Imagine creating characters who share among them powerful magnetic-like forces fueled by needs and desires, knowledge and power. The closer they are drawn together, the greater the dramatic tension. One way to achieve that is through the Character Network. It hones the cast of a story so they become part of a narrative ecosystem. Each […]
From both a writer’s and editor’s perspective, Christina provides pointers and approaches that can lead to producing anthologies. Whether you’re an emerging writer seeking that first publishing feather or hoping to assemble a book with many authors, this workshop is a great place to start with creative and technical advice from someone who has done […]
Workshop
Who are the key players? What do they want? What about imprints and smaller presses? These are some of the questions Brandon will tackle in his presentation.
Join Margaret Dunlap, Sandra Tayler, and Dan Wells for small group sessions focused on unlocking something you’re stuck on – plot, character, voice, or anything in-between! Six (6) participants per instructor will be chosen randomly from names submitted through this form to share a writing issue or dilemma that they need help with. The other […]
Social
Want some company as you write? Join the Writing Excuses team for some productive quiet writing time hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal – coworking of all kinds welcome! This event takes place in a breakout room accessed from the Zoom room linked here. As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic […]
Join Howard Tayler and Dan Wells for small group sessions focused on unlocking something you’re stuck on – plot, character, voice, or anything in-between! Six (6) participants per instructor will be chosen randomly from names submitted through this form to share a writing issue or dilemma that they need help with. The other participants are […]
Social
Want some company as you write? Join the Writing Excuses team for some productive quiet writing time hosted by Alyshondra Meacham – coworking of all kinds welcome! This event takes place in a breakout room you’ll access from the Zoom room linked here. As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic […]
Social
Stop in, relax, meet up with your fellow writers, and have a great time aboard our virtual ship, the WXRS Woodthrush! Today’s evening social features the WXR Roving Q&A, an opportunity to ask your burning questions of the Writing Excuses hosts and instructors. As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic unless […]
Join Dan Wells for a small group working session focused on unlocking something you’re stuck on – plot, character, voice, or anything in-between! Six (6) participants will be chosen randomly from names submitted through this form to share a writing issue or dilemma that they need help with. The other participants are encouraged to audit. […]
Join Howard Tayler and Mary Robinette Kowal for small group sessions focused on unlocking something you’re stuck on – plot, character, voice, or anything in-between! Six (6) participants per instructor will be chosen randomly from names submitted through this form to share a writing issue or dilemma that they need help with. The other participants […]
Want some company as you write? Join the Writing Excuses team for some productive quiet writing time hosted by Sandra Tayler – coworking of all kinds welcome! This event takes place in a breakout room you can access once you’re in the Zoom room linked here. As with all social events, you will be on […]
Social
Stop in, relax, meet up with your fellow writers, and have a great time! We’ll have a virtual bar, fun activities, and a chance to connect with friends old and new! As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic unless you turn them off.
Having a good critique group is a great way to improve your writing and build your community. But how do you go about it? In this talk, Mary Robinette Kowal shares tips for getting a critique group off of the ground and making it a place that fits your writing goals and stye. This event […]
Social
Want some company as you write? Join the Writing Excuses team for some productive quiet writing time hosted by Margaret Dunlap – coworking of all kinds welcome! This event takes place in a breakout room you will access once you’re in the Zoom room linked here. As with all social events, you will be on […]
Workshop
Join Piper J. Drake to learn how to use mind mapping techniques to brainstorm by visually organizing your plot, character, world-building, and other ideas. Three (3) students will be selected to mind map their way through a current story idea – all others are encouraged to audit and learn how mind mapping can be used […]
Social
Want some company as you write? Join the Writing Excuses team for some productive quiet writing time hosted by Marshall Carr – coworking of all kinds welcome! As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic unless you turn them off. This event takes place in a breakout room you can enter […]
Social
7:00 AM – The Woodthrush opens for the day! Feel free to use it as your homebase throughout the day’s events. As with all social events, you will be on camera and mic unless you turn them off. Note that all of today’s events take place in breakout rooms in this Zoom space. You can […]
Panel
Marshall Carr Jr., Nicholas Bright, Wil Ralston, Matthew J. Drake, and Piper J. Drake talk about starting a podcast, from inception to launch to the early episodes. This event takes place in a breakout room you can access once you are in the Zoom room linked here. This session is meeting style so you will […]
Social
Get your WXR at SIWC experience started by meeting old friends and making a few new ones at our kick-off social. We invite you to stop in, relax, meet up with your fellow writers, and have a great time aboard our virtual ship, the WXRS Woodthrush! As with all social events, you will be on […]
Join contest coordinator kc dyer and contest judge Diana Gabaldon for the announcement of this year’s writing contest winners.
