Thanks for using the LDStorymakers Conference web-app. This app has been tuned specifically for the iPhone/iPod-Touch, but you may find it works with other smart phones.

This web-app has been provided as a service by Lake Mountain Media. Coding was done by Darvell Hunt. All conference content is property of LDtorymakers Conference and is used with permission.

To install this app on your iPhone, click the + symbol below, or on the box with the arrow going to the right, and then select "Add to Home Screen." You will still need the Internet to run after Installation. You may also run this app from your browser without installing. Note that if you do install the app, the blue links on the comment board may not work correctly, as they require the browser naviation buttons to navigate back to the comment board.

If you have specific feedback, including suggestions for next year's app, please send them to:

info@lakemtn.com

Provo Marriot Hotel And Conference Center
101 West 100 North
Provo, Utah 84601
Phone: (801) 377-4700

Bootcamp - May 3, 2012
Bootcamp - $30

Conference - May 4-5, 2012
2-Day Conference - $170
Friday-only Conference - $95
Saturday-only Conference - $75

(Registration deadline April 3, 2012. Sorry, no walk-ins.)

NO REFUNDS AFTER APRIL 3rd.

12pm: Bootcamp Check In
12:30pm - 6pm (with 30 min break)

Bootcamp is a hands-on critique workshop, taught by published authors, that takes place the day before the conference. Writers receive immediate feedback on their own manuscript pages. Bootcamp is an optional conference feature, for which you can sign up during the registration process (additional fees will apply). Many attendees have said that, although intensive, Bootcamp has helped them grow faster and become a better a writer than anything else at the conference. Bootcamp will be Thursday, May 3th from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a 30 minute break

You must be registered for at least one day of the 2012 LDStorymakers Conference to attend Boot Camp.

You and several other Bootcampers will be assigned to a table with a published writer "Sergeant" as your instructor. In a critique-group-style setting, you'll read portions of your work aloud (or, if your Sergeant chooses, you'll read one another's work aloud) and then give one another feedback.

Your instructor will also give you targeted feedback, designed to make your work stronger. Others in your group will do the same, offering you and fellow Bootcampers at your table constructive comments and feedback.

You will be amazed at how much you will learn, in just a few hours' time, about writing, revisions, critiquing, and how to give and take constructive criticism. It's an intense, hands-on experience, but one you won't want to miss!

Bootcampers will learn to identify manuscript weaknesses and magnify strengths. Bootcampers also become experienced in critiquing each other's work-a valuable skill that each person can take home with them. By attending Bootcamp, you will hone in on where you excel in your writing, and you'll also discover which skills still need developing.

When you register, you will be asked to choose your preferred genre. You would be expected to bring a portion of a manuscript in your selected genre for hands-on evaluation and training. NOTE: This does NOT obligate you to sit at this genre table. This is only to help us gauge interest and plan Bootcamp tables.

Bootcamp tables are currently planned in each of the following genres (one or more per genre), and may be combined or expanded as needs dictate:

Young Adult
Childrens (picture books)
Middle Grade
Inspirational Nonfiction
General Nonfiction
Memoir or Narrative Nonfiction
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
Women's Fiction
Historical Fiction
Fantasy / Science Fiction
Western Fiction
General Fiction
Screenplay

Prior to the conference, all Bootcamp attendees will receive an email from the Master Sergeant with specific instructions on how to prepare and what to bring with them.

Seating is limited. First come, first serve.

An afternoon snack will be provided for Bootcamp attendees, but not lunch or dinner.

The contest is closed. The was deadline Thursday, February 17, 2012. No more entries can be accepted.

Romance/Women's Fiction
Mystery/Suspense
Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative for adults
Youth Fantasy
Youth Fiction (all other genres besides fantasy)
Non-fiction
General Fiction
Historical Fiction

Entry Fees: $20.00 for each entry

Limit FIVE total entries per Attendee.
Price for entry fee includes a critique from each judge who reads your first chapter.

