2025 Schedule

—IN PROGRESS—

Classes at Superstars are presented by single instructors or group panels. While the courses change slightly each year to reflect the changes in the industry as well as the experiences of the instructors, the core curriculum is designed to maximize the skills each student will learn.

REGISTER FOR SUPERSTARS 2025

⚠️ NOTE — Schedule is still in progress.
Information below is not yet finalized.

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SCHEDULE

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:30 - 8:30 Check In

8:30 - 9:00

Opening Remarks - ANDERSON
Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

15 Minute Break

9:15 - 10:45

The Heroine's Journey Narrative Structure for Fiction Authors - CARRIGER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Things I Wish Some Pro Had Told Me - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Carson

Making Marvellous Magic Systems: Unleash the arcane to amplify your story and capture your readers - ROWENSON

Learning Center

Sharpening Your Writer's Third Eye - LA RONN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Starting Strong: Great first paragraphs and great first pages - MARTELLE

Summit III

The Cover Story: A Workshop on Cover Design - OWEN

The Club Room at the Antlers Grille

15 Minute Break

11:00 - 12:30

The Heroine's Journey Narrative Structure for Fiction Authors - CARRIGER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Things I Wish Some Pro Had Told Me - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Carson

Making Marvelous Magic Systems: Unleash the arcane to amplify your story and capture your readers - ROWENSON

Learning Center

Sharpening Your Writer's Third Eye - LA RONN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Starting Strong: Great first paragraphs and great first pages - MARTELLE

Summit III

The Cover Story: A Workshop on Cover Design - OWEN

The Club Room at the Antlers Grille

12:30 - 2:00 Lunch on your own

2:00 - 3:30

How To Do Crowning Moments of Awesome - BUTCHER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Finding The Perfect Story Structure - IKENBERRY

Carson

Playing God: Creating Planets (and peoples) For Prose (and profit) - GANNON

Learning Center

Nice Story!—Thanks, It Has POCKETS: Seven elements every story should contain - MANGUM

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Writing Fight and Action Scenes - MABERRY

Summit III

15 Minute Break

3:45 - 5:15

How To Do Crowning Moments of Awesome - BUTCHER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Finding The Perfect Story Structure - IKENBERRY

Carson

Playing God: Creating Planets (and peoples) For Prose (and profit) - GANNON

Learning Center

Nice Story!—Thanks, It Has POCKETS: Seven elements every story should contain - MANGUM

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Writing Fight and Action Scenes - MABERRY

Summit III

15 Minute Break

5:30 - 5:45

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

5:45 - 7:00 Dinner on Your Own

7:00 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:00 Check In

8:00 - 8:30

Opening Remarks - ANDERSON Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

8:30 - 9:30

Popcorn Theory of Success - ANDERSON

Heritage

15 Minute Break

9:45 - 10:45

Career Paths for Writers - WEISSKOPF

Heritage

Speak, Teach, and Sell - KERRIE FLANAGAN

Fremont

Query Letters 101 Workshop: Part 1 - BERLIN, LINDSAY FLANAGAN

Carson

Resilience for Writers Panel Discussion - ANDERSON, BLATT, ESSOE, MCCAFFREY

Learning Center

Advanced Book Marketing: Maximize your readers list with BookFunnel - COURTNEY

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Kaffeeklatch (Scheduled Attendees Only) - BUTCHER

Summit III

15 Minute Break

11:00 - 12:00

Author Branding - KASTNER

Heritage

Write, Click, Engage - DANA CLAIRE

Fremont

Query Letters 101 Workshop: Part 2 - BERLIN, LINDSAY FLANAGAN

Carson

Writing for Tabletop RPGs - AGRESTA, COLEMAN, EVANS, WEBER

Learning Center

Creating Bestsellers in the Audio Market for Indie Authors - STONE

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitch Practice Sessions - ESSOE, MANDEVILLE, MANGUM

Summit Ballroom

12:00 - 1:30 Lunch on your own

1:30 - 2:30

Agent Real Talk: The Truths of Publishing - ROSE

Heritage

Editing and Polishing Your Manuscript in MS Word - KLEVE

Fremont

The Beauty of the Written Word - GARRETT

Carson

Self Publishing Round Up With Industry Service Pros - CLAIRE, COURTNEY, K. FLANAGAN, L. FLANAGAN, LEFEBVRE, SMITH, STONE