Social
Stop by the bar for a bit of socializing. Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open daily from 8 am Pacific. Last call for access is 8 pm, though once you’re in, you’re welcome to stay and chat until we close the room later in the evening. […]
The presenter hospitality suite is OPEN throughout the conference. During the posted hours, the room is hosted and we will have breakout rooms so you can enjoy quiet conversations with smaller groups. When the room is not hosted, you are welcome to drop in to socialize with any other presenters who happen to stop by. […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Social
Grab a bite to eat and join fellow attendees for lunch socializing. We’re keeping things moving as quickly as we can by offering two spaces, The Bar and The Ballroom. Come alone and meet new people or arrange to meet with friends and ask for a reserved table. As with all social events, this event […]
Night Owl
The SiWC tradition is going digital this year! Join our far-flung and truly impressive cast of characters for a new take on an old-style radio play. Hosted by the inimitable Michael Slade. As ever, Shock Theatre is unrehearsed and anything can happen.
Webinar
Join host Renée Saklikar in supporting attendees with books out this year. Our author showcase features many authors and their books, and concludes with a sip-and-learn cocktail-hour class from Crystal Hunt. Please consider supporting the authors being featured at this event if you can by buying their books. You can find the information here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bwfmCCHXiB76IogCwLisBlWXZ1MIeLVU9nSBOY16lI8/edit?usp=sharing
Social
Stop by the bar for a bit of socializing. Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open daily from 8 am. Last call for access is 8 pm, though once you’re in, you’re welcome to stay and chat until we close the room later in the evening. All […]
Social
Stop by the bar for some morning socializing. Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open daily from 8:00 am. All social events are meeting style – you’ll be on camera and mic unless you turn them off.
Social
Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open Sunday all day and will stay open after the conference into the night as long as people are there socializing.
Social
Stop by the bar for a bit of socializing. Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open daily from 8 am. Last call for access is 8 pm, though once you’re in, you’re welcome to stay and chat until we close the room later in the evening. All […]
Social
Stop by the bar for a bit of socializing. Meet new friends or arrange a group for a private table. The bar is open daily from 8 am. Last call for access is 8 pm, though once you’re in, you’re welcome to stay and chat until we close the room later in the evening. All […]
Night OwlSocial
The music is at your fingertips, the audience is ready, and we want to hear you sing! Join us Saturday night for a chance to wind down, goof off, and sing your heart out with the SiWC community from the comfort of your own home. Feeling spooky? Come in costume and join our host, Hayley […]
For 17 years, Saturday night after the keynote at SiWC meant one thing: the singalong! Join us for a group viewing of a classic recording of Jack Whyte leading us in our traditional song. New attendees so very welcome. Come learn one of SiWC’s longest-standing traditions or join in if you already know it. This […]
KeynoteMeeting - on camera and mic
Join our MC Carol and keynote speaker Robert Dugoni for a rousing live reprise of his classic SiWC keynote. (If you ever wondered where we got “This day we write,” you’re about to get your answer. This event is meeting style so you will be on camera unless you turn it off with a muted […]
Join our MC Carol and keynote speaker Eileen Cook to close out the conference in style. This event is meeting style, so your camera will be on unless you turn it off. Please do not unmute your mic unless requested to do so by the speaker.
Meeting - on camera and mic
Need a break from the bustle or feeling inspired to get words on paper? Need a break from the bustle or feeling inspired to get words on paper? Pop into the Bar and ask to be seated in the quiet writing corner.
Need a break from the bustle or feeling inspired to get words on paper? Need a break from the bustle or feeling inspired to get words on paper? Pop into the Bar and ask to be seated in the quiet writing corner.
Meeting - on camera and mic
Need a break from the bustle or feeling inspired to get words on paper? Pop into the Bar and ask to be seated in the quiet writing corner.
Keynote
Join our MC Carol and keynote speaker Tetsuro Shigematsu to kick off the conference. This session will be run as a meeting, so your camera will be on, but you will come in muted. Please keep your microphone muted unless otherwise instructed to avoid interrupting the speakers.
Social
Join Eileen Cook, Crystal Hunt, Donna Barker and the rest of the Creative Academy for Writers crew for a social hangout where we’ll talk genre, sip some beverages, and get to know each other a little better before we all dive full on into SiWC’s amazing workshops and events! We’d love to see you there.
