Whether this is your first time attending the Writers’ Conference or you’ve been coming to San Miguel for years, you’re sure to find some useful information in this guide. If you have a question which isn’t answered here, checkout the FAQs page on the website.
What to Expect
The 2025 Writers’ Conference will be a significant gathering of writers and those who love litera ture. You can expect to experience incredible authors in the ballroom, stimulating workshops and advanced classes where you will hone your craft, and amazing opportunities for you to connect with other readers, writers and industry experts. 2025 is also about choice. You can choose your own adventure with a wide array of events, workshops, panels, and speakers to select from. This year’s program will engage, invigorate, and stimulate you!
Badges Registration
Badges for package or bundle holders can be picked up in the hotel lobby on Tuesday, February 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Wednesday, February 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you’ve purchased a package, be sure to stop by the registration table on one of these days to collect your badge and program materials.
Registration Desk
The registration desk is located in the hotel lobby.
Tuesday, February 11: 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12–Sunday, February 16: 8:15 a.m.–6:45 p.m.
Tickets Sales
Packages and tickets are available online and at the registration desk at the Conference. If you wish to purchase a last-minute ticket that has not sold out, you can do so at the registration desk at least 30 minutes before the event.
How Ticketing Works
- All tickets are e-tickets (no physical tickets are sent) and are delivered via email after purchase. Your order confirmation is your ticket.
- You do not need to print your order confirmation.
- Ticket holders will be listed by the buyer’s name.
- Multiple individual ticket holders must arrive together, as only the buyer’s name will appear on the attendee list.
Accessing Events
To access the events for which you registered, you can either present your badge (if you bought a package or a bundle) or you can give your name at the door. We will have attendee lists for all events that require registration.
Changing Your Schedule
If you’d like to switch a 90-minute workshop, you can do so as long as there are seats available. This needs to be done at least 48 hours before your workshop. Simply contact us via our Contact Form and we’ll handle the rest.
Concierge
We will have a concierge station open throughout the conference where you can ask questions and get support.
Digital Downloads (THERE ARE NO HANDOUTS YET)
Some workshops and panels have digital downloads of handouts available. You may want to download these ahead of time so you can have them on your laptop or print them. You can see if your workshops have digital downloads by going to your account on our website and checking if there are downloads available. On our website you will need to click on My Account from the top menu.
Printing Services
There are no printing services at the Hotel Real de Minas. If you need to print out a manuscript or other documents, there are two print shops near the venue. Araiza Computación is at Ancha de San Antonio 119-B. Further up the street and around the corner you’ll find a papelería at Mario Talavera 1. Our concierge table can guide you to these nearby printing shops.
Bookstore
We will have our wonderful bookstore setup as always. Books by our keynote speakers, faculty, and Literary Sala authors will be featured. The bookstore will be cashless. You will need a credit card to purchase items. The bookstore will close during the keynote events and reopen for the book signing following each keynote event.
Pre-Event Registrations
Be sure to pre-register for the following events: The Open Plenary with a surprise notable writer guest (already included in packages), The Big Read discussion of Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, the Poetry Fire Circle under the stars, Author Readings/Open Mic, Discussion Circles, Individual Consultations with industry experts, Agent Pitch Sessions, our vibrant Mexican Fiesta (already included in packages), curated Excursions around San Miguel, and our Post-Conference Workshops.
Late-Night Live Events
Each evening, we will host off-site events like open mic sessions, receptions, dining outings, and our famous Mexican Fiesta, or the Patron Dinner (if you are a Patron). Doors for these events open at 8:00 p.m. These events are included in your package, or you can purchase them a la carte. We have created a Google Map where you can find the location of the various locations where these events will take place.
Weather
San Miguel typically enjoys sunny days and mild temperatures in February. However, the evenings and mornings can be chilly, so please pack a warm sweater and a jacket for those early morning workshops and evening events.
Pesos
While many places in San Miguel accept credit cards, you’ll want to have some pesos on hand for taxis (these typically cost 80 Mexican pesos or around USD 4 to get anywhere in Centro/Downtown) and smaller transactions. The Conference Bookstore will accept credit cards. We recommend using your ATM card to withdraw pesos at a good exchange rate.
Excursions and Post-Conference Offerings
Be sure to check out our amazing list of off-site excursions and post-conference workshops and retreats that will help you enjoy and explore all that San Miguel has to offer as well as enhance your writing.
Accommodations
Packages do not include accommodations. To make a reservation (special rates + breakfast) at the Hotel Real de Minas, you must contact the hotel directly via telephone at 011(52) 415 152 2626 or 011(52) 415 980 0191, or email at both reservaciones1@realdeminas.com and reservaciones2@ realdeminas.com. Make sure to mention this promo code: SMAWC.