| Workshops * signifies a VIP or agent |
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| 8 Rookie Submission Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) – Patricia Nelson* Beginner, 1 hour Learn about common pitfalls of queries and first chapters, along with a crash course in best practices for catching an agent’s eye. Whether you’re just starting to prepare to seek an agent or are looking to troubleshoot a query that’s not working, this class offers tips and tricks to help take your submission materials to the next level. |
| Aliens and Fairies: Writing Believable Non-Human Races – T.H. Leatherman Intermediate, 1 hour Aliens always spill their tea because they have flying saucers. Is your alien just another Average Joe? Is your elf just like every other fairy on the block? Fear not! We have the answer. Come learn how to make your non-human characters pop off the page. |
| And… ACTION! Fighting and Fight Scenes 101 – Bowen Gillings Beginner, 2 hours Five-time martial arts black belt and award-winning author Bowen Gillings teaches how to write a successful fight scene. Drawing from popular novels, plus role-play and hands-on demonstrations (including audience volunteers!), we’ll break down what makes a fight punch off the page. |
| The Art of Publishing Romance (And More) – Bernadette Soehner Beginner, 1 hour Writers of all genres can benefit from learning about publishing in the largest-selling genre: romance. We will learn about the romance industry and your options to get your romance, and other genre fiction, to market. |
| The Art of Writing Romance – Bernadette Soehner Beginner, 1 hour Romance is filled with yummy tropes and reader expectations. As the largest-selling genre, we will learn how to write what readers expect. |
| Audiobooks Really Speak to Me: How to Publish Your Next Book on Audio – T.H. Leatherman Intermediate, 1 hour You’ve done what you can to put your books in front of people’s eyes, but what about their ears? Audiobooks are a great way to reach your readers on the go. They make your book more accessible. Audiobooks are a great way to reach readers you didn’t even know you were missing! |
| Avoiding Common Mistakes of Self-Publishing – Laura VanArendonk Baugh Beginner, 1 hour Today it’s simple to publish with the click of a mouse. It’s not quite as easy to establish a good writing career. Bad advice about writing, editing, marketing, and relating to fellow authors is everywhere. Let Laura warn you about some of the most common errors, with some laughs along the way. |
| How to Make a Comic Book and Release It using Crowdfunding – Andrew Abarca Beginner, 1 hour Have you always wanted to make your own comic book? This course shows you one method to get your own single-issue comic book created, funded, and printed. |
| Beyond Exposition to the “Live Wire” in Your Story – Stant Litore Intermediate, 1 hour In this workshop, learn how to rethink the way that we describe characters, settings, action, and emotions in ways that electrify the reader. |
| Build an Audience of Superfans – Keirsten Modglin* Beginner, 1 hour We’ve all heard stories about the elusive “Superfans.” They’re the readers who buy every book without glancing at the blurb, shout about your work every chance they get, purchase and rock your merch, and look for any opportunity to celebrate your stories. Of course, the biggest question is: how do we find them? In this class, you’ll learn how to build an audience of Superfans who will help propel your career to new heights. |
| Building a Website in a Weekend for the Technophobic – Lisa Hawker Beginner, 2 hours As an author, having a web presence is crucial in today’s online world. Starting a website can be a terrifying thought, especially when you’re technophobic. You’re not alone. Learn how to create a WordPress website in a weekend without breaking a sweat—or learning how to code. |
| Building the Ark – Shannon Baker Beginner, 1 hour Bless pantsers and their magical powers. For Muggles, this workshop offers a plan. Learn to plot using a four-part structure, including eight milestone scenes. We’ll discuss what to put where, the scenes needed to create exciting beginnings, avoid sagging middles, and bring satisfying endings. |
| Co-writing a Novel: Can It Be Done and Why Might You Want To? – Ashlee Cowles Intermediate, 1 hour Co-writing has become popular thanks to the technology that makes it possible. But how do you know if this path is right for you? Team A.D. Rhine will spill all, providing a realistic overview of the benefits and drawbacks, along with practical strategies to make co-writing a rewarding experience. |
| Complications of Culture: Avoiding Cultural Appropriation in the Historical Novel – Pamela Nowak Intermediate, 1 hour This workshop explores what cultural appropriation is and what it isn’t, explores research sources, and discusses how to reconcile differing versions of the truth. It also explores the difficulties in finding a cross-cultural voice once the research is done and the writing begins. |
