2012: Writing About Prophecies & the End of the World
Description:
The Mayan Calendar is said to stop at the year 2012. Let's hope they got it wrong. Our panelists expect to be selling their books and stories well beyond that date. Still, it is an intriguing topic, and one that makes great fodder for fiction. What is so fascinating about doom-and-gloom prophecies? How can you use them in your own storytelling by giving them a new and exciting slant?
How long should you spend on a short story? A novel? How can you set schedules, work with a calendar, and attain goals of so many words-per-day? Learn how to cope with unexpected crises, short rewrite deadlines, and heavy criticism. Develop the skills necessary to write no matter what else is going on around you.
Is your hero always sober? Does your villain have a drinking problem? When is it appropriate to use alcohol in literature to set a scene, advance the plot, or add some color to your characters? Our panelists look at drinking ... and not just the intoxicating stuff. We’ll delve into medieval drinks and futuristic concoctions and discuss reference material to sate your characters’ thirsts and wet your readers’ whistles.
Gen Con is the perfect spot to troll for freelance work in the RPG industry. Our veteran RPG authors provide tips for landing assignments, market suggetions, and how you can make your manuscript catch a game company's attention.
Vampires, ghosts, and zombies, oh my! Breathe life--so to speak--into your undead characters. Discover what rules apply and what should be ignored when writing about the undead.
When is it appropriate to work for free? How can you cater to the readers who visit your website? What do you need to watch out for so you don't 'spam' your fans with content? Our panelists tackle these topics and more, including how to promote your writing via the internet.
Regardless of the genre you write in, chances are you'll put a love-interest in it. How do you blend a touch of romance into your story and how explicit should you be? Learn how romance can strengthen your story and make your characters more real and interesting. USA Today Bestselling fantasy-romance author, and this year's Author Guest of Honor, Elizabeth Vaughan leads the discussion.
Make war, not peace! Ruffle the feathers of your characters. Stir the pot of emotions. Add a fistfight or two. Craft a clever and entertaining argument among your heroes. Not all conflict has to be bloody or increase the body count, but it does have to keep the reader turning the pages. Our panelists discuss the art of adding a dash of conflict to your pages.
The philosophers say 'Know yourself.' The writing guides say 'Write what you know.' Even though writing about yourself may seem easy, your memoir still needs to have the essential elements of a story and should engage, enlighten, and entertain, all without making stuff up! Panelists will discuss making memoirs more effective, places to publish, and suggestions on how to deal with family members who don't remember the past the same way you do.
Dwarven vampires, space-faring elves, undead detectives, rap artists in King Arthur’s court. Are there lines and genres that shouldn’t be crossed in fiction? If you do cross lines, how many can you tackle? How many genres can you blend before your reader gets too confused and gives up? What combinations are natural? What combinations should be avoided? Are there rules to follow? And what rules should you break?
There is a dark side to the “fairer sex.” In this hour, we’ll focus on female villains, hard-boiled heroines, and tough-as-nails supporting characters. How do you make a female character real without becoming a cliché or done-to-death stereotype?
It's baaack ... the most insanely hilarious (or hilariously insane) public reading of what is arguably the worst piece of published fiction--ever! Try to keep your sides from splitting as you watch other hapless victims ... er, participants ... read this story aloud, and attempt to get through it with their sanity intact. All are welcome to join in the fun ... if you dare!
What are the genres? What are the tropes? And what are the rules? You have to know the rules before you can even think about bending or breaking them. USA Today Bestselling fantasy-romance author and Author Guest of Honor Elizabeth Vaughan leads the discussion.
So you want to create a main character that doesn't match your gender. You want the woman believable, and you want to avoid stereotypes and cliches. How do you get into such a character's head? How can a guy 'write' a convincing gal? Our panelists are adept at doing just that and are chomping at the proverbial bit to share their expertise.
Help other writers, and you’ll end up helping yourself. Topics we’ll tackle include mentoring, managing expectations of other writers, when it’s appropriate to pitch ideas to other professionals, the downside of too much shameless self-promotion, and building a writer’s community for support.
This award-winning author manages to hold down a day-job and write practically full-time on top of it. He's experienced in game-writing, fantasy, and all manner of fiction. Want some tips on how to break into the various genres of writing? Park yourself here for the next hour and glom onto his words of wisdom.
Don has had game products, movie and book reviews, a couple dozen short stories, a novella, a novelette, and two or three novels published in the science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, and comedy genres. He's also written a couple of screenplays, a TV pilot treatment, creative non-fiction, and (gasp) even poetry. As a legend-in-his-own-mind, he is willing to talk about all of it or about virtual reality, time travel, and more.
USA Today Bestselling author, and Author Guest of Honor, Elizabeth Vaughan is in the mood to chat. Bring your questions and books to sign, and she'll happily accommodate you. Published internationally, Elizabeth is known for her Warlands fantasy romance trilogy from Tor and her new series including Dagger Star, White Star, and Destiny's Star.
