Saturday

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded What exactly is subtext? How can you employ it in fiction and memoir to reveal all sorts of interesting things about your characters and their relationships? What people say and don't say, what they mean versus what actually comes out of their mouth, the underlying truth that goes unspoken... these things tell us a lot about the people in our books. Whether you write romantic fiction or simply want to deepen your readers's understanding of your characters and their relationships, join our panel to discuss how to use subtext to make your writing richer.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded It’s common knowledge that rejection rates in this industry can be over 90% percent, and you have likely felt this bitter sting on more than one occasion, but do you really know why? Sit in on an eye-opening session with agent Sorche Fairbank and dig into the murky world of rejection. Learn what some standard rejection phrasing means (i.e. agent-speak), why so may rejections are simply a form letter; find out of you are guilty of one or more of the top twenty reasons for rejection, participate in a frank discussion about second chances with agents and publishers, learn when to listen to advice and when to chalk things up to subjective difference, and how best to turn a no into a yes or a maybe.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded A lot of us deal with sagging middles -- and we're not just talking about our physiques! This session will explore why and how a novel might lose steam half-way through the telling, and how to address the slow-down. We will look at techniques for making your middle not only engaging but essential to the very essence of your story by injecting action, upping the stakes, developing character flaws, and introducing secondary plot lines to propel your novel into its final satisfying act. Through exercises and examples from your own works-in-progress, we’ll aim to tighten up and invigorate the core of your book.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Writing for a world that already exists requires many of the same tools as writing for your own - compelling characters, a well-paced plot, a well-drawn setting - but adds a few new challenges and opportunities to the mix. In this workshop, we'll take a look at what it means to write for an existing intellectual property (IP), from how to get inspired by the work of those who came before you to figuring out how much sand you can kick up in someone else's sandbox to striking the balance between serving the fans and fanservice.

In Person Only At the end of a series, readers have been in it for the long haul. They're counting on you to pull together all the hanging threads of a long-running, multi-novel story in a climax and finale that satisfies all character arcs. No pressure! Join our panel of series authors and agent to discuss getting the ending right.

In Person Only Books have the power to create change. But in an era marked by rising book bans, online hostility, and backlash against diverse stories, writing can be difficult for writers whose stories -- and identities -- are targeted. Author Robin Stevenson knows this firsthand: many of her books have been banned or challenged for their LGBTQ+ content. Join her for a conversation on writing as a form of activism. How do we resist the urge to self-censor? And how do we stay true to our voices, tell the stories we want to tell, and write the books our readers need?

In Person Only Dorothy Allison said, “When a writer is successful in using a story taken from experience, it is not told exactly the way it happens, but in the way that reveals, through all one’s beliefs, hopes, and fears, how the event should have happened.” In this workshop, we will discuss how to take real-life experiences and transform them into fiction, asking the question: What can I add, change, or subtract to make this a more compelling story? Please bring something to write with. No experience necessary.

In Person Only Writing a picture book is like writing a poem--every word must count. In this session we’ll examine the structure of great picture books and discover how to craft plots that captivate readers. You’ll learn powerful techniques to shape your story’s rhythm and pacing—whether you're writing in prose or verse.

