2025 Panels and Workshops – Imaginarium Convention

Below is a list of our Panel and Workshop Programming for 2025!

Imaginarium 2025 will feature over 135 Panel and Workshop sessions, so be sure to check back to this page regularly to see all the new additions in each category!

Panels are listed first, followed by all the workshops. Read through topics, descriptions, and presenters below!

Access all of our programming with an Advance Event Ticket!

To get Advance Event Tickets to register for Imaginarium 2025, please visit: https://www.entertheimaginarium.com/2025-event-tickets/

Panels

Writing and Publishing Panels

Audiobook Narration Vs AI: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on the rise of audiobook narration utilizing AI and the ethical ramifications of using such technology. (60 min)

Crafting Cross-Genre: Moderator TBA. A discussion on writing within the vast multitude of genres and how to blend them effectively.

Creating Culturally Diverse Characters: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on why representation matters in literature and the impact a writer can have creating diverse characters.

Critique Groups: A Writer’s Friend or Waste of Time?: Moderator – Alan Goldstein. Writer’s groups are often cited in the acknowledgments of books, including many successful authors. But can you benefit? This panel explores the many faces of critique groups, how they function, meeting frequency, factors to measure success, and determining whether their goals and objectives mesh with yours.

Dr. Moreau’s Laboratory: Animal Mashups and Chaos: Moderator – Barbara V. Evers. Panelists become mad scientists using an animal mashups card deck. Moderator selects 2-4 animal cards. Panelists imagine an animal mashup and write a couple of sentences of the first encounter with their creation in a story. The audience votes for their favorites. We play as many rounds as time permits, and the overall winner earns bragging rights. (2 hrs.)

Final Drafts: Moderator TBA. We will discuss the main issues to check before handing over your manuscript to an editor, beta-reader, or publisher.

Inspiring Poetry: Moderator – TBA. We will discuss ways to inspire and inform your poetry. How to use art, people, culture, activism, emotions to drive your creativity.

It Came From the Lemur Throne: Moderator – Clayton Barnett. One of two special panel sessions featuring members of the Lemur Throne circle of writers, and a few curious others, from the Upper Midwest! Panelists will read from their current works, while AI images generated from the text of each story are displayed in a slideshow style. These panels are visual experiments in author readings spotlighting a variety of writing styles and voices!

Language Barriers in Dialogue: Moderator TBA. How to prevent misunderstanding and ineffective dialogue, assuming your reader will have limited understanding of the language or dialect within your dialogue.

The Literary Underworld: Moderator – Elizabeth Donald. A lot of people are really confused by the concept of an author-small press cooperative, and it makes for a fun panel to talk about what we do, what we don’t do, and how a cooperative can help your writing career.

Little Lemur on the Prairie: Moderator – Joe Isenberg. Another special panel session featuring four members of the Lemur Throne writing group, along with a few special others, who will be reading from their tales alongside a presentation of AI images generated directly from the words of the text. A visual experiment in author readings spotlighting a variety of writing styles and voices!

Modern Sub-Genres: Moderator TBA. Learn about modern sub-genres and how to utilize them in your writing.

Psychology in Fiction: Moderator – Eleni McKnight. How do you make your fictional characters feel real? This panel explores the practical application of psychological principles in fiction writing. Discover how to develop nuanced motivations, believable reactions, and compelling internal conflicts. Our panelists will share insights on researching psychological concepts, avoiding stereotypes, and using psychology to drive plot and theme, ultimately enriching your storytelling.

Researching Myths & Legends: Moderator TBA. Authors will share their researching journeys and insight, and discuss their favorite resources.

Sci-Fi Through the Ages: Moderator TBA. Join us in a discussion of Sci-Fi writing through the years, from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea to writing modern dystopian horrors. Learn how you can take your writing above and beyond, putting your spin on a modern Scientifiction tale.

Self Editing: Moderator TBA. Learn why writers can not self-reflect their manuscript critically and why beta-readers and hiring a professional editor are so important.

Slushfest: Moderator – Barbara V. Evers. Get a peek at how an agent or editor evaluates your submission. Writers anonymously submit the first page (double-space, 12 point font) of their manuscript at the beginning of the session. A moderator reads the page aloud and panelists raise their hand at the point where they would stop reading. Once over 50% of panelists have raised their hands, the moderator stops reading and the panelists explain why they raised their hand or why they didn’t. Gives great insight into how to get your manuscript past the slushpile. (2 hrs.)

