Accurate Historical Research
“Female Hysteria,” in the 1800s, was treated by respectable physicians with manual or machine “massage.” How it worked, what it meant, what the machine looked like, and what that fact says about society, marriage, morals, and the role of women can inform a well-researched historical tale or serve as the springboard for a made-up world of your own. But how do you find out if it’s true? This panel will give you tools to make sure your historical fact doesn’t make your reader throw your book across the room in frustration.
Panel: Nora Fleischer, Gary Inbinder, Rachael de Vienne, and Teresa Wymore
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 21, 2010
Transcript: Accurate Historical Research
Artificial Intelligence and Sexuality
Working out the kinks (as it were) of mixing sexuality with artificially created, sentient beings that have no biological urges, sexual drives, or innate gender. Dilemmas of ethics, motivation, and what constitutes “orgasm.” Where we might reasonably go with AI in the future, and where we are now.
Speaker: Kal Cobalt
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 4PM EST May 9, 2010
Transcript: Artificial Intelligence and Sexuality
The Book Deal and Publishing Process
Getting a book deal, figuring out what’s expected of you. Then, once you’ve signed the agreement, what happens next? How long does it take? What are your responsibilities before and after the book comes out? What if you hate the cover art? This panel will discuss everything related to getting your book deal, and everything that happens between getting the deal and holding the book in your hands. Feel free to ask these authors anything else related to writing and getting published, as time permits.
Panel: Darin Bradley, Lucy Snyder, Mark Teppo
Moderator: Gillian Polack
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 14, 2010
Transcript: The Book Deal and Publishing Process
Brainstorming the Future of the Book
The publishing industry suffers from a broken model of distributor returns, collapsing independents and struggling publishers. But from great pain can often arise great ideas. As newspapers and magazines migrate online and attempt to establish new business models, where is the book headed? Between text books that can be updated on the fly and contain not only print and images, but video and new media hooks, and the Vook which combines video and text, are new forms of book being established, or new forms of story telling entirely? Let’s talk about The Amanda Project, Inanimate Alice, Alternate Reality Games, and Geocaching. Let’s consider the iPad and the iPhone and brainstorm where we see story headed in the 21st century.
Open Chat. Facilitator: Michael F. Stewart
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 7, 2010
Transcript: Brainstorming the Future of the Book
Character Creation: Good Bad Guys
Antagonists…just as you need someone for your reader to root for, you need someone for your reader to hate. Sometimes the bad guy is just that…someone out to take over the world or just take revenge, sometimes the antagonist is someone who is going against the hero’s ends. We’ll take a look at what makes the best bad guys tick…how do we make antagonists who are full, interesting characters? Do the bad guys always need to be bad?
Panel: Anna Kashina, Cindy Lynn Speer
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 5PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: Good Bad Guys
Character Creation: Non-Human
Join our panelists as they talk about how to create a realistic non-human character, from psuedoperific alien to demon to monster under the bed. Learn how to make the character three dimensional to your readers, what to do, what not to do, and when to break the rules.
Panel: KL Richardsson, John Rosenman, Cindy Lynn Speer, Teresa Wymore
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Creating Non-Human Characters
Cheap Thrills-Crime and Mystery Fiction
Every speculative fiction author borrows from the mystery genre, and some mystery authors borrow a bit from speculative fiction. Join our panelists as they discuss how to write crime and mystery fiction that’s actually… mysterious, no matter what other genre you have mixed in there.
Panel: J.T. Cummins, Debbi Mack, Scott Nicholson, Simon Wood
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 21, 2010
Transcript: Cheap Thrills
Child Abuse in Speculative Fiction
Child abuse is repeatedly used as a plot element or character motivation in SF/F literature. The occurrence and effects of maltreatment, however, are commonly portrayed in an inaccurate, oversimplified way. Survivors of child abuse are often depicted as either irreparably damaged or untouched by their experiences. Perpetrators of abuse are depicted as monsters. Not only does this simplistic treatment of child abuse lead to the creation of two-dimensional characters and tedious plot, it can impact how readers understand and react to the social issue. Join clinical child psychologist and author Larissa Neic as she discusses accurate information about child maltreatment, examples from current SF/F of problematic and useful depictions of maltreatment, and considers how SF/F literature may influence current social attitudes toward children.
During the Q&A period, please remember that this is a sensitive issue and may cause some attendees distress. Please be respectful of others when formulating your questions.
Speaker: Larissa Neic
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 3PM May 22, 2010
Transcript: Child Abuse in Spec. Fic.
