Beginner Track

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Write From the Seed James Persichetti

Whether planning, writing, revising, or pitching a book, it’s easy to get distracted by the minutia. As authors, one of our hardest tasks, and essential skills, is identifying the heart of our story. Without it, plots get lost, characters lose their power, and query pitches make no sense.

This class is all about identifying and refining the core of your book. Whether you’re on the fourth draft or haven’t started writing, finding the seed of your story will put you on track and turn a good book into a great one. It’s about peeling away the layers of plot twists, characters, and world building, and articulating the core human experience your book is exploring. After you find it, how do you write to that heart and how do you pitch it?

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

First Chapter Essentials Callie Stoker

First chapters are hard. So much information has to be front loaded in order to avoid info dumps and steep learning curves. Know what information is vital in a first chapter and the best techniques for layering this information in an interesting—not overwhelming—way.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Multi-Dimensional Character Webs – James Persichetti

We want our characters to be multi-dimensional, but what does that mean? What even is a “dimension” in story terms, and how do we make interesting, authentic characters that are multifaceted? This course dives deep into character dimensions and and discusses how to create a cast of characters in a dynamic web that challenges and brings out the qualities of these dimensions.

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

The Final Word: Power at the End – Darby Karchut

As writers, we know the value of an engaging opening scene or chapter to hook a reader. Just as important, however, is the story’s ending. A compelling finale and a perfect realized closing line have a powerful magic of their own, no matter if your book is one in a series or a standalone. In this workshop, we’ll explore six classic endings and why they work, and examine some nifty tools to help you wrap up your masterpiece, and turn your reader into a fan.

 

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Traditional Track

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Your Path to Publication. Traditional, Indie, Hybrid, Self? Come, Look Behind the Curtain and See the Truth for Yourself – Rebecca Taylor

There has never, ever, been a better or easier time for a writer to see their work in print. We have more options and avenues to publication than ever before. However, with all these choices it can be difficult to know which path is the best for you and your career. Whether you are pre-published or a multi-published author looking to make a shift, being thoroughly educated about your publishing options is your best resource for making informed decisions about your writing career.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Get Your Evelyn Hugo On and Learn to Write Unlikable Characters – Deb Courtney

It’s easy to write a likable main character. But how to you write a main character that isn’t so likable, and why would you want to? This session walks through WHY you might write an unlikable main character, and how to execute that character so that they are relatable for the reader.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Write Worlds Your Readers Won’t Forget – Stant Litore

Like a god, you get to invent a world. Maybe several. But how do you make these worlds that readers want to visit? How do you make them worlds that readers never want to leave? In Stant Litore’s unique Write Worlds Your Readers Won’t Forget workshop, explore how to create unforgettable environments, creatures, and cultures. (While this workshop will be especially useful for writers of speculative fiction, it is not exclusively for SF&F writers. All fiction involves some element of worldbuilding. A crime scene, a dinner banquet, the restaurant in which a first date is held are all miniature worlds with their own conditions for (social) survival. An unexplained body in the library can be an “unforgettable creature” that exerts pressure on the characters and creates opportunities for plot, and a multigenerational mafia family can have its own unique and unforgettable subculture, no less than a civilization of forest elves or intergalactic spacefarers. Come learn how to make your fictional world unforgettable!)

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

How to Write: According to Amazon Reviews – Callie Stoker

Every writer wants a good Amazon review, right? We look at real Amazon Reviews and mine them for the things readers love and hate most in the books they read. Some are funny, some are angry, others hold some golden clues to what we can catch in our own novels before releasing them into the jungle.

 

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Indie Track

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Dollars & Sense of Authorpreneurship Elizabeth Chandler

This practical workshop equips with a success formula for independent authors. Publishing is a business and most best business practices apply. But they don’t have to be scary or mysterious! If you’re serious about making money off your fiction, and are willing to put the “work” in workshop, Dollars & Sense covers it all:

• Traditional vs. Self-Publishing
• Writing faster & smarter
• Writing to market
• Launching to Market
• The business of books

Connect with other workshop participants with mind-body exercises designed to establish trust and respect – and possibly future co-writes. Participate in journaling – psst! People who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than those who don’t. Identify your market sweet spot for the best opportunity of topping the rankings.

Conquer keywords and categories – there is a very right way to make them work for you! Uncover successful authors in your genre and engage with them. Yes, we’ll be emailing your potential mentors in the workshop. Learn how to build ads and measure their results for your biggest return on investment.

Plus, gain access to valuable checklists, spreadsheets, tipsheets and roadmaps to give you the confidence to be a Writer @ Work.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Multi-Media Marketing Map – Susan Mitchell

Digital media is evolving at a rapid pace, and writers are a big part of the digital landscape. From social media to YouTube, to Podcasts and maintaining an online presence, what avenues are a fit for you and your work? Start making a road map by employing a data driven mindset to develop strategies, measure success and keep your momentum up as both a writer and digital marketer.

2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Promote Yourself and Your Project Like a Pro – Susan Mitchell

Having a great project is only half of the battle when it comes to getting your work seen. You also have to sell yourself. Why are you the person to tell your story? And how can you make your passion part of your project pitch?

Learn how to present your project log line and your personal log line like a pro! Attendees will also learn how to create a one-sheet to encapsulate their project pitch and bio in a super sell-able format. This session is all about getting comfortable talking about yourself and your work with confidence and taking advantage of turn-key tools used to market multi-media projects.

 

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Master Track

John DeDakis – From Novice to Novelist

 A series of topic-specific workshops designed to deconstruct and demystify the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. You’ll learn how to stay organized, how to create diverse characters, the art of rewriting, and how to overcome your writing and marketing fears. By the end of the series of workshops, you’ll be prepared to begin work on a novel and will be equipped with the skills to perfect it.

Morning Session – 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

How to Write a Novel

A practical 15-point plan that demystifies and deconstructs novel-writing — from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We’ll discuss how to tap into your subconscious and life experiences to transform them into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We’ll also look at strategies for finding an agent, marketing the finished product, and facing your writing and marketing fears.

Deep Listening for Writers

This session is an invitation to consider every interaction as an opportunity to listen fully and seek to understand another’s experience. The goal is to learn ways to follow one’s curiosity about people of other genders, races, ages, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds with an eye on creating interesting and varied characters.

How to Write a Key Scene

A key scene is an essential building block in any work of fiction. In this session, you’ll learn tips and strategies for making the scene you see in your head come alive on the page so that your reader is compelled to keep turning the pages, rather than turn out the light. Writing exercises will give class members a hands-on feel for how to add texture, dynamism, and drama to a story. The session also provides practical, hands-on guidance about the rewriting process. An added benefit: giving and receiving critical feedback.

Afternoon Session – 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

How to Stay Organized – Creating Order from Chaos

There are a lot of moving parts in a novel. The trick is to keep track of them as you do your writing work. In this session, we’ll explore strategies for how to avoid getting discouraged when your creativity feels chaotic.

Buffing and Polishing

The best writing is REwriting. In this session, you’ll learn practical ways to put your writing on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim and hot.

Getting an Agent…and Getting Noticed

Writing’s the easy part. The hard part is stepping out of your solitary comfort zone and trying to convince someone else that they should read your book. In this session you’ll learn how to attract an agent and how to market yourself using strategies that are tailored to your personality.

Facing Your Writing Fears

Not only is writing a lonely process, it can be downright scary – especially if you’re shy, or an introvert. In this session, which includes brief writing exercises, we’ll look at understanding what frightens us — and how to get beyond those fears.