Learning Center

Pick a Successful Hybrid Author's Brain - CARRIGER

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitch Practice Sessions - ESSOE, MANDEVILLE, MANGUM

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

2:45 - 3:45

How to Query & Pitch an Agent - KONDLA

Heritage

Wide Strategies for Marketing Your Books - LEFEBVRE

Fremont

Navigating the Business of Children's Book Writing - COWAN

Carson

Kickstarter Panel Discussion - AGRESTA, ANDERSON, COLEMAN, OWEN, CLAIRE

Learning Center

Editing on a Deadline - MABERRY

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

4:00 - 5:00

What to Expect When Working With an Editor - DAVIS

Heritage

Creating a Successful Podcast - GOODWIN

Fremont

Mastering the Art of Newsletter List Building: Strategies and Tips for Authors - KERRIE FLANAGAN

Carson

Listen Up! Creating Your Audiobooks Panel Discussion - ANDERSON, HAYS, MADRID, MCGINNIS, STONE

Learning Center

Shared Worlds: Profits, Pitfalls, and Unique Possibilities for Stories and Sales - GANNON

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

5:00 - 5:15

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

5:15 - 6:00

End of Day Q&A

Heritage

6:00 - 7:30 Dinner On Your Own

7:30 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:30 Eggs Benedict Breakfast
(pre-registration required)

8:30 - 8:45

Announcements - WHITTAKER, LEFEBVRE

Heritage

8:45 - 9:45

Elevating Your Publishing Mindset - LA RONN

Heritage

Best Practices: Author Bio & Photo - MANDEVILLE

Fremont

Marketing Secrets from a Draft2Digital Insider - LEFEBVRE

Carson

From Data to Drama: Leveraging market research to create bestselling fiction - ANAYA, BROWN

Cameron

Tips from Editors Panel Discussion - DAVIS, ESSOE, L. FLANAGAN, KLEVE, WIGGINS

Learning Center

Dungeon Crawler Carl: How Audio Helped Turn a Series into a Phenomenon - HAYS, DINNIMAN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

10:00 - 11:00

Writers of the Future: Four Decades of Paying it Forward - JOHN GOODWIN, MCCAFFREY, MOESTA, WEISSKOPF, EMILY GOODWIN

Heritage

Pitfalls of Literary Contracts - IKENBERRY

Fremont

Build Your Writing Career from Scratch - KASTNER

Carson

From Pages to Products - CLAIRE

Cameron

Success in the Romance Genre - ANAYA, BROWN, CRENSHAW, SLAYTON

Learning Center

Kickstarter for Publishing 101 - LECKERT

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

11:15 - 12:15

Things I Wish I Knew FIRST - CARRIGER

Heritage

Top 5 Things I've Learned from 25 Years of Editing - MANGUM

Fremont

Direct Sell Your way to Business Freedom - CROSS

Carson

Landing Pages that Work - AGRESTA

Cameron

Start Your Small Press: Lessons from Publishers - ANAYA, BROWN, KELLY AND KEVIN COLBY, KNIGHT, SHEETS

Learning Center

Write What You Feel: Emotion in Fiction - SLAYTON

Spotlight

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

12:15 - 1:45 Lunch on your own

1:45 - 2:45

Writing Media Tie-In Fiction - MABERRY

Heritage

Maximize Your Profits with Bookvault Through Direct Sales and Special Editions - ALEX SMITH

Fremont

Conquering the Con 1: Logistics & Presentation (Setting Up to Sell Effectively) - FAHNESTOCK

Carson

Private Interview with Indie Author Magazine and Kevin J. Anderson - ANDERSON, HONIKER

Cameron

TribeTalks: "Ted Talk" Style Presentations from Tribe - GUNDERSON, MORIN, TODD

Learning Center

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a $90,000+ Royalty Month with Amazon Ads - COHEN

Spotlight

15 Minute Break

3:00 - 4:00

Why Characters Matter - WEBER

Heritage

Amazon Ads Playbook: Strategic Insights from $100+ Million in Sales - SCOT

Fremont

Conquering the Con 2: Selling (What To Do Once You're There) - FAHNESTOCK

Carson

It Shouldn't Hurt to Write: Ergonomics for Writers - MOESTA

Cameron

AI and the Future of Publishing Panel Discussion - CRENSHAW, GANNON, JONES, SMITH, THACKER, MARTELLE