Social
Join fellow attendees in the bar for face-to-face socializing. Come alone and meet new people or come with friends and take one of our private reserved group tables. You will be on camera and audible for this and all social events.
Social
Join fellow attendees in the bar for face-to-face socializing. Come alone and meet new people or come with friends and take one of our private reserved group tables. You will be on camera and audible for this and all social events.
Master Class
Piper J. Drake guides you on an in-depth look at how you can use relationships between key characters–and the choices characters make as relationships evolve–to develop characters that your readers will never forget. You’ll also explore the ways interracial relationships impact character development, whether the relationships are between characters and family, characters and friends, or […]
Workshop
Getting your words on the page and marketing your books effectively while also juggling a day job, family, chores, and everything else life throws at you can seem like an impossible blizzard of things to do, but this workshop will help you get a handle on that chaos. Learn task management secrets on how to […]
Workshop
No matter what you’re writing, the principles of psychological horror can spice up your conflict, your tension, your character flaws, your character growth, and everything else that makes a story great.
Workshop
Bring your favorite snacks and learn from Piper J. Drake how food can be a key aspect of character development. From your character’s favorite food and what memories those tastes unlock to the way they react as they encounter new tastes and textures–including cuisine in your writing can be so much more than a passing […]
Workshop
Storytelling isn’t just about what you say, but how you say it. This class will look at the nitty gritty of word choice, and show you how a careful consideration of very specific words can have a huge impact on the feel and flow of your writing.
Workshop
If COVID-19 and a renewed global call for racial justice have taught us nothing else this year, it is that we can radically rethink the world around us. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways that writers can reimagine the fictional world and create new narrative realities, whether it’s by foregrounding consent in stories of romance, […]
Workshop
In this workshop, we’ll look at three ways to make money through writing – freelance writing work, arts grants, and direct appeals to fans and readers through platforms like Patreon and Substack. For each, we’ll explore how to find and create opportunities for yourself, assess whether the work you’ll put in is worth the potential […]
Workshop
Being an author requires an online or public presence which may cause problems for a private life. This class discusses how to balance the two in ways that are healthy and keep you creating.
Workshop
The habits and patterns you build into your life can have a huge impact on your creativity. This presentation shares some specific things you can do to make more space for your creative work.
Master Class
One of our biggest requests from Writing Excuses alumni is “Get Dan to do his First Chapters class again, but give him more time and tell him to slow down.” So we did! Join Dan for an in-depth look at what a first chapter is supposed to accomplish, and how you can build a first […]
Master Class
Culture can be hard to define, but it influences everything from the language we use to the beliefs we hold dear to how closely we stand to the people we’re talking to. In this masterclass, you’ll learn how to give your stories greater cultural depth by exploring the building blocks of culture, developing cultural details […]
Master Class
In a world of social media, creative work sells better if you frame your pitch with a story. Come learn how to present your work so it intrigues your potential audience. This works for everything from novels to artwork to Kickstarters to growing a social media following.
Master Class
Rule of three, payload then pause, noises off, the comic drop… these are just a few of the tools we’ll learn to apply to our writing in order to make the funny parts funnier, or tone the goofy bits down to fit the manuscript.
Workshop
In this workshop we’ll explore the elements that go into crafting a novel that readers can’t put down. Including the setup, characters with competing goals, orchestrating the plot twists and revelation of secrets to drive the story forward, raising the stakes, as well as tips and tricks for modulating momentum. There is a handout for […]
Workshop
What makes one crime novel a thriller, another a mystery, and another suspense? If you’re writing a crime novel, where does yours fit in? In this workshop, we’ll dissects the differences among these main crime fiction genres, what makes them tick, and how to know which one you’re writing. There will be examples to illustrate […]
Workshop
Join Liza Palmer to learn tips and tricks to tighten up that saggy middle.
Workshop
Liza Palmer discusses how to craft a surprising third act, including how to make your ending suprising yet inevitable.
Workshop
What makes our blood run cold and how do you use that fear to make your thriller as nail-biting as can be?
Workshop
Most of us are conflict adverse, but in fiction you want to have as much as possible. This workshop will look at how to increase conflict for the characters, the different sources of conflict that can exist in the novel, and consider how your character responds to conflict.