Comics and Graphic Novels for Readers and Writers
Join comic book writers, long-time readers, and reviewers as they discuss the history of this special form of illustrated fiction and where it’s going now. Talk about favorites, what worked, what didn’t, and how to get your graphic novel published.
Panel: Cindy Lynn Speer, Fraser Sherman, Teresa Wymore
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 11PM May 28, 2010
Transcript:Comics and Graphic Novels
A Conversation with Gary Braunbeck
Join award winning author, lecturer, and editor Gary Braunbeck as he talks about his home-in-his-imagination, Cedar Hill; along with horror, writing, and publication.
Speaker: Gary Braunbeck
Moderator: Barbara Mountjoy
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM May 27,2010
Transcript: Gary Braunbeck
A Conversation with Seanan McGuire and Lucy Snyder
Urban fantasy/paranormal authors Seanan McGuire and Lucy Snyder’s most recent releases are both similar in theme to one another (though very different in plot) and unusual for the genre. Seanan’s main character is turned into a goldfish for 14 years; Lucy’s protagonist has her boyfriend kidnapped into some kind of hell. Join them as they talk about their books, what makes them unique, and if this signals a change in the world of the paranormal.
Speakers: Seanan McGuire, Lucy Snyder
Moderator: Gillian Polack
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 22, 2010
Transcript: Seanan McGuire and Lucy Snyder
Additional Session: A Conversation about Favorites
Costuming for Fiction
Join author, designer, and costume maker Sara Harvey as she explains how great costumes can help you write better fiction. Feel free to ask her anything about costumes and why you ought to make your very own.
Speaker: Sara Harvey
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 8PM May 2, 2010
Transcript: Costuming for Fiction
Creating While Disabled
It’s a sad fact of life that many of us will be unable to do a “normal” day of work, or have to have accomodations made because we’re not able to do the things we used to do, either permanently or for a short while. Maybe because it’s a way to move outside of yourself, or maybe because it’s often a solitary pursuit, the book industry is a haven for many people with some form of disability. Join Nalo Hopkinson, Carole McDonnell, Joselle Vanderhooft, and JA Howe as they discuss how frustrating it can be to create while disabled, how to keep on creating, and how to manage the bad days when nothing gets done.
Panel: Nalo Hopkinson, JA Howe, Carole McDonnell, Joselle Vanderhooft
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 3PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: Creating While Disabled
Creating Your Own Religion
Join author Meredith Holmes and author and historian Rachel de Vienne as they discuss how to create your own religion, including when to borrow from others and where to look, how to build the structure, flesh it out, consider the consequences of your decisions, and how to make it organic to your world.
Panel:Meredith Holmes, Rachael de Vienne
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 2PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Creating Your Own Religion
Digital Lit
Join our panel as they discuss the world of digital lit. Everyone ought to be published in ebook by now. Learn from our panel what it’s about, what’s in it for you, how it works, and how you can use ebooks to promote yourself. They’ll also be discussing what’s current, where you can find it, and what they think is happening next.
Panel: Heather Ingemar, Scott Nicholson
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 22, 2010
Transcript: Digital Lit
E-Book Conversion
Join publishing expert Jim Brown as he explains how easy it is to create an ebook (ePUB, PDF, and other formats) out of your manuscript.
Due to scheduling confusion, Deena Fisher also provided a session on ebooks formats, creation, and distribution.
Speaker: Jim Brown
Speaker: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 2PM and 3PM EST May 16, 2010
Transcripts:
Ebook Creation with Deena Fisher;
Ebook Conversion with Jim Brown
Envelope-Pushing Concepts
Have you ever heard ‘there’s nothing new under the sun’? Join our panelists as they talk about ways to write new things that, maybe, aren’t under our sun. Explore new ways of writing old stories, and new ideas to explore in your next work.
Panel: John Rosenman, Hildy Silverman, David Sklar, Jeff Mach
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 6PM EST May 2, 2010
Transcript: Envelope Pushing Concepts
Faery Creatures
…An the goblins’ll getcha if you don’ watch out. Did you know the blood on a Red Cap’s head is always fresh? That there’s more to fear in Faery than the boggle under the bed? Join Unseelie author Meredith Holmes and Pixie Warrior author Rachael de Vienne as they explores the dark side of Faery.