Learning Center

Using Your Words Efficiently in Children's and Middle Grade - COWAN

Spotlight

15 Minute Break

4:15 - 4:30

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

4:30 - 6:00

Drawing out the Dragons - OWEN

Heritage

6:45 - 8:00 Dinner On Your Own

7:00 - 10:00

Exclusive VIP Dinner with Featured Guests (Ticketed Event)

8:00 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:30 Eggs Benedict Breakfast (pre-registration required)

8:30 - 8:45

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

8:45 - 9:45

How I Get Work Done - BUTCHER

Heritage

The Busy Writer's Second Brain: Streamlining Your Storytelling with Technology - HONIKER

Fremont

Get Your Short Story Published - HERZ

Carson

That's Not What I Wrote: Listening and Learning from Your Editor - BERLIN, FLANAGAN

Cameron

Guerilla Marketing for Indies - CROSS, LA RONN, MARTELLE, THACKER

Learning Center

Ask the Agent - KONDLA

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

10:00 - 11:00

Quelling Your Query Conundrums - ROSE

Heritage

AMA with Oriana Leckert from Kickstarter - LECKERT

Fremont

Celebration vs. Appropriation - GARRETT

Carson

The Bookseller's Perspective - HAYDEN

Cameron

Masters of Publishing Genre Fiction - ANDERSON, LONGUEIRA, PARKHURST

Learning Center

Legacy Planning - WEISSKOPF

Spotlight

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

11:15 - 12:15

Maintaining Momentum to Level Up - MARTELLE

Heritage

Top Ten Mistakes - ESSOE

Fremont

Listen to Your Readers: Making business decisions off data, not emotion - CROSS

Carson

Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing: Live Interview with Stacey Kondla - KELLY AND KEVIN COLBY, KONDLA

Cameron

Listen Up: Marketing Your Audiobooks Successfully - HAYS, MCGINNIS, STONE

Learning Center

Strata: The Underlying Layers of Skillful Writing - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Spotlight

12:15 - 1:45 Lunch on your own or Networking Lunch with Chuck Gannon

1:45 - 2:45

Failure is Just a Data Point - CARRIGER

Heritage

How to Utilize IngramSpark: Insights and Best Practices - MACADOO

Fremont

Live Interview with Jeff Hays of Soundbooth Theater and Craig Martelle - HAYS, GOODWIN, MARTELLE

Carson

Writing Extraordinary Picture Books - HERZ

Cameron

Collaborating with Other Writers - GANNON, IKENBERRY, MABERRY, MCCAFFREY, MOESTA, WEBER

Learning Center

A Narrator's Process - MCGINNIS

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

3:00 - 4:00

Hope and Glory and Authorship: Preparing for Triumphs and Tragedies - GANNON

Heritage

Aim Lower — The secret to hitting big goals is to shoot for targets you can't miss - DENZEL

Fremont

What Are Mentors Meant For? - IKENBERRY

Carson

Intro to Book Trailers - MARTINEZ

Cameron

Why Should I Write Short Stories? - ANDERSON, GOODWIN, KNIGHT, MABERRY

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Patreon for Beginners - OWEN

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

4:15 - 5:15

Mental Models for Writers - LA RONN

Heritage

The Power of You - ROBERTS

Fremont

Talking to Myself - ANDERSON

Carson

Geek Girls Academy Presents - ANAYA, BROWN

Cameron

Horror: Where Genre Meets Emotion - LEFEBVRE, MABERRY, WHITTAKER

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

5:30 - 6:00

Endowment Auctions and Announcements - LEFEBVRE, OWEN, WHITTAKER

Heritage

6:00 - 6:30

End of Day Q&A

Heritage

6:30 - 6:45

Farewell - ANDERSON, WHITTAKER, IKENBERRY

Heritage

7:30 - 12:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:30 Eggs Benedict Breakfast (pre-registration required)

8:30 - 8:45

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

8:45 - 9:45

How I Get Work Done - BUTCHER

Heritage

The Busy Writer's Second Brain: Streamlining Your Storytelling with Technology - HONIKER

Fremont

Get Your Short Story Published - HERZ

Carson

That's Not What I Wrote: Listening and Learning from Your Editor - BERLIN, FLANAGAN