Contest winners will be announced on Saturday during the lunch break.

NOTE: Contest entry fees are non-refundable.

LDStorymakers is not responsible for entries that are disqualified due to rule violations.

Holly Root is a literary agent at Waxman Literary Agency. She recently opened a West Coast office for the New York City-based agency, and represents a select list of adult fiction and nonfiction and novels for children and teens; she is not seeking picture book clients or screenwriting clients. She is particularly eager to see: high-concept middle grade fiction (for boys or girls or both); realistic YA with a big, pitchable hook, either laugh-out-loud funny or with tons of heart; works for a general trade audience in which faith is part of a character's landscape but not necessarily the subject of the book; protagonists from a variety of socioeconomic and racial backgrounds; and speculative fiction of all kinds, whether it's fantasy, alt-history, science fiction, or some brand new combo thereof.

Kathleen Ortiz: As a former online editor and interactive designer, I use my experience in online marketing to help authors build their communities and promote themselves and their books. I look past the pages of a story and think of ways to help authors reach more readers so they can interact with the characters and their world. As subrights director at Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation, I handle foreign, audio and digital rights for the agency. I have an intimate list of clients, with Jaime Reed's debut YA paranormal romance, LIVING VIOLET, book one of the Cambion Chronicles, coming out by Kensington in January 2012. You can find me on Twitter or visit my blog for more information or updates on the publishing industry.

Michelle Wolfson is a literary agent and founded Wolfson Literary Agency, LLC in December 2007. She is actively seeking authors of commercial fiction and nonfiction, particularly in the following areas. In fiction: young adult, mainstream, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, romance, women's fiction. She is drawn to projects with a standout voice and strong interesting characters. Michelle holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from New York University. Before founding her own agency, she spent four years working at other literary agencies and several years working outside of publishing, first in nonprofit and then in finance, and she brings the skills she learned in these areas, plus a lifetime love of reading, to the table as an agent.

Weronika Janczuk is a literary agent with Lynn Franklin Associates. Previously she worked with the D4EO Literary Agency and the Bent Agency, as well as at Flux, among others. Currently she represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction for YA and adults alike--and is very actively building her list, especially in areas of crime fiction (especially espionage and literary suspense/thrillers), fantasy/sci-fi, horror, women's fiction and romance, both literary and high-concept YA, memoir, and narrative non-fiction.

Molly O'Neill is an Editor at Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books. She edits both literary and commercial projects--everything from picture books to middle grade to young adult novels. She seeks vivid stories, original voices, and manuscripts with a strong sense of place--in short, the kind of books that keep readers thinking and imagining, long after the last page. Books that she's acquired and edited include Veronica Roth's young adult DIVERGENT trilogy; Bobbie Pyron's middle grade A DOG'S WAY HOME; Nola Buck and Sarah Jane Wright's picture book A CHRISTMAS GOODNIGHT, and the forthcoming young adult INSIGNIA trilogy by S. J. Kincaid. Molly's been in children's books for nearly eight years: before becoming an editor (her absolute dream job!), she worked on the Marketing/Publicity side of the industry, first at Clarion Books and then at HarperCollins. She blogs about editing, publishing, art, and life at www.10blockwalk.blogspot.com and tweets at @molly_oneill.

Suspense
Historical
Romance
Adventure
Gift book
Inspirational/doctrinal nonfiction that would suit an LDS audience.

Kirk L. Shaw is an editor for Covenant Communications. He has also worked for Boston publisher David R. Godine and edited for the scientific journal Western North American Naturalist. During his career, he has produced and edited fiction (in many genres), memoirs, historical, art, gardening, gift, technical, and doctrinal books. His freelance clients include corporations, publishers, and individuals, including Delphi (Internet) founder Wes Kussmaul. He enjoys writing short stories and especially relishes reading speculative fiction, historical novels, New England poetry, young adult, post-apocalyptic, and dystopia novels.

