First person, second person, third person . . . so many perspectives to choose from. How do you choose your point of view? And, once chosen, how do you stick to it? Panelists discuss the freedoms and restrictions of using various points of view in fiction writing. Tim Waggoner, Judi Rohrig, Linda Baker, John Helfers
Single-spaced manuscripts on onion-skin paper will send your storyâunreadâinto the recycling bin. If you want to climb to the top of the slush pile, take the advice of our panelists, editors who have received âsingularâ submissions. Jean Rabe, Judi Rohrig, John Helfers, Tim Waggoner
Some folks simply plop into a chair and start pounding on the keyboard on their Great American Novel. However, our often-published panelists eschew the merits of plotting and planning. Jean Rabe, Tim Waggoner, Chris Pierson, Richard Lee Byers
When should you follow the rules and when should you break them? Our team of writers and editors discusses punctuation, spelling, grammar, and more. Richard Lee Byers, Chris Pierson, John Helfers.
Join us for an evening book chat about the new genre of female main characters who live in worlds filled with magic and adventure. Is this the evolution of romance? How do I get in on this hot market? Panelists: Kerrie Hughes, Elizabeth Vaughan
Learn to craft main characters that will catch and hold your readersâ attention. Panelists: Jean Rabe, Chris Pierson, Donald Bingle, Elizabeth Vaughan
Secondary characters can help drive your plot, aid and vex your heroes, and make your story more interesting. But donât let them take over the tale. Panelists: Elizabeth Vaughan, Jean Rabe, Donald Bingle, Chris Pierson
Establish the rules for your worldâs magical pulse. Setting limits will actually give you limitless possibilities and improve your story. Panelists: Chris Pierson, Linda Baker, Jean Rabe, Kerrie Hughes
Worldbuilding: Religion, Spirituality, and Philosophy
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Faith could guide the characters in your short stories and novels, but theyâll only stumble around and get lost if you donât set the ground rules. Panelists: Linda Baker, Chris Pierson, John Helfers, Kerrie Hughes
Slimy, squishy, furry, predator, prey, cold-blooded, blue-blooded, antennaed, bald, sneezing, tripodal, lusty, hungry... The choices available to make your Bug Eyed Monster and its motivations unique and interesting are vast, but there has to be logic behind your creation. Join our panelists as they discuss how to populate a story with believable otherworldly characters. Richard Lee Byers, Linda Baker, John Helfers, Tim Waggoner
Character-driven stories demand that you juggle relationships in your prose. But how can you manage that effectively and realisticallyâwhile making things interesting and integral to your plot? Our panelists offer their two cents on the topic. Tim Waggoner, Judi Rohrig, Richard Lee Byers, John Helfers
How do you scare your readers? How do you build terror and suspense and keep someone turning the pages well into the early-morning hours? Learn how to add an element of fear to your writing from our panelists, who are experts at sending shivers down peopleâs backs. Judi Rohrig, Richard Lee Byers, Tim Waggoner
Elizabeth Vaughan, best-selling fantasy-romance author, and Donald Bingle, author of Forced Conversion and a plethora of short stories, read from their latest works.
Join pagans and pagan-friendly folks to discuss writing and how pagans are portrayed in science-fiction and fantasy. No bashing or flaming allowed. Panelist: Kerrie Hughes.
