For many authors, “shared world” fiction is their ticket into the publishing world. Work-for-hire projects can even land you on bestsellers’ lists. How do you find the work? Just what constitutes work-for-hire? And what are the good, bad, and ugly aspects of it?
Gen Con’s Author Guest of Honor, Anton Strout, will wax eloquent, field questions, and discuss his urban fantasy novels and upcoming projects. Interviewed by Elizabeth Vaughan.
It’s alive and well on the bookstore shelves, but sword and sorcery has evolved through the decades. What makes a modern sword and sorcery tale sing? What can you do to make your book fit into the genre without being clichéd or “old hat?” And who’s publishing sword and sorcery today?
Have you faced a malevolent force that prevents you from finishing your manuscript? How can you defeat the dark power that keeps your fingers motionless on the keyboard and your brain in neutral? Our panelists have battled this dreaded demon, and they’ll teach you how to best it!
Taking Aim: Writing Military Fiction and Non-Fiction
Description:
It takes work and research to get it right, but the rewards can be well-crafted tales that propel you onto the bookshelves and bestseller lists. Moderator Bill Fawcett has several best-selling military-books under his proverbial belt. Come and learn from an expert.
How do you build tension? What’s more ... how can you sustain it and avoid the pitfalls of not having enough in your fiction? Panelists present techniques for turning your work into a page-turner.
Finishing your novel isn’t enough. Now you have to edit it—polishing off the rough edges so it’s nice and shiny before you fire it off to an editor or agent. We’re “old hat” at putting the finishing touches on manuscripts, and we’re ready to dish out our sage advice.
The Buddy System: How to Collaborate Without Killing Your Coauthor
Description:
Some say a co-authorship is twice the work for half the credit and pay. Others say having a writing partner produces better material and makes the task more enjoyable. We’ll look at how to successfully approach a co-author project—whether a novel or game material.
A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but a book title? You better have something with punch so the reader will pluck it off the shelf. And a title with zing can entice an editor or slush reader to give your story a look. A good name can also make your heroes and villains memorable and help define their character. We discuss the fine are of naming.
Well structured scenes make for compelling story telling. How can you construct powerful scenes for a novel or short story? And how do you string scenes together to create a vivid and stirring piece of writing? Learn everything you need to know about the art of structuring scenes.