Event Schedule
More Workshops TBA
Friday Schedule
Saturday Schedule
Alex UpChurch, E.H. Lupton, Chloe Slate, Malinda Andrews, Denis James, Sarah Dawson Powell
Publishing for the Indie Curious
This panel will discuss the pros and cons of Indie Publishing. Learn more aboutthe process from those who have already gone through it. We will highlight differences between Indie and Traditional Publishing, share tips + tricks, discuss marketing, and more!
Saturday, September 13 || 9-9:50 am
Moderator: @TheSmutFiles
Chris Cole, Tilly Bramley, Rebekah Faubion, Melissa Brayden, Bethany Witte-Krantz
Rainbow Romance: Writing Inclusive, Authentic Love
Come join a range of authors as they talk about their motivation and process to write queer characters of all varieties. The group will discuss the importance of inclusive writing, dismantle stereotypes, and explore how this representation impacts readers and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Saturday, September 13 || 9-9:50 am
Moderator: @wanderinbooksbella
Jacklyn Parker, Jayde Seraphine, Krystal Harding, @molly_after_midnight
Love’s Dark Addiction: From Romantasy to Dark Romance
Explore the evolution of dark romance with a panel of bestselling authors as they discuss the shift from romantasy to the intense, sometimes taboo themes of dark romance. Discover how love, obsession, and desire intertwine in stories that push boundaries, captivate readers, and challenge the norms of romantic storytelling. This panel offers a deep dive into what makes dark romance so addictive and irresistible.
Saturday, September 13 || 9-9:50 am
Moderator: @molly_after_midnight
Elle Sprinkle, E.H. Lupton, Jacklyn Parker, Kristen N. Winiarski, Georgia beers
Mild or Wild: Discussing Closed vs. Open Door Romance
Few questions provoke as much heat between romance lovers as that of open vs closed door sex scenes. Join a panel of authors to discuss how they make these choices by taking into account genre and reader expectations, trends, and the needs of the narrative itself. We'll also discuss what goes into creating an intimate scene, whether it involves physical intimacy or not, and more.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am
Moderator: @itsmemckell
Britton Ashley, Katie Mettner, S.Z. Putnam, Tracy Chipman
Celebrating Disability + Mental Health Representation
Join this group of authors as they discuss the nuanced portrayal of mental health and physical disabilities in writing. This panel brings together diverse authors who delve into these intricate experiences, moving beyond stereotypes and tropes to create authentic, accurate, and compelling characters.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am
Moderator: @_rachaelreads_
Khushi T. Saha, Adrianna Schuh, @cynthiareads_
When Cultures Cross: Writing Multicultural Romance
This panel will delve into the importance of including and accurately portraying diverse cultures and backgrounds- such as race, ethnicity, and gender- within written works. Join them as they discuss how readers respond to seeing their cultures and backgrounds represented in literature.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am
Moderator: @cynthiareads_
Elle Sprinkle
Character Construction: How to Build Believable Characters
Want to create characters that feel real? In this hands-on workshop, romance author Elle Sprinkle will give you the blueprint to build well-rounded, unforgettable characters from the ground up. You’ll learn what makes a character compelling, how to develop not only your main character but also strong side characters, and why it all matters to your story.
After a quick lecture on the essentials of character development, you’ll dive into a fun exercise with tools and worksheets to help you construct your character! By the end, you'll have a character so engaging, their story will practically write itself! This workshop is perfect for authors, aspiring writers, and readers interested in character development.
Saturday, September 13 || 9-9:50 am
Tracy Chipman
Inner Harvest: Being Bodies Writing
Please join oral storyteller, author, TRE & somatics practitioner Tracy Chipman for a body-based, creative writing class: INNER HARVEST – being bodies writing.
In this emergent class we will let go of work-a-day, mind-centered ways, tapping deeply into the sensorium of our bodies, listening powerfully to an inner harvest of discovery & experience.
Can you let the mind soften into the body and let your body be your guide to an inner harvest of experience?
How might your life shift if you were fully present in your body, writing as a playful, sensory process of discovery?
Saturday, September 13 || 9-9:50 am
Sara Biren, Rebekah Faubion
Practical Magic: The Critique Partner Relationship
While writing is a solitary endeavor, no writer can go it alone. An important part of the writing process is finding trusted critique partners for your work and nurturing those relationships. This presentation will answer a variety of questions: What is a critique partner and why do I need one? What's expected? What's the difference between a critique partner and beta reader, and a CP and an editor? How do I find critique partners? How do I diplomatically break up with one?
We'll discuss how to nurture and make the most of what can be a magical relationship so that it's beneficial for both parties. There will be time for Q&A at the end of the session.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am
Chris Cole
Are You Okay? How to Write Traumatized Characters Accurately
It's a tale as old as time: I was locked in a tower for eighteen years while my mother used my hair to keep herself young. Or, my parents died in a car accident. Whatever your character's tragic backstory is, they're going to be affected by it, right? But what does that looks like? What are your character's actions/reactions because of trauma?
Licensed Professional Counselor and author Chris Cole takes a look into what trauma does to our brains and bodies, how we as authors can incorporate it realistically into our writing, and other challenges that can come with writing about trauma - including how it can affect you as an author.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am
Alex UpChurch
Making One's Reality
Ever wonder how to make real life personal situations feel alive in a fantasy novel? Or real life events? This hands-on workshop with dark romantasy author Alex UpChurch will help guide you through learning the tools to incorporate real life situations into a fantasy or fictional setting within your writing. Taking from situations that you see, hear, feel, and have experienced into the fantasy world that is being created with also comparisons in works of different authors and how they used their experiences to make fantasy more gripping, impactful, and feel animated in its ability to be alive. This matters in making a fantasy novel more relatable for a wider audience and that is why this is incredibly important to help readers connect with stories.
After a quick explanation on who she is and a brief questioning on the essentials of map building and outlining development on world building, you’ll dive into an interactive exercise with tools and a guide to help get your gears going on how to set your setting, theme, characters with realism! By the end, you'll have a framework for going forward on creating a world with realistic attributes and characters that make you feel that they are real people. This workshop is perfect for authors, aspiring writers, and readers interested in making a reality enter fantasy.
Saturday, September 13 || 10-10:50 am