| Conquering the First Draft – Ryanne Buck Beginner, 1 hour Drafting can be hard, and a lot of writers struggle with getting words on the page. This workshop will give you tips for making your writing time more efficient, staying motivated through the drafting process, and putting the fun back into drafting. |
| Copyrights, Trademarks and Protections… Oh My! – Chuck Brownman Intermediate, 1 hour Learn the basics of intellectual property law and how to protect the rights to your writing. |
| Create Motivated Characters – Peggy Waide Beginner, 1 hour Ever want to throw a book at the wall because a character’s actions made no sense? Believable motivation (the why) is integral to character development. They infiltrate your character’s thoughts, decisions, choices, and actions. Come discover how to write well-motivated characters for a great read. |
| Create the Writing Life of Your Dreams with the CAN DO Formula – Claire Fishback Beginner, 1 hour Create your writing life! Cultivate a sustainable writing habit without sacrificing the important parts of your life, make the most of your writing time, stop negative thoughts and other interruptions from stealing your time, and show up to write no matter how brain-dead, tired, or distracted you are! |
| Creating Your New Media Self – Trai Cartwright Beginner, 2 hours How do you develop the best possible digital storytelling and marketing campaigns to express who you are and connect meaningfully with your audience? In this workshop, we’ll discuss the full range of new media marketing mediums you have available and how very simple it is to get started using them. |
| Critique Like a Boss: Tips for Getting the Most from Your Critique Group – Kelley Lindberg Beginner, 1 hour A constructive, positive critique group can help your story stand out in this ultra-competitive market. Learn the types of critique groups, guidelines for review sessions, tips for being an effective reviewer, and why critiquing others’ work is one of the best ways to improve your own skills. |
| Critique Partner Round Up – Ryanne Buck Beginner, 2 hours Looking for a critique partner? Come meet others that are looking for you! Meet other writers in an informal, speed-dating style gathering. |
| Develop Characters and Build Tension Using the 5 Love Languages – Kelley Lindberg Intermediate, 1 hour The Five Love Languages books introduced 5 ways people express love in any relationship (romantic or non-romantic!). We’ll explore the 5 love languages, see published examples, and learn how to use love languages to enhance your characters, deepen their interactions, and build tension in a scene. |
| Dialogue and the Back Story Dump – Bernadette Soehner Beginner, 1 hour In this workshop, we will explore the use of dialogue to get all of that juicy backstory out into the open without the dreaded info dump. |
| Don’t Bungle the Beginning – Susan Mackay Smith Intermediate, 1 hour Beginnings are vital. If readers don’t get past the first pages, the rest of the novel doesn’t matter. The challenge is getting all the necessary elements in the opening simultaneously. Learn how to see common errors and avoid them. |
| Don’t Buy a Mansion Just Yet: Managing Your Writing Career for Longevity – Stephanie Reisner Intermediate, 2 hours Very rarely can authors make money in one genre for an entire career. In this workshop, discover the myriad of ways professional authors can build on, and MAINTAIN a five to six-figure writing career for a decade or more. |
| Embrace the Power of the Pen, But Write Responsibly – Amy Rivers Intermediate,1 hour With great writing comes great responsibility. Whether or not you’re writing realistic fiction, every time your book is read, the reader is learning something. Though you may not intend it, and the reader certainly didn’t sign up for it, they still gain valuable perspective from novels. |
| Finding Your Author Voice (And How It’s Different from All the Other Voices in Your Books) – Stacy Gold Intermediate, 1 hour If you’ve struggled to find your unique writing voice, or you’ve ever had people tell you all your characters sound the same, this highly interactive workshop packed with examples and hands-on exercises is for you. Learn easy tips and tricks that work for pantsers, plotters, or anyone in between. |
| Hard vs Soft Magic Systems – Ryanne Buck Beginner, 1 hour Creating your own magical system is a place where your creativity can truly shine, or you might fall into commonly used tropes. By defining magic systems on a spectrum, you can help advance plots and create compelling themes while keeping your audience riveted. |
| Healthy Relationships with Writing – Trai Cartwright Beginner, 1 hour Writing is an internal process filled with rumination, meditation, and magic. It’s also entangled with doubt, fear, guilt, and even self-flagellation. We’ll look at the nature of our messy relationships and give insight and ideas for making writing where you connect with the best of your humanity. |
