Join us July 17 – 19, 2027

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Recorded Talks from 2026

Thanks for a wonderful 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference!

If you want to revisit favorite moments—or discover the ones you missed—head over to our digital media library for select video and audio recordings from the 2026 event. While you’re there, explore our expansive collection of digital media, including our Beyond the Page podcast, and check back over the next few weeks as we continue adding more talks.

WATCH & LISTEN NOW

Featured Content

Audio

2026: Writer in the World – Ken Burns & Rick Atkinson in Conversation

Audio

2026: The New World Disorder

Audio

2026: Writing Lives

Audio

2026: The Momentous Fight for American Independence

Audio

2026: Vera, or Faith – A Tragicomic Tale of Childhood

Audio

2026: How Tech Is Shaping the World

Audio

2026: Writing Funny

Audio

2026: Undammed

Audio

2026: The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State

Audio

2026: The Quest for Superintelligence

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2026 Writers
& Presenters

See All Presenters

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby

Sarabeth Berman

Sarabeth Berman

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough

Simon Rich book

Virginia Evans book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

Amor Towles book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Derek Thompson book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Shelley Read book

Abby Phillip book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

David Gelles book

Kiran Desai book

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Rick Atkinson book

Julia Lovell book

Theo Baker book

David Sanger book

Michael Pollan book

Sarabeth Berman

Susan Choi book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Susan Orlean book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Simon Rich book

Virginia Evans book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

Amor Towles book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Derek Thompson book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Shelley Read book

Abby Phillip book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

David Gelles book

Kiran Desai book

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Rick Atkinson book

Julia Lovell book

Theo Baker book

David Sanger book

Michael Pollan book

Sarabeth Berman

Susan Choi book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Susan Orlean book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Simon Rich book

Virginia Evans book

Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane book

Amor Towles book

Gary Shteyngart

Gary Shteyngart book

Derek Thompson book

Liaquat Ahamed book

Shelley Read book

Abby Phillip book

Julian Brave NoiseCat

Julian Brave NoiseCat book

David Gelles book

Kiran Desai book

Sebastian Mallaby

Sebastian Mallaby book

Rick Atkinson book

Julia Lovell book

Theo Baker book

David Sanger book

Michael Pollan book

Sarabeth Berman

Susan Choi book

Amy Bowers Cordalis

Amy Bowers Cordalis book

Atul Gawande book

Jill Lepore book

Peter Godwin book

Susan Orlean book

Barbara Wansbrough

Barbara Wansbrough book

Latest Updates

Book Release

2026 SVWC Alumni News & Book Releases

If you’d like to keep up with our SVWC family, check out the latest news, articles, book…

August 17 2026

Event Updates

Sustainability Wins in 2026

August 12 2026

News

SVWC 2026 FREE Events & Community Programming

June 25 2026

Book Release

2026 SVWC Alumni News & Book Releases

August 17 2026

Event Updates

Sustainability Wins in 2026

August 12 2026

News

SVWC 2026 FREE Events & Community Programming

June 25 2026

Read More

Our Work in the Community

LEARN MORE

Who We Are

LEARN MORE

Latest Updates Blog

LEARN MORE

All the Ways to Join

LEARN MORE

Digital Media Library

LEARN MORE

Beyond the Page Podcast

LEARN MORE

Inside the Global Health Crisis

Inside the Global Health Crisis

with Atul Gawande | July 19, 2026

Watch Now

Follow Us

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At this year's Writers' Conference, local high school students gathered for our annual Student/Author Luncheon with award-winning journalist and author Beth Macy. @bethmacy⁠
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The author of Factory Man, Dopesick, and Paper Girl, Macy writes about outsiders, underdogs, and communities navigating a changing America. For students who had spent the school year reading Paper Girl through our Next Chapter Program, the luncheon offered a chance to hear directly from the writer behind the book—and to ask their own questions.⁠
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Thank you, Beth, for sharing your stories and perspective with our students. We hope you inspired a few future writers, readers, and storytellers along the way. ⁠
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📸 : @tessa.sheehan.photography

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Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's Live Watch Party! ⁠
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For three days, readers gathered together to experience #SVWC2026 just across town—watching from The Argyros' big screen, in the comfort of theater seats, with great sound, great company, and all the magic of the Conference happening live.⁠
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We're so grateful to everyone who made the Watch Party part of their SVWC experience. We loved sharing it with you!⁠
⁠
📸 : @talroberts ⁠
#SunValleyWritersConference #LiveWatchParty #LiteraryCommunity #SunValleyIdaho