Online and Recorded In this workshop we'll dissect the crucial link between viewpoint and setting. On one level, a character’s personal spaces (home, office, car...) can provide insight into personality and past and even hint at secrets. On another level, setting filtered through that character's viewpoint not only creates a sense of place but can also be used to show character, trigger memories, reveal mood, drive suspense, and more. Lecture, examples, and in-class exercises.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Is there anything better than escaping into a book? The best books, no matter the genre, create seamless worlds that engage all our senses and all our emotions. As a writer, how do you make your world immersive and engaging? All elements need to work in harmony, not just the setting. Our panel will discuss the challenges of world building and how to use it to help make your book one that keeps people up reading well past their bedtimes.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Unleash your inner (or not so inner) weirdness. In this workshop, we’ll investigate the odd and unexpected. From characters with strange secrets to stories with surprising point of view characters, you’ll learn how to craft unusual stories by subverting the norm. Through brainstorming and creative prompts, we’ll explore how to write stories that leave people guessing. Come prepared to throw storytelling “rules” out the window and dive into stories that will help you develop your own unique style.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Wondering how book rights work? This introductory class will walk you through what rights you hold as an author, how they can be sold, and what that means for your career.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded You want to write your memoir - it’s time! Your life is a wild ride of stories, with years of experiences, joys, heartbreak and thrills. How much do you share when deciding to write your memoir? What events or years do you focus on? How much of each event or experience do you share, and not over share? In this workshop we’ll outline tools to find clarity, explore the events in your life, and find ways to share them that will feel cathartic for you, and will enthrall readers.

In Person Only Characters grow and change over the course of a novel, but we all know change isn’t easy. Using the same psychology theories and techniques that help people in the real world, this workshop explores what motivates change, how individuals move through the different stages of change, and how people push though challenges and barriers.

In Person Only Anyone planning on a long-term career as an author needs to be prepared for the highs and lows of the publishing industry. This workshop will cover strategies for how to get back in the query trenches after your agent ghosts you, handling your book release when your editor leaves the imprint, self-promotion when your debut bombs, and how to keep your head up and the words flowing even when you're in the pit of despair.

In Person Only In this class you will experience the creative freedom that comes from allowing chance into your composition process. You will witness firsthand how to make something out of what’s given and the awesome power of the unexpected.

In Person Only In this 75-minute generative workshop, you’ll move through a series of short, focused prompts designed to unlock memory, spark imagery, and reconnect you to the emotional texture of your past. You’ll also have the chance to experiment with folding these fragments into existing work—or planting them as seeds for something entirely new. Expect movement, momentum, lots of writing, and a chance to write from a place of truth.

Online and Recorded Writing a tight and clean query can be tricky if not sometimes confusing. What elements are essential to capturing the attention from the get-go? Bring your query and join agent Karly Dizon from Fuse Literary for the Query Intensive Critique and Editing virtual class to receive feedback on your work. We'll deep dive into the elements that work as well as opportunities to improve. Note: If you want to remain anonymous, you can submit your query before the session. Instructions will be posted on the virtual conference site registrants can access in October.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Our ever-popular first-page reads panel is back! Mary Robinette Kowal reads your first page submissions aloud to our panel of agents. When they'd stop reading if your page was a submission, Mary Robinette stops reading, and we hear why they agents said they'd stop. This panel is a GREAT way to see what kinds of common errors and writing weaknesses put agents off. Come and learn what makes an excellent first page. (For attendees: Instructions for submissions will be available on the virtual conference site the week of the conference.)

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Oscar Hammerstein II once said, “I know the world is filled with troubles and many injustices. But…I just couldn’t write anything without hope in it.” Finding that hope can be difficult, sometimes. Even focusing on writing in hard times can be a challenge. But we writers process our lives and our world through our stories, and those stories matter to readers. Learn how powerful hope can be, and how our choices can help to create it, for our stories and ourselves.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Learn tips on how to build a brand and find your audience through social media and in-person events. Xio Axelrod caught the attention of readers and major publishers before she published her first novel, all through her branding and her engaging public appearances. Find out how to use your storytelling skills and creativity to create buzz, boost sales, and attract loyal and enthusiastic readers.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded This seminar will examine the ways in which to develop, identify, and reveal the theme(s) of your fiction. We'll analyze the use of symbols, image patterns, and setting as techniques to express your themes and subthemes. We'll also examine other strategies regarding theme to deepen your work, and we'll take a look at examples from literary and genre fiction.

In Person Only One of the trickiest skills in writing is dramatizing scenes that pull readers into the story. In this workshop, we'll break down what “showing” really means, when to use it, and how to do it well. With well-crafted examples and hands-on tips, you'll learn how to elevate your prose and bring your stories to life.