Fantasy romance is a sizzling genre. Our panelists give advice on how to add a little romance to your writing and discuss markets for your fiction. Linda Baker, Donald Bingle, Judi Rohrig, Elizabeth Vaughan
Some writers make you feel the heat and humidity when their characters trek through a swamp. Learn how to add just the right amount of detail to enhance the atmosphere and mood of your fiction. Panelists: Elizabeth Vaughan, Linda Baker, Donald Bingle, Judi Rohrig
How do the characters in your stories and books govern themselves? Establishing the rules and the rulers, will enrich the world youâre crafting. Panelists: Linda Baker, Chris Pierson, Elizabeth Vaughan, Kerrie Hughes
Worldbuilding: Creatures, Magical Beasties, and Enchanted Locations
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Sprinkling fantastical elements across your continents is fun. But how do you do it without making your world look like a mirror-image of whatâs already in print? Our panelists show you how to apply your own magical signature. Chris Pierson, Linda Baker, Kerrie Hughes, Richard Lee Byers
The page-turner . . . how do you write one? What elements can you incorporate into your writing that will keep your readers up into those proverbial wee hours? Our panelists offer advice on how to add excitement and fast-pacing to your prose. Jean Rabe, Tim Waggoner, Chris Pierson, Richard Lee Byers
Clothing, agriculture, trade, and the arts are details that can add life and realism to your fiction. Our panelists show you how to add just the right amount of âwindow dressingâ to your books and short stories. Kerrie Hughes, Elizabeth Vaughan, Chris Pierson, Linda Baker
For the past few days weâve been giving advice on the various elements that make up a fantasy world. Now itâs time to put it all together. Panelists: Linda Baker, Chris Pierson, Elizabeth Vaughan, Kerrie Hughes
YA Fantasy and Science FictionâThe boy wizard reigns supreme, but there is plenty of other fiction being published that is sure to grab the attention of kids of all ages. Our panelists discuss their favorites in both fields and give advice into breaking into the growing YA market. John Helfers, Jean Rabe, Kerrie Hughes, Tim Waggoner, Donald Bingle
Got a favorite game or three? Have you ever wanted to try your hand at writing for publication? If so, listen to our industry experts who have made careers out of writing, editing, and publishing work-for-hire short fiction, novels, and game material. They will talk about the ins and outs of the field, the demands, and where you can go to find help and open doors. Questions welcome! Panelists: Jean Rabe, Loren Coleman, Tim Waggoner, Richard Lee Byers, Sharon Turner-Mulvihill
As the popular Shadowrun universe continues to reinvent itself, panelists from WizKids Games, InMediaRes Productions and other professionals âin the knowâ discuss the difficulties and rewards which comes with writing fiction for Shadowrun. Pull up a chair and keep an eye on the door while we discuss new novels and fresh markets for up and coming writers. Sharon Turner-Mulvihill, John Helfers, Jean Rabe, Loren Coleman
Learn about one of the most well-established science fiction universes. With a long history of publishing top-line fiction, the professionals involved with MechWarrior (and Classic BattleTech) are ready to step up and let you know the state of the universe, what the editors are looking for, and where the newest markets are opening up. Discover new opportunities, or just come to find out about one of your favorite storylines. Panelists: Sharon Turner-Mulvihill, Loren Coleman, John Helfers
Join us for a question and answer session about writing, editing, and publishing. Our panel will discuss tidbits not covered in previous sessions. Brain-picking welcomed. John Helfers, Jean Rabe
Take part in the parlor game of reading from the Eye of Argon until you canât take it any longer! Kerrie Hughes, John Helfers, Elizabeth Vaughn, Chris Pierson, Jean Rabe (and anyone else who wants to join the torment . . . err, fun).
