Conference 2023 Thursday Intensive

In answer to a demand for more in-depth programming, the Colorado Gold Writers Conference offers Thursday Intensives: all-day themed programming on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, before the official conference begins Friday. We’re offering two different Thursday Intensive tracks this year, and both will be hosted at The Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver.

Note: Since they take place simultaneously, you can only register for one of the two. If Intensives do not meet minimum thresholds by Aug. 15, 2023, they may be canceled, and registration refunded or transferred.

Cost

$229.00 for those registered for the 2023 Colorado Gold Conference
$269.00 for RMFW members not attending the conference
$299.00 for the general public not attending the conference

What’s Included

• Four sessions of programming in the track of your choice.
• A PDF of prepared handouts
• Coffee and snacks midmorning
• A buffet lunch
• A happy hour drink afterward at the Hyatt’s Borealis Restaurant
• A jumpstart on networking and/or new group of writer friends to see throughout the general conference

Thursday Intensives

Intermediate Novel Writing: From Finished to Fabulous

This optional Intensive is for writers who have finished a novel — or two — but want to elevate their craft to create more polished and successful novels in the future. RMFW has brought in writing, editing, and publishing professionals to help these intermediate writers launch themselves into the next stage of their craft.

Block One: “How to Get Your Plot Working As a Whole” with Rachel Weaver
What makes a book impossible to put down? What makes a judge or editor decide this one has the edge over all the others? As advanced writers, we can all write solid characters, tension-filled scenes, and tight sentences. We’ve all had small sections of our novels workshopped until those sections are rock solid. But what about how a book is working as a whole? How do we make sure we are continuing to surprise our readers and hold their attention to the very end? This class will give you the tools you need to identify where and how the book isn’t holding together well and help you figure out what to do about it. We’ll talk about what brings cohesion to a book and gives it that competitive edge it needs.

Block Two: “World as Character: Bringing Your Setting to Life” with Courtney E. Morgan
It is easy to take place for granted—to think of it simply as a backdrop against which the action of a story occurs—but there is so much more setting can do! It can carry mood and tone, function as a mode of conflict or tension, or act as a character. And if time or place is important to your piece, or if you’re creating a new world entirely, organic world-building is a crucial technique to master. Whether genre or literary fiction, a rich sense of place is integral to a fully realized novel. In this workshop, we’ll approach setting as we do characters—from selecting the right one, to getting to know it better, to building and revealing it for the reader over time. We’ll practice tactics to artfully weave your world into your story, as well as strategies to have your setting work harder for you.

Block Three: “Main Character Writing: Richer, Rounder, Fuller” with Traci Jones
Do you want your readers to care about your story? The key to hooking readers into your novel is to have a rich, round, fully developed main character. This class will look at all the writing elements that you need to think about when creating your main character. Among other writing techniques, we will spend a lot of time developing a vocabulary for your character (dialogue/voice), writing a backstory that will enhance not only your character but will help create tension in your plot and move it forward, as well as figuring out how to construct your character’s identity through other literary means.

Block Four: “Let’s Get Intimate: Working With Narrative Distance” with Tiffany Quay Tyson
Your narrator can pull the reader in close or keep the reader at arm’s length. Our goal will be to bring the reader so close that they feel as if they are fully immersed in the world of your story. We’ll look at examples from published work and discuss techniques for drawing the reader closer. We’ll talk about how to eliminate filters that can make your reader feel disconnected. Come prepared to write new material or to substantially revise a scene from your work-in-progress.

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Indie Publishing Bootcamp: Learn from the WOTYs

The choice between indie and traditional publishing is more open and personal than ever before. This optional Intensive is for writers with a completed manuscript who are strongly considering indie publishing. All four indie-publishing pros are former RMFW Writers of the Year!

Block One: “Roll Up Your Sleeves: Doing the Grunt Work of Writing Your Novel” with Amy Rivers
Lots of people want to be an author, but only a small percentage actually finish writing their book. In this workshop, we’ll look at the preparation, research, organization, and writing process involved in putting the words on the page and getting one step closer to becoming a published author.

Block Two: “Knowing Your Publishing Options as an Indie Author” with Bernadette Soehner
So you’ve decided to explore independently publishing your book, now what? Navigating the differences between exclusive and wide, POD and other printing options, as well as knowing what is expected from you as the author and the publisher can be frustrating. During this intensive workshop, we will explore the many options for publishing your book and take a deep dive into some of the distributors as well as vendors who can help navigate your publication.

Block Three: “Revision and Editing for Indie Authors” with Stephanie Reisner
Learn the differences between the types of editing as well as the various processes the pros use to whip their manuscripts into shape for publishing. Join award-winning and bestselling indie author Stephanie Reisner as she teaches you how to self-revise, content edit, and line edit your manuscript. Included, she’ll discuss the tools available to indie authors and how to develop your own process to move your manuscript from start to finish (and ready to format) as painlessly as possible.

Block Four: “Build Your Foundation with Facebook Ads” with Andre Gonzalez
Dive right into this popular platform for indie advertising with discussions about setting up an advertising account; buying ads with your objectives in mind; tracking your results; managing your expectations; and hopefully scaling up. Learn how to create your first campaign from a successful indie author who uses the Facebook platform to earn real income.

Thursday Intensive Schedule

FAQ

Can I just take one of the classes?
No, our intensives are package deals. If you’re looking for single masterclasses, check out our Friday morning offerings HERE.

I want to attend the conference. How do I add an Intensive?
You will have the option to select an Intensive in the general registration process. It will be included in your general conference invoice. If you have registered and later decide to add an Intensive, please register for an Intensive on its own HERE.

I don’t want to attend the conference. How do I register for an Intensive?
You can register for an Intensive on its own HERE. As it is intended as a conference-add on, we will still require you to follow all conference rules and regulations.

What meals are included in the price?
There will be coffee, tea, and a light snack after lesson one, and a buffet lunch after lesson two, as well as a drink at Borealis after the entire course so you can chat about what you learned throughout the day and mingle with some of the instructors. You can include any allergies or dietary restrictions when registering.

I registered for the intensive BEFORE registering for the conference. Can I get a refund for the difference?
Please try to avoid this by registering for the conference first! However, please email conference@rmfw.org with both invoice numbers before Aug. 15, 2023 and we’ll apply a refund.