KEYNOTE: J. C. Cervantes
Life is a Game of Inches (and Grit)
Life can hit hard, the odds can stack against you, and dreams can shatter. So how do you get up again and again? How do you keep moving forward when the world tells you “no?” Here’s a well-kept secret: The successful aren’t the most talented; they’re the ones who know that their goals and dreams are won inch by inch. They know that grit comes from deep within and can’t be manufactured or sold. In this inspirational talk, J.C. will share her own journey, the inches she thought were too long, how she overcame doubt and rejections, and where she found her own grit.
Life is a Game of Inches (and Grit)
Life can hit hard, the odds can stack against you, and dreams can shatter. So how do you get up again and again? How do you keep moving forward when the world tells you “no?” Here’s a well-kept secret: The successful aren’t the most talented; they’re the ones who know that their goals and dreams are won inch by inch. They know that grit comes from deep within and can’t be manufactured or sold. In this inspirational talk, J.C. will share her own journey, the inches she thought were too long, how she overcame doubt and rejections, and where she found her own grit.
SESSION 1
Workshop 1: Writing for Film and TV with Nick Zayas
A look inside the life of a working screenwriter balancing both film and TV projects. We'll discuss the difference between feature and episodic storytelling, the craft of breaking story, the daily grind of churning pages, the business of collaborating, how a writers room works, how to break into the industry, and everything Nick wished he knew in high school.
A look inside the life of a working screenwriter balancing both film and TV projects. We'll discuss the difference between feature and episodic storytelling, the craft of breaking story, the daily grind of churning pages, the business of collaborating, how a writers room works, how to break into the industry, and everything Nick wished he knew in high school.
Workshop 2: MG vs. YA Cage Match: Which One Are You Writing, and How Can You Tell with Barrie Summy and Margaret Dilloway
Authors Barrie Summy and Margaret Dilloway discuss the differences between the two genres and how to determine which one your book is trying to be.
Authors Barrie Summy and Margaret Dilloway discuss the differences between the two genres and how to determine which one your book is trying to be.
Workshop 3: Your Story Is Your Power: Storytelling that's uniquely you with J. Elle
Author voice is hard. It just is. And yet, author voice is one of the most authentic and impactful things you can bring to your writing. The Your Story Is Your Power workshop explores ways to tap into telling stories that are uniquely you. This workshop will cover two of my secret strategies for coming up with story ideas inspired by our own experiences. In addition to discussion, we’ll put pen to paper to warm up those story brainstorming creative juices. We’ll also get an inside look at my development of Rue, the main character in Wings Of Ebony—the Twitter story pitch that blew up in October 2018. I’ll also give you the inside scoop on how Twitter pitch contests can be a great fast track to getting your story in front of publishing professionals. As an added bonus, anyone that attends the Your Story Is Your Power workshop will receive a complimentary critique on their opening 500-words by me! (Critiques will be done after the conference, via email.)
Author voice is hard. It just is. And yet, author voice is one of the most authentic and impactful things you can bring to your writing. The Your Story Is Your Power workshop explores ways to tap into telling stories that are uniquely you. This workshop will cover two of my secret strategies for coming up with story ideas inspired by our own experiences. In addition to discussion, we’ll put pen to paper to warm up those story brainstorming creative juices. We’ll also get an inside look at my development of Rue, the main character in Wings Of Ebony—the Twitter story pitch that blew up in October 2018. I’ll also give you the inside scoop on how Twitter pitch contests can be a great fast track to getting your story in front of publishing professionals. As an added bonus, anyone that attends the Your Story Is Your Power workshop will receive a complimentary critique on their opening 500-words by me! (Critiques will be done after the conference, via email.)
Workshop 4: Turning a Familiar Story Upside Down: The Art of Retellings with Nikki Katz
Cinder, Dorothy Must Die, Throne of Glass, The Wrath and the Dawn ... so many popular young adults are rooted in retellings ... including Nikki's book, The Midnight Dance. In this workshop Nikki will walk through how different elements of fairy tales can be weaved into your own unique story. Whether you're plopping the characters into a new setting or picking plot pieces to fold into a new narrative, retellings are a great starting point to writing something new. Be prepared to dissect a fairy tale and take the parts that work for you.
Cinder, Dorothy Must Die, Throne of Glass, The Wrath and the Dawn ... so many popular young adults are rooted in retellings ... including Nikki's book, The Midnight Dance. In this workshop Nikki will walk through how different elements of fairy tales can be weaved into your own unique story. Whether you're plopping the characters into a new setting or picking plot pieces to fold into a new narrative, retellings are a great starting point to writing something new. Be prepared to dissect a fairy tale and take the parts that work for you.
session 2
Workshop 1: Six Secrets for Great College Essays with Chris Hamilton
Well, perhaps they’re not secrets, exactly. But Chris Hamilton, a founder and principal of several international college consulting companies, will share six insights you must know to write a compelling and effective college essay. For instance, why is Aristotle—a 4th-century Athenian with a bad comb-over—essential to creating a great college essay? And why is your college “essay” not really an essay at all?