| How to Be the Architect of Your World – Susanne Duff Beginner, 1 hour Many beginning writers struggle with making their worlds interconnect, be symbiotic with all the necessary elements, and overall make sense. A well-built world can also help drive the plot. This workshop will make them realistic and genuine. |
| How to Get Your Book onto Bookstore Shelves – Joshua Clark Advanced, 1 hour Learn the dos and dont’s for pitching bookstores to get your book on their shelves. Whether you’re traditionally or independently published, you’ll discover tips and tricks, book requirements, and proper etiquette from an indie bookstore buyer so that your book can get into the hands of more readers. |
| Observe, Create, Write – Peggy Waide Beginner, 1 hour Ideas come to us all the time. But how do you first develop the structure behind the story to avoid floundering? In this workshop, we will start with those moments of inspiration and then add basic elements to shape that idea into a workable foundation to keep you from wandering far from your |
| How to Write Diverse Characters – Caitlin Berve Intermediate, 1 hour Today’s readers want to read about different races, ableness, sexual orientations, and body types. Developing diverse characters outside your life experience can be challenging, fun, and a bit of a risk. So how do you write believable minority characters different from yourself? Find out in this workshop. |
| Idea to Concept to Premise to Plot – Angie Hodapp* Beginner, 2 hours What is the difference between an idea and a concept? A concept and a premise? Do pantsers (writers who write by the seat of their pants rather than plotting first) really need to worry about developing a concept or premise before they begin drafting, or can they just take their idea and run with it? In this class, we’ll demystify these four very different stages of story development with an eye toward helping you write smarter, not harder. |
| Images as beautiful as your words: Photography for Authors – Nicole Kramer Beginner, 1 hour To remain in the public eye, writers must support multiple social media platforms, and images do that best. We’ll create images and experiment with ways to create eye-grabbing content using fast and easy tools you already have. You will leave this workshop with post-worthy content. |
| Imagining a World that Survives (And Thrives) Past the Climate Crisis (Generative Workshop) – Kate Christensen Beginner, 1 hour The quote “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than imagine the end of capitalism,” is a call to action for writers. Let’s heed it together! Bring your paper and sharpened pencils. Hope for the future is helpful but not required; we’ll create it as we go. |
| It Ain’t No Crime – Shannon Baker Beginner, 1 hour Crime fiction ranks second only to romance as the most popular genre. It’s important to understand craft essentials. We’ll explore what makes a mystery a mystery and readers’ expectations, discuss compelling characters, structuring, pacing, clues and red herrings, point of view, and voice. |
| It’s All About You: Author Branding Made Less Terrifying – Amy Rivers Intermediate, 2 hours Who knew that writing a book meant you’d have to talk about yourself and your work? All. The. Time. Whether you publish traditionally or independently, you’ll be doing a lot of marketing and promotion–not just for your work but also for yourself. |
| Judging a Book by Its Cover – Joshua Clark Advanced, 1 hour A book is more than its cover but you might never get the chance to prove that to a reader if they aren’t enticed by your cover art. Learn why a good cover is important and what it can do for your book. |
| Just a Flesh Wound: How to Write Fantastic Battles – T.H. Leatherman Intermediate, 1 hour At the time, the invention of the sword was cutting-edge technology. But what does it take to wield a sword or a rifle? We’ll go into the dos and don’ts of writing fight scenes that are believable and engaging. |
| Kickstarter for Authors – Katy Wood Advanced, 1 hour An introductory lecture for authors on the basics of using Kickstarter to publish their work. Covers the basics of how to plan, market, and execute a crowdfunding campaign, and why crowdfunding may be a good fit. |
| Kill Your Darlings – Cynthia Swanson Intermediate, 2 hours Stephen King famously said, “Kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart.” We’ll explore writing elements that are painful to remove, although removal can strengthen our writing. If you’re struggling to streamline a manuscript, this workshop is for you! |
| Know Your Ending: How a Killer Outline Elevates Story – Rob Samborn Beginner, 2 hours This is the fiction outlining workshop you’ve been looking for! Perfect for thriller, mystery, fantasy, romance, and other genre writers. Take your writing to the next level and rapidly increase your writing time by knowing where you’re going with this hands-on class in which you’ll learn tools and techniques to create amazing outlines. |