Panel:Meredith Holmes, Rachael de Vienne
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room:Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 6PM EST May 30, 2010
Transcript:Not Yet Available
Fairy Tales in Fiction
Fantasy writers explore the old stories in many ways. Sometimes they re-tell fairy tales for their beauty, their danger, or in an attempt to see the stories from a different perspective. Every culture has it’s fairy tales, and in every culture they tell us the values, the hopes, and the dreams of the people who told them: Cinderella can be anyone, from the hardworking, sweet girl of the movies to a murderess. In this panel we’ll explore the use of fairy tales in modern story, and their impact on us as writers.
Panel: Meredith Holmes, Anna Kashina, Isabelle Santiago, Cindy Lynn Speer
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 29, 2010
Transcript: Fairy Tales in Fiction
Getting Your Book Reviewed
Every reviewer on the web, even the not-very-good ones, get free books to read. A lot of them. Add in that many print reviewers get a lot more, and you realize it’s the slush pile all over again. Join our panel of authors and book reviewers as they discuss what you should do to get your book reviewed.
Panel: Michele Lee, Cindy Lynn Speer, Joselle Vanderhooft
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: Tentative, 1PM EST May 1, 2010
Transcript: Getting Your Book Reviewed
Ghosts
Authors Sarah Avery, Sara Harvey, and Edward Morris talk about how to successfully write a good, scary (or not) ghost. (Kealan Patrick Burke was originally scheduled, but was unable to attend.)
Panel: Sarah Avery, Sara Harvey, Edward Morris
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 1, 2010
Transcript: Ghosts
GLBTQ Fiction Writing
Join our panelists as they discuss writing GLBTQ fiction, where it’s selling, what consumers want and what the industry provides; what’s hot and what’s still taboo, what’s become normalized and what’s completely misunderstood. Learn what you can realistically include in your work, and what just won’t work no matter what you do.
Panel: Kal Cobalt, KL Richardsson, Teresa Wymore
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room:Loki
Scheduled:7PM EST May 22, 2010
Transcript: Is it GBLTQ, GBLTQQ or GBLTQA?
Internet Networking and Professionalism
We’ve all seen what not to do–authors fighting with reader reviewers on Amazon, long diatribes against another publishing professional that end up being pointed at and mocked on a ‘wank’ blog. In this session, learn what to do, how to present yourself, what to talk about, and how to go about making friends and influencing people on the internet.
Speaker: Jim Brown
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 2PM EST May 23, 2010
Transcript: Internet Professionalism
Libraries!
Librarian Greg Fisher will talk about digital lending, how a library chooses to aquire a book, how many copies they buy, the life cycle of a library book, and why you want the Readers’ Advisory team on your side.
Speaker: Greg Fisher
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled:4PM EST May 16, 2010
Transcript: Libraries!
Manuscript Submission Workshop
Come prepared with your manuscript or a practice document open in another window, as author Kim Vandervort walks you through proper submission format for your manuscript. Never worry about font style, font-size, line-height, or what you should and shouldn’t include in your submission again.
Speaker: Kim Vandervort
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 1PM EST May 29, 2010
Transcript: Manuscript Format
Method Writing
As far as Kal can tell, Quentin Tarantino coined this term upon discovering himself in the womens’ clothing section of a department store and realizing “he” wasn’t shopping–the protagonist of “Kill Bill” who lives inside his head was. How to successfully take hints from the famed tradition of Method acting to get inside a character’s head by letting them into yours. (Yes, you can do this without ending up in a sanatorium.)
Speaker: Kal Cobalt
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 21, 2010
Transcript: Method Writing
Mythic Fiction
What exactly is mythic fiction? How long have people been cribbing from the past? What defines mythic fiction, and how do we make our own work mythic? How do we retell old myths or create new ones? Why should we want to? Drollerie Press Editor and Publisher Deena Fisher is joined by Cindy Lynn Speer, Edward Morris, Meredith Holmes, and Sara Harvey to talk about this driving force of story.
Panel: Deena Fisher, Cindy Lynn Speer, Edward Morris, Meredith Holmes, Sara Harvey
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 1, 2010
Transcript: Mythic Fiction
Non-Western Perspectives
Beautiful writing isn’t limited to the west. In fact, great stories have been told in every culture around the world. How do you write great stories that include the rest of the world we live in without appropriating a culture? Why should you bother? What does a non-western perspective have to offer you? Authors Carole McDonnell, Rudy Ch. Garcia, and Joyce Chng discuss these issues and more.