Kirk will be doing pitch sessions for $20/10 minute meeting. He will not be pre-reading any submissions prior to the conference or requesting hard copies during pitch sessions, rather he will request electronic submissions following the conference if you both agree he would be a good fit for your story.

Lisa Mangum has worked for Deseret Book Publishing since 1997 and is currently an Assistant Editor.

Deseret Book is looking for:

High quality LDS fiction (children's, YA, and adult)

Non-fiction (inspiration, self-help, and doctrine)

Cookbooks.

The Shadow Mountain imprint is looking for outstanding fiction for children and YA (though we have a lot of fantasy titles already on our plate).

Deseret Book is always open to consider new ideas and products. Lisa will be doing pitch sessions for $20/10 minute meeting. She will not be pre-reading manuscripts prior to meeting with attendees, so be prepared to give her a verbal pitch as well as the first five pages.

For those who jump into writing with blank pages and nimble fingers, this is a quasi-outlining class that will give you direction without making you suffer through the actual pain of outlining. Blake Snyder's "beats" will be used from his bestselling screenwriting guide Save the Cat to give you a clear direction in the novels you haven't written and an idea of where the holes are in the novels you have.

The first hour of this two-hour master class will focus on principals of good covers whether commercially or self-published. We'll:
-Discuss good and bad covers
-Talk about the necessary marketing decisions publishers make when designing covers
-Introduce and explain the necessary components of good graphic design.
In the second hour we'll use the information we've learned to discuss how to create good covers. We'll:
-Walk through the book-cover design process using an actual author looking to self-publish her book. We will take students from our initial meeting with her up until the final cover.
-Look at how to design a cover yourself - and when to know you're in over your head
-Go over how to work with graphic artists and publishers/how to understand why they made the decisions they made

This two-hour master class will focus on the deeper aspects of self-editing. Nuances, tone, clarity, flavor, rhythm, the way the words sound together as well as their meaning-all these issues will be covered and more. This is not your mama's punctuation class-this is for authors who want to dig deeper into their manuscripts and make them bleed for mercy. Bring plenty of note paper and twenty pages of your own manuscript to work on in class.

Self-publishing in the New Age: Approaches to publishing electronic books, enhanced novels, print-on- demand books, and getting a foothold as we transition from paper-based books to electronic books.

What are voice and style? How does one get them? Can they even be gotten? This 2-hour workshop by Clint Johnson answers these questions. Clint defines and differentiates voice and style, outlining how to develop and mature these attributes every writer naturally possesses. Come prepared to learn dozens of approaches and exercises to develop voice and sharpen style. Learn to analyze a variety of texts by successful authors with the goal of understanding yourself as a writer.

12pm: Bootcamp Check In

12:30pm - 3:30pm: Bootcamp Worshop

3:30pm - 4pm: Break with munchies

4pm - 6pm: Bootcamp Wrap-up

Check in at the main desk to receive your conference materials.

Please meet in the main hall for opening remarks.

You have 30 seconds to sell your book-go! What do you say? How do you say it? This class will help you navigate the pitfalls of a pitching to an editor or an agent and help you hone your skills so your next pitch is perfect.

In today's publishing world, having a strong online presence is a must. Without a detailed plan to build your online presence, you're left as a single voice in a sea of noise with a list of thousands of online networks you 'should' be targeting. It can easily become overwhelming and more time consuming than you expected. In this basic overview, attendees will learn how to use their already-created networks to reach their audience, which other online communities are important to create, and how to connect to both readers and other authors in their genres. This course is only for those who have familiarity with basic social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Published, agented, and unagented authors welcome.

Your passion for a given pursuit is far more important than whatever talent you may or may not have. I'll show why this is the case, and how to use this information to excel as writers (or in any other field, for that matter).

In some cases, the plot of a book drives the characters. However, characters who instead drive the plot can make for a much more compelling story. We'll focus on how to grow the plot from your main character, which will make your story unforgettable to the reader.

Boy meets girl. Sparks fly. Readers blush . . . or not! Good romance isn't about body parts, but about emotional connection with characters and a story readers won't soon forget.