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To our SVWC donors: thank you for believing in our mission. Your generosity helps bring world-class writers, inspiring conversations, and community access programs to Sun Valley each year. And to those who have been with us since the very beginning—more than 30 years ago—our deepest gratitude. 🙏 ⁠
⁠
📸 : @jaymgraham⁠
#SunValleyWritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #SupportTheArts #BookCommunity #SunValleyIdaho

39 1

Three days. Thousands of people. One community brought together by a love of stories.⁠
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As a nonprofit, one of our guiding goals is to make sure everyone who loves literature can find a place here—expanding access to great writers, big ideas, and important conversations, whether at the Writers’ Conference, throughout the Wood River Valley, or from anywhere in the world.⁠
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Here’s what that looked like at #SVWC2026:⁠
• 11,700 people welcomed in person and online⁠
• 3,200 participants in our free and low-cost community programs⁠
• 500 students, teachers, librarians, and young writers engaged through our educational programs⁠
• 10 fellowships awarded to emerging writers and 8 scholarship passes provided to community members ⁠
• Nearly $100K in book sales raised to support the Boise State University MFA scholarship fund⁠
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With pass sales covering only 33% of our budget, none of this would be possible without our donors, volunteers, partners, authors, and attendees. Thank you for helping us create a Conference that belongs to—and benefits—the entire community.⁠
⁠
📸: @talroberts @kirstenshultz_photography @rayjgadd⁠
#SunValleyWritersConference #LiteraryCommunity #CommunityImpact #AccessToLiterature

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Who took home a custom poem from Typewriter Rodeo at #SVWC2026 (or the Live Watch Party)? 🙋‍♀️📖 @typewriterrodeo⁠
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We're still thinking about the joy they brought to the Conference. If they wrote you a poem, we'd love to see it—share it in your stories or posts and tag us! ❤️⁠
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📸 : @rayjgadd #SVWC #TypewriterRodeo #PoetryCommunity #LiteraryCommunity

34 2

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's free Community Speaker Series! Together, more than 600 people attended in person and online to hear unforgettable conversations with Julian Brave NoiseCat and Virginia Evans. @jnoisecat @virginia.l.evans⁠
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We're especially grateful to our partners at The Community Library for helping make these events possible, and to Julian and Virginia for sharing their time and stories with our community. And a special thank you to Julian's adorable baby, who may have been the youngest (and cutest) audience member of the series. ❤️ @thecommunitylibraryketchum⁠
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If you missed Virginia Evans' conversation, want to share it or watch it again, you can now find the recording in our digital media library at svwc.com/media.⁠
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📸: Adri Meyer @pranaphotos_

58 5

The Sun Valley Writers' Conference honors one of its original founders, Bill Tooley. ⁠
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More than 30 years ago, Bill and his wife, Reva, helped bring the Conference to life. What began as a gathering of just 10 writers and 100 attendees has grown into the thriving literary community we know today—a testament to their vision and belief in the power of bringing writers and readers together.⁠
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Those who knew Bill remember his wisdom, quiet leadership, generous mentorship, and unmistakable sense of humor. He had a way of making people feel welcome, offering thoughtful guidance, and reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously. His influence can still be felt in every corner of the Conference.⁠
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Robin explains it best: "It's amazing how often I find myself asking, 'What would Bill tell me to do?'" We imagine many others who knew Bill have asked themselves the very same question.⁠
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Though Bill is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through the Conference he helped build, the family he loved, and the countless lives he touched along the way. We're grateful for all he gave to SVWC, and we'll continue carrying his vision forward for years to come.

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Together, we made a real difference. 🌿💚⁠
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At #SVWC2026, we diverted 83.4% of Conference waste from the landfill and generated nearly 1,000 fewer pounds of waste than in 2025. That means we're not just diverting waste—we're creating less of it.⁠
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From choosing reusable and compostable products to carefully sorting and recycling, every small action added up. Thank you to our attendees, volunteers, vendors, staff, and our partners at Sun Valley Resort for helping protect the extraordinary place we call home.⁠
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Read more about our sustainability efforts and this year's environmental partnerships at svwc.com. ⁠
⁠
@sunvalley⁠
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📸: Steve Dondero @sdondero⁠
#SVWC2026 #SunValley #SunValleyIdaho #SustainableEvents #WasteReduction #EnvironmentalStewardship #CommunityImpact #ProtectWhatYouLove

