Saturday
Conference Day 2 – Saturday, October 26, 2024
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
In Person: Bookstore is Open – Guildford Foyer
9:00 am – 9:45 am
In Person, Virtual, and Recorded: Opening Session in Guildford Ballroom. Morning keynote by Leah Henderson.
10:00 am – 11:15 am Workshops
Virtual Only, Recorded
This workshop will guide you in transforming your ideas into published works. We will explore a range of topics, including overcoming perfectionism, crafting first drafts, revising manuscripts, and querying agents. We'll also discuss the importance of building a supportive writing community. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the session.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Join our panel to learn how to keep the spark alive through a whole novel, whether you're writing a romance or any novel in which characters fall or are in love. Romance is not just for romances!
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Stalled middles and stuck characters don’t have to stay that way. Whatever your type of story, learn how to turn suffering into seeking, along with the use of crisis, plans, schemes, gambles, enemies, prosecutors, jailers, agents of chaos and the propulsive power of “right now” in this hands-on workshop.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
It doesn't have to be the "Dreaded Synopsis". It can be the efficient, well-written synopsis that highlights your premise and stand-out voice, all without making you want to give up writing. We'll cover a Synopses Writing Recipe using The Shawshank Redemption as a practice example.
In Person NOT Recorded
We’ve all been there. Writing is going well, the adrenaline is pumping, the world is building, the characters are talking and then… riiiiight around Page 120, we hit a wall: The Dreaded Act Two. It’s long. It feels flat and boring. And the frustration of it has made more than a few of us abandon perfectly good stories. I built this workshop from my own hard learnings and am here to share what I’ve found. I’ve learned from last year’s fire hose of a workshop, so I’ll...
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
"Dying is Easy. Comedy is hard." That's an adage that proves especially true for those of use who weave humor and murder together in our fiction. This lecture will look at the How’s and Why’s (and When’s) to include comedy in your crime fiction (and other genres with darker themes) using examples from popular novels as well as writing prompts.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
What exactly is genre crossover? Join Mary C. Moore to learn how to define and understand "crossover" and how it can shape your writing beyond the genre.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
Queer is a huge spectrum and with changing language around gender identity and orientation and there are so many avenues to explore when it comes to writing queer characters. In this workshop, we will explore the divide between own voices and inclusive writing. Part generative writing and part instruction, this workshop will give writers the tools and techniques they need to write characters outside of their own lived experiences. This workshop is appropriate...
In Person Only, Not Recorded
In this workshop, we will consider the intersections between political theory, Indigenous studies, and critical writing. To do so, we will discuss a selection of short, diverse literary and cultural texts that engage with both critical theory and Indigenous thought and practice in nuanced and creative ways, including poetry, creative non-fiction, and fine art (broadly conceived). This discussion will include examinations of historical and contemporary moments,...
11:45 am – 1:00 pm Workshops
Virtual Only, Recorded
There is no inherently bad person and thus no hero is all good or no villain all bad. In this session, we'll discover how the villain is the hero of their own story - and how to create villains that are as complicated and compelling as your heroes.
CW for possible adult language and occasional mention of self-harm, violence, drug use
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Capturing readers' imaginations is an incredible skill, but to keep them engaged and turning pages takes some serious skill. Join moderator kc dyer and this panel of brilliant storytellers as they talk about what compels them as readers, and how they weave their own special magic into stories that have readers clamouring for more.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
How do you transition from pre-writing to actually making progress in a scene? We’ll take a look at what scenes REALLY are, and why they can be so hard to craft. There are some common barriers and this workshop will give you the tools to overcome them.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Join expert Pedro Mendes for tips and practice to help you talk about your work as a radio/podcast guest.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
“Where do I start?” is a question many authors ask when it comes time to market both their beloved masterpiece, and themselves. This interactive presentation represents a beginners guide for authors, designed to get them on the right track when it comes to branding themselves, marketing their work, and reaching their audience. It covers the essentials of social media, websites, public speaking, marketing methodology, and more.
In Person Only
Delivering information, particularly through description, is one of the hardest tools for a writer to refine. Too much information and a reader drowns or feels overburdened; too little and they are lost and unable to connect with the story. How do you convey what the reader needs to know without confusing, alienating, or boring them? How do you subtly introduce clues and foreshadowing without being obvious? This session will show you how to convey what your reader needs to...
In Person Only, Not Recorded
Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and Carmen Maria Machado. In this session we will look at specific paragraphs within specific stories from the three masters of horror. Shirely Jackson's We Have Always LIved in the Castle, Stephen King's The Langoliers, and Carmen Maria Machado's The Husband Stitch will be discussed. We will focus on excerpts from each piece that demonstrate excellence in authorial intent and execution and how writers can learn from these...
In Person Only, Not Recorded
No matter what sort of story we’re telling, we likely aim to include well-developed characters, a rich setting, goals, obstacles, stakes… but how about music? How might “musicality” enhance all the effort we’ve put into crafting a good story? In this workshop, we’ll look at four key elements of music (pun intended) and how we can apply them to our writing to amp up the impact of our work.