Using AI Ethically: Moderator TBA. How to use AI as a effective tool and not become dependent on it for your writing or art. Examples include research and concept development.

What the Hell is Hopepunk?: Moderator – Adam Gaffen. What the Hell is Hopepunk? (And why you should absolutely care.)This is an underrecognized and underappreciated genre. We will discuss the origin of Hopepunk, some of the current books that represent it well, and why it’s necessary despite other related forms like Solarpunk, Noble Bright, and Utopian fiction.

If Grimdark is about fighting because everything is awful and nothing matters, hopepunk is about fighting because everything matters—and you refuse to give up on it.

Hopepunk is speculative fiction with guts and heart. It’s not naive or utopian—it knows the world is broken, systems are rigged, and the odds are steep. But it chooses to believe in people anyway. It chooses kindness, resilience, and community, not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.
Think The Martian—where science, stubbornness, and human connection beat the vacuum of space. Or Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers—where found family and cross-species diplomacy are the real fuel for galactic survival.

Hopepunk heroes aren’t chosen ones or perfect knights—they’re messy, flawed folks who link arms, get back up, and build something better. It’s rebellion with a warm heart. Resistance wrapped in compassion. And in a world drowning in dystopia, hopepunk says: No. We are not done yet.

Writing Through “Blocks”: Moderator TBA. Whether you ‘believe’ in writing blocks or not, at some point we have all struggled with productivity. Seasoned writers will share their struggles and how to push through your own blocks.

Content Creation, Social Media, and Podcasting Panels

Content Creating: Moderator TBA. Current You-Tubers and Social Media Influencers share tips on how to produce content, with the goal to market and self express.

Using Social Media Effectively: Moderator TBA. This panel will explore the algorithms and tools of the larger platforms and help you understand what each can effectively offer.

Filmmaking and Screenwriting Panels

One Fans Trash: Moderator – James Sabata. Do you have a horror movie you passionately defend, even though it’s universally panned? Join us as we dive into those cinematic outcasts that, for some reason, hold a special place in our hearts. We’ll champion our favorite misunderstood gems, explore why they resonate with us. Will we get others to give these films another chance or will this panel be the double tap that puts them away for good?

So You Want to be a Filmmaker?: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on how to make your idea into a film. Learn what equipment you will need in today’s productions, budgeting tips, organizing your team, and the art of wearing many hats.

Gaming Panels

coming soon

Miscellaneous Panels

Writing & Wrestling II: Everything Comes Back to Wrestling: Moderator – Dwan L. Hearn. Regardless of the topic of conversation, you can always bring it back to the topic of the greatest form of theater, wrestling. Also true, whatever you do in the creative space, from fantasy writing to film-making, you can tie back to pro-wrestling. Join us for a discussion where we share how watching and studying wrestling can help any and all Creatives.

Music Panels

Synopsis to Song: Moderator – TBA: How to transfer your book synopsis to song and how to use it to market your brand.

Workshops

Writing and Publishing Workshops

All You Need Is Word: Presenter – R.C. Reid. For beginning authors and folks who like to keep things simple and cheap, this workshop walks through specific features of Microsoft Word, with plenty of real-life examples and demonstrations, which can make writing easy and effective, no matter how you like to do it.

The Art of Writing Weapons: Presenter – B.A. Richards. Join B.A Richards as he describes the main types of weapons, show how to turn everyday objects we carry into weapons, and discuss how to make your own sci-fi and magical weapons — and how to break them. He will be bringing prop swords to show.

Ask The Agent: Part I: Presenter – Cherry Weiner. Take the guesswork out of the query process! This dynamic session provides a unique platform to directly engage with a literary agent. Ask your most pressing questions about submissions, agent-author relationships, what makes a manuscript stand out, and more. Gain firsthand knowledge and valuable feedback to elevate your publishing aspirations.

Ask the Agent: Part II: Presenter -Cherry Weiner. A round-up session to get answers to questions that you may have discovered you wanted to ask during the convention and did not get a chance to. Any time left over during this session will be filled in with agent Cherry Weiner’s stories of her journey as an agent, the authors she has met, and anything that might, again, raise questions.

