every minute of it.