About AWC

I’ve dreamed of holding a writers conference in Croatia for a long time. Since 2000, I have been going back to my grandparents’ homeland, and through travel writing and my award-winning debut novel, THE CHEESEMAKER’S DAUGHTER—set on Croatia’s island of Pag—I’ve shared my love of Croatia with readers around the world. The island of Lošinj holds special meaning for me; I received my first Golden Pen award from the Croatian National Tourist Board at Hotel Bellevue for this story.

When I first envisioned the Adriatic Writers Conference, I knew I wanted it to be in a place with abundant natural beauty that provided serene spaces for renewal and reflection. I envisioned first-class instructors and a serious group of writers coming together in an inspirational setting to learn and grow and find their own road to publication. In addition to the intimate nature of the conference with intensive small-group workshops (between 5-7 participants per workshop) focusing on developed projects and advanced craft, I believe what sets AWC apart is a focus on the practical aspect of building a writing career, with real-talk panels on author marketing and publicity, revision, and publishing.

The inaugural Adriatic Writers Conference—the first literary conference of its kind in Croatia—took place from May 10-17, 2025 at 5-star Hotel Bellevue on Croatia’s island of Lošinj. It was everything I’d imagined it could be. My hope is that future conferences on the “island of vitality” provide writers respite and the time and space to create, and that AWC fosters a fertile learning environment and supportive community that will inspire new work in an extraordinary setting.

The second annual Adriatic Writers Conference was a huge success, with award-winning and bestselling author instructors Kristin Vuković, Andrea Bartz, Jo Piazza, Sheila Yasmin Marikar, and Lidija Hilje. The third annual Adriatic Writers Conference will again take place at Hotel Bellevue on Croatia's pristine island of Lošinj from May 23-29, 2027.

The 2027 Guest Fiction Instructor is #1 New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jess Walter (SO FAR GONE; BEAUTIFUL RUINS). AWC Founder Kristin Vuković (THE CHEESEMAKER'S DAUGHTER) and bestselling author Jo Piazza (THE PARISIAN HEIST; EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU) will continue to co-teach a Fiction Workshop.

This year, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a Memoir Workshop with instant New York Times bestselling author Isaac Fitzgerald (DIRTBAG, MASSACHUSETTS; AMERICAN RAMBLER).

Literary agent Abby Walters (David Black Literary Agency) will offer optional individual query letter and 10-page manuscript consultation sessions, and professional book coach and internationally bestselling author Lidija Hilje (SLANTING TOWARDS THE SEA) will offer optional developmental editing sessions for participants. (Pricing TBA.)

In 2026, eleven vetted American participants came to Croatia from far and wide: Florida, Colorado, Illinois, California, New York, Washington, South Carolina, Italy, and Paris. In addition to a 25% returning participant rate, the testimonials speak volumes. What we’re doing is working: A participant from the inaugural AWC 2025 conference who workshopped the opening of her novel with us recently signed with an agent!

We look forward to reading your applications, and hope you can join us for another extraordinary year.

—Kristin Vuković, Founder, AWC, LLC

Kristin Vuković is the author of the award-winning novel, THE CHEESEMAKER’S DAUGHTER (August 2024) set on Croatia’s island of Pag. Kristin has written articles about Croatia for more than a decade, for the New York Times, BBC Travel, Travel + Leisure, Virtuoso, AFAR, Fodor's, Public Books, and Electric Literature, among others. She received two Golden Pen awards for her writing about Croatia from the Croatian National Tourist Board, most recently in May 2024. She is the recipient of the 2024 Rising Star Award in Arts and Culture from the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP). She was also named a "40 Under 40" honoree by the National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation. In 2019, her BBC Travel piece “Dalmatia’s Fjaka State of Mind” won first place in the Society of American Travel Writers Eastern Chapter Contest, Miscellaneous category. Kristin holds a BA in literature and writing and an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University. She resides in New York City with her husband and daughter. Visit kristinvukovic.com for more information.