Cameron

Guerilla Marketing for Indies - CROSS, LA RONN, MARTELLE, THACKER

Learning Center

Ask the Agent - KONDLA

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

10:00 - 11:00

Quelling Your Query Conundrums - ROSE

Heritage

AMA with Oriana Leckert from Kickstarter - LECKERT

Fremont

Celebration vs. Appropriation - GARRETT

Carson

The Bookseller's Perspective - HAYDEN

Cameron

Masters of Publishing Genre Fiction - ANDERSON, LONGUEIRA, PARKHURST

Learning Center

Legacy Planning - WEISSKOPF

Spotlight

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

11:15 - 12:15

Maintaining Momentum to Level Up - MARTELLE

Heritage

Top Ten Mistakes - ESSOE

Fremont

Listen to Your Readers: Making business decisions off data, not emotion - CROSS

Carson

Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing: Live Interview with Stacey Kondla - KELLY AND KEVIN COLBY, KONDLA

Cameron

Listen Up: Marketing Your Audiobooks Successfully - HAYS, MCGINNIS, STONE

Learning Center

Strata: The Underlying Layers of Skillful Writing - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Spotlight

12:15 - 1:45 Lunch on your own or Networking Lunch with Chuck Gannon

1:45 - 2:45

Failure is Just a Data Point - CARRIGER

Heritage

How to Utilize IngramSpark: Insights and Best Practices - MACADOO

Fremont

Live Interview with Jeff Hays of Soundbooth Theater and Craig Martelle - HAYS, GOODWIN, MARTELLE

Carson

Writing Extraordinary Picture Books - HERZ

Cameron

Collaborating with Other Writers - GANNON, IKENBERRY, MABERRY, MCCAFFREY, MOESTA, WEBER

Learning Center

A Narrator's Process - MCGINNIS

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

3:00 - 4:00

Hope and Glory and Authorship: Preparing for Triumphs and Tragedies - GANNON

Heritage

Aim Lower — The secret to hitting big goals is to shoot for targets you can't miss - DENZEL

Fremont

What Are Mentors Meant For? - IKENBERRY

Carson

Intro to Book Trailers - MARTINEZ

Cameron

Why Should I Write Short Stories? - ANDERSON, GOODWIN, KNIGHT, MABERRY

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Patreon for Beginners - OWEN

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

4:15 - 5:15

Mental Models for Writers - LA RONN

Heritage

The Power of You - ROBERTS

Fremont

Talking to Myself - ANDERSON

Carson

Geek Girls Academy Presents - ANAYA, BROWN

Cameron

Horror: Where Genre Meets Emotion - LEFEBVRE, MABERRY, WHITTAKER

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

5:30 - 6:00

Endowment Auctions and Announcements - LEFEBVRE, OWEN, WHITTAKER

Heritage

6:00 - 6:30

End of Day Q&A

Heritage

6:30 - 6:45

Farewell - ANDERSON, WHITTAKER, IKENBERRY

Heritage

7:30 - 12:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Time

Event

Location

Wednesday, February 7th, 2024

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Freewriting

Fremont

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Public Book Sale (BOOKSTRAVAGANZA!!!)

Summit I, II, & III

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Release Party/Signing Event for A BIT OF LUCK Superstars Anthology

Stratton Room

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Diversity Meeting with Jayrod Garrett

Carson

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Fantasy Roundtable Discussion

Learning Center

9:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Folk ‘n’ Filk

Fremont

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Stratton Room

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Welcome Mixer Sponsored by Soundbooth Theater!

Summit I, II, & III

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Science Fiction Discussion Panel

Learning Center

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Summit I & II

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Q&A with Lindsay and Sabine from Eschler Editing

Summit III

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Diversity Meetup with Jaryrod Garrett

Stratton Room

Friday, February 9th, 2024

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Exclusive VIP Dinner (Ticketed Event)

Summit III

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Freewriting

Fremont

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Carson

Saturday, February 10th, 2024

7:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Gaming and Social

Summit I & II

7:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Karaoke! Sponsored by Damon Courtney and BookFunnel

Summit III

Skills Day, Wed, Feb. 5

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:30 - 8:30 Check In

8:30 - 9:00

Opening Remarks - ANDERSON
Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

15 Minute Break

9:15 - 10:45

The Heroine's Journey Narrative Structure for Fiction Authors - CARRIGER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Things I Wish Some Pro Had Told Me - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Carson

Making Marvellous Magic Systems: Unleash the arcane to amplify your story and capture your readers - ROWENSON

Learning Center

Sharpening Your Writer's Third Eye - LA RONN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Starting Strong: Great first paragraphs and great first pages - MARTELLE