| Let’s Make Marketing Fun! – Lisa Hawker Advanced, 1 hour All you want to do is write. But in order to keep writing, you need to sell books, and your inner toddler stomps its feet at the idea—what fun is that? If you make marketing fun, you’ll appease the kid inside, sell more books, and even find yourself looking forward to these tasks. |
| Longing Your Short: Tips for Transforming a Short Story into a Novel – Bowen Gillings Intermediate, 1 hour Short stories provide tight, quick access to characters and narrative. Good ones encapsulate all the working pieces of a novel: voice, setting, story arc, etc. We’ll examine what to stretch, what to dig, and what to add to turn your beloved short story into a full length-manuscript. |
| Market Your Book with Radio and Podcasts – Tasha Christensen Advanced, 1 hour Getting on podcasts and radio shows can be an intimidating task. This workshop will show you how to find shows in your niche, how to write an interview pitch, and how to be a memorable and compelling guest. Come learn tricks of the trade from a professional radio producer! |
| Methods for Visualizing Structure and Pacing – Brenna English-Loeb* Intermediate, 1 hour Using tools like outlining and synopses in new ways, learn how to better visualize your novel’s pacing and structure to make it an even more engaging read. We will discuss how to group the action by section, character, and theme to better identify weak spots and under-utilized connections. This class will be ideal for those working in genre spaces. Please bring a pen and paper and any working outline or synopsis you currently have. Multiple colored pens are recommended. |
| The Mindful Writer: Techniques for Tapping Into Your Inner Creativity – Nikki Terpilowski* Beginner, 1 hour This class focuses on enhancing writing through mindfulness-based practices. It covers techniques such as creative visualization, manifestation, and flow state, as well as external activities like journaling, meditation, and yoga. Participants will learn how to connect with their intuition, overcome creative blocks, and achieve a state of flow while writing. By the end of the class, participants will have practical skills and strategies to become more mindful and effective writers. |
| Myths, Ghosts, and Gods: The Divine in Speculative Fiction – Carol Berg Beginner, 1 hour We’ll explore the reasons writers might or might not want to include elements of religion/gods/spirituality in their world-building. We’ll cover story elements to consider and how to avoid common pitfalls when developing belief systems that can be very personal to our characters and our readers. |
| Narrative Distance 101 – Rachel Delaney Beginner, 1 hour Narrative distance is the lens through which readers see your story. Zooming in fully immerses readers in your character’s head; zooming out provides a broader, more objective view. This class will teach attendees how to control this lens, scene by scene, to keep readers turning pages. |
| Nothing to Fear: How to Scare Even the Bravest Readers – Rachel Dempsey Intermediate, 1 hour Every horror/thriller writer dreads the words: “It just wasn’t scary.” Ensure you’ll never hear them again by learning how fear works in the human mind and body and how to translate that feeling to the page with tools like pacing, atmosphere, and imagery. |
| Using Fanfiction to Improve Your Writing – Tasha Christensen Beginner, 1 hour Fanfiction is sometimes looked down on, but it’s actually rooted in the most ancient traditions of storytelling. In this class, we’ll talk about what fanfic is and how it makes you a better writer. This is a hands-on class with writing exercises, so come prepared for creativity! |
| Opening the Door—Why, When, and How to Write Sex Into Your Stories – Stacy Gold Beginner, 1 hour “Writing sex scenes for the first time is a lot like having sex for the first time: awkward, uncomfortable, and you hope your parents don’t find out.” -Unknown Author Sure, writing sex can be all of that in the beginning. It can also be a ton of fun and a fantastic tool for deepening your characters and their stories. In this roundtable workshop, we’ll analyze a few good and bad examples of sex on the page, and I’ll share my secrets for writing sex scenes and sexual tension that makes readers salivate. Optimizing Your Amazon Sales Page – Andre Gonzalez Beginner, 1 hour For many authors, sales are lost on the final stage of the book-buying process: the Amazon sales page. We will go section by section of the busy Amazon book page, and dive into what we can do (and can’t do) to make the best impression on book shoppers, giving them that final nudge to buy your book! |
| Pacing Pointers: How to Keep Your Scenes from Stalling – Kendra Griffin Intermediate, 1 hour In this session, we’ll discuss horizontal and vertical storytelling techniques, how to identify them, and when to use these modes to improve the pacing and perspective in your scenes. |
| PANEL: Ask A Pro, Hosted by PAA – Moderated by Andre Gonzalez and Special Guests Beginner: 1 hour Have you ever wanted to ask a group of professional authors anything about writing/publishing? Join the Professional Authors’ Alliance for a casual conversation with four industry pros ready to answer any and all of your questions! |