This class will teach writers to look at their novel and identify places where they might be at risk of the reader putting their book down. Rachelle will teach you how to implement the elements of suspense in every genre type and in every situation in your novel.

In this "Fix the Easy" hands-on workshop, I'll draw from both my writing and editorial backgrounds as well as published and critically acclaimed novels to critique writers' pieces and demonstrate the step-by-step process of fixing problems on the sentence, paragraph, and scene levels-questions of characterization, detail, world-building, dialogue, sentimentality, voice, and more.

YA is a great market to write for, but to get an agent or editor's notice, your book has to stand out. Come listen to experienced YA author Janette Rallison talk about the elements your novel must have to succeed. She'll talk plot must-haves, conflict, characterization, and voice.

Bring your laptop and follow along as Tristi shows you, step-by-step, how to create your blog from the ground up. You will learn how to set up your blog account and bring it live, how to choose your template and color theme, and which elements to incorporate to make your blog more appealing to readers. If you don't have a laptop, you're welcome to attend and take notes.

This class details all three components to point of view: person, tense, and perspective/character. Learn the options within each facet as well as their strengths and limitations, when and why to use a narrator-or not to, and point of view trends in the current publishing climate. This comprehensive overview of both function and style will help any writer master the nuance of written point of view.

Writing a novel isn't just about sitting down and blasting out the word count-at least, not for most people. It requires thought and understanding of your characters and their actions before they do them. This class will teach you how to put together more than just a character bible (sorry Jeff). It will teach you how to expand on your world and characters, understand their goals, motivations, and conflicts, and get your entire book plotted out all in one act (with several steps). It is a fun and visual way to put your story together-one I can pretty much guarantee you will love.

SORRY, THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
,
Selling books by the truckload is all about personal branding, JV partners, and creative marketing. Learn how to better promote yourself, get sponsors to give you prizes to pass out and look like a hero at live events, and think outside the box with your marketing strategies.

Many authors love to write fiction because of the creative freedom it offers. But readers love true- life stories. Books like Three Against Hitler and A Distant Prayer have inspired hundreds of thousands of readers around the world. Learn why it may increase both your reach and personal sense of satisfaction to write both fiction and non-fiction.

Reserved Seatinb

Meet in the main hall for lunch.

After holding hands and singing "Kumbayah" (not really), students will knuckle down to the nitty- gritty of finding and developing plots and characters. This includes a range of strategies with special focus on plotstorming. Participants will have the opportunity to join a plotstorming session as the class works hands-on to flesh out one lucky class member's plot idea.

Readers of genre fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, steampunk, etc.) expect stories to be set in fantastic worlds at once familiar and strange. We'll talk about how to create these worlds, how to take the right elements into consideration for your story, and how to keep all the pieces straight.

Quitting your day job to write becomes far more possible with some simple financial organization techniques. Even if you don't want to live off a writing income, managing your money will help you be able to afford the things you want and stop paying as much for the things you don't. We'll cover organization, budgeting, and how to transition into a creative business. If time allows, we'll also discuss taxes and incorporation for writers.

First we'll go over the character archetypes and the major steps in the classic Hero's Journey, then we'll cover how to apply them to your work so you come away with the tools to draft faster while producing a more powerful novel-whether you write YA, dystopian, women's fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, or any other genre.

Tired of flat, boring characters who never seem to do what you want? Learn to write likeable, well-rounded, obedient characters by understanding and applying these four basic principles.

Reserved Seating

Approaches to publishing electronic books, enhanced novels, print-on-demand books, and getting a foothold as we transition from paper-based books to electronic books.

Every agent has slush-pile success stories. The first step to becoming one yourself is writing a killer query. In this hands-on workshop, audience-submitted queries will be reworked into their best versions, and you'll get the inside scoop on what really makes a letter stand out.