Well, perhaps they’re not secrets, exactly. But Chris Hamilton, a founder and principal of several international college consulting companies, will share six insights you must know to write a compelling and effective college essay. For instance, why is Aristotle—a 4th-century Athenian with a bad comb-over—essential to creating a great college essay? And why is your college “essay” not really an essay at all?
Workshop 2: Taking the Tragedy Out of LGBTQ Young Adult Fiction with Amy Spalding
For so long, stories about queer teen characters were mired in tragedy: bullying, ostracism, and death often prevailed. Happy queer young adult stories are finally getting their chance to break out into the mainstream. This workshop will help you get started in generating ideas, and begin writing your own happily-ever-after young adult novel. Participants will walk away with the seeds of a new young adult novel, or a refined outline/updated beginnings of a first draft of a previous idea. Participants will gain a fuller idea of typical tropes in storytelling, and how they can use the power of their own identities to fuel, flip, and subvert these. Participants will get a chance to share ideas with others, to receive encouragement on new ideas. Participants will leave with the inspiration and ideas necessary to get through a first draft. This workshop is designed to imbue novel-writing and storytelling with fun and lightheartedness.
For so long, stories about queer teen characters were mired in tragedy: bullying, ostracism, and death often prevailed. Happy queer young adult stories are finally getting their chance to break out into the mainstream. This workshop will help you get started in generating ideas, and begin writing your own happily-ever-after young adult novel. Participants will walk away with the seeds of a new young adult novel, or a refined outline/updated beginnings of a first draft of a previous idea. Participants will gain a fuller idea of typical tropes in storytelling, and how they can use the power of their own identities to fuel, flip, and subvert these. Participants will get a chance to share ideas with others, to receive encouragement on new ideas. Participants will leave with the inspiration and ideas necessary to get through a first draft. This workshop is designed to imbue novel-writing and storytelling with fun and lightheartedness.
Workshop 3: Getting Published 101: Query Letters, Agents and Submitting Your Work with Natalie Lakosil
Everything you need to know about submitting your work to editors, agents and publishers, including how to write a stand-out query letter, and how agents work. Will workshop writing your hook in-presentation.
Everything you need to know about submitting your work to editors, agents and publishers, including how to write a stand-out query letter, and how agents work. Will workshop writing your hook in-presentation.
Workshop 4: Injecting Real Characters into Not So Real Fantasy with Sara Wolf
Sara Wolf, author of YA/Fantasy Bring Me Their Hearts and the NYT-bestselling Lovely Vicious series, helps you tackle the task of constructing viscerally believable, honest, and breathing characters within a fantasy setting rife with unbelievable things. Bring your friends AND your enemies!
Sara Wolf, author of YA/Fantasy Bring Me Their Hearts and the NYT-bestselling Lovely Vicious series, helps you tackle the task of constructing viscerally believable, honest, and breathing characters within a fantasy setting rife with unbelievable things. Bring your friends AND your enemies!
Session 3
Workshop 1: Building a Sci-Fi World with Stephanie Diaz
Author and editor Stephanie Diaz will walk you through the steps it takes to create a richly imagined science fiction world that readers will want to get lost in—and give you tips to write about it without falling into the dreaded trap of info-dumping.
Author and editor Stephanie Diaz will walk you through the steps it takes to create a richly imagined science fiction world that readers will want to get lost in—and give you tips to write about it without falling into the dreaded trap of info-dumping.
Workshop 2: Shaina's Declassified Self-Publishing Survival Guide with Shaina Krevat
Have you ever wondered how self-published novels find their way into the world? In this workshop, we'll learn the steps to self-publishing, go over the variety of options you have along the way, and discuss the overall benefits of taking control of your book's fate.
Have you ever wondered how self-published novels find their way into the world? In this workshop, we'll learn the steps to self-publishing, go over the variety of options you have along the way, and discuss the overall benefits of taking control of your book's fate.
Workshop 3: Hone Your Craft with Flash Fiction with Cornelia Feye
Can you tell a story in 250 words or less? The answer is yes! We'll be studying the building blocks of writing strong short fiction, along with some writing exercises to put your new tools into practice. Flash fiction is fun and addictive, it's also one of the best ways to keep practicing the fiction writing tools you'll need to complete longer works.
Can you tell a story in 250 words or less? The answer is yes! We'll be studying the building blocks of writing strong short fiction, along with some writing exercises to put your new tools into practice. Flash fiction is fun and addictive, it's also one of the best ways to keep practicing the fiction writing tools you'll need to complete longer works.
Workshop 4: Coloring Your Voice: Use of Simile and Metaphors in Poetry with Amen Ra
The workshop consists of an example performance of two of my poems then leads into a simile/metaphor literary device exercise to educate young writers on how to use these in poetry. It would follow with a free write, then the last portion will allow students to share their work out loud.
