Class Descriptions are Below
Early Bird Session and 14 Workshops available for individual purchase
2026 Virtual Conference Individual Sessions
Individual workshop and continuing education recordings available for purchase.
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2026 Virtual Conference Workshops
Early Bird: HOW TO WRITE BETTER THAN A MACHINE – Techniques that will elevate your fiction from the merely competent (the machine can do that) to the unforgettable. We’ll cover the Seven Critical Success Factors of Fiction, and what writers with blood in their veins can do that AI cannot. James Scott Bell is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award, the Christy Award (Suspense), and the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the author of the Mike Romeo thriller series and several books on the craft of fiction. His website is: https://jamesscottbell.com
WS 1: WRITING IN THE AGE OF AI – Presented by Robin Lee Hatcher. AI can be controversial. It can also inspire fear in some writers. But AI can be a wonderful writing assistant. Robin will talk about many of the different LLMs (Large Language Models) available and how using AI has benefited her writing while she remains the “writer/human in the loop.” She will also share weaknesses and warnings.
WS 2: FINDING YOUR HOOK – Presented by Ashley Clark. Finding your hook – how one sentence can help you land an agent, find a publisher, and sell your book in a crowded market.
WS 3: FIVE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE IN PROMOTING YOUR BOOK – Presented by Jeane Burgess of Tall Oak Media. Jeane discusses ways to promote your book.
WS 4: WILL YOU MARRY ME (Book Proposal) – Presented by Betsy St. Amant. Just like an eager boyfriend spends time creating an irresistible proposal for his future bride, authors need to spend time creating an irresistible proposal to portray their book in the best possible light. Award-winning author Betsy St. Amant will thoroughly walk attendees through the main elements of a book proposal and show aspiring authors how to get industry professionals ready to say, “I do!” to their beloved novel.
WS5: CHARACTERIZATION: THE PANDORA’S BOX APPROACH – Presented by Janice Thompson. Great characters aren’t created from a list of traits—they’re uncovered layer by layer. In this workshop, author and instructor Janice Thompson introduces the Pandora’s Box Approach, a practical, visual method for building deep, believable characters from the outside in. Writers will explore four distinct “boxes” that represent a character’s exterior presentation, hidden reactions, motivations and compensations, and finally the deep, formative experiences that shape who they truly are. Through examples and guided exercises, attendees will learn how to uncover the why behind their characters’ choices and create richer, more emotionally resonant stories.
WS6: SAVVY SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES – Presented by Ronie Kendig. Tips & Tricks to make social media efforts more streamlined and efficient. Managing social media can be overwhelming… if we let it. Learn some tried and tested strategies to make social media work for you. (Not designed to be a comprehensive tool chest)
WS 7: WRITING FAST TO MEET MULTIPLE DEADLINES – Presented by Dana Lynn. Dana presents how-tos on writing fast so you can meet your writing deadlines.
WS 8: SUPERCHARGE YOUR BRAIN TO GENERATE GREAT IDEAS – Presented by Elizabeth Goddard. This is an interactive lecture with Q&A for fiction writers of all levels and genres, and will aid both traditionally and indie-published writers in building their book lists for a successful career. Learn how to become prolific and more than a one-book wonder. The process starts with ideas and lots of them. A publisher (even if it’s yourself) doesn’t want a book; he or she wants an author. In this workshop, you’ll learn where to find inspiration, how to become an idea ninja and a master curator, meaning you’ll learn techniques for developing an eye to see which in your idea collection is the absolute best of the best to present to the world—an idea you can transform into a great novel.
WS 9: SELLING DIRECT – Presented by Hallee Bridgeman. In this constantly changing industry, removing the middleman and selling directly not only increases your income per sale but also gives you valuable demographic information about your customers and the ability to market directly to people who purchase from you. Hallee will go over the options, the setup, and the execution of having a successful direct store.
WS 10: WALKING THROUGH REWRITES – Presented by Beth K. Vogt. Rewrites are always challenging for writers, whether republished or published. Beth will show you ways to face and conquer the challenge of rewrites.
WS 11: GHOSTS, PARANORMAL, SUPERNATURAL, OH MY! – Presented by Jaime Jo Wright. Why Christian fiction needs darker stories, and how to write them with hope and truth (without crossing lines).
WS 12: THE TROPE ADVANTAGE – Presented by Misty Beller. Craft unputdownable stories by connecting trope psychology to execution. In this class, we’ll discuss why tropes draw readers and reliably lift sales, then learn how to incorporate these insights into your writing, marketing copy, and book cover design to captivate readers and sell more books.
WS 13: DEVELOPING DEEP POV – Presented by DiAnn Mills. DiAnn walks you through ways to enrich your story by developing deep POV.
WS 14: AI LITIGATION UPDATE – Presented by Rick Acker. Attorney & author Rick Acker provides an overview of the Bartz v. Anthropic settlement and the other book-related AI lawsuits currently working their way through the courts.