Panel: Joyce Chng, Rudy Ch. Garcia, Carole McDonnell
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Non-Western Perspectives
The Perils and Pitfalls of E-Publishing
Epublishing is seen as a way to get your foot in the door more easily than with one of the large, traditional publishers in New York, and that’s often true, but fly-by-night e-publishers, get-rich-quick schemers, and badly managed presses abound. How do you choose a reasonably decent epublisher? Join Publishers Deena Fisher (Drollerie Press) and Stephanie Kelsey (Mojocastle) with author Frances Pauli as they discuss what to look for, and what to avoid, in an epublisher.
Panel: Deena Fisher, Frances Pauli
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 1PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: The Perils and Pitfalls of e-Publishing
Poetry Writing
Join our expert panel of poets to talk about writing–and selling–your poetry, what’s going on in the world of poetry, what you ought to know and what you should forget about writing poetry today.
Panel: Victor D. Infante, Karen Newman, Lucy Snyder
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 6PM EST May 16, 2010
Transcript: Poetry
Querying and Synopses
You’ve polished your novel to perfection, and you’re pretty sure it has what it takes to be a bestseller… if you can manage to get it published. How do you get an agent or editor to pick your submission out of the slush? You’re good at writing fiction, but how do you condense your main idea into an attention-grabbing query? How do you convey the entire story with multiple plot twists and several strong protagonists into a 2-page synopsis? We will discuss the makings of a successful query letter that would make your submission stand out, the importance of synopses in the submission process, and how to write a synopsis to convince the agents and editors that they’ve found a winner.
Panel: Anna Kashina, Angela Korra’ti
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 5PM EST May 22, 2010
Transcript: Querying and Synopses
Race 101 for Writers
There is an embarrassingly large number of colorless books on the shelves, and you don’t want yours to be one of them. Creating characters that reflect the variety and multitude of the people around us isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a better way of writing. How do you write a good story without erasing one or more cultures? How do you recognize the magical African American friend lurking on your pages? Does your Asian sidekick die to save your hero? Does your princess marry the exotic foreign prince? Join our panelists as they give you ideas on how to make your work well-rounded, interesting reads, without erasing or appropriating a whole culture, or turning it into a prop.
Speaker: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 28, 2010
Transcript: Race 101
Rayguns!
Since the days of the science fantasies of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mary Shelley, and Mark Twain, we’ve been intrigued by steam, mechanicals, gears, goggles, top hats and bustles. Join our panelists as they talk about the history of the genre, why it’s so popular today, and how you can mix a little steampunk in your own story.
Panel: Sara Harvey, Edward Morris
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 8PM EST May 16, 2010
Transcript: Rayguns!
Romance Writers of America: What’s In it for You?
Join Chapter President A. J. Stewart, and Barbara Lucas, a member of the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal RWA Chapter, and learn how a membership in the RWA provides access to contests, writing improvement opportunities, networking, and the support of your peers.
Speakers: A. J. Stewart, Barbara Lucas
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 4PM EST May 23, 2010
Transcript: RWA
Search and Destroy: Passive Verbs Workshop
Join author Frances Pauli as she teaches you how to make your writing more dynamic by rewriting to remove passive verbs and awkward sentence construction. Register for the workshop, and then upload a page of your text. Frances will review it with you and the other participants during the workshop. This session is limited to 20 persons. While Frances will attempt to discuss every work uploaded, she may not have time to review them all.
Speaker: Frances Pauli
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 1PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Passive Verbs
Science Fiction Romance Q&A
This is your opportunity to have all your questions about Science Fiction Romance answered by the best. Join expert Heather Massey and author Joely Sue Burkhart will talk about the genre that combines space-faring with happily ever after. Be prepared with lots of questions. Joely and Heather will answer some, and your questions will be provided to science fiction romance author Lynn Viehl who will answer them in a blog post.
Q&A: Joely Sue Burkhart, Heather Massey, Lynn Viehl
Moderator: Selena Green
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 2PM EST May 2, 2010
Transcript: Science Fiction Romance Q&A
Lynn Viehl’s Response: Science Fiction Romance Q&A
Science Fiction Writers of America
Join author and SFWA Secretary Mary Robinette Kowal as she talks about the SFWA, what membership in it as a speculative fiction author can do for you, and what the SFWA thinks about what’s going on in the industry today.
Speaker: Mary Robinette Kowal
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 8PM EST May 23, 2010
Transcript: Not Yet Available
Settings: The Medieval World
Join historian and author Gillian Polack as she explains how to set your story in our, or another, medieval world. She’ll explain what to consider, how to express it, and how to avoid info dumping, all while making your setting realistic. During the Q&A, feel free to ask her about other historical periods, or what speculative fiction is doing in Australia.
