Saturday Workshops
“Weapons in Fiction”
with Gregg Bridgeman
A practical workshop for suspense, mystery, and thriller writers on using weapons credibly on the page. Covers poisons, garrotes, blunt and edged weapons, projectiles, improvised tools, firearms, explosives, and military-grade systems—with a focus on realism vs. Hollywood myths, timing and consequences, and how accurate detail builds tension without glorifying violence. Weapons expert Gregg Bridgeman retired from the military having served more than 30 years. He deployed to the Gulf War and the Global War on Terror with elite US Army forces including the 101st Airborne Division and the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and was deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan and earning a Bronze Star among many other awards and medals for his military service.
“Making a Good Story Great Takes GUTS!”
with Robyn Conley
Learn to polish your story to make it the best it can be. Writing coach and freelance editor Robyn Conley leads this interactive workshop with simple exercises to make characters, style, and focus of a story shine for marketability.
"Self-Editing without Self-Destructing"
with Robyn Conley
Writing is a solitary business. But when we have opportunities to appear in public, we want to look and sound professional. April Thompson, an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist, will share pro tips on public speaking including enunciation, and how to remain calm and poised when your knees are shaking. She will also offer suggestions for looking good while staying true to your own style
“Writing with and About Disabilities”
with Kathy Cretsinger
“You may not have a disability right now, but it can happen in a blink of an eye,” says “almost-blind” author Kathy Cretsinger. She says, “Blindness is an adventure, not a disability. Continue to do what you love. God made you this way for a reason. He doesn’t make mistakes.”
In this class, Kathy shares tips and words of encouragement for those navigating a disability while fulfilling God’s call to write. She also offers suggestions for authors who write about fictional characters with disabilities.
“Bringing Your Words to Life with Audiobooks”
with Gary Fearon and Karen Busler
Audiobooks are the fastest-growing publishing market, but most authors don’t know where to begin to take advantage of it. In this dynamic presentation, Gary Fearon and Karen Busler demystify the entire audiobook process, from selecting and working with a narrator to getting behind the microphone and voicing it yourself. This informative and inspiring presentation is a masterclass designed to empower writers to engage a new demographic of listeners and ensure that their words reach today’s audience.
“The Big Advantages of Thinking Small”
with Dianne Neal Matthews
Do you feel less of a writer because you haven’t turned out feature articles or epic novels? Don’t be deceived—those short pieces can reach thousands of readers and impact countless lives! Not to mention putting some cash in your pocket and building great clips to help you get established as a writer. This workshop will focus on fillers, devotionals, columns, editorials, and other short projects. We’ll cover possible markets, tips for tight writing, and how to make the biggest impression with the fewest words.
“Gathered Fragments: So You Want to Write a Memoir”
with Harriet Michael
Attendees will learn the Dos and Don’ts of memoir writing as well as reasons to write a memoir. By the end of the class, attendees should clearly understand what a memoir is, what it is not, how to write one, and reasons why memoirs are worth writing.
“Create a Compelling Bad Guy or Gal that Readers Will Love to Hate”
with Eliot Parker
In mystery and thriller writing, the protagonist (a detective, private investigator, federal agent, average citizen, etc.) is often pitted against an antagonist whose motives are heinous. The reader follows the narrative with great interest, waiting for the moment when the protagonist and the antagonist will have their final confrontation. Readers expect the protagonist to be an interesting, flawed character who experiences “raised stakes” on their way to solving the mystery. However, readers also expect the antagonist to be equally complex, with flaws and motivations in direct opposition to those of the protagonist. Writers often spend a great deal of time developing the protagonist but how can that same attention be given to creating a complex villain that readers are going to “love to hate”?
This workshop examines strategies and techniques that mystery/thriller writers can use to create a complex, interesting, and passionate villain that will be worthy of challenging the protagonist physically and/or emotionally. Attendees should expect a short writing exercise at the beginning and at the end of the workshop.
"The Other Side of Vending for Authors".
with Tammie Polk
Most authors spend time filling their calendars with every in-person vendor event that makes sense, but what many don’t know is that you no longer have to leave home to vend! In this workshop, Tammie is going to explain the concept of virtual vending, how it’s done, and how it can make money just the same — sometimes more — than in-person events. Tammie is a prolific author who has a heart for helping new and experienced writers achieve their publishing goals.