As part of your conference registration options, you will be given the choice of one of the following Workshop Electives from each of the available time slots. Remember, all times are CDT! By registering for the virtual conference, you will also have access to all the workshop recordings for a limited time, post-conference.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are encouraged to study the workshop sessions carefully before registering. ** ALL times are CENTRAL.
Workshop Elective Session 1: Friday - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location:
Presented By: Joy Massenburge
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Writers explore practical strategies to overcome perfectionism, celebrate their unique journey to publication, and cultivate a life of balance and joy.
Presented By: Joy Massenburge
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Writers explore practical strategies to overcome perfectionism, celebrate their unique journey to publication, and cultivate a life of balance and joy.
Workshop Outline:
Location:
Presented By: Karen Witemeyer
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: No matter what genre you write, humor can add a spark of life to your manuscript that will gain an editor's notice and win your readers' hearts.
1. Big Picture - Plotting a. Tropes that lend themselves to humor b. Using a humorous central conflict
2. Quirky Secondary Characters - Crotchety Elders and Precocious Children and everything in between. a. Fewer boundaries than primary characters. They can be outlandish, cantankerous, cute, or silly. They can break social conventions. b. Give them quirks that serve as natural foils to your main characters. c. Children and the elderly can add humor with their lack of filters. d. Utilize unusual occupations or hobbies to set up humorous situations.
3. Zoom in on the Details a. Opening lines b. Ground humor in universal human experience c. The meet cute d. Create situations rich in embarrassment, unexpected trouble, and erroneous assumptions
4. Banter and witty dialogue a. Set up the punch line. b. Create private jokes between your hero and heroine. c. Play on words that tap into your character's idiosyncrasies. d. Teasing e. Sarcasm f. Banter needs to flow naturally and fit with the character's voice and personality.
5. Humorous Character Voice - Deep POV. a. Self-deprecating humor. b. Sarcastic thoughts, wild misunderstandings, humorous observations. c. No two characters should have the same humorous voice. d. Timing is everything. Pay attention to the story arc. e. Humor can be romantic.
6. Other Ways to Add Humor a. Funny analogies b. Use unexpected elements c. Running gags d. Add light to a dark moment
Presented By: Karen Witemeyer
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: No matter what genre you write, humor can add a spark of life to your manuscript that will gain an editor's notice and win your readers' hearts.
Workshop Outline:
I. Stories sharing the relatable realities of comparison, imposter syndrome, measuring up, and other joy-stealers1. Big Picture - Plotting a. Tropes that lend themselves to humor b. Using a humorous central conflict
2. Quirky Secondary Characters - Crotchety Elders and Precocious Children and everything in between. a. Fewer boundaries than primary characters. They can be outlandish, cantankerous, cute, or silly. They can break social conventions. b. Give them quirks that serve as natural foils to your main characters. c. Children and the elderly can add humor with their lack of filters. d. Utilize unusual occupations or hobbies to set up humorous situations.
3. Zoom in on the Details a. Opening lines b. Ground humor in universal human experience c. The meet cute d. Create situations rich in embarrassment, unexpected trouble, and erroneous assumptions
4. Banter and witty dialogue a. Set up the punch line. b. Create private jokes between your hero and heroine. c. Play on words that tap into your character's idiosyncrasies. d. Teasing e. Sarcasm f. Banter needs to flow naturally and fit with the character's voice and personality.
5. Humorous Character Voice - Deep POV. a. Self-deprecating humor. b. Sarcastic thoughts, wild misunderstandings, humorous observations. c. No two characters should have the same humorous voice. d. Timing is everything. Pay attention to the story arc. e. Humor can be romantic.
6. Other Ways to Add Humor a. Funny analogies b. Use unexpected elements c. Running gags d. Add light to a dark moment
Location:
Presented By: Rachel Hauck
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Setting the Stage for a Dynamic Character Journey
Presented By: Rachel Hauck
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Setting the Stage for a Dynamic Character Journey
Workshop Outline:
Using elements of the Hero's Journey, the Story Equation provides tools for authors to build real, empathic characters who have a strong character arc. This inner journey is moved along by the external journey. Elements of the class will be: the dark moment story, the wound, lie, fear, the secret desire and flaw. Also elements such as competence and super power. Asking the big "Why?" Attendees will leave with tools and how to use them.Workshop Elective Session 2: Friday - 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm
Location:
Presented By: Janice Thompson
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Novelists will learn how to use Pinterest as a powerful marketing tool by creating engaging boards, eye-catching pins, and reader-focused strategies that attract book lovers and drive long-term traffic to their books.