There are people who dream about writing, and there are people who write and fulfill their dream. Get some pointers from writers and editors on how to attack the keyboard . . . every day. Topics covered include dealing with family, friends, discipline, and deadlines. Panelists: Jean Rabe, Judi Rohrig, Elizabeth Vaughan
How do you present your manuscript? How do you find an agent? How do you get someone to publish your book? Our panelists present an overview of the publishing industry for fiction writers. Jean Rabe, Donald Bingle, Elizabeth Vaughan, Judi Rohrig
Setting the groundwork for a fiction or gaming world requires attention to the landscape. In the first of several sessions on worldbuilding we explore crafting the world your characters will walk upon. Panelists: John Helfers, Jean Rabe, Donald Bingle, Linda Baker, Paul Genesse
Learn how to shape the people . . . humans and otherwise . . . who inhabit the world youâre building. Panelists: Linda Baker, Tim Waggoner, Kerrie Hughes, John Helfers
So youâre building a world for your fantasy novel. Do you need to set that world to paper? And, if so, how much detail should you provide? Can a map inspire your fiction? Learn the pros and cons of cartography tied to writing. Panelists: Jean Rabe, Paul Genesse
Learn to look at your writing with a critical eye. Veteran writers discuss rewrites, plot overhauls, character facelifts, punching up dialog, and more. Panelists: Jean Rabe, John Helfers, Donald Bingle, Tim Waggoner
So you want to write. Whatâs the best way to go about it? How do you snag the time each day? What about deadlines, family, friends, free time, discipline, and the tools youâll need? Our panelists explore these topics and more to help you figure out the right approach to writing for you. Panelists: Jean Rabe, Elizabeth Vaughan, Donald Bingle, Anton Strout
We’re early risers. If you are too, come get a jump on the Writer’s Symposium activities and have a chat about this and that. From publishing and writing to the weather in Chicago and vampires in Toledo, we’ll cover whatever strikes your and our proverbial fancy.
Reality in Fantasy: How much does armor really weigh? How fast can a horse run? How far can a longbow shoot? Why is it important to know these things, and how do you use them without letting reality get in the way of a great story? Learn to make your writing feel “real” even when you’re penning a fantasy story.
Writing Your First Novel: No more excuses! It’s time to write that novel you keep talking about! But what does it take to move the story from your imagination to the page? Our panelists have been over that proverbial hump and are willing to give you a nudge.
Fantastic Females: Dynamic women should rule the pages of your manuscript ... not the mousy types waiting to be tied to a railroad track. Our panelists discuss how to avoid weak clichés and over-used stereotypes, and how to craft strong, interesting ladies that advance your story.
Selling Short Fiction: Selling short fiction can be a long road, especially in a marketplace with dwindling print anthologies and falling magazine sales. But short fiction is still an art worth pursuing. Our panelists discuss markets, techniques, and how penning short stories can improve your chances of publishing novels.
Plot a Novel in One Hour: You can do it! Devise a storyline that’ll take your cast of characters from prologue to epilogue and do it in just one hour! We’ll show you how, in a mere hour, you can come up with a rich plot that you can flesh out into an outline and then a novel.
Is it better to write by the proverbial seat of your pants or to painstakingly outline each chapter? Both approaches to writing novels, short stories, and game material work, but is one method better? Our panelists discuss the pros and cons of plotting in advance.
The Buddy System: How to Collaborate Without Killing Your Coauthor
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Some say a co-authorship is twice the work for half the credit and pay. Others say having a writing partner produces better material and makes the task more enjoyable. We’ll look at how to successfully approach a co-author project—whether a novel or game material.
Paul Genesse and Patrick Tomlinson whisk you away to lands of wonder and mystery as they read some of their latest writings. It’s the best lunchtime entertainment at Gen Con, and you can’t beat the price.
Hang ‘em. Poison ‘em. Blow ‘em up. Slice ‘em to ribbons. Or just run ‘em over with a train. Our panelists discuss methods for killing characters—heroes and villains alike. They’ll cover how to time a death scene right, how to give the death meaning, what details to leave in and out, and how to decide which ones should “bite the dust.”
Writers often commit errors that thwart their chances for success and send them down a dead end rather than along the road to publication. Our panelists discuss mistakes writers make and what you can do to increase your chances of catching an editor’s eye.
Have you faced a malevolent force that prevents you from finishing your manuscript? How can you defeat the dark power that keeps your fingers motionless on the keyboard and your brain in neutral? Our panelists have battled this dreaded demon, and they’ll teach you how to best it!
What do you do with your finished novel? Approach an agent? A publisher? Put it on your shelf and admire the stack of papers? Start on the rewrite? We’ll look at the next steps, including how to delve into your second manuscript. After all, the true test of an author is not stopping after the first book.