With more than two dozen novels and five dozen short stories to her credit, Jean has a wealth of information to share about the writing world and publishing industry ... and is more than happy to also talk about her three dogs, cantankerous parrot, fantailed goldfish, stacks of books, plethora of games, upcoming projects, assorted hobbies, and her wholly messy office. Come have a chat with her and 'pick her brain' about this and that.
She's written fiction and game material for enough years to be called a veteran! Jennifer Brozek is ready to offer advice on both writing fields, discuss her experiences working with Margaret Weis, and answer questions that aren't from the fields of physics or nuclear medicine.
What elements make a good short story? Do you have to like kids to write Young Adult fiction? Who would win a fight between Unicorns and Werewolves? And just how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? Join Kelly Swails as she attempts to answer these questions, as well as those from the audience.
He has been creating short fiction for more than thirty years. In that time he has written for the major magazines (Amazing, Cemetery Dance, Fantasy and Science Fiction and Twilight Zone), appeared in anthologies edited by the biggest names in SF, and has been included in numerous Best-Of editions. His stories have been collectioned in Visions: Short Fantasy and SF and This Way to Egress. Come pick his brain about being a writer.
Are you an author struggling with marketing your books? Do you want to 'break in' to horror? Have questions about freelancing in the gaming industry? Now's your chance to get those questions answered! Called a 'force of nature,' Monica works as a Content and Web Analytics Manager for one of the biggest retailers online, fills the role of Project Manager for FlamesRising.com and still finds time to pursue other writing opportunities.
He has been a professional fiction writer for a quarter of a centruy. He's written fantasy and horror, novels and short fiction, adult and Young Adult material ... and all-original work as well as tales set in the Forgotten Realms, Marvel Universe, and other shared worlds. His current projects include more Forgotten Realms novels and forays into urban fantasy and comics. He's taught fiction writing and is an avid fencer and poker player.
Bob started out writing RPG tournaments ... he's penned about three dozen or so. Then he started having game material published. Now he's concentrating on fiction and recently made his first sale. Come chat and discover how to make the transition from game writer to fiction writer. Oh ... and he does technical writing, too.
Dead to Me, Anton’s first novel, propelled him to the top of the urban fantasy charts. His third book was released this spring, and he’s hard at work on another. He manages to write while working full time for Penguin and handling the hectic life of a New Yorker. Bring your questions and prepare to be informed and entertained.
Jennifer is a full-time, stay-at-home, type-her-fingers-to-the-bones writer. Versed in game writing and fiction, and emerging as an editor, she’s been around more blocks than you can walk a young greyhound! You’d do well to come pick-her-brain about the writing life.
Hugo-Award-nominated editor and writer John Helfers discusses working on anthologies, novels, and tie-in work for Tekno Books, the largest book packager in America, as well as answering any and all questions about writing, editing, and publishing.
She’s edited anthologies, including Gamer Fantastic & Zombies, Raccoons, and Killer Bunnies. She has published short stories and done research and editing for two compendiums; The Vorkosigan Companion, and the Valdemar Companion. Currently she is at work on Chicks Kick Ass, and The Girls Guide to Guns and Monsters, as well as The Dresden Files Companion. Join her for a chat about how to fit in writing while holding down that proverbial day job.
Paul’s second novel was one of the hottest-selling titles on his publisher’s list. His first, The Golden Cord, was also a top-selling title for the Five Star book line. He’s ready to talk about how he broke into the business, what he’s working on now, and how he manages to write while working as a full-time cardiac care nurse.
He’s a novelist and writing teacher who writes both original and shared-world fiction in a variety of genres. With over twenty novels and a hundred short stories to his credit, as well as two decades teaching college-level creative writing classes, Tim’s brain is ripe for the picking!
You really shouldn’t miss this. Really. You’ve listened to these fellows dispense their advice about writing, now come and listen to their own samples. You’ll be amazed, entertained, and they will appreciate the audience.
Both of these gentlemen have multiple books on the market and short stories in several anthologies. They’ve garnered praise from reviews and won awards. Come see what the fuss is about! Discover why their words are being scooped up by avid readers. Be amazed! Be entertained. Be there!
Join our Author Guest of Honor as she selects some of her favorite works to share. She is working on her third trilogy ... and she started her foray into the writing world by doing just what you are: attending Gen Con panels and author readings.
Have a mind-expanding picnic! Why chow-down in the food court when you can listen to the amazing words of John Helfers and Jennifer Brozek. They will wax eloquent by reading from some of their most recent works.
Veteran short story authors of a variety of genres, Marc and Kelly will wholly entertain you with their scintillating prose, put you on the edge of your seats, have you reaching for a hanky, and will bring a few smiles to your convention-weary faces.