Speaker: Gillian Polack
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 3PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Settings: the Medieval World
Stepping Lightly: Historical Fiction
Historical fiction, whether straight, mash-up, or alternate reality, requires a deft hand. Ever picked up a book set in the past that started with a description of the cobblestones? Dental hygiene? Popular author Caroline Stevermer talks about how to write great historical fiction with deft touches that ground your character in place and time without the dreaded info-dump.
Speaker: Caroline Stevermer
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 7, 2010
Transcript: Caroline Stevermer
The Speculative Christian
Christian and speculative author don’t seem to go together. The Christian speculative author often struggles with the opinions of family, friends, and church; the desire to produce work that is both good Christian and good speculative fiction; the desire to be honest about the faith; and, once it’s done, the desire to have the work published by a reputable publisher.
Join authors Carole McDonnell (The Windfollower) and Geralyn Beauchamp (Time Masters) as they discuss what it’s like to be a Christian author in speculative fiction; how to include Christianity in your work honestly and respectfully without falling back on stereotypes, whatever your faith; and where Christian authors are getting their work published. The authors will be joined by Drollerie Press Publisher Deena Fisher, who will talk about what she looks for in inspirational fiction.
Panel: Carole McDonnell, Geralyn Beauchamp, Sue McGeown, Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 7PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: The Speculative Christian
Steampunk Romance
Join author Nathalie Gray and expert Heather Massey in a conversation about Steampunk, why the romance world has taken the genre to its collective bosom, and what you can do to keep your steampunk work chugging along to your happily ever after.
Speakers: Nathalie Gray and Heather Massey
Moderator: Matthew Spence
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Steampunk Romance
Survival for the 21st Century Writer
Join horror author Scott Nicholson as he shares his survival tips for today’s writers from his ebook Write Good or Die (available from Smashwords and other outlets). Feel free to download the book prior to the session, and come with questions for this successful author.
Speaker: Scott Nicholson
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Anansi
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 29, 2010
Transcript: Survival
Transformative Sex
Sex is an imperative we can’t often avoid, but what takes fictional sex to transformative sex? How does sex transform your character? Why do you want it to? Learn what makes sex transformative and how to write transformative sex scenes from our author panel.
Panel: Anna Black, Joely Sue Burkhart, David Sklar, Teresa Wymore
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 1PM EST May 22, 2010
Transcript: Transformative Sex
Unconventional Research with Nalo Hopkinson
Join award winning author Nalo Hopkinson as she walks you through her research methods and gives you the opportunity to share your own.
Speaker: Nalo Hopkinson
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 14, 2010
Transcript: Nalo Hopkinson
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Fiction
More than just stories of fairies, boggles, and other mythic creatures lurking in the alleys of our modern cities, urban fantasy is a rich field of stories about, in part, recognizing the magical in the everyday. Has paranormal fiction with its horror roots–bringing the vampire, werewolf, and other nasty creatures into that alley–overtaken it, replaced it, or melded with it? Join our author panel as they discuss these ideas, where their particular work fits, and what they think will be happening next.
Panel: Meredith Holmes, Heather S. Ingemar, Anna Kashina, Angela Korra’ti, Lucy Snyder, Cindy Lynn Speer
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 6PM EST May 9, 2010
Transcript: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Fiction
Well-Rounded Worlds
Wizards and a funny accent do not a fantasy world make. Expert world-builder and fantasist Lynn Flewelling, whose books have been described as “cinematic,” discusses what it takes to make a fully realized place for your readers to lose themselves in.
Speaker: Lynn Flewelling
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 1, 2010
Transcript: Well-Rounded Worlds
World Building 101
Join our panel as they discuss where to start as you create your world, what you need to consider, and some pitfalls along the way.
Panel: Sarah Avery, Meredith Holmes, Anna Kashina, Teresa Wymore
Moderator: Barb Mountjoy
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 6PM EST May 23, 2010
Transcript: Not Yet Available
Writing and Selling Short Works
The short story is one of the oldest mediums, and one of the most challenging. Confining yourself to a word count…from drabbles to novellas…can be an exercise all in itself. How do you keep it concise? How do you know if the story you’re writing is a short story or even a novel? Are short works worth writing? Can they be sold?