Workshop
There are a lot of theories out there about how to handle pacing for novels, but how do you do it when length constrains you? It turns out that many of the same rules-of-thumb apply, but in a proportionally smaller space they look very different. Learn how to structure your beginnings, ends, and of course, […]
Workshop
We’re in the golden age of middle grade fiction. There’s more demand for diversity than ever before, but writing the Other is hard. In this workshop we’ll discuss how to avoid clichés and stereotypes when writing diverse characters, and how to do it right. Bring your works-in-progress (or create a brand new character), and a […]
Workshop
Join your host Renée Saklikar for a welcoming and open space to read your poetry. Poets and respectful audience members are welcome. Please have a printed copy of what you’d like to read on hand so you don’t have to flip between a document file and Zoom during the session. You will be on camera […]
Workshop
Great hooks keep readers turning pages and turn novels into unforgettable ‘must’ reads. Learn how to find the best moments in your book and use them in multiple ways to write a riveting read.
Workshop
ROI. B2B. Profit Centre. Supply Chain. Qualifying the Customer. If these and other business-related phrases strike fear in your heart, this workshop is for you. Learn the business basics you really need to jumpstart your writing career. Note: This class is not about the publishing business. It focuses on the skills you will need as […]
Workshop
Once your characters are set into motion, it’s easy to lose track of times of day, days of the week, and the overall scope of the story. Add flashbacks, or multiple points of view, or any number of small complications, and you’ve got a timeline that’s tricky to manage. In this session—aimed both at pantsers […]
Join our moderator and author kc dyer for this informative panel into the inner workings of traditional publishing, the roles of agents and editors, and how authors, agents, and editors work together to take a manuscript from written to published.
Workshop
This course will look at the work of acclaimed writers Amitav Ghosh (Gun Island) and Richard Powers (The Overstory) and explore how to address climate change in your fiction writing.
Workshop
…or why backstory is the spine of your story and how to use it to make your story stand tall. In recent years backstory has gained a bad reputation. This has to do with how the backstory is communicated to the reader (backstory dump, anyone?) rather than with the backstory itself. Sonali believes that there […]
Join our panel for a wide-ranging discussion about writing for kids in 2020.
Workshop
Dreaming of writing a memoir? Join bestselling memoirist Laura Bradbury to learn how to weave your memories into a book that inspires and sells.
Workshop
Your story’s theme—its central message—may be something you’re aware of when you start to write, or may reveal itself more gradually, but once you can identify it, there are ways to play with it; to weave it through your characters and settings, and to polish and refine it. We’ll explore these, and discuss how they […]
Workshop
This course will offer practical advice on how to create worlds and settings that don’t depend on colonialist stereotypes about “savagery,” “primitivism,” “civilization,” imperialism, and invasion motifs. It will also provide resources for writers interested in more complex and respectful understandings of Indigenous peoples, as well as guidance for navigating the ethical concerns regarding Indigenous […]
Our ever-popular first-page reads panel is back for SiWC at Home! Mary Robinette Kowal reads first page submissions (see instructions below) aloud to our panel of agents. When they’d stop reading if your page was a submission, Mary Robinette stops reading, and we hear why they agents said they’d stop. This panel is a GREAT […]
Workshop
With Google now indexing podcast episodes, and people consuming more audio and video than ever before it’s time to add a few new tools to your audience building toolkit. Video Blogging, Live Streaming, Podcasting and the rise of voice simulation technology means it’s a brave new world for authors. Learn what opportunities these mediums may […]
Workshop
Bob will teach you that novel dialogue is not “real” dialogue. He’ll teach you that less is more, dialogue tags and how dialogue can bring action to your narrative and help you avoid the deadly interior monologues. Dialogue is action and action is dialogue. Learn the techniques to write dialogue that is believable and memorable.
Workshop
Now you’re finished. Or are you? Once you’ve finished that manuscript how do you make it better? What are the common mistakes novelists make and how to fix them before an agent or editor sees them. Learn Bob’s systematic approach to power editing your manuscript includinh – Making an objective assessment of your novel’s beginning, […]
Workshop
Reading your work publicly can be a huge boost to your appeal among readers, editors, and publishers. In our new era of COVID-19 there’s been an increase in events featuring authors using platforms like YouTube Live, Zoom, and Crowdcast. These platforms offer the opportunity for authors to reach much wider audiences across the country and […]
Workshop
What’s your publishing personality? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all “right way” to get published. This workshop will explore the hidden differences between various publishing options and give you the tools to determine which paths to publication are a good fit for YOU based on your personal goals, strengths, and situation. Presenter Gigi Pandian is a USA […]
Workshop
Join Anne Perry for a chat about the books we love. Why are they your favourites? What do they have in common? What we can learn from them to inform our own writing? This event is meeting style, so you will be on camera and mic unless you turn them off.