Before you rush off to dinner, sit back and listen to a pair of our talented panelists read to you from their latest works. You'll forget you were hungry ... for food.
New York Times Bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole invites you to spend your dinner hour listening to something new he's written. Make it a picnic and be prepared to be heartily amazed and entertained.
If you’re not writing in the “real world,” and you’ve created a land of your own, you have to do more than draw a map, add a river, and sprinkle in some mountains and other geographical features. You have to put a lot of thought into the place. Our panelists will tell you what elements make a fantasy setting believable, including weather, population clusters, animal life, and more.
Supporting characters ... sidekicks, lieutenants, minions, and the like ... can make your major characters and plot more complex. Your hero needs a best buddy or confident, a sounding board for dialogue, someone to turn to when the villain gets him down. And your villain ... lackeys are good. Learn how to abolish cardboard cutouts while preventing your second bananas from stealing the show.
In some tales the setting is as key as the heroes and villains who stride across the landscape. Some writers are able to paint their setting so well that their readers sweat in the bayou, shiver in the arctic, and gag in the swamp. We'll discuss techniques for turning your story's backdrop into a place so vibrant, mysterious, scary, or enchanting that the reader will feel a part of it ... and all without letting your prose go purple.
It isn't easy, balancing the challenges of writing with family, day jobs, and the rest of life's pitfalls and roadblocks. We'll give you ideas for managing the stress of hitting deadlines, finding time to complete that great American novel, and putting your work out there for the world to judge.
This one was sooooo popular last year that we decided to continue the discussion. Sex, death, horror, and revenge ... is there a line? And when is it okay to cross it in your manuscript? When is 'it' too much? We'll examine various 'touchy subjects,' the marketplace, and provide advice on when to tone things down or amp them up.
Mold a truly remarkable villain, a character memorable to your readers, devoid of cliches, and one who can go toe-to-toe with your protagonist. For one hour, no heroes are allowed.
Your panelists have dealt with big publishers, small press publishers, packagers, editors, and agents. They have wisdom to impart on deadlines, galleys, self-publishing, and more. They understand how advances, royalties, and reserves for returns work. They've written query letters, attended pitch sessions, schmoozed at con parties, and written work-for-hire. They've authored, edited, and critiqued. Best yet, they're willing to dish about it.
We’ve been published by major New York houses as well as small press companies and have had varying degrees of success with both. We’ll discuss the differences between writing for a large publisher versus a small one, and the advantages and disadvantages of both.
We'll teach you how to turn an ordinary hero into an extraordinary one. Spend an hour focusing solely on your main character, a good guy who doesn't necessarily have to wear a white hat. We'll tackle the villain in a later panel.
A short story isn't a miniature novel, and a good, meaty novel needs to be more complex than a tale in a magazine. Our panelists discuss how they approach different length works and what tools you need to be successful at writing the short story, novella, and novel.
This Pen's For Hire: Finding Work in Shared Worlds
Description:
There’s work to be had in the writing world if you’re willing to play with someone else’s property. Tie-in projects include books based on television shows, movies, comic books, role-playing games, computer games, and more. So where do you look? How do you land the projects? And what are the pros and cons of shared-world writing?
Time Travel, Parallel Universes, & Quantum Physics
Description:
In a parallel universe somewhere, you've already attended this session and know all about how wav theory, super-strings, quantum entanglement, and things like noetics bear on frequent sci-fi concepts like time travel and mirror Earths. But since you're not in that universe, you might want to attend this panel and get some insight into actual physics ... or just enough gobbledy-gook to make your next story sound credible.
Planes, trains, automobiles, griffon chariots, horses, teleporters, dragons, and trolleys . . . how your characters move from one chapter to the next should be interesting and reasonably accurate. We'll give you tips for writing about modes of transportation so that they add spice to your fiction rather than bog it down.
Readers find demons, vampires, and other urban fantasy denizens scary and compelling and will buy book after book after book filled with them. What can you as a writer do to provide more of those craved-for characters and settings while carving out your own niche on the bookstore shelf?
So you want to create a main character that doesn't match your gender. You want the man believable, and you want to avoid all those silly stereotypes and macho cliches. How do you get into such a character's head? How can a gal 'write' a convincing guy? Our panelists are adept at doing just that and are happy to share their expertise.
Want to write the next big YA fantasy? You better approach it differently than that adult-horror-splatterfest you've been spending your hours on. The age of your intended readers should dictate your approach to storytelling. We look at the difference in children's lit, YA, and adult genres, including a discussion of markets and agents.
How can you make a sword fight feel real? A war scene authentic and gritty? A bar brawl seem so vivid you can taste the discarded peanut shells and wince at each punch? It's in the pacing and description, and our panelists will provide techniques to improve your 'fighting words.'