Summit III

The Cover Story: A Workshop on Cover Design - OWEN

The Club Room at the Antlers Grille

15 Minute Break

11:00 - 12:30

The Heroine's Journey Narrative Structure for Fiction Authors - CARRIGER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Things I Wish Some Pro Had Told Me - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Carson

Making Marvelous Magic Systems: Unleash the arcane to amplify your story and capture your readers - ROWENSON

Learning Center

Sharpening Your Writer's Third Eye - LA RONN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Starting Strong: Great first paragraphs and great first pages - MARTELLE

Summit III

The Cover Story: A Workshop on Cover Design - OWEN

The Club Room at the Antlers Grille

12:30 - 2:00 Lunch on your own

2:00 - 3:30

How To Do Crowning Moments of Awesome - BUTCHER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Finding The Perfect Story Structure - IKENBERRY

Carson

Playing God: Creating Planets (and peoples) For Prose (and profit) - GANNON

Learning Center

Nice Story!—Thanks, It Has POCKETS: Seven elements every story should contain - MANGUM

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Writing Fight and Action Scenes - MABERRY

Summit III

15 Minute Break

3:45 - 5:15

How To Do Crowning Moments of Awesome - BUTCHER

Heritage

Crafting Awesome Thrillers - THACKER

Fremont

Finding The Perfect Story Structure - IKENBERRY

Carson

Playing God: Creating Planets (and peoples) For Prose (and profit) - GANNON

Learning Center

Nice Story!—Thanks, It Has POCKETS: Seven elements every story should contain - MANGUM

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Writing Fight and Action Scenes - MABERRY

Summit III

15 Minute Break

5:30 - 5:45

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

5:45 - 7:00 Dinner on Your Own

7:00 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Thursday, Feb. 8

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:00 Check In

8:00 - 8:30

Opening Remarks - ANDERSON Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

8:30 - 9:30

Popcorn Theory of Success - ANDERSON

Heritage

15 Minute Break

9:45 - 10:45

Career Paths for Writers - WEISSKOPF

Heritage

Speak, Teach, and Sell - KERRIE FLANAGAN

Fremont

Query Letters 101 Workshop: Part 1 - BERLIN, LINDSAY FLANAGAN

Carson

Resilience for Writers Panel Discussion - ANDERSON, BLATT, ESSOE, MCCAFFREY

Learning Center

Advanced Book Marketing: Maximize your readers list with BookFunnel - COURTNEY

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Kaffeeklatch (Scheduled Attendees Only) - BUTCHER

Summit III

15 Minute Break

11:00 - 12:00

Author Branding - KASTNER

Heritage

Write, Click, Engage - DANA CLAIRE

Fremont

Query Letters 101 Workshop: Part 2 - BERLIN, LINDSAY FLANAGAN

Carson

Writing for Tabletop RPGs - AGRESTA, COLEMAN, EVANS, WEBER

Learning Center

Creating Bestsellers in the Audio Market for Indie Authors - STONE

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitch Practice Sessions - ESSOE, MANDEVILLE, MANGUM

Summit Ballroom

12:00 - 1:30 Lunch on your own

1:30 - 2:30

Agent Real Talk: The Truths of Publishing - ROSE

Heritage

Editing and Polishing Your Manuscript in MS Word - KLEVE

Fremont

The Beauty of the Written Word - GARRETT

Carson

Self Publishing Round Up With Industry Service Pros - CLAIRE, COURTNEY, K. FLANAGAN, L. FLANAGAN, LEFEBVRE, SMITH, STONE

Learning Center

Pick a Successful Hybrid Author's Brain - CARRIGER

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitch Practice Sessions - ESSOE, MANDEVILLE, MANGUM

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

2:45 - 3:45

How to Query & Pitch an Agent - KONDLA

Heritage

Wide Strategies for Marketing Your Books - LEFEBVRE

Fremont

Navigating the Business of Children's Book Writing - COWAN

Carson

Kickstarter Panel Discussion - AGRESTA, ANDERSON, COLEMAN, OWEN, CLAIRE

Learning Center

Editing on a Deadline - MABERRY

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

4:00 - 5:00

What to Expect When Working With an Editor - DAVIS

Heritage

Creating a Successful Podcast - GOODWIN

Fremont

Mastering the Art of Newsletter List Building: Strategies and Tips for Authors - KERRIE FLANAGAN

Carson

Listen Up! Creating Your Audiobooks Panel Discussion - ANDERSON, HAYS, MADRID, MCGINNIS, STONE