Battle of the Word Counts. Presenter – Rebecca Johnson. How to boost your word count effectively without causing your story to drag AND how to trim your count to speed pacing or meet submission specifications. Will address redundancy, showing vs telling, additive information, and other cutting room strategies.

Being Creative During Times of Grief & Trauma: Presenter – Tim Bischoff. Making progress on your writing during times of Grief or Trauma does not look the same for everyone. It’s ok that writers deal with difficult times in different ways. As the old saying goes “When it Rains it Pours”, can be overwhelming. Sometimes it’s better “To Dance Between the Raindrops” and focus on the smaller things. to continue forward while dealing with the deluge of Grief or Trauma. Come join me to share experiences, remedies and support with fellow authors.

Better Beta Reading: Both Sides of the Pen: Presenter – Morgan Hazelwood. Writers can’t get better without feedback. Maybe you’re a writer yourself, trying to figure out how to best use the feedback you’re given — or if it’s useful at all. Maybe you’re just willing to read your friend’s work and give them feedback, but aren’t sure exactly what to say past “I liked it” or “It kinda sucked”. This workshop should help both readers and writers.

Building Believable Worlds for All Genres: Presenter – Ava Cuvay. It’s not just a Sci-fi thing. Worldbuilding is a crucial aspect of any story in any genre. Award winning, bestselling author Ava Cuvay outlines why, how, and what to avoid to enhance your worldbuilding thought processes for a truly engaging story. (There might be a few Star Wars references! 🙂 )

Clash of the…Egos? Collaborating with a Partner: Presenters – Elizabeth Bevarly and Lorena Peter. Two heads really can be better than one, even among volatile creatives. Writing with a partner can be both productive and fun. Elizabeth Bevarly and Lorena Peter, who have been writing screenplays together for fifteen years, will talk about their process when it comes to melding two visions into one, who brings breakfast and who fixes lunch, and how to write THE END without killing each other first.

Crafting a Career in Non-Fiction: Presenter – Anthony Taylor. Typically non-fiction writers earn more than any other genre of authors. We will discuss what makes a non-fiction book interesting,researching the topic, and how to make it relatable to readers.

Crafting a Sympathetic Protagonist from Scene One: Presenter – Zac Sherman. This workshop will provide an overview of eight protagonist traits that can be highlighted in the first scene to generate character sympathy. Participants will then be divided into small groups and given an unlikable character. They will have the chance to modify that character, using their choice of sympathy traits, and then share the results with the whole group.

Creating a World-Class Workshop: Presenter – Paul Stansbury. This workshop is for those who want to learn how to develop and conduct entertaining and informative workshops.

Crafting Your Novel’s Story Structure: Presenter – Angie Andriot. Struggling to wrangle your brilliant story ideas into something that actually makes sense on paper? This hands-on workshop will guide you through three essential steps: clarifying your “why,” building a compelling protagonist, and mapping key plot points. Perfect for first-time authors or writers stuck in the murky middle, this session will help you shape a structure that supports your vision—without killing your creative spark.

D20 Plot Generator: Presenter – Amanda-Grace Shultz/Amethyst Drake. Struggling to come up with new ideas? Learn a fun and creative plot generation strategy using dice! This DIY approach is fully customizable to your genre and personal writing goals: hands-on, brainstorming workshop with opportunities to put the technique into practice.

Death, Taxes and Freelancing: Presenter – Elizabeth Donald. Let’s face it, if we were good with money, would we be writers? Learn how to manage the money side of being a writer and file with Uncle Sam in ways that helps keep you from paying too much while also not going to prison. Elizabeth Donald is not a tax professional, so don’t sue, but she’s been doing her own bookkeeping and taxes for freelance writing and other entrepreneurial misbehavior since 1994 and knows ways to help the math-challenged figure out the money stuff.

Diversification Strategies to Build an Ironclad Author Career: Presenter – Lydia Sherrer. Come learn proven strategies for diversifying your operations and exploiting your IP to the fullest in order to create stability and longevity for your career.

As the independent author industry matures and technology advances to bring more opportunities to individual entrepreneurs, there are a myriad of traditional as well as new and innovative ways for authors to exploit their Intellectual Property, grow their brand, and find new income streams. Join award-winning and USA Today-bestselling author Lydia Sherrer to learn proven strategies for diversifying your operations and exploiting your IP to the fullest in order to create stability and longevity for your career.