What qualities help a manuscript get from the slush pile to a contract? Some stories are doomed because of something as simple as a poorly worded cover letter or as important as unnatural dialogue. Here are ten ways to lure an editor to your story and to keep him reading until he's hooked.

Being funny is hard. Writing funny is even harder. In this devastatingly amazing class on writing humor, we'll discuss the mechanics of humor, how to incorporate humor into your writing, how to up your funny quotient, and a bunch of other stuff Sarah will probably have to throw in to fill up the time allotment. Come laugh, cry, be amazed (and possibly bored), and learn the ins and outs of humor in writing.

Turning a great first book into a great series is a delicate balance of "same" and "different." This is super hard, but probably not as hard as you think-you just need some planning. This class will give you so much awesome, you'll need to haul it home in a wheelbarrow.

Learn the ins and outs of formatting your manuscript for ebook formats including Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords, including font size and type, using the styles menu, creating hyperlinks, and uploading to the various sites.

Any author can build an awesome website in less than 30 minutes with little or no out-of-pocket cost. You'll also learn what content should and shouldn't be on an author's website. It you want an awesome web presence, this is the class to attend!

Finding the middle-grade voice is a combination of five essential elements. This class will teach participants how to get the most from each element, especially within a middle-grade novel.

Reserved Seating

Just kidding-there aren't really any bears in the agent-author relationship, but sometimes there might be surprises along the way. Hopefully, we can help you learn what to expect from the agent- author relationship, and what to look out for before you sign with an agent, so all your surprises are pleasant ones instead of nasty ones.

Problem is the core of a story's premise. It's the driver for each story's individual structure, plot, and scenes. In this workshop, you'll learn the 3 main types of story problems, how to take your story's central problem and generate a specific structure and plot, and how to use a number of trouble-shooting techniques to develop and complicate your story.

Story is universal and has the ability to change the reader. How LDS perspectives can and should be presented to the world at large.

Voice-agents ask for it, good authors are said to have it, and you may even have been rejected for not having enough of it. But what really is voice? What makes one voice unique over another? And how do you find yours? This class will examine what voice is, the difference between YA, MG, and adult voice, and how to make yours stand out from the rest.

Writing a synopsis is often seen as a necessary evil, but when properly executed, the task can become a learning exercise, honing your craft and representing your story in its very best light. In this class, we will discuss why you should write one and then how to do it without feeling as though the process is taking years off your life.

How to prepare for NANOWRIMO, how to accomplish NANOWRIMO, and how to recover from NANOWRIMO-an intensive class that teaches how to make and set goals for your writing, and how to improve on that book you wrote in 30 days.

Historical novelist Heather Moore will discuss why you can't go wrong with writing historical fiction as long as it's done right. Topics include choosing time periods, world building, dialogue choice, avoiding info dumps, characterizing historical figures, expanding historical facts into plot arcs, finding the right conflict to focus on, why you don't have to be an expert or spend ten years in research, how to use your non-fiction platform to sell your novel, and the unmentionables (bibliographies, chapter notes, maps, endorsements from the "experts").

Liz Adair will introduce five new ways to think about writing personal and family history. Perhaps one of them will be the spark that gets you started on the story no one else can write.

Grab some well-deserved munchies!

Kevin J. Anderson is the author of more than one hundred novels, 47 of which have appeared on national or international bestseller lists. He has over 20 million books in print in thirty languages. He has won or been nominated for numerous prestigious awards, including the Nebula Award, Bram Stoker Award, the SFX Reader's Choice Award, the American Physics Society's Forum Award, and New York Times Notable Book. Anderson is extremely prolific and writes 6-10 books a year. In addition to his own fiction, he has written numerous bestselling comics and graphic novels and several collaborative projects, including novels in the Dune universe with Frank Herbert's son and a bestseller with Dean Koontz. You can find out more about Kevin J. Anderson at www.wordfire.com.

Get your favorite authors' John Hancocks in your favorite books!

Meet with friends for dinner in the main hall.

Meet the publishers who can make your dreams come true!