Learning Center

Shared Worlds: Profits, Pitfalls, and Unique Possibilities for Stories and Sales - GANNON

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

5:00 - 5:15

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

5:15 - 6:00

End of Day Q&A

Heritage

6:00 - 7:30 Dinner On Your Own

7:30 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Friday, Feb. 9

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:30 Eggs Benedict Breakfast
(pre-registration required)

8:30 - 8:45

Announcements - WHITTAKER, LEFEBVRE

Heritage

8:45 - 9:45

Elevating Your Publishing Mindset - LA RONN

Heritage

Best Practices: Author Bio & Photo - MANDEVILLE

Fremont

Marketing Secrets from a Draft2Digital Insider - LEFEBVRE

Carson

From Data to Drama: Leveraging market research to create bestselling fiction - ANAYA, BROWN

Cameron

Tips from Editors Panel Discussion - DAVIS, ESSOE, L. FLANAGAN, KLEVE, WIGGINS

Learning Center

Dungeon Crawler Carl: How Audio Helped Turn a Series into a Phenomenon - HAYS, DINNIMAN

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

10:00 - 11:00

Writers of the Future: Four Decades of Paying it Forward - JOHN GOODWIN, MCCAFFREY, MOESTA, WEISSKOPF, EMILY GOODWIN

Heritage

Pitfalls of Literary Contracts - IKENBERRY

Fremont

Build Your Writing Career from Scratch - KASTNER

Carson

From Pages to Products - CLAIRE

Cameron

Success in the Romance Genre - ANAYA, BROWN, CRENSHAW, SLAYTON

Learning Center

Kickstarter for Publishing 101 - LECKERT

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

11:15 - 12:15

Things I Wish I Knew FIRST - CARRIGER

Heritage

Top 5 Things I've Learned from 25 Years of Editing - MANGUM

Fremont

Direct Sell Your way to Business Freedom - CROSS

Carson

Landing Pages that Work - AGRESTA

Cameron

Start Your Small Press: Lessons from Publishers - ANAYA, BROWN, KELLY AND KEVIN COLBY, KNIGHT, SHEETS

Learning Center

Write What You Feel: Emotion in Fiction - SLAYTON

Spotlight

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

12:15 - 1:45 Lunch on your own

1:45 - 2:45

Writing Media Tie-In Fiction - MABERRY

Heritage

Maximize Your Profits with Bookvault Through Direct Sales and Special Editions - ALEX SMITH

Fremont

Conquering the Con 1: Logistics & Presentation (Setting Up to Sell Effectively) - FAHNESTOCK

Carson

Private Interview with Indie Author Magazine and Kevin J. Anderson - ANDERSON, HONIKER

Cameron

TribeTalks: "Ted Talk" Style Presentations from Tribe - GUNDERSON, MORIN, TODD

Learning Center

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a $90,000+ Royalty Month with Amazon Ads - COHEN

Spotlight

15 Minute Break

3:00 - 4:00

Why Characters Matter - WEBER

Heritage

Amazon Ads Playbook: Strategic Insights from $100+ Million in Sales - SCOT

Fremont

Conquering the Con 2: Selling (What To Do Once You're There) - FAHNESTOCK

Carson

It Shouldn't Hurt to Write: Ergonomics for Writers - MOESTA

Cameron

AI and the Future of Publishing Panel Discussion - CRENSHAW, GANNON, JONES, SMITH, THACKER, MARTELLE

Learning Center

Using Your Words Efficiently in Children's and Middle Grade - COWAN

Spotlight

15 Minute Break

4:15 - 4:30

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

4:30 - 6:00

Drawing out the Dragons - OWEN

Heritage

6:45 - 8:00 Dinner On Your Own

7:00 - 10:00

Exclusive VIP Dinner with Featured Guests (Ticketed Event)

8:00 - 10:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Saturday, Feb. 10

Time

Session — Speaker(s)

Location

7:00 - 8:30 Eggs Benedict Breakfast (pre-registration required)

8:30 - 8:45

Announcements - LEFEBVRE, WHITTAKER

Heritage

8:45 - 9:45

How I Get Work Done - BUTCHER

Heritage

The Busy Writer's Second Brain: Streamlining Your Storytelling with Technology - HONIKER

Fremont

Get Your Short Story Published - HERZ

Carson

That's Not What I Wrote: Listening and Learning from Your Editor - BERLIN, FLANAGAN