| PANEL: Censored – Guests: Johnny Worthen, Kelley Lindberg, Andre Gonzalez Intermediate, 1 hour Censorship is on the rise. From sensitive readers to banned books, to sanitizing classics, the charged political climate is taking a toll on authorship. How is this affecting publishing? What does a writer need to know? |
| PANEL: First Book Panel – Moderated by Z.J. Czupor with Special Guests Beginner: 1 hour The RMFW President hosts a discussion with members who published their first book in the last year. Learn what the market is like from those currently in the trenches. |
| PANEL: How AI is Affecting Writers and Writing – Moderated by Z.J. Czupor with T.H. Leatherman, Cath Lauria, Mark Stevens, Matthew Woolums and Stephanie Reisner Beginner, 1 hour AI tools are increasingly being used in a wide range of industries, including writing and communication. These tools can help writers and communicators create compelling content more efficiently and effectively, but while AI tools can be incredibly powerful and useful, it’s also important to understand their limitations and potential drawbacks as well as their ethical implications. |
| PANEL: Independent Publishing Q&A – Guests: Bernadette Soehner, Amy Rivers, Stephanie Reisner, Andre Gonzalez, and T.H. Leatherman Intermediate, 1 hour Join our panel of professional Independently Published Authors, ask questions, and get valuable insight into what it takes to venture out on your own and publish your work. |
| Avoiding the Rabbit Hole: Research in Historical Fiction – Jason Evans Beginner, 1 Hour Do you want to write historical fiction? Don’t know where to start? Do you have a great idea but get frustrated with the research? Has the thought of spending money on books to research your novel kept you from writing it? Then this class is for you! This class is designed to help you guide your research as you write your draft and edit your novel. When we’re done, you’ll learn what and how to research to get the most appropriate info for your novel. |
| PANEL: RMFW Honors Its Founders: An In-Person and Zoom Panel with the Organization’s First Members – Moderated by Z.J. Czupor with Special Guests Beginner, 1 hour Happy 40th Anniversary, RMFW! This panel will star several of RMFW’s founding members, who will show up in person and virtually to talk about our history, their careers, and their gathered wisdom. |
| Plot Your Story In a Day – Mariah Ankenman Beginner, 1 hour Do you want to be a plotter or are you a plotter who’d like to hone your plotting skills? Learn from Author Mariah Ankenman to plot your basic outline in a day using the W Plot method. Get the bones of the story on the page and avoid writer’s block. |
| Point (Of View) Taken – Laurie Marr Wasmund Beginner, 1 hour Choosing a point of view is a must for any author of fiction. Who is telling the story and why? It isn’t always simple to decide. We’ll look at the differences between points of view; how to understand the rhetorical situation of a piece; narrative distance; and the importance of voice. |
| Using Fanfiction to Improve Your Writing – Tasha Christensen Beginner, 1 hour Fanfiction is sometimes looked down on, but it’s actually rooted in the most ancient traditions of storytelling. In this class, we’ll talk about what fanfic is and how it makes you a better writer. This is a hands-on class with writing exercises, so come prepared for creativity! |
| Querying Writer Support Group – Amber Herbert* Intermediate, 1 hour Are you nervous about your pitch appointment? Would you like to talk to other writers about the query trenches, imposter syndrome, or the highs and lows of waiting for that full request or offer of rep? Join us for an informal, attendee-driven discussion. |
| Reading Like a Writer I: Understanding Structure – Gary McBride Beginner, 1 hour We’ve all heard that reading improves our writing. But how we read is just as important as what we read. This 1-hour workshop covers Literary Forensics techniques to analyze form and structure, with a focus on discovering techniques we can apply to our own writing. |
| Revising Your Novel: Turning Your Word Swamp into a Bellagio Fountain – Lisa Hawker Intermediate, 1 hour Your novel’s finished! Now comes the hard part–revising. The overwhelming amount of advice out there (not to mention your own self-doubt) can paralyze you into inaction. This workshop will give you a checklist, strategies, and tools to transform your word swamp into a Bellagio fountain. |
| S.S.D.D. (Same Story Different Direction) – Bernadette Soehner Intermediate, 1 hour They say there are only so many stories out there. So, how do you take the same generic plot and convert it into a Romance, Thriller, or into Science Fiction? In this workshop, we will explore the subtle changes that can be made to a plot to fit different genres. |
| The Sagging Middle of My Career – Laura VanArendonk Baugh Advanced, 1 hour You’re not a newbie—but you’re not quite famous yet. Where do you go from here? We’ll talk about setting/re-setting career goals, prioritizing projects, adjusting strategies on the shifting sands of social media, growth beyond “start an email list,” and more. |