The workshop consists of an example performance of two of my poems then leads into a simile/metaphor literary device exercise to educate young writers on how to use these in poetry. It would follow with a free write, then the last portion will allow students to share their work out loud.
session 4
Workshop 1: Seeing the World Through Your Character's Eyes with Greg van Eekhout
Setting and description are more than just lists of adjectives. The details your character perceives tell us as much about them as it does their surroundings. We'll workshop descriptive passages from our own writing to reveal what our characters sense, think, and feel.
Setting and description are more than just lists of adjectives. The details your character perceives tell us as much about them as it does their surroundings. We'll workshop descriptive passages from our own writing to reveal what our characters sense, think, and feel.
Workshop 2: In the Beginning: How to Write a First Paragraph That Will Make People Want to Read More with Laura Preble
What makes someone want to keep reading a book or story after the first paragraph? Is there an irresistible something that hooks a reader and won’t let go? This hands-on writing workshop will help you begin to craft a killer first paragraph. Please come with writing materials and/or a laptop and an idea or a character you’d like to develop. (But if you don’t have those, come anyway. You can brainstorm.)
What makes someone want to keep reading a book or story after the first paragraph? Is there an irresistible something that hooks a reader and won’t let go? This hands-on writing workshop will help you begin to craft a killer first paragraph. Please come with writing materials and/or a laptop and an idea or a character you’d like to develop. (But if you don’t have those, come anyway. You can brainstorm.)
Workshop 3: Fast and Furious: Writing Great Action Scenes with James Matlack Raney
This workshop will help you turn your story into a real page turner. We'll break down what makes action scenes unique and important, look at how to set your action scene up for success, and break down the components of a well-written, heart pounding action scene. Get ready to push your writing into overdrive, and get your readers’ pulses racing!
This workshop will help you turn your story into a real page turner. We'll break down what makes action scenes unique and important, look at how to set your action scene up for success, and break down the components of a well-written, heart pounding action scene. Get ready to push your writing into overdrive, and get your readers’ pulses racing!
Workshop 4: Let's Plan a Murder Mystery with Kathy Aarons
Join author Kathy Krevat to learn how to write a murder mystery. We'll discuss creating feasible victims, sympathetic sleuths and believable villains, planting and hiding clues, pointing to and clearing red herrings, and solving the mystery with a satisfying ending. We'll also work together to create a unique mystery right in the classroom.
Join author Kathy Krevat to learn how to write a murder mystery. We'll discuss creating feasible victims, sympathetic sleuths and believable villains, planting and hiding clues, pointing to and clearing red herrings, and solving the mystery with a satisfying ending. We'll also work together to create a unique mystery right in the classroom.
session 5
Workshop 1: Taking Your Book to Hollywood with Jonathan Maberry
NY Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s V-WARS series will debut on Netflix this summer, starring Ian Somerhalder (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES). Jonathan will decode the mysteries of the Hollywood experience and talk ABOUT taking your writing from the page to the screen.
NY Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s V-WARS series will debut on Netflix this summer, starring Ian Somerhalder (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES). Jonathan will decode the mysteries of the Hollywood experience and talk ABOUT taking your writing from the page to the screen.
Workshop 2: Character is Destiny: The Importance of Character in our Plot with T. Greenwood
Learn how the main character of your story can be the key to discovering your plot. Learn how to develop the key attributes of your protagonist to help move your story forward.
Learn how the main character of your story can be the key to discovering your plot. Learn how to develop the key attributes of your protagonist to help move your story forward.
Workshop 3: Creating Your Own World: Setting a Play with Aleta Barthell
One of the greatest services that you can do for yourself as a writer is to set the world of your play so clearly that the characters inherently ramble into it and you are simply recording the dialog that comes out of their mouths as they meet. Learn how to create your own world.
One of the greatest services that you can do for yourself as a writer is to set the world of your play so clearly that the characters inherently ramble into it and you are simply recording the dialog that comes out of their mouths as they meet. Learn how to create your own world.
Workshop 4: Writing Memorable Songs with Kevin and Nancy
What makes a song memorable? What elements elicit an emotional response? How are songs structured and how do songwriters go about writing them? These are some of the questions we will address in this session: Writing Memorable Songs. In addition to crafted songs, we will discuss improvised songs. Come prepared to do a little writing and, maybe, a little singing (strictly voluntary, no pressure).
What makes a song memorable? What elements elicit an emotional response? How are songs structured and how do songwriters go about writing them? These are some of the questions we will address in this session: Writing Memorable Songs. In addition to crafted songs, we will discuss improvised songs. Come prepared to do a little writing and, maybe, a little singing (strictly voluntary, no pressure).
inspirational speaker
Inspirational Speaker and Spoken Word Poet Viet Mai presents Speaking My Narrative Into Empowerment. Join us as Viet shares his story through spoken word poetry. Prepare for verbal imagery, heartfelt messages, and inspiration to use your narrative to be the change you wish to see.