Cameron

Guerilla Marketing for Indies - CROSS, LA RONN, MARTELLE, THACKER

Learning Center

Ask the Agent - KONDLA

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

10:00 - 11:00

Quelling Your Query Conundrums - ROSE

Heritage

AMA with Oriana Leckert from Kickstarter - LECKERT

Fremont

Celebration vs. Appropriation - GARRETT

Carson

The Bookseller's Perspective - HAYDEN

Cameron

Masters of Publishing Genre Fiction - ANDERSON, LONGUEIRA, PARKHURST

Learning Center

Legacy Planning - WEISSKOPF

Spotlight

Pitches and Career Counseling

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

11:15 - 12:15

Maintaining Momentum to Level Up - MARTELLE

Heritage

Top Ten Mistakes - ESSOE

Fremont

Listen to Your Readers: Making business decisions off data, not emotion - CROSS

Carson

Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing: Live Interview with Stacey Kondla - KELLY AND KEVIN COLBY, KONDLA

Cameron

Listen Up: Marketing Your Audiobooks Successfully - HAYS, MCGINNIS, STONE

Learning Center

Strata: The Underlying Layers of Skillful Writing - ANDERSON, MOESTA

Spotlight

12:15 - 1:45 Lunch on your own or Networking Lunch with Chuck Gannon

1:45 - 2:45

Failure is Just a Data Point - CARRIGER

Heritage

How to Utilize IngramSpark: Insights and Best Practices - MACADOO

Fremont

Live Interview with Jeff Hays of Soundbooth Theater and Craig Martelle - HAYS, GOODWIN, MARTELLE

Carson

Writing Extraordinary Picture Books - HERZ

Cameron

Collaborating with Other Writers - GANNON, IKENBERRY, MABERRY, MCCAFFREY, MOESTA, WEBER

Learning Center

A Narrator's Process - MCGINNIS

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

3:00 - 4:00

Hope and Glory and Authorship: Preparing for Triumphs and Tragedies - GANNON

Heritage

Aim Lower — The secret to hitting big goals is to shoot for targets you can't miss - DENZEL

Fremont

What Are Mentors Meant For? - IKENBERRY

Carson

Intro to Book Trailers - MARTINEZ

Cameron

Why Should I Write Short Stories? - ANDERSON, GOODWIN, KNIGHT, MABERRY

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

Patreon for Beginners - OWEN

Summit Ballroom

15 Minute Break

4:15 - 5:15

Mental Models for Writers - LA RONN

Heritage

The Power of You - ROBERTS

Fremont

Talking to Myself - ANDERSON

Carson

Geek Girls Academy Presents - ANAYA, BROWN

Cameron

Horror: Where Genre Meets Emotion - LEFEBVRE, MABERRY, WHITTAKER

Learning Center

Pro Writing with AI: Part 1, Law & Ethics - CRENSHAW

Spotlight (Summit I & II)

15 Minute Break

5:30 - 6:00

Endowment Auctions and Announcements - LEFEBVRE, OWEN, WHITTAKER

Heritage

6:00 - 6:30

End of Day Q&A

Heritage

6:30 - 6:45

Farewell - ANDERSON, WHITTAKER, IKENBERRY

Heritage

7:30 - 12:00 See the Special Programming tab for more fun and learning!

Special Programming

Time

Event

Location

Wednesday, February 7th, 2024

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Freewriting

Fremont

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Public Book Sale (BOOKSTRAVAGANZA!!!)

Summit I, II, & III

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Release Party/Signing Event for A BIT OF LUCK Superstars Anthology

Stratton Room

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Diversity Meeting with Jayrod Garrett

Carson

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Fantasy Roundtable Discussion

Learning Center

9:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Folk ‘n’ Filk

Fremont

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Stratton Room

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Welcome Mixer Sponsored by Soundbooth Theater!

Summit I, II, & III

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Science Fiction Discussion Panel

Learning Center

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Summit I & II

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Q&A with Lindsay and Sabine from Eschler Editing

Summit III

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Diversity Meetup with Jaryrod Garrett

Stratton Room

Friday, February 9th, 2024

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Exclusive VIP Dinner (Ticketed Event)

Summit III

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Freewriting

Fremont

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Gaming and Social

Carson

Saturday, February 10th, 2024

7:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Gaming and Social

Summit I & II

7:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Karaoke! Sponsored by Damon Courtney and BookFunnel

Summit III