Intended audience: Emerging and established authors

By the end, the audience will understand:

How to balance your core income activities with new diversification opportunities

What sorts of diversification strategies are available (different media types, publishing avenues, retail platforms, and creative ways of exploiting your writing skills and story IP)

How to determine what diversification opportunities are right for you

Draw Me a Story: Presenter – J.C. Daniels/Shiloh Walker. A workshop focused on how to use visual cues to build complex, layered characters.

Essay Me This: Crafting Compelling Narrative Nonfiction: Presenter – Alisa Childress. In this hands-on, generative workshop, you will learn to create a personal story others want to read. I will introduce you to various types of essays and ways to structure creative nonfiction to best showcase your voice. We will discuss what makes a creative nonfiction piece compelling to the reader and many ways to get your piece out into the world.

Firearms: A Primer for Fiction Writers: Presenter – John Bukowski. Many genres, including thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and even romance, may involve firearms. Yet many fiction writers have little understanding of this topic. In my one-hour workshop, I go through the basic types of modern firearms (pistols, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, etc.), how they work, the common calibers, and the pitfalls to avoid when writing about them (eg, putting a silencer on a revolver). I base this upon my fifty years of experience with firearms and my ability to simplify and demystify the basics for the average writer. I taught this course for the first time last year at Imaginarium and it was very well received. Many stayed until 3 PM on the last day of the conference to hear it. There were so many questions that it actually ran late. I think it met a substantial unmet need and would love to repeat it.

The Future is Burning: Crafting Compelling Climate Fiction: Presenter – Diego Tovar. Climate fiction (Cli-Fi) is more than just a genre—it’s a movement that combines storytelling with urgent environmental themes. This workshop explores the fundamentals of crafting Cli-Fi narratives that engage readers while addressing global challenges like climate change, environmental justice, and resource scarcity. Participants will learn how to:

-Build rich, believable worlds affected by climate change or with climate change themes.
-Develop characters that represent diverse perspectives on environmental issues.
-Balance the science and the fiction for compelling, fact-based storytelling.
-Create narratives that inspire hope, fear, or action.
-This session is ideal for writers interested in speculative fiction, dystopian narratives, or storytelling with a purpose.

Generational Storytelling: How To Share & Preserve Your Family Stories: Presenter – Jessica Starks. Generational Storytelling: How To Share & Preserve Your Family Stories. Jessica Starks This workshop teaches participants what generational storytelling is, how to tap into memories, ways to preserve those memories, and how you can use generational storytelling and memorywork in your writing or preferred art form.

Historical Recreation of Late Victorian and Edwardian Ladies’ Garments: Presenter – Dr. Conni Spotts. This session is led by DR. Conni Spotts who holds a PhD in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design. She will demonstrate the Keister System of scientific ladies’ tailoring and pattern drafting. Participates will draft (or view how to draft) a basic bodice with actual measurements and learn how the Keister Method translates the measurements into a pattern draft and ultimately into a finished muslin.

How to Make Your Book a Pleasure to Read: Presenter – Dan ‘The Word Weaver Pro’ Eveland. The layout and type you use should not even be noticed. The goals of good layout/typesetting is to use signals to let the reader know what language structure they are currently in, such as a heading, paragraph, sentence or quote.

Readers have been conditioned from a very young age to recognize these signals unconsciously so they can understand what a section of text is for without having to consciously figure it out. For them it is familiar, comforting, and expected. That is the form. What the words say is, for the most part, is completely unrelated. Confuse them with a plot twist, not some odd treatment of the text. Bad layout and type treatments will force them out of the world you have created back to a reader trying to interpret what a screen or paper page is trying to convey.

This session will explore the proven standards that have been used for centuries, and how to adapt them to your own books.

How to Plot Out Your First or Next Best Seller: Presenter – Eva Vertrice. Eva will explain to participants some of the various types of plotting that are out there and then detail out her method of plotting. She will walk participants through her process and discuss how she found it to be more practical & easier to follow as a writer, particularly if you have multiple characters & storylines.