| Screenwriting 101: This Story Would Make a Great Movie! – Karen Lin Beginner, 2 hours Screenwriting is a different beast. But writing a feature-length or short script is not as tough as one might think. Learn how to write a screenplay, about story expectations, hooks, representation, protecting your work, pitching, consultation versus coverage, resources, and how the industry works. |
| The Secret Life of Fairy Tales – Caitlin Berve Beginner, 1 hour To understand the effect fairy tales have on stories today, you have to understand why they were created in the first place: secrets, warnings, and entertainment. We will cover the more common fairy tales, their secret messages, and how they have evolved over time. |
| Setting as Character – Cynthia Swanson Intermediate, 1 hour In memorable fiction, a great setting is a character in its own right. How do you make settings unforgettable without getting bogged down in detail? We’ll look at novels with memorable settings and dive into key components of creating settings that stay with readers after the last page is turned. |
| Social Justice Techniques in Fiction – David Heska Wanbli Weiden* Beginner, 2 hours In this seminar, social justice literature will be examined as a means for stimulating discussion among readers about issues of inequity, injustice, and inequality in society. Participants will learn practical strategies that can be used to write effectively about social, historical, and political issues while staying focused on the creation of an enthralling and compelling narrative. |
| Start Your Publishing Career with Short Fiction – John M. Campbell Beginner, 1 hour This workshop is for beginning writers interested in using short stories to improve their craft and gain a foothold in publishing. John M. Campbell presents resources for learning your craft, identifying markets for your genre, getting paid, and actually seeing your work in print. |
| Success with Standalones – Keirsten Modglin* Intermediate, 1 hour For many authors, we often hear that series are the best (and sometimes only) way to reach readers and build a career. In this class, you’ll learn actionable steps, tips, and tricks to plan, launch, and market standalone novels, and find success doing it! |
| Successful Debuts 101: Avoid Pitfalls and Capitalize on Opportunities – Rob Samborn Intermediate, 2 hours Are you an indie or small press author gearing up for a debut release? Learn what to do – and what not to do – before a launch. |
| Surviving as an Artist – Molly McGhee* Beginner, 1 hour In this workshop, McGhee will discuss how to develop and maintain an artistic practice, manage disappointments, track progress, create rituals, and find creative rhythm all in service of completing ambitious projects. McGhee will work with each student to teach them how to tackle common problems like writer’s block and the (often suffocating) self-judgment that comes with any creative practice. This talk will be particularly helpful for students who love to write but struggle with their confidence in themselves or feel intimidated by ‘ambitious’ projects. McGhee will talk about some concrete methods to manage self-doubt, self-hatred, and self-sabotage. |
| Tactical Writing – Carol Berg and Susan Mackay Smith Intermediate, 2 hours These two successful authors provide new perspectives for considering the mysteries and mechanics of the fiction writing craft of carefully planned actions for achieving specific ends in fiction. |
| Tools of the Pitch: One Line, One Paragraph, One Page – Karen Lin Intermediate, 1 hour Learn to create the most important tools you’ll ever use: a captivating logline, an engaging one-paragraph summary, and a dynamic one-page synopsis. Summarizing in three different lengths helps you understand your early drafts and tease the tale you’ve woven to captivate agents and editors. |
| Using Canva to Up Your Promo Game – Mariah Ankenman Advanced, 1 hour Ever wonder about those amazing graphics you see authors using to promote their books? Learn how to use Canva to up your promo game and get readers excited about your stories from Author Mariah Ankenman. |
| Using Fanfiction to Improve your Writing – Tasha Christensen Beginner, 1 hour Fanfiction is sometimes looked down on, but it’s actually rooted in the most ancient traditions of storytelling. In this class, we’ll talk about what fanfic is and how it makes you a better writer. This is a hands-on class with writing exercises, so come prepared for creativity! |
| Viewing Yourself Through the Page: Gaining Perspective for Self-Editing – Kendra Griffin Intermediate, 1 hour This session will help participants make sound decisions about where to begin editing their WIP and when to ask for help. Most importantly, it will help writers practice some metafictional skills so that we can trick our brains into approaching our own pages with a fresh editing perspective. |