68 1

Every great writer was once an emerging voice.⁠
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Our Writing Fellows Program brings eight early-career writers from across the country to the Conference for a weekend of conversation, mentorship, and connection with some of today's most celebrated authors. It's our small way of investing in the future of literature by building a community of support around these promising writers—and we can't wait to see where they go next.⁠
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To our 2026 Writing Fellows: thank you for bringing your talent, thoughtful questions, and fresh perspectives to Sun Valley. We loved getting to know you, and we'll be cheering you on for many chapters to come.⁠
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Photos: Adri Meyer @pranaphotos_⁠
⁠
Pictured:⁠
@opoku924⁠ @ashleyehand⁠ @harrietcbradley⁠ @jesusrodriguezb⁠ joplin.morgan⁠ @bymayaking⁠ @michellephuong

13 0

If you want to revisit favorite moments—or discover the ones you missed—head over to our digital media library for select video and audio recordings from the 2026 event!⁠
⁠
While you’re there, explore our expansive collection of digital media, including our Beyond the Page podcast, and check back over the next few weeks as we continue adding more talks. ⁠
⁠
Start reliving it now at svwc.com/media. 📚⁠
#SVWC #BooksAndIdeas #LiteraryEvents #AuthorConversations #BeyondThePage

65 2

We 🫶 our volunteers... You may know them by their khaki vests and yellow lanyards, but to us, they're the heart of #SVWC2026.⁠
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More than 75 volunteers helped make this year's Conference possible—many of whom have been part of the SVWC family for a decade or more—greeting guests with a smile, answering questions, unpacking boxes, finding answers, and making sure every detail came together behind the scenes.⁠
⁠
To every volunteer who gave your time, your energy, and your kindness: thank you. This Conference wouldn't be the same without you. ❤️⁠
⁠
📸: @rayjgadd @kirstenshultz_photography @pranaphotos_

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T minus 355 days until #SVWC2027 (but who's counting?)... save the date for July 17-19, 2027! ⁠
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Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter for important updates and announcements at svwc.com/subscribe.⁠
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#SVWC #SunValleyWritersConference #2027

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Thank you to a community like no other... 🫶 ⁠
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Every year, SVWC is made possible by an extraordinary gathering of people. To our writers, moderators, volunteers, staff, board, production teams, partners, vendors, donors, attendees, neighbors, and community members throughout the Wood River Valley—thank you for your generosity, your curiosity, and your countless contributions to another unforgettable Conference.⁠
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We couldn't do it without you.⁠
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#SVWC2026 #SunValleyWritersConference #SVWC2026 #WoodRiverValley #LiteraryCommunity

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What a ride. Hearts open, minds full. Until next year... ⁠
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We love this community! #SVWC2026⁠
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📸: @talroberts

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Words that linger long after the conversation ends.⁠
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"I don't live to write. I think I write to live."⁠
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— Gary Shteyngart, Sun Valley Writers' Conference 2026

50 4

That's a wrap on #SVWC2026. ❤️⁠
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For three remarkable days, writers and readers gathered beneath the Idaho sky to share stories, ask difficult questions, laugh often, and leave a little changed.⁠
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Whether you joined us for a single talk or the entire weekend, we hope you left with new ideas, new authors to read, and memories you'll carry with you long after the Conference. Thank you to everyone who made this year's gathering so special.⁠
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We're already looking forward to next year.⁠
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Photo: @rayjgadd

19 0

TONIGHT at 5:30pm! Don't miss one of this year's breakout literary stars. Virginia Evans—author of the internationally bestselling The Correspondent and winner of the 2026 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel—joins us at The Community Library. @virginia.l.evans⁠
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In-person registration is currently full, but you can still livestream the conversation for free (link in bio)—no registration required.⁠
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Thank you to our partners, @thecommunitylibraryketchum, for making this event possible.⁠
⁠
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📸 : Austin Joffe

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Leaving with memories... and an inexplicably heavy tote bag. Same time next year? #SVWC2026 #SVWC2027⁠
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📸: Ray Gadd @rayjgadd & Kirsten Shultz @kirstenshultz_photography

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Another one in the books 📚... highlights from the last day of #SVWC2026!⁠
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Photos: Kirsten Shultz @kirstenshultz_photography & Ray Gadd @rayjgadd⁠
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#SunValleyWritersConference #SunValley #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #LiteraryFestival

Your support ensures that we can continue to bring today’s leading writers and thinkers to the Sun Valley community, maintaining the same high standard of quality, intimacy, connection, and community outreach that we have for over 30 years. We are grateful for any and all contributions — please consider joining our family of donors today.

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