How to Write and Create an Audio Drama/Fictional Podcast: Presenters – Devin Hylton and Tim Miller. An in-depth look at the process of producing an audio drama, pre-production, the writing process, the audio process, and how to direct actors in this new and exciting medium.

How to Write Funny: Presenter – Virginia Smith. Humorous writing goes beyond telling jokes; learn how to infuse your writing with humor. This workshop will present techniques for instilling humor in fiction, including the Anatomy of a Joke, Phrasing for Impact, Overstatement, Understatement, and more. Each technique is illustrated with examples from published works. Come prepared to laugh and learn!

Idea Tree Outlines: Presenter – Amanda-Grace Schultz/Amethyst Drake. Turn your 1 sentence story idea into an outline for your next book. This hands on workshop is appropriate for writers at all stages and levels, plotters, pantsers, and everyone in between. Will include time to put the outlining technique into practice.

Indiepublife: Make a Short, Easy Book Trailer. Presenter – Page Zaplendam. Increase your book marketing content by creating a book trailer! From software to sourcing materials and bringing it all together, this 30-minute tutorial will show you how to create your own unique, short book trailers perfect for all social media platforms.

Follow up the instructional with a 30-minute live demo, where Page will create a book trailer for Quanta Publishing’s newest release, Noblesse Oblige Stellaris.

Length: 1 hour in two parts
Part 1: 30-minute Instructional
Part 2: 30-minute Live demo

Interviewing Your Characters – Unlock Their Deepest Secrets: Presenter – Lynn Tincher. Ever feel like your characters are holding something back? In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to “interview” your characters to uncover their hidden depths, motivations, and quirks. Using a structured yet creative approach, we’ll dive into thought-provoking questions that bring characters to life, strengthen dialogue, and enhance storytelling. Whether you’re developing a new character or refining an existing one, this session will help you craft well-rounded, authentic personalities that leap off the page. Come prepared to ask tough questions—your characters might just surprise you!

Interviewing Your Location – Bringing Your Setting to Life: Presenter – Lynn Tincher. Your setting is more than just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing part of your story. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to “interview” your location to uncover its personality, history, and hidden details. Through guided prompts and creative exercises, you’ll explore how setting influences mood, character interactions, and plot development. Whether you’re crafting a bustling city, a haunted mansion, or an enchanted forest, this session will help you create immersive worlds that feel as real as your characters. Get ready to ask your setting the tough questions—it has stories to tell!

Killing Off Your Characters: Presented by Barbara V. Evers. It has to happen. Characters must die. But how do you do this effectively? Let’s explore the hallmarks of a satisfying death scene and what you need in order for your readers to care. (60 min)

Like, Love, Lust: The Art of Romance: Presenter – B.A. Richards. Learn the Art of Writing a Romance. In this workshop we will look at what parts of a romance is important to readers, how it can be integrated into ANY genre, and some time at the end for spicy talk.

Making Use of History and Legends: Presenter – Heather Graham. This is your gateway to weaving rich, historical tapestries into your writing. Unearth the secrets of the past and legendary tales, transforming them into compelling narratives with a modern twist. Perfect for writers ready to bring history and myth to life.

Marathonarium 3 (A Premium Exclusive Workshop): Presenter – Stephen Zimmer. Get ready for a new 3-Hour Short Story Marathon at Imaginarium 2025, where your completion of a short story gets you published in the third volume of our Imaginarium Convention Marathonarium Anthologies!

The Marathonarium 3 workshop will be conducted by award-winning author, editor, and podcaster Stephen Zimmer, and will include a short presentation focusing on marathon-style writing and the craft of writing short stories.

At the end of the presentation, the three-hour creative writing adventure begins!

The presentation will begin at 5 PM on July 17th.

At 5:30 PM, we begin writing.

By 8:30 PM, each participant will transmit his or her story to Stephen for the next steps, which will include editing and time for you to make any needed corrections or revisions to your short story.

Then, the stories will be published in the Marathonarium Anthology Volume 3, which will be released in both print and digital formats, with proceeds supporting the Imaginarium Convention! Stories are non-exclusive, meaning that you will be able to use them in any project that you would like!