| Vivid & Visceral Sensory Details – Rachel Delaney Beginner, 1 hour To fully immerse readers in your story world, you need to bring it to life with sensory details. This class will teach simple techniques for writing fresh, vivid descriptions that reach out and grab readers, with hands-on prompts for attendees to practice. |
| What a Liar! Creating Historical Fiction Characters from Unreliable Sources – Pamela Nowak Intermediate, 1 hour From research to character development, there is nothing easy about writing about real-life people who were dishonest in their biographies, who hid personal details, or who were dislikeable. |
| The White-Hot Core of Character Motivation – Mark Stevens Intermediate, 1 hour Stories consist of a series of moments with endless choices. What makes the characters do anything? How does emotion play a role in the choices your characters make? To avoid having a story read like a series of plot points, writers can use the power of the moment. |
| Word Choice Matters – Peggy Waide Beginner, 1 hour The suspension of belief a reader makes when reading can be broken with poorly chosen words. On the flip side, the right words will pull your reader deeper into your world. Learn how to make your words story specific so that they evoke emotions and create vivid images with believable characters. |
| Working with an Illustrator – Katy Wood Advanced, 1 hour A lecture on the basics of working with an illustrator for self-publishing projects. How to find illustrators, what sort of contracts to expect, basic pricing guidelines, what information to provide an illustrator, etc. |
| The Writer’s Brain Break – Amy Armstrong Beginner, 1 hour Take some time to destress with guided imagery and learn about how to create a self-care plan that incorporates the seven types of rest we all need to feel restored. |
| Writing for Today’s Teens – Rachel Delaney and Tasha Christensen Intermediate, 2 hours How do you write YA when you’re just an A(dult)? In this class, we’ll discuss how to use YA tropes, incorporate diversity, and ensure your slang isn’t dated. We’ll learn how to craft a deep POV and authentic YA voice to give teens the up-close-and-personal reading experience they crave. |
| Writing War: The Hero’s Journey Through Hell – Laurie Marr Wasmund Intermediate, 2 hours Whether set on Alpha Centauri or 15th-century Earth, the war story is a staple of fiction. But what is a war story? Do all war stories, even those opposed to war, glorify it? We’ll discuss the elements that define the genre, the problems inherent in it, and the ways to reach a 21st-century audience. |
| Writing with a Body Positivity Lens – Rachel Dempsey Beginner, 1 hour Do we avoid the f-word? (The three-letter one.) Embrace it? What constitutes body positivity in today’s market? This workshop will address current trends in body equity in fiction as well as demonstrate how everything from word choice to world-building has the power to hurt or heal. |
| Writing Young Adult – Johnny Worthen Beginner, 1 hour Investigate what makes fiction young adult and also what makes great young adult fiction. From gatekeepers to theme, taboos, and responsibilities, it’s a time of change and we must embrace it. A class for writers and fans of the genre. |
| Yoga for Writers – Kate Jonuska Beginner, 1 hour Forget the sticky mat and stretchy pants! This yoga class can be done in your conference clothes and seated in a chair with no previous yoga experience required. Join yoga teacher Kate Jonuska for 50 minutes of stretching and guided meditation geared specifically toward writers of fiction. |
| Your Opening Pages: How to Make that First Chapter Stand Out – Alec Shane* Beginner level, 1 hour Your opening pages are what agents read first, what acquiring editors read first, and what readers read first. They’re what you send along with your query letter in hopes of getting representation and a book deal. It all starts with your opening pages – which is what makes writing them so stressful. If you want to know what makes a good opener and how to give your book the best chance of that elusive full request, agent Alec Shane will break it down for you. He’ll cover what makes for a strong opener, what agents are looking for in opening pages, some pitfalls to avoid, and try to demystify exactly what publishing professionals are thinking when they consider your work. |
| Zen Lessons for Writers – Johnny Worthen Beginner, 1 hour Join author Johnny for discoveries in Eastern philosophy with their application to the life of an author with its many disappointments. Sessions include directed mindfulness meditation and lecture on concepts that directly speak to the writer’s journey. |
| Zines: The Low-Risk Way to Finding Your Self-Publishing Voice – Kilah Storm Beginner, 1 hour Have you been holding back from self-publishing because you’re afraid to use your beloved manuscript as the guinea pig? Zines might be the answer! Discover what a zine is, how easy it is to make one, and how they can get you started in marketing, finding your audience, and beginning your business. |