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
In Person: Luncheon, Guildford Ballroom (Full Conference Attendees Only)
Virtual: Luncheon, Virtual Conference Zoom Bar
2:30 pm – 3:45 pm Workshops
Virtual Only, Recorded
CW for domestic violence
Description: After this workshop attendants will have ave an understanding of what is intimate partner violence, and learn what are some inaccurate (and potentially harmful) myths about IPV for all couples. They will learn how to responsibly write survivor stories that are informed, respectful and foster hope. Learn some tools used by domestic violence advocates that would help craft a viable Happily Ever After.
SiWC Idol
Panel
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Our ever-popular first-page reads panel is back in person!
Mary Robinette Kowal reads your first page submissions aloud to our panel of agents. When they'd stop reading if your page was a submission, Mary Robinette stops reading, and we hear why they agents said they'd stop.
This panel is a GREAT way to see what kinds of common errors and writing weaknesses put agents off. Come and learn what makes an excellent first page.
(For attendees:...
In Person, Live-Streamed, and Recorded
We writers are so focused on meeting our daily word counts and piling up the pages it can seem counterintuitive to do the opposite. Strip words from a sentence? Why? Remove sentences from a scene? Ridiculous. Cut out a whole character? Absolute madness. But we’ll explore how doing all that and more can make your remaining words shine – something well known to the 17th century poet and critic Nicolas Boileau when he advised:
“Polish, repolish, every...
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Join Kim Spencer for a frank look at navigating the publishing world as a debut author before and after a book launch. She'll share tips and suggestions for before and after publication.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
In romance novels, the moment your love interests meet for the first time is called a “meet-cute.” Depending on who your characters are, this interaction can be sweet, tense, awkward, humorous, or swoon-worthy. In this workshop, we’ll break down what makes an effective meet-cute, analyze memorable ones from books and movies, and practice writing our own meet-cute.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
This talk will help writers move from scientific research to a science fiction narrative -- covering sci-fi idea generation, accessing and organizing primary research sources, how to 'vet' scientific research, extrapolating ideas into fiction, creating plot, characters, and setting from a scientific premise, avoiding the 'As you know, Bob' effect, and discussions of current sci-fi themes, tones, and trends.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
Podcasts are more popular than ever, and there are abundant opportunities to get the word out about your own books and to be an active participant in the culture of reading, writing and publishing if you are a good podcast guest. In this session we'll break down how to identify potential opportunities, how to pitch yourself as a good guest, how to prepare for recording your interview / conversation, and how to do your due diligence in helping promote the...
In Person Only, Not Recorded
There are sensations we carry — displacement, for example, in the case of the presenter — that might feel impossible to write about yet which we feel we must write into and from, hoping to find modes for their expression. While this poetic workshop will include a short presentation of its foundation, its core will ask participants to engage in a process of generative experimentation and repetition, opening space for our work to connect syntactically and...
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm Workshops
Virtual Only, Recorded
Many of us write because we feel passionately about an idea which we want to share with our readers – whether it’s about human rights, justice, climate change, or anything else. Yet we don’t want to end up with a book that delivers a diatribe, or a modern version of an Aesop’s fable, brandishing our moral message in people’s faces. How does a writer talk about social issues without coming across as judgmental or preachy, putting off their readers? Harini Nagendra is...
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
If you've got questions about podcasts, our experienced panel members have got answers—or at the very least will get you pointed in the right direction! Whether you're thinking about hosting a podcast or being a guest on other people's shows to help build momentum in your writing career, bring all your unanswered questions to this session and benefit from the wide-ranging experience of our panelists.
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
Psychologists use the theory of emotional intelligence to assist with personal growth, relationships, parenting, and business. Writers can also use this theory to create well-developed characters, expand conflict in their manuscript, and brainstorm plotting ideas. This workshop will outline the basics of emotional intelligence and provide prompts to jump start participants’ writing.
In Person, Live-Streamed, and Recorded
We’ve all heard “tropey" used as a pejorative…but tropes can be just another tool in the kit to support and enhance one’s writing. This workshop will examine tropes in popular media and literary works, as well as provide opportunities for participants to experiment within the context of their own works in progress. For this interactive session, participants are encouraged to bring a WIP, their burning questions, and whatever they need to take notes...
In Person, Live-streamed, and Recorded
In this workshop, we'll discuss how to write in different categories while satying true to the immutable tenets of great storytelling.
In Person Only
Agents and editors always say they are looking for a fresh "voice." So what does that mean, and how do you create one? In this workshop, we tease apart point of view (viewpoint) and narrative voice. Then, we'll examine how to harness viewpoint to create a voice that makes characters, setting, dialogue, and action far more compelling.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
You’ve managed to distill your novel into a concise, compelling pitch, you’ve written a synopsis, researched agents, you’ve sent out your queries, and now…you’re just waiting. And waiting. And waiting! What exactly is going on in an agent’s brain as they read your query? What makes your query stand out? Why all the form passes? This class demystifies some of the thought process behind an agent reading submissions, with time for a Q&A at the end.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
History has long been the domain of men and their stories, passing the experiences and successes of women to the back shelf. This workshop will examine the direct and roundabout ways to unearth those stories, artifacts and rare mentions and spin them into full fledged stories.
In Person Only, Not Recorded
We all love a little bit of kissing — whether it’s behind closed doors or not —but how do you create full lives for your characters beyond the romance? Here we will learn how to craft your characters in a way that will have them leaping off of the page and into the hearts of your readers. We will discuss ways to build multidimensional characters without skimming on the romance while ensuring your story passes the Bechdel test with flying colours.
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