Panel: Tim Mulcahy, John Rosenman, Kal Cobalt, C. G. Bauer, Heather Ingemar, Cindy Lynn Speer, JA Howe
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 4PM EST May 2, 2010
Transcript: Writing and Selling Short Works
Writing Erotica and Erotic Romance
Authors Teresa Wymore and Joely Sue Burkhart discuss erotica, erotic romance, how to write it, how to determine which one you’re writing, and what the publisher might be looking for in your work.
Panel: Joely Sue Burkhart, Teresa Wymore
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 2PM EST May 30, 2010
Transcript: Erotica and Erotic Romance
Writing Paganism and Other Non-Christian Religions
Characters: Got a Pagan? A Buddhist? A Muslim? How do you represent the character’s faith in a way that makes it real and true to the reader? What are the stereotypes? What pitfalls should you avoid? Join our panelists in a discussion of what’s required to portray a Non-Christian religion accurately and honestly, and why you should care.
Panel: Sarah Avery, Meredith Holmes, JA Howe, Edward Morris
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 5PM EST May 8, 2010
Transcript: Writing Paganism and Non-Christian Religions
Writing Politically
Red stater? Blue stater? Anarchist? A conscientious objector to the Accords of 2532? What you should and shouldn’t do about your politics in your writing. How your politics influence your story, how to include your political view without sounding like a salvationist preacher, and how to write politically and mean it. You may just change the world.
Panel: Victor D. Infante, Fraser Sherman, David Sklar, Phoebe Wray
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 7, 2010
Transcript: Writing Politically
Writing the Mentally Ill without Getting It Wrong
Many authors use a mentally ill character as a way to move the plot, add some tension, or make their story seem logical in its illogicality. That”s lazy writing. If you have a mentally ill person in your story, you don’t want the character to be a bundle of walking (or crawling, or ax-murdering) stereotypes. You want a real person, one that, hopefully, some of your readers will understand, if only for a moment. In this session, our panelists will talk about a variety of mental illnesses and how to portray them accurately, helping you write a better story.
During the Q&A period, please remember that this is a sensitive issue and may cause some attendees distress. Please be respectful of others when formulating your questions.
Panel: Michele Lee, Larissa Niec, Joselle Vanderhooft
Moderator: Angela Korra’ti
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: Writing the Mentally Ill
Writing the Series Character
Join authors C.J. West, Debbi Mack, and W.D. Gagliani as they walk you through creating a solid series character, including their growth from book to book and over time, and how to keep track of all the little things that can trip you up.
Panel: C.J. West, Debbi Mack, and W.D. Gagliani
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 8PM EST May 9, 2010
Transcript: Writing the Series Character
Writing to Scare the Reader
How do you write something that’s really scary? How do you build the tension so high your reader has to turn on all the lights before going to bed? Join horror novelist Scott Nicholson in an hour of discussion that just might have you shaking in your slippers.
Speaker: Scott Nicholson
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Raven
Scheduled: 9PM EST May 28, 2010
Transcript: Writing to Scare the Reader
Young Adult Spec. Fic.
Join young adult author and librarian Heather S. Ingemar and author Isabelle Santiago as they discuss writing young adult speculative fiction, the current popularity of the category, and the future of YA.
Panel: Heather S. Ingemar, Isabelle Santiago
Moderator: Angela Korra’ti
Conference Room: Sun Wukong
Scheduled: 11PM EST May 15, 2010
Transcript: YA Spec Fic
‘Zine Evolution
Back in the dark ages, a writer would probably look in a large, hard-bound copy of Writer’s Digest for leads on where to submit stories. They’d then need to go through the arduous task of spending a fair amount of money printing out copies of that story-if they were a little more experienced at it, they’d get many copies done at once so they’d have some more to send when others failed-and then mailing said tale to a print magazine, then waiting at least six months for a reply.
Then, in the 1990s, Online ‘zines began to spring up. They were small, and you didn’t get paid for writing in them! A decade later, online ‘zines have come into their own. Now a writer can choose among hundreds of online magazines, in all genres and fields, to send his or her work, and be paid for it. What happened? Why did this amazing revolution occur and what has it done to the world of publishing? We don’t have all the answers, but there are some fascinating stories behind the tales published in today’s ‘zines. Join us to hear them!
Panel: Megan Arkenberg, JA Howe, Karen Newman, Rhonda Parrish, John Klima
Moderator: Deena Fisher
Conference Room: Loki
Scheduled: 5PM EST May 29, 2010
Transcript: ‘Zines
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