The mythology of your world makes a huge impact on how your story is perceived. Should you lift a mythology from an ancient culture? Twist a current one? Or create one from scratch? Our panelists take on making mythologies convincing, realistic, and interesting.
Are your characters Catholic? Atheists? Seekers? Or do they worship the Great GOldfish in the Sky? Creating a cosmology or religion from scratch is a fun and exciting part of writing in alternate times or worlds. Our panelists explore how to get started.
We're living in a time when technological evolution has made a tremendous difference in most of our world's societies. What would your characters' evolutionary path be if they used magic instead of computers? How does magic or science affect a society's evolution? We'll examine how patterns of changes affect your world and characters and how to twist technology with magic or vice versa.
You can create a shiny new culture for your world, or you can take two that already exist and entwine them to make something with a built-in believability factor. How about a cowboy priesthood? What would change if your Amazonic heroine came from Tibet? Our panelists teach you how to twist existing cultures to make a whole new world.
New York TImes Bestselling author Michael Stackpole--the first author to offer fiction on the iPhone/iPod Touch through Apple's Appstore--gives you an up to date look at the digital revolution and explains how you can profit and develop your career. Mike's watched his Internet income from writing double every year for the past three years, with the trend accelerating in 2009. If you intend to have a career in writing, this is essential.
Just like any other world, when you set your scene in "outer space" there is science, technology, and terminology that will make your star system and space vehicles real to your readers. Join us for a discussion on space R&D, equipment, personnel, training, procedures, and more.
Setting your novel in a medical field, whether your character is a Laplander shaman or an EMT in Chicago requires specialized knowledge. Knowing the ins and outs of the medical field, such as the R&D, personnel, training, procedures, emergency protocol, healing herbs, potions, etc., will make your setting sing with authenticity.
To make your detective or beat cop believable means you have to know something about laws, jurisdictions, rocedures, investigative techniques, and much more. Join us for a look at police procedures, and how you can make your officer and precinct believable . . . even if your desk sergeant has three eyes and four arms.
You've seen the movies. You've read (okay, looked at) the magazines. You may even have gone out on a date. But do you have what it takes to write a story or novel from a feminine point of view? Women aren't just men with different parts. How do you learn about their perspective? How do you handle combat, romance, and day-to-day interactions without alienating half of your potential readership?
Is your next character a lieutenant in the Royal Navy patroling the seas of Mars? An alien sent to Earth as a liaison with the U.S. Marines? We'll discuss how to make your world and characters authentic with an understanding of ranks, personnel, protocol, bases, equipment, civilians, dependents, and more.