Writer's Lab

It's September, which means we're that much closer to Halloween... and the return of Jax Book Fest to the Main Library! This year, our headliner is none other than Joe Hill, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horns, Heart-Shaped Box, and The Fireman. Hill is also the co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Locke & Key, now streaming on Netflix!

Not a horror fan? There will be DOZENS of local authors at the Main Library on Saturday, September 23. So, you're bound to find something to add to your TBR pile. We also have Life Lit workshops with fall gardening tips, book clubs to join, and a ton of writing and publishing workshops!  

Library U is a collection of programs and classes for adults as well as free email newsletters that keep you connected, sharing ideas and learning. Meet and learn from published authors, master gardeners, small business experts and other curious people, just like you!

We are excited to offer not one but two exciting Lit Chat Interviews this August! We've got a bestselling mystery/thriller novelist and a bestselling historical fiction author! There's also a History Chat exploring Jacksonville's music history and culture and a publishing workshop for all of our aspiring authors out there! We also have gardening workshops, book clubs to join and a few Jax Book Fest updates you might want to check out!

We are really excited to bring a different kind of Writer’s Lab to the Library this month – a three-hour workshop on creating a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a Wizards of the Coast employee! We also have great summery Lit Chats, gardening workshops for everyone, and 16 book clubs to check out. And, of course, the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge continues (with new prizes up for grabs)!

Hey, Jax readers! Are you ready for Jax Book Fest?! Celebrate great books, bestselling authors, and (of course) READING with us and hundreds of your fellow book fans on Saturday, September 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Main Library in downtown Jacksonville. The event includes Lit Chat Interviews and Talks with three #1 New York Times bestselling authors, dozens of local authors, literacy advocates, multiple children's performers, scavenger hunts, and other fun reading-related activities for all ages.

Summer is almost here and so are a ton of great programs! There are three - count them THREE - awesome Lit Chats in June, a Writer’s Lab doubleheader, and our newest Book Club at Pablo Creek! If you're not sure what to read this summer, we've got some great book recommendations for you on our blog.

In June, we'll announce the dates for Jax Book Fest 2023 and the three authors who'll be headlining that event! Join us at Lit Chats and Writer's Labs this summer and be sure to follow our social media (and read your emails) for the BIG reveal.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean joins us at the Main Library in June for two days of bookish excitement! Readers can check out our Lit Chat Interview with her on Friday evening, and writers can attend a Writer’s Lab workshop on Saturday morning. We’d love to see you at both!

In this workshop, you will learn how to construct a query synopsis for submission to a literary agent or publishing house editor. You will leave knowing how to create a blueprint of your story with key elements of fiction revealed in a narrative format, the purpose of a novel synopsis, the components of a selling synopsis, the ideal synopsis length, and more.

May is Preservation Month, a time to celebrate and do our part to save historic places for the purpose of instilling community pride. The theme this year is “People Saving Places," a national high-five to everyone doing the great work of saving places—in ways big and small—and inspiring others to do the same. Jacksonville Public Library is kicking celebrations off with a lively, wide-ranging discussion about Jacksonville's history and architecture with Wayne Wood and Tim Gilmore on Saturday, May 6 at 2 p.m. at the Main Library.

The Florida Author Project contest just kicked off on April 1, 2023, and submissions are being accepted through May 31, 2023. Submit your indie-published Adult Fiction or Young Adult Fiction ebook for a chance to win $1000!