Limited to just 18 participants and a small additional fee involved. To see full information on the Marathonarium 3 Workshop and sign up for it, please visit: https://www.entertheimaginarium.com/marathonarium-3-premium-workshop-sign-up-form/

Military ranks and Structure: A Primer for Fiction Writers: Presenter – John Bukowski. Many genres deal with the military, yet many writers are unfamiliar with military structure, chain of command, ranks, etc. This proposed course would outline and contrast the ranks used by different branches of the military, the different disciplines involved (armor, infantry, engineers, intelligence, etc.), and the organization of military units (platoon, company, battalion, etc.) I have been an ardent student of military history for close to sixty years and am well-versed in these areas. Like the firearms primer, I think that this course would fill an unmet need.

Pantheism and Theology in Fantasy: Presenter – A.P. Zenk. Exploring how these concepts are considered within the genre and offer guidance for authors interested in integrating faith-based systems into their works.

Pitch to an Agent Session: Presenter – Cherry Weiner. Get your manuscripts noticed. Deliver a compelling 3-5 min pitch that will effectively capture the agent’s attention and make a strong first impression. There will be a sign-up at the registration counter for those interested. Slots will fill up fast, so I suggest signing up as early as you can.

Pitfalls on the Pathway to Publication: Presenter – R.G. Yoho. In this presentation, R.G. Yoho will share a number of mistakes he made as a young writer/author, and what you must do to avoid them.

Point of View: Presenter – Sharon LaCour. A discussion of the problems of establishing and maintaining a POV in fiction with writing prompts, exercises, and critique.

Public Speaking for Creatives: Presenter – Barbara V. Evers. You need to promote your creation, but you fear speaking or not knowing what to say. Let’s take a look at how to find opportunities, how to create and deliver an effective message, and what to do about nerves/imposter syndrome. (60 minutes)

Publishing Through the Ages: Presenter – Heather Graham. An immersive workshop diving into the evolution of publishing. From ancient scripts to digital platforms, explore how storytelling has transformed and what the future holds for writers passionate about the art of the written word.

Pump up Your Prose: Presenter – Ava Cuvay. Give your writing a six-pack that has nothing to do with your hero’s abs. Award winning, bestselling author Ava Cuvay offers a list of craft rules to help trim down and beef up the power of your writing for maximum storytelling impact.

Revealing Character Through Active Setting: Presenter – Dr. Mary Leoson. This session focuses on how fiction writers can create an active setting to make characters more dynamic; this approach supports “showing rather than telling.” This is a generative writing session, so participants walk away with words on the page.

Santiago’s Healing Mental Health with Motivation and Humor through Entertainment: Presenter – Santiago Cirillo. This dynamic workshop brings actor/author Santiago Cirilo from the entertainment world to discuss the surprising and significant role of motivation and humor in healing and maintaining mental well-being. He will share personal experiences and professional insights on how finding the funny, embracing uplifting messages, and engaging with entertaining content can provide comfort, reduce stigma, and inspire hope on the path to mental wellness. Expect a lively conversation that blends vulnerability with levity.

Short Story Writing: Presenter – Arlan Andrews, Sr. This is an instructional workshop on “Short Story Writing” with a focus on science fiction and fantasy.

Skeletal Analysis for Authors: Presenter – Sara Marian. In this workshop, archaeologist & author Sara Marian will discuss how bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists go about estimating features of a deceased person’s identity, as well as a crash course on how different types of trauma show up on skeletonized remains.

Stories That Sparkle: Presenter – Virginia Smith. Grip your readers with a story that sparkles by applying Sparkle Tips that address techniques for the creating tensions, seamless sensory description, avoiding throw-away words, and adding backstory that enhances the plot without hijacking it.

Structure and Narrative Tension: How to Hold a Story Together: Presenter – Eilot Parker. Narrative structure in creative writing isn’t just storytelling. It’s the components that ultimately build a story. In this 75-minute interactive workshop, participants discuss and learn ways to create narrative tension within a story along with some techniques that can help hold a story together so that the reader keeps turning the pages. Using Peter Benchley’s book Jaws the framework for discussion, participants will examine some types of narrative structures and how to determine if they might be the best one to choose for their story. This workshop is good for novice writers or experienced writers looking to add strength and depth to their narrative.

Supercharge Your Sales by Mastering the “Emotional Promise”: Presenter – Lydia Sherrer. Readers don’t buy books because they want a book. They buy books because they want an emotional experience. It is your job as the author to convey through your brand, your newsletter, your social media presence, and your ads exactly what kind of emotional experience readers will get. Join Lydia Sherrer, USA Today bestselling- and award-winning author, as she teaches you how to craft your marketing to attract readers in droves with an emotional promise they can’t resist.

