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 Book Rights 101: Have you ever wondered how book rights work? Maybe you’ve signed a contract, and you’re now wondering what rights you actually agreed to, and what you should’ve held onto? No matter what stage you’re in – whether you’re querying, thinking of signing a contract, or have signed multiple – this practical, no-legalese introductory workshop will give you a clearer understanding of how rights actually work. We’ll talk about what rights you own, what you may have licensed and maybe what you didn’t mean to, and what these mean for your career and future opportunities. We’ll demystify fancy contractual terms and confusing fine print, and help you understand prospective territories, formats, and future opportunities you might not have considered yet. You’ll leave with greater clarity about the options you have and confidence to advocate for yourself.

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 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 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 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, Live-streamed, and Recorded Senior literary agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary breaks down the financial realities of traditional publishing. She explains how book deals work, what profit and loss statements really mean, how subsidiary rights function, and who pays for marketing and publicity. This session offers a clear, practical look at what writers need to understand to approach their careers as a business.

In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded Fiction, like real life, tends to become more complicated, when there’s more than one character. In this workshop, we’ll consider how to build and reveal fictional characters with a focus on interactions, exploring the question: How does a character act when they’re among other people? Please bring something to write with. No experience necessary.

In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded 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.

In Person Only Crime and mystery fiction continues to be one of the most read, most commercially successful genres of creative writing. This course introduces writers to the basic building blocks of mystery and crime fiction writing. From coming up with believable plots, vicious killers and know-it-all detectives, to deciding which style of the genre you want to write in - whether that's straight up procedural to cosy, hard boiled and psychological thriller. The session teaches tricks and techniques in plotting, red herrings, how to create intriguing stories and twists that will have readers guessing all the way to the last page.

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 Attention spans are shrinking. Adults read like kids, kids read like toddlers, and nobody has patience for fluff. In Tighten Your Prose, you’ll learn how to trim the fat and sharpen every sentence without losing voice, humour, or heart. We’ll tackle common culprits; overwriting, repetition, filler words, throat-clearing openings, and “almost” verbs. We’ll practice quick, practical revision moves you can use immediately.  Bring a page (or chapter) of your work and leave with cleaner, leaner prose: the filet mignon version of your novel!

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.

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: You should submit your query before the session. Instructions will be posted on the virtual conference site registrants can access in October. PLEASE plan to attend the class in real time if you submit your query. Not all submissions will be critiqued.

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, Live-streamed, and Recorded 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, 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 Whether you're writing intimate narratives or commercial gift books, the nonfiction titles like yours that you see in stores most likely sold with a proposal, not a complete manuscript. Literary agent Stephanie Winter will take writers through both the typical must haves and the subjective positioning that'll make your project pop. This interactive workshop will arm you with practical takeaways as well as get your creative thoughts flowing.

In Person Only You’ve finished the first draft of your manuscript! Yay! Now let’s make it better. Sandwiched between story development and the final copyedits lies a critical aspect of writing: line editing. This workshop overviews the process of tightening up sentence structures and word choices for maximum clarity, style, and impact. We’ll go through example after example, reviewing sentences for diction, flow, tone, and rhythm, giving you the tools to take your writing to the next level.

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 long-ago events? How have nonfiction writers navigated that remembering which constitutes experiences or events that didn’t happen to the writer, but which they inherited through the memories, images, and behaviours of others? This presentation includes a writing exercise. Participants will have the chance to begin a piece of writing that draws from a long-ago memory.

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, Live-streamed, and Recorded Whether you outline or write organically, staying responsive to the story’s development as you uncover your story is vital. In this fast-paced seminar, we’ll examine the drawbacks and strengths of each approach, and you’ll learn the four questions that will solve every plot problem you might ever have as you write your story.

In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded Write On! In this class, a veteran agent will explicate a winning query letter with special attention to comp titles, advise on submission process, how and when to follow up, share an agency agreement and reveal what's negotiable and what isn't, and discuss the intricacies of the author/agent collaboration.

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 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