For four days in Milwaukee, hundreds of English Honor Societies members from around the globe gather to share scholarship, present creative work, debate the future of writing in the age of generative AI, and celebrate the disciplines of English language and literature.
From a National Book Award–nominated novelist to one of today's preeminent Austen scholars, the 2027 program brings together writers who define craft.
Angie Cruz is a New York–born Dominican author of multiple acclaimed novels, including Dominicana (2019) and the 2027 Convention's Common Reader text, How Not To Drown in A Glass of Water (2022). Her recent honors include a 2025 USA Fellowship…
Read full bio →An eminent Austen scholar and author of Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane (2025). Looser leads the convention's Spotlight Author programming, framing Austen's craft, controversies, and continuing influence on English-language fiction.
Read full bio →Featured as a master of technê: Austen's contributions to the modern novel, her breakthrough use of free indirect discourse, her psychologically nuanced characters, and her structural innovations, continue to shape what English-language fiction can do.
Read full bio →From the Greek technê: not just a craft or art and its products, but an understanding of the craft deep enough to teach others. In an era reshaped by generative AI, the 2027 convention asks readers, writers, scholars and teachers to reconsider the relationship between craft and machine.
How can we make use of these tools — and when should we? What endures of the writer’s hand when so much is now generated? What can we still teach about craft that cannot be automated?
"How can we make use of machines, and when should we?"
Present your scholarship and creative work to a community of peers, faculty mentors, and acclaimed authors—and walk away with friendships and feedback that last well past March.
USA Fellow, John Dos Passos Laureate, Columbia faculty—Cruz brings a singular voice to the 2027 stage with the Common Reader, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water.
The 2025 winner of the John Dos Passos Prize for Literature—a list that includes Edward P. Jones, Susan Orlean, and Tobias Wolff.
A 2025 United States Artists Fellowship recipient, recognized as one of the most consequential working writers in America.
From Dominicana to How Not to Drown, Cruz writes the unheard—Dominican working-class women carrying the weight of a city.
Cruz teaches at Columbia University and co-founded Aster(ix), the literary journal centering Latine voices.
Simply put, my experiences at the convention changed my life. Outside of the many papers and presentations that inspired my own writing, I was able to connect with fellow Society members in ways that wouldn't have been possible without attending.
Present your scholarly papers, creative writing, and roundtable discussions to peers from chapters around the world.
Hear from Angie Cruz, Devoney Looser, and a curated lineup exploring craft, technology, and the future of English studies.
Be recognized for chapter, scholarly, and creative achievements at the official ceremonies of the Society.
Discover the Cream City—a literary, lakeside host with world-class museums, breweries, and Lake Michigan views.
Wisconsin's largest city—on the western shore of Lake Michigan—surrounds the Baird Center with art, water, and walkable beauty. Scroll through a few of the spots within an easy stroll of the convention venue.
Calatrava's Quadracci Pavilion—a kinetic sculpture in its own right. The brise-soleil unfurls and folds twice daily, a literal expression of technê.
Lakefront · 0.6 mi from Baird Center
The downtown silhouette spans the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower, US Bank Center, and Northwestern Mutual Tower—best viewed from Lakeshore State Park at golden hour.
Lakefront District
Three miles of walkable river path lined with restored Cream City brick warehouses, bookshops, breweries, and the Bronze Fonz. The fastest route from session to dinner.
Third Ward · 0.4 mi
The double-decked tied-arch over Milwaukee Harbor—re-lit nightly with programmable LEDs in colors that change with the season and the city's mood.
Harbor District
The largest four-faced clock in the Western Hemisphere—visible from miles out on Lake Michigan, and a working monument to Milwaukee's industrial craft heritage.
Walker's Point · 1.2 mi