Intended audience: Emerging and established authors

By the end, you will understand:

How to apply your brand’s emotional promise to each area of your marketing

The psychology that drives people to buy books

What an emotional promise is and how it generates sales

How to discover the emotional promise of your particular brand or book and tailor it to your audience

Syllabic Poetry Writing Challenge: Presenter – Erynn Crittenden. A challenge for poets of all ages and stages! Come learn about three different poetry forms (the Monosyllabic, the Etheree, and the Dizain) that take the use of syllables to a whole new level. Then, write your own!

Unique Poetry: Presenter – Lee Pennington. Presented by award winning and Pulitzer Prize nominated author, poet, playwright, filmmaker Lee Pennington. Discover how to become totally aware of one’s environment to become a successful poet.

Using Email Marketing to Convert Casual Acquaintances into Superfans: Presenters -Marilyn Barr & S. Cinders. We live in the rise and fall of social media platforms. An author can spend years cultivating a following only to wake up one morning and find it gone. Email marketing gives authors control over their follower list, but what if you put starting a newsletter at the bottom of your to-do list? How can an author attract readers interested in purchasing their books instead of just freebie seekers? Automations and reader magnets sound more like engineering topics than writing, so what are they? Once an author has that shining list of subscribers, how do they maintain readers’ interest let alone motivate them to click on the links within the letter? Experts in book marketing recommend newsletter swaps as their number one marketing tool, but how do authors plan those? In this workshop, we will shine a light on the black box of email marketing and give authors the tools to build their army of superfans. It doesn’t have to be a painful chore on a long-list of must-dos.

Ways to Have Fun Doing Paranormal Research: Presenter – Heather Graham. Unleash your inner investigator with ‘Ways to Have Fun Doing Paranormal Reasearch.’ Dive into the mysterious world of the supernatural, learning techniques to explore the unknown with a blend of curiosity and playfulness. Perfect for curious minds eager to delve into ghostly tales and paranormal phenomena.

Weaving Multiple Narratives Into One Great Story: Presenter – Michael Knost. In this two-hour workshop, we will learn the intricacies of crafting multiple (seemingly standalone) story threads into one novel. We will focus on a subtype of parallel narrative called Fractured Tandem where, step by step, the connections of outwardly independent stories are revealed in your novel.

We will learn how to:

Best weave these stories into one epic tale.
How and when to transition to and from one another.
How to make each thread not only relevant to the whole, but also to each and every other thread.

The West Memphis Three Case: A Case Study in Wrongful Convictions: Presenter – Dan Stidham. A seminar regarding the West Memphis Three Murder Case, Wrongful Convictions and Criminal Justice Reform.

What Your Fight Scenes Are Missing and How to Punch Them Up: Presenter – Meadoe Hora. Writing action scenes can be tough to nail. We’ll go through the difference between fight scenes in movies and those in books, talk about the purpose underlying every action sequence, the parts that make up a fight scene and ways to make yours unique.

Writing Habits That Stick: Presenter – Elizabeth Donald. They say if you do something every day for 21 days, it’s a habit. But not all habits are good ones! Develop good writing habits that help you produce strong work and avoid the dreaded writer’s block to set and meet your goals as a writer. Come prepared to share things that work for you – or really, really didn’t – so we can all learn from each other!

Writing for Change: Weaving Social Justice into Fiction with Care and Impact Synopsis: Presenter – Jay VanLandingham. Fiction has the power to shape perspectives, build empathy, and inspire action—but how do we incorporate real-world issues into our stories in a way that is respectful, inclusive, and compelling? In this workshop, we’ll explore strategies for weaving current events and social justice themes into fiction without feeling preachy or forced. We’ll discuss the importance of research, authentic representation, and nuanced storytelling to create characters and narratives that foster empathy and reflection in readers. Through guided exercises and discussion, authors will learn how to craft stories that resonate, challenge assumptions, and inspire change while staying true to their creative vision.

Writing the Past: How to Create Believable Historical Fiction: Presenter – Vonn McKee. Fiction writer Vonn McKee discusses writing in the “cracks between the facts.” Or, how to balance accuracy with creativity. She will share tips on finding inspiration, research resources, and deep storytelling methods.