Mix and Mingle with other Authors Incognito members. Eat snacks, play games, and socialize with other writers. Prospective Authors Incognito members are invited. Come join the largest LDS writers group on the planet!

Check in at the main desk to receive your conference materials. (Saturday-only attendees)

Please meet in the main hall for opening remarks.

Prolific author Kevin J. Anderson shares specific techniques on how to use every minute and get more words written...and he practices what he preaches as the author of over 100 novels, 50 of which have been national or international bestsellers.

Voice--agents ask for it, good authors are said to have it, and you may even have been rejected for not having enough of it. But what really is voice? What makes one voice unique over another? And how do you find yours? This class will examine what voice is, the difference between YA, MG, and adult voice, and how to make yours stand out from the rest.

Any author can build an awesome website in less than 30 minutes with little or no out-of-pocket cost. You'll also learn what content should and shouldn't be on an author's website. It you want an awesome web presence, this is the class to attend!

Heather Moore, Annette Lyon, Julie Wright and Josi Kilpack, co-authors of "The Newport Ladies Book Club" series, will discuss the various co-authoring styles used in this series and other co- authored books: when you should co-author (and when you shouldn't), outlining with a shared focus, creating characters who complement each other, setting up drafting deadlines, staying professional while maintaining friendships among your co-authors, blending different creative minds, organizing writing time, working with publishers, and developing joint-marketing plans.

We will discuss what makes a good picture book, how to get ideas for picture books, and some key things to remember when writing your picture book.

Tired of flat, boring characters that never seem to do what you want? Learn to write likeable, well- rounded, obedient characters by understanding and applying these four basic principles.

The class will include choosing article topics, how to write quick and saleable query letters, how to maximize sales by reselling and revamping articles, publishing on blogs, and writing articles to publicize your book or business.

This two-hour master class will focus on the deeper aspects of self-editing. Nuances, tone, clarity, flavor, rhythm, the way the words sound together as well as their meaning-all these issues will be covered and more. This is not your mama's punctuation class-this is for authors who want to dig deeper into their manuscripts and make them bleed for mercy. Bring plenty of note paper and twenty pages of your own manuscript to work on in class.

elf-publishing doesn't have quite the stigma it once had. Many authors are hiring artists and professional editors to create books that are on par with those produced by traditional publishers. If you have questions or have entertained the idea of publishing independently, this is the panel for you. There will be a Q and A of anything you want to know, and the authors will talk about everything from the steps in how to do it yourself, to formatting for e-books, to marketing your work. A variety of presenters, from brand-new authors jumping into the market to those who have spent years publishing independently, will answer questions and talk to you about the steps to publish for yourself.

Tips on how to streamline your writing to create an effortlessly paced, unputdownable novel. From macro issues like how to analyze each scene in relation to the whole, seamless worldbuilding, and inserting backstory without losing steam, to micro problems like fixing technical mistakes that are slowing you down, we'll go point-by-point with easy and broadly applicable pacing fixes. Also, I promise a minimum of bad car analogies.

We will discuss the basic elements of suspense/thriller writing, including characterization, pacing, anticipation, detailing, and prose.

This class will explain from the basics up through more advanced techniques how to write a good query and pitch and go through how to craft a great hook, introduce character/conflict, explain what's at stake, and lay out the consequences in any given story. We will provide and walk through hands-on examples and craft/edit samples from the class and explain how to take a query and turn it into a 2-3 line elevator pitch.

SORRY, THIS CLASS HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Selling books by the truckload is all about personal branding, JV partners, and creative marketing. Learn how to better promote yourself, get sponsors to give you prizes to pass out and look like a hero at live events, and think outside the box with your marketing strategies.

Liz Adair discusses the stages a writer goes through, from closet scribbler to publishable author. She describes the anatomy of a critique group, shows how it can leverage your growth as a writer, and gives tips on how to get a critique group started.

This class will teach writers to look at their novel and identify places where they might be at risk of having the reader put their book down. Rachelle will teach you how to implement the elements of suspense in every genre type and in every situation in your novel.