1. Why Pinterest? A Goldmine for Fiction Writers * Unlike social media, Pinterest is a visual search engine (not a feed-based platform). * Readers browse Pinterest looking for inspiration, aesthetics, and book recommendations. * Your pins can drive long-term traffic to your books, website, and mailing list.
2. Board Strategy: Organizing Your Content for Maximum Engagement * Thematic Boards Work Best * Creative Board Ideas for Novelists * Live Demo: Optimize a board in real time.
3. Pin Strategy: What to Post to Attract Readers * More than "Buy My Book" Pins! Give the reader an experience. * Types of Engaging Pins:
4. Growth Strategy: How to Gain Followers from Scratch * Leverage Your Existing Readers * Join Collaborative Boards i * Consistency is Key: Pin 10–15 times per day * Engage & Repin
5. SEO Strategy: Keywords & Search Optimization * Pinterest is a visual search engine * Board Title Optimization: * Pin Description Best Practices: * Pinterest Trends & Analytics
6. Engaging Your Readers Beyond Pinterest * Create interactive pins. * Use Pinterest to build your newsletter list. * Encourage Pinterest-based book clubs.
7. Q&A + Actionable Takeaways * Attendee Challenge. * Hand out a Pinterest Starter Checklist to take home.
Presented By: Janice Thompson
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Novelists will learn how to use Pinterest as a powerful marketing tool by creating engaging boards, eye-catching pins, and reader-focused strategies that attract book lovers and drive long-term traffic to their books.
Workshop Outline:
Pinterest Marketing Strategies (Outline)1. Why Pinterest? A Goldmine for Fiction Writers * Unlike social media, Pinterest is a visual search engine (not a feed-based platform). * Readers browse Pinterest looking for inspiration, aesthetics, and book recommendations. * Your pins can drive long-term traffic to your books, website, and mailing list.
2. Board Strategy: Organizing Your Content for Maximum Engagement * Thematic Boards Work Best * Creative Board Ideas for Novelists * Live Demo: Optimize a board in real time.
3. Pin Strategy: What to Post to Attract Readers * More than "Buy My Book" Pins! Give the reader an experience. * Types of Engaging Pins:
4. Growth Strategy: How to Gain Followers from Scratch * Leverage Your Existing Readers * Join Collaborative Boards i * Consistency is Key: Pin 10–15 times per day * Engage & Repin
5. SEO Strategy: Keywords & Search Optimization * Pinterest is a visual search engine * Board Title Optimization: * Pin Description Best Practices: * Pinterest Trends & Analytics
6. Engaging Your Readers Beyond Pinterest * Create interactive pins. * Use Pinterest to build your newsletter list. * Encourage Pinterest-based book clubs.
7. Q&A + Actionable Takeaways * Attendee Challenge. * Hand out a Pinterest Starter Checklist to take home.
Workshop Elective Session 3: Friday - 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Location:
Presented By: Pepper Basham, Mary Connealy, and Julie Lessman
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Calling all romance writers—this is your opportunity to pick the brain of three award-winning romance authors on the pros and cons of writing romance and if time permits, on-the-spot opening-paragraph critiques.
Presented By: Pepper Basham, Mary Connealy, and Julie Lessman
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Calling all romance writers—this is your opportunity to pick the brain of three award-winning romance authors on the pros and cons of writing romance and if time permits, on-the-spot opening-paragraph critiques.
Workshop Outline:
workshop in which three award-winning romance writers answer questions on the romance-ology of writing successful romance. Includes opening-paragraph on-the-spot critiques and paperback giveaways plus free e-copy of Julie Lessman’s writer’s workbook, ROMANCE-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Inspirational and Sweet Markets.