Writing the Real West Versus the Hollywood West: Presenter – Johnny D. Boggs. It’s not that any Western writer wouldn’t want to have a novel or short story compared to a classic movie. Who wouldn’t want to be likened to Red River, High Noon, or The Wild Bunch? And writers can learn a lot from studying scripts from a masters like Burt Kennedy (7 Men from Now) and William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). But when putting together Western prose, writers might consider moving away from Hollywood influences and think more about the real, gritty American frontier that was often far removed from white hats, black hats and saloon gals with hearts of gold. Johnny D. Boggs, a nine-time Spur Award winner and recipient of the Western Writers of America’s Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement, discusses the grit and grime of the Old West that usually do not make it into a movie script while pointing out that writers can also learn a few tricks by watching Westerns, and studying screenplays, the good, the bad, and the so-so.

Writing With Mechanical Keyboards: Presenter – T.R. Benjamin. This panel explores how using mechanical keyboards can enhance the writing experience. Topics include ergonomics, programmability of keyboards, portability, and ease of use. There will be mechanical keyboard at the panel for panelist to try out and see how the keys feel. Benjamin Rittgers has written about mechanical keyboards in 2600, The Hacker Quarterly.

Content Creation, Social Media, and Podcasting Workshops

Gaming Workshops

Story to Table: A Game Design Workshop for Creators: Presenter – David Sherrer. Got a world, series, or story you’d love to turn into a board game? This hands-on workshop is designed for authors and creators looking to adapt their books or IP into engaging tabletop experiences. Learn the basics of game design, explore how narrative and mechanics intersect, and start developing a concept that brings your world to the game table. No prior game design experience needed—just bring your imagination and your story!

Filmmaking and Screenwriting Workshops

How to Successfully Make a Short Film: Presenter – Austin Sheehan. Have a story burning to be told through film? This workshop is your launching pad! Discover the key ingredients for successfully making a short film that captivates audiences. We’ll break down the filmmaking process into manageable steps, empowering you with the tools and techniques to bring your vision to fruition, regardless of your experience level. Get ready to roll camera on your short film journey!

Writing your Screenplay Synopsis: Presenter – Michael Fitzer. Crafting a powerful synopsis is an essential skill for any screenwriter looking to capture the attention of producers, directors, and audiences alike. In this immersive workshop, you’ll learn how to distill your screenplay into a concise, engaging summary that effectively conveys its core story, themes, and emotional impact. Whether you’re pitching to a festival, submitting to competitions, or refining your logline, this session will provide expert insights on structure, style, and what makes a synopsis stand out. Come ready to sharpen your storytelling and transform your film idea into a compelling pitch!

Music, Cosplay, and Miscellaneous Workshops

A Journey From Concept to Live Performance: Presenter – Terry Chambers. Representing historical figures through performance art:

Step 1: Research and Select Your Topic

Step 2: Outline Your Script

Step 3: Write the Script

Step 4: Rehearse and Refine with props and costuming

Step 5: Perform and Reflect

Create Your One-Person Show: A Step-by-Step Guide: Presenter – Terry Chambers. Ever wondered what it takes to create a one-person show but you’re unsure where to start? Join performance artist Terry Chambers for this one-hour workshop designed to give you a sneak peek into the exciting world of solo performance. This session, open to creatives of all levels, is perfect for beginners too. No prior experience is required—just a curiosity and a desire to learn!

Discover a hands-on method for shaping your concept and bringing it to life on stage. You’ll learn how to choose a topic, build a compelling story, and even tackle the basics of staging and costume design, as well as explore the budgeting and marketing aspects of the production side of the business.
Chambers, a seasoned storyteller and entrepreneur, will help you gain real insights with creative tips in a relaxed, no-pressure environment. This is your chance to get a taste of what it takes to create something truly unique. Come for the inspiration, stay for the practical advice, and leave with the confidence to explore your own creative potential. Sign up now and see where your imagination can take you!

Songwriting Secrets: Where Craft Meets Magic: Presenter – Micki Fuhrman. Join award-winning Nashville songwriter Micki Fuhrman as she analyzes the elements of a great song and shares methods for writing your own lyrics and melodies.