Workshop
Join author Diana Gabaldon for a discussion of storytelling and a little Practical Magic for writers.
Workshop
As important to a novel as plot is a protagonist’s arc of change, his or her inner journey. Learn how that parallel plot is built, in practical steps, for a more emotionally involving novel.
Workshop
Bring your hand crafts and join writer and knitter Elizabeth Boyle for an informal writing chat. This session will be run as a meeting, so you will be on camera and microphone unless you turn them off.
Workshop
Feedback from critique partners and beta readers, editorial letters, and Revise and Resubmits can feel even more overwhelming than completing a first draft. But the magic for most books happens in revisions. See how to transfer feedback into action items for revising your manuscript from examples of how Sonali does this in her own work. […]
Workshop
Have you hit a creative wall within your manuscript? Feeling like a character or plot point won’t bend to the power of your artistic will? We have the solutions. Join Sean Cranbury for a session on allowing external inputs to influence your creative process and generate breakthroughs in your manuscript. As creators we are also […]
With few (if any) live book events taking place, social media and newsletters provide a way for authors to keep in contact with and reach readers. Our panelists will explain why that connection is important to your career and assist you in navigating what types of social media and newsletters might work for you. You […]
Workshop
Whether you’re a gardener or an architect writer, outlines are helpful. In this workshop, I’ll share my process for writing a high-level outline. Tackle a work-in-progress novel or start a new one. It all starts with one word! This session has a handout available on the handouts page accessed from Media in the header menu.
Workshop
You know emotions when they hit you. Your eyes mist with tears. Your heart aches with sorrow. Your breath quickens with desire. Human emotion is the electricity that powers our existence. But how do we harness this energy to capture our readers? This session will be run as a meeting, so you will be on […]
Workshop
Stopped by Fear? Paralysed Self-Doubt? Laura Bradbury was too for an entire decade. Learn how she got over herself to become a prolific and successful writer.
Workshop
This workshop will break down the bourgeoning book-to-screen market across television and feature film. Attendees will learn just HOW books are optioned and who’s in involved, as well as what to expect (and not expect) from the adaptation process. We’ll take about what makes books, articles, podcasts, and more interesting as potential intellectual property…and just […]
Workshop
Join Elizabeth Boyle to look at the numerous roles secondary characters take in stories–as foils, as friends, lovers, and enemies–and learn how to give them depth and meaning beyond the stereotypes.
Workshop
Very often, writers get to the two-third or three-quarter mark in a work and bog down, sometimes abandoning it to move on to something shinier. Why does this happen? It’s a place at which we move from raising questions for the reader to needing to answer them. This change in mode requires a different set […]
Workshop
kc dyer is the author of eight books for teens and adults, including an Amazon number one bestselling novel in Romantic Comedy. But along the way, she’s made mistakes. So. Many. Mistakes. In this workshop, kc will address some of her biggest blunders — in research, writing, communicating, and more — in hopes of helping […]
Master Class
This is the second half of the Multiverse of Plotting class that starts in the 9:30 time slot. Both halves are included in the $119 registration for this class. Mary Robinette Kowal and Elizabeth Boyle take you on a hands on and in-depth examination of the wide world of plotting theory. From full length novels […]
Master Class
Writing is a craft, but publishing is a business. This session is designed to help you create a plan for your writing career, indie or traditional. Whether you’re just getting started, or want to level up from where you are now, we’ll help you discover the difference you can make by being strategic in your […]
Master Class
Mary Robinette Kowal and Elizabeth Boyle take you on a hands on and in-depth examination of the wide world of plotting theory. From full length novels to short stories, all of these have one thing in common: a plot. We’ll explore the various plotting arcs, frameworks and methods, guiding you through taking a story from […]
Master Class
Beginners! Want to get your work published but not sure where to start? Unclear on the differences between submitting to an editor or an agent? Join bestselling author kc dyer for a look at the basics of both traditional and self-publishing. Bring your questions! This class is meeting style, so you will be on camera. […]
Master Class
Fiction is most powerful when it means something, but what do we mean when we say “meaning”? How is that effect achieved? This hands-on master class will go beyond theme and message to explore the many ways in which readers’ minds are stimulated. Questions, parallels, paradoxes, dichotomies, mysteries, moral dilemmas, and more are made practical. […]
Master Class
Writers, editors, and publishers face many legal issues that often also encompass ethics. Learn tips and tools for how and when to use and share information, images, and written texts when writing, publishing and on social media. Legal topics include copyright basics, libel, and the right to privacy. Real life case studies and lively discussion […]