You want to write, right? So what stands in your way? Finding time? Getting ideas? Writer's block? Editing? Revisions? Come polish your track-star skills so you can leap over all those hurdles and write, write, write.

What readers want from a satisfying science fiction novel. Learn to analyze the global audience and meet our readers' needs.

The only way to truly find success as a writer is to finish what we start, believe in ourselves, our abilities, and our work, and to never, ever give up. In this industry, the path of persistence and perseverance is the only one that ends in publication. In the words of Master Yoda, "There is no try, only do, or do not."

Boy meets girl. Sparks fly. Readers blush . . . or not! Good romance isn't about body parts, but about emotional connection with characters and a story readers won't soon forget.

Reserved Seating

The first hour of this two-hour master class will focus on principals of good covers, whether commercially or self-published. We'll discuss good and bad covers, talk about the necessary marketing decisions publishers make when designing covers, and introduce and explain the necessary components of good graphic design. In the second hour, we'll use the information we've learned to discuss how to create good covers. We'll walk through the book-cover design process using an actual author looking to self-publish her book (we will take students from our initial meeting with her up until the final cover), look at how to design a cover yourself--and how to know you're in over your head, and go over how to work with graphic artists and publishers/how to understand why they made the decisions they made.

Meet in the main hall for lunch and to hear who placed in the First Chapter Contest.

First we'll go over the character archetypes and the major steps in the classic Hero's Journey, then we'll cover how to apply them to your work so you come away with the tools to draft faster while producing a more powerful novel--whether you write YA, dystopian, women's fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, or any other genre.

If writers are shaped by the places and times they live in, then surely characters and stories are too. This workshop will explore the myriad ways that a carefully-considered use of setting can enhance every element of storytelling, from voice to plot to themes.

Learn the difference between "soft magic" and "hard magic," and which type best serves specific kinds of stories. Also learn how to incorporate magic into your world building and tips on creating and maintaining believable magical system (avoiding the dreaded Deus ex Machina magic).

After holding hands and singing "Kumbayah" (not really), students will knuckle down to the nitty- gritty of finding and developing plots and characters. This includes a range of strategies with special focus on plotstorming. Participants will have the opportunity to join a plotstorming session as the class works hands-on to flesh out one lucky class member's plot idea.

Always wanted to do a podcast but thought it sounded too hard? Podcasts are a great tool to market yourself and your books. This class will take you step-by-step through planning, recording, editing, and posting a professional quality podcast. Subject matter will include everything from equipment to free software and various hosting and tracking services, including getting your podcasts on iTunes.

Reserved Seating

Do you wonder what exactly agents/editors are looking for in the slush pile? What makes a submission stand out? What mistakes will doom a submission to slush pile obscurity? How do they decide whether to keep reading or not? Our guest agents/editors will listen to moderators read attendee submissions of their first manuscript pages (with no prior read-though), then give detailed feedback on what works, what could be improved to work better, and how to rise above the slush pile.

In today's publishing world, having a strong online presence is a must. Without a detailed plan to build your online presence, you're left as a single voice in a sea of noise with a list of thousands of online networks you 'should' be targeting. It can easily become overwhelming and more time consuming than you expected. In this basic overview, attendees will learn how to use their already-created networks to reach their audience, which other online communities are important to create, and how to connect to both readers and other authors in their genres. This course is only for those who have familiarity with basic social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Published, agented, and unagented authors welcome.

YA is a great market to write for, but to get an agent or editor's notice, your book has to stand out. Come listen to experienced YA author Janette Rallison talk about the elements your novel must have to succeed. She'll talk plot must-haves, conflict, characterization, and voice.

Few words strike as much fear into a fiction writer's heart as "research." Every genre, from historical to thriller, requires some research. Where does an author start? Are some sources better than others? How essential is research, anyway? Sarah M. Eden shares tips of the trade and advice on making research as painless, productive, and accurate as possible.