Location:
Presented By: Bethany Turner
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: In this workshop, we'll explore five ways we can choose to respond to rejection and even discover why we, as writers, should be proud of (and even grateful for) our mountains of "thanks, but no thanks" letters.
1. We can choose to quit.
2. We can choose to quit submitting.
3. We can choose to blame.
4. We can choose to ignore.
5. We can choose to learn, keep going, and even celebrate.
Over the course of the hour, participants will be given some valuable tools and taught how to use them. We’ll also set out to not only alleviate the pain of rejection but actually come to see that a pile of rejection letters can be something to celebrate—and, in fact, may be one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal as we journey toward publication.
Presented By: Bethany Turner
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: In this workshop, we'll explore five ways we can choose to respond to rejection and even discover why we, as writers, should be proud of (and even grateful for) our mountains of "thanks, but no thanks" letters.
Workshop Outline:
How a writer chooses to handle rejection will often play a major role in what comes next...after rejection. In this fun and practical workshop, we'll examine the five options all writers have when deciding how to respond to rejection:1. We can choose to quit.
2. We can choose to quit submitting.
3. We can choose to blame.
4. We can choose to ignore.
5. We can choose to learn, keep going, and even celebrate.
Over the course of the hour, participants will be given some valuable tools and taught how to use them. We’ll also set out to not only alleviate the pain of rejection but actually come to see that a pile of rejection letters can be something to celebrate—and, in fact, may be one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal as we journey toward publication.
Location:
Presented By: Lisa Jordan
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Creating a five-year writing plan will help writers define their writing goals and show how to turn their long-term writing dreams into a clear, actionable plan with achievable steps so they will have a clear roadmap for their writing journey as they build a sustainable career.
Presented By: Lisa Jordan
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Creating a five-year writing plan will help writers define their writing goals and show how to turn their long-term writing dreams into a clear, actionable plan with achievable steps so they will have a clear roadmap for their writing journey as they build a sustainable career.
Workshop Outline:
dream of finishing books, getting published, and growing a sustainable writing career, but those dreams can feel overwhelming without a plan. This hands-on workshop is designed to help writers transform their long-term dreams into achievable goals with a clear five-year plan. Writers will define their writing vision, determine the number of books they can write, evaluate what skills they need to develop, and envision the kind of writer they aspire to be. They will break down their objectives into manageable quarterly and yearly milestones, using SMART goals to guide their progress. Writers will also create a realistic writing schedule with achievable daily word counts to meet weekly and monthly goals. The workshop will offer resources for tracking methods and accountability tools that will help writers stay motivated, especially when life intervenes. Writers will create a reflection for each year and leave with a concrete roadmap for their writing journey, ready to turn their dreams into reality.Workshop Elective Session 4: Saturday - 10:15 am - 11:15 am
Location:
Presented By: Cara Putman
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: A series is a great way to hook readers. This workshop by multipublished author Cara Putman will help you figure out what to include in your series bible to make sure you get your details right.
Presented By: Cara Putman
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: A series is a great way to hook readers. This workshop by multipublished author Cara Putman will help you figure out what to include in your series bible to make sure you get your details right.
Workshop Outline:
Location:
Presented By: Sandra Bretting
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Learn the pluses and pitfalls of switching from one genre to another, and discover how to make the move as seamless as possible.
1) Famous authors who switched
2) Why would anyone switch genres?
3) Questions to ask yourself before the switch
4) Immediate problems that arise
5) What's in a name? Pen name pros & cons
6) Consider this before you switch
7) Some things never change, despite the genre
8) Tips for the "after" when you switch genres
Presented By: Sandra Bretting
Level:
Prerequisites:
Full Description: Learn the pluses and pitfalls of switching from one genre to another, and discover how to make the move as seamless as possible.
Workshop Outline:
Switching Genres & Staying Sane1) Famous authors who switched
2) Why would anyone switch genres?
3) Questions to ask yourself before the switch
4) Immediate problems that arise
5) What's in a name? Pen name pros & cons
6) Consider this before you switch
7) Some things never change, despite the genre
8) Tips for the "after" when you switch genres