In Person Only Everyone wants to write a story that’s different and original. But great stories are almost always structured around common plot elements that give the story drive, momentum, and life. In this workshop, you’ll analyze the static and sequential plot points (story goals, consequences, inciting incident, mid-plot twist, etc.) of popular movies and novels so you can learn how to dissect and think critically about how stories work. Then you’ll be on your way to writing a great one yourself!

In Person Only Time alters everything it touches, including our memories. How does our understanding of the mutability of memory—that we romanticize it, invalidate it, revise and furnish it with fictions—influence the stories we distill from the past? How have nonfiction writers dealt with that “remembering” which constitutes experiences or events that didn’t happen to us, but which were passed down to us through the memories and stories of others? This presentation includes a writing exercise.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Join our panel of historical fiction writers for an in-depth discussion about researching historical fiction and dragging yourself out of research rabbit holes to actually write it. Topics will include research methods and sources - traditional and non-traditional, how to research the often-hidden histories of marginalized communities and women, the challenges of writing historical fiction, and lots more. Bring your questions!

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Stalled middles and stuck characters don’t have to stay that way. Whatever your type of story, learn how to turn suffering into seeking, along with the use of crisis, plans, schemes, gambles, enemies, prosecutors, jailers, agents of chaos and the propulsive power of “right now” in this hands-on workshop.

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded Sara Megibow worked in data analysis in the high tech world for almost a decade before transitioning to publishing. There is quantifiable data that influences profit potential for authors - not much of which we can control but all of which we can discuss and understand. Learn how distribution, formats, subsidiary rights and publicity affect the money we make on our books and how the genre of a book and where the author is in their career comes in to play. Plenty of time for Q&A!

In Person, Livestreamed, and Recorded The words “chase scene” mean different things to different people. Some immediately think about car chases like The French Connection while others favor the outrageous boat chases that seem to pop up in every James Bond movie from Quantum of Solace to From Russia With Love. However, whether plane, train, or automobile, the one thing all of these famous chases have in common is that they aren’t simply gratuitous action—they are designed to develop character, build tension, evoke emotion, and advance the plot. Join this session to learn five easy steps to writing a chase scene that will keep your readers riveted to the page.

In Person Only Learn how to employ time-tested techniques of best-selling authors to improve your novel writing. This workshop will focus on catching and holding the reader's attention in the first three pages, as well as how to improve your dialogue, point of view and avoid common mistakes - the seven deadly sins that can get a manuscript rejected, as well as how to create and sustain tension, the key to keeping readers turning the page.

In Person Only Plot is for readers who prefer car chases and seductions to Deep and Eternal Truth®, right? Wrong. Without plot — fascinating people doing shocking deeds and leaving us suspensefully reading long past our bedtimes — you've written a pamphlet, not a story. Plot makes us say, “How are they ever gonna get out of this disaster?” and “Please, just talk to her and sort it out!” and “Don’t go meet him at that restaurant! You know what he’ll do!” Learn the structures and secrets for making readers turn pages so you can also make them laugh, cry, and discover your eternal wisdom.

In Person Only The backbone of any romance novel is the romantic relationship. Romance novelists are skilled at showing characters fall in love with each other while the reader falls in love with the characters. In this workshop, Farah will cover techniques to show increasing emotional intimacy by focusing on both the mind and the body. Themes, character growth, and emotions will be discussed, as well as physical expressions of intimacy. This workshop would be of value to romance writers, or writers of other genres who want to improve the romantic relationships in their stories.

In Person Only Using James Baldwin and Audre Lorde as our guides, we'll discuss how writing from a place of investigation and discovery expands our creative practice and encourages a more liberating approach to artmaking. A generative workshop, "Embracing the Unknown" features writing prompts and interactive activities to help us "recognize and nurture the creative parts of each other without always understanding what will be created.” —Audre Lorde