Understory writers’ conference brings craft-focused workshops to Park City, July 24-27

PARK CITY, Utah — Ghostwriter and developmental editor Annie Tucker has spent 20 years teaching at writers’ conferences, often watching hopeful authors leave “deflated.” 

“People remember the discouragement,” Tucker said. “They go home thinking, ‘Why am I even trying to write a book?’ That bad vibe was the gap I wanted to close.”

Understory, the craft-first conference Tucker will debut July 24-27 in Park City, is her answer. Capped at 100 attendees, the four-day gathering combines 30 workshops with guided hikes, morning meditations, and open-air meals.

A canopy for craft

Tucker said the conference name gestures to Park City’s summer landscape and the process of building a manuscript. “In nature, the ‘understory’ is the underside of a canopy of trees. It also symbolizes all the layering that has to happen before a finished book emerges. You start with the lowest branches and move up through the canopy.”

Indoor-outdoor rhythm

Tucker wants participants outside every few hours, a departure from “windowless hotel conference rooms” she recalls from her own teaching experience. Workshops will be held in the sunlit Park City Library and at Miner’s Hospital; lunches will spill onto the lawn; the keynote dinner with best-selling author Dani Shapiro will take place on the rooftop of Kimball Terrace.

“Being outdoors sparks creativity,” Tucker said. “Writers need sunshine, fresh air—those dopamine hits and endorphins—to stay energized for an intense event.”

Intimacy by design

Tucker noted that many conferences pack in 700 or more registrants, a scale she says overwhelms “naturally introverted” writers. “I’m creating a hybrid between a formal conference and a retreat,” she said. “In an eight-person workshop, sharing work feels less daunting, and you can talk craft or get to know each other over a picnic or hike.”

She also plans to encourage post-conference peer groups. “I want people to feel uplifted, not competitive,” she said. “If they leave with lasting relationships, that’s a success.”

Faculty who write—and empathize

Dani Shapiro headlines a roster that includes independent-press champion Brooke Warner, Memoir Nation cofounder Grant Faulkner, literary agent Felice Laverne, story coach April Bosshard, and others.

“All of these people are writers themselves,” Tucker said. “They know the agony and the ecstasy firsthand and can say, ‘If I can do it, you can too.’”

While craft remains central, Tucker hasn’t ignored publishing realities. Warner will join her for a Friday evening fireside chat on “the current state of the publishing landscape,” and agents will offer Q&As. “I don’t want people to think their publishing questions won’t be answered,” Tucker said, “but first they need the tools to make their manuscript shine.”

Who should attend

The program is aimed at writers somewhere between a fledgling idea and a third or fourth book. “If you’re just curious about writing, it may be over your head,” Tucker said. “But if you have a concept, a partial draft, or several books out and want to make the next one solid, there’s something here for you.”

Registration and incentives

Early-bird pricing of $875 runs through May 15. It covers all workshops, three lunches, the welcome reception at Park City Gardens, and the rooftop keynote dinner. The cost rises to $975 afterward.

Participants who email info@understoryparkcity.com and mention this TownLift article will receive a free 30-minute editorial consultation with Tucker. Details and faculty bios are at understoryparkcity.com.

From coastal cities to the Wasatch

Tucker moved to Park City five years ago during the pandemic after a career in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. She brings with her experience writing and editing more than 800 books. She chairs the board of the Kimball Art Center and says the town’s safety and outdoor culture drew her to Utah.

“I love that my five-year-old can play outside every day, and I can fit in a ski run or a hike around work,” she said. “Living in a small mountain community where people recognize each other feels right.”

With the inaugural Understory just a couple of months away, Tucker is already thinking about year two. She said that demand may force her to scale up, but not at the expense of intimacy. “If tickets simply sell out faster and we run a waiting list, that’s fine,” she said. “What matters is sending authors home hopeful, empowered, and ready to write.”