Panels, workshops, and presentations in the Craft of Writing Track will focus on the craft and techniques of writing. Plot, character development, and a host of other topics will be covered that will be of value to all levels of writers.
CRAFT Of WRITING
A Brief History of Storytelling: From ancient oral traditions to today’s digital publishing landscape, our panelists discuss the art of telling stories and the future of the craft.
A Poet? You Know it!: Poetry experts discuss the craft of writing effective verse.
Ask an Author: Join our authors for an anything-goes roundtable discussion about the literary world. Bring your best questions and a good sense of humor.
Author on Author Interviews: Moderated by Lee Martindale – Authors break into teams and interview each other.
Congratulations! It’s an Anthology!: Anthologies are a good way for readers to find new authors without a large investment. Come learn how anthologies work, why they’re popular, and what Anthology editors expect from their submissions.
Cover Lovin’: Regardless of genre, cover art is often an author’s first and only shot at hooking a new reader. But what makes a good cover? Come get the skinny on choosing an appropriate cover for your work.
Crafting a Hero(ine): Every book needs a strong lead character. Authors discuss best practices for building strong, believable heroes and heroines that shine in any genre of fiction.
Creating Your Space – How Authors Find Their Zones: It’s not easy being an author in today’s fast-paced society. We’re constantly pulled in so many directions that sometimes it’s hard to find the time to sit and write. Sometimes we have to take control and make time to write. Come hear from our authors about their writing spaces and the techniques they use to get back to their worlds despite their busy schedules.
Faith in Fiction: Whether it’s contemporary religious fiction or a fantasy novel where religion plays a major role in the events of its world, there are both right and wrong ways to utilize characters’ faith to tell a story.
Finding the End: Getting to those two beautiful words isn’t always easy. Panelists discuss how to end a story while avoiding plot holes and kitchy tropes.
How to Build a Better Bad Guy: Heroes are important, but having a strong villain can make or break a story. Learn how to make your bad guys the best they can possibly be.
LGBT Themes in Popular Fiction: Our panel, well-versed in LGBT fiction, discusses the rising trends across all fiction markets and how to properly execute these themes in your work.
Plotters vs. Pantsers: The age-old war rages on: are you a plotter or a pantser? Or are you something in between? Come hear our panelists talk about their storytelling prep work.
Pulp Fiction 101: What is Pulp Fiction? This panel will cover the history of pulp writing and how today’s trends differ from the stories that started it.
Writers as Real People: Writing can be demanding, isolating, and exhausting. Writers often struggle with depression, self-esteem issues, or chronic health problems. Learn how our writers find balance in a life where they’re often juggling day jobs, works in progress, backlists, marketing, public appearances, and a personal life.
Stop Telling & Start Showing: New writers often find themselves falling into the dangerous trap of over-descriptive narratives. While flowing descriptions of scenery and characters help pad word counts, what industry pros have come to call “purple prose” is a serious no-no for any publisher. Listen in and learn when description works and when it’s better to just get to the point.
The Pen Name: Many authors choose to write under a name that is not their own. If you’ve ever considered choosing a new name for your literary self, be sure to stop by this panel and hear the arguments for and against pseudonyms.
The Plot Thickens: Sometimes plots can be tricky things, full of holes or overly complicated. Sometimes they just don’t work no matter how you try to mold them. Our authors will be talking about how to keep your plot in check while toeing the line between too much and not enough.
The R-Word: Tips and suggestions for effective research to go with your writing.
What to Write…: Keeping up with all of the ideas in a writer’s brain is no easy task. And just because we have ideas doesn’t mean they’re all good ones. This panel will help you sift through the clutter and find your way to picking out the best ideas and getting them on paper.
Writing for Children: Everyone knows keeping the attention of a child isn’t easy. Keeping a child’s attention with a book is even harder. Our panelists discuss what goes into writing children’s literature, from important themes to plotting and final output.
Writing Serial & Episodic Fiction: How to write in pieces and keep your readers coming back for more. Our authors share tips and techniques for building a story in multiple parts.
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