Your passion for a given pursuit is far more important than whatever talent you may or may not have. I'll show why this is the case, and how to use this information to excel as writers (or in any other field, for that matter).

The art of adaption will discuss differing formatting and condensing issues, legalities of film rights, and how to what you can expect in the journey.

Topics will include how to keep short stories from becoming long stories, differences between writing short stories and novels, where and how to submit short fiction, and why write short fiction. Both flash fiction and regular short stories will be covered.

What are voice and style? How does one get them? Can they even be gotten? This 2-hour workshop by Clint Johnson answers these questions. Clint defines and differentiates voice and style, outlining how to develop and mature these attributes every writer naturally possesses. Come prepared to learn dozens of approaches and exercises to develop voice and sharpen style. Learn to analyze a variety of texts by successful authors with the goal of understanding yourself as a writer.

Attend this panel of our national agents/editor to get answers to your questions.

In this presentation, you'll learn 10 lessons on writing stories The Hunger Games has to teach us, including why "been done" means squat, how Collins generates sympathy, rooting, and suspense, what plot turns are and how to use them, and much more. Spoilers galore! It's best if you've read the book first.

For those who already have a blog, know what blogging is, and are ready to take their web presence to the next level using their blog.

Got a great story idea except for this one gaping hole? Wondering if it's possible to have too many protagonists, a likeable villain, a time travel, steam punk, romantic, techno-thriller with singing aliens? Bring your plot problems, story questions, genre peccadilloes, and any other book ideas you can come up with. James Dashner and Jeff Savage share their ideas on what makes a great plot, then brainstorm with you in class about your story. Outlandish plotlines and character names given free to each customer (while supplies last).

This class will discuss/demonstrate how to use dialogue effectively to move the story forward, when to use narration instead of dialogue, and how to avoid stilted dialogue and common dialogue mistakes.

The art of adaption will discuss differing formatting and condensing issues, legalities of film rights, and how to what you can expect in the journey.

Learn how to inject personality, humor, and emotion into typically dry nonfiction topics and turn them into projects agents and editors will love.

Reserved Seating.

Please meet in the main hall for closing remarks.

Submitted by Michelle Jefferies (To The Tune of "Good Life" by One Republic)

Vocals by Stephanie Fowers

Directed by Sandra Barton, Assistant directed by Stephanie Fowers, Cinematography by Jacqueline Fowers

Actors: Michael Bahlmann, Shirley Bahlmann, Weston Childers, Michelle Jefferies, Laural Jefferies, Ian Fife, Lisa Fife, Stephanie Fowers, Nicole Froerer, Abel Keogh, Aidan Keogh, Steven Keogh, Josi Kilpack, Marion Jensen and family, Amanda Sowards, Jaime Theler, Larissa Villers, Natalie Willison, Julie Wright

LYRICS:

Verse One)
Woke up at four AM today,
Made my way to the laptop at the kitchen table
Wonder where my story's going
I've got some notes taped to the wall
Names and places I've made up
Pictures of people and my lucky cup
I've studied structure till I am black and blue
I'm sure that I can say

(Chorus)
Oh this is going to be a good book
I've really got a good hook
Make an agent take a good look, good look
Yeah oh, my plot points are just right
The hero has such a plight
I think I'll add a fist fight
A good, good book

(Verse Two)

Revise and edit till my fingers cramp
Dream of going to Dave's death camp
Send it out to people I don't know
This one's clear in Idaho
The edited pages look like blood
There's a story in all this mud
They like the plot and I can se-e-e-e
It's the best that it can be
When I've got a great idea
And it takes me over
I'm drafting till sunrise
And it feels so right

(Chorus)
Hopefully
I wonder if there's a comma that I've missed
Hopefully
I'm wondering if the ending comes too quick
Hopefully
I have formatted the document just right
And hopefully
The hope will be: I'll have so much more to write
(Chorus)
Oh yeah
Good, good book
Good book
Ooh

(Repeat Verse Two)