Dry spells, poor salesmanship, frustrating editors, and day jobs are the bane of writers. We'll offer you advice on how to overcome unfortunate times, how to deal with rejection, and what you can do to keep plugging away at the keyboard.
So, you've got your pile of 100,000 words. What now? New York Times Bestselling author Michael Stackpole guides you through the intricacies of actually editing your novel. He'll cover those tough questions, like what needs to be trimmed, where do things need to be tightened, and what to do when characters are present, but just not engaged in the story. He'll even provide that key bit of advice so you know when your book is ready to send away.
It's baaack! The most insanely hilarious (or hilariously insane) public reading of what is arguably the worst (best?) piece of fiction ever! Thrill to the strange noises made by Grignr, the babarian of very little words. Cringe at the purple prose, run-on sentences, and detailed description of how time works. Try to keep your sides from splitting as you watch other hapless victims . . . er, participants, read this story aloud!
A key ingredient to believable characters and stories is food. Heroes, villains, and the supporting cast have to eat from time to time. How can you enrich your writing by adding a dining experience or two? What does food say about the world you've crafted?
This summer saw the release of an anthology inspired by Gen Con. It is a collection of stories from thirteen writer-gamers, most of them in attendance at this convention. Come pick their brains about mixing gaming and writing, discuss books, get a copy of Gamer Fantastic, and stick around to hear a few of the stories read.
So you've got a manuscript, and you want to sell it . . . but where? We'll look at markets for novels, short stories, and articles. And we'll teach you how to search for hungry marketplaces you can pitch to. We'll even give you a list of publications and publishers that will help.
And sometimes the bad guys wear white. In fantasy and science fiction the lines can blur between the heroes and villains. Panelists offer suggestions on crafting heroic villains and villainous heroes.
"Call me Ishmael." A great opening line hooks a reader and keeps him turning the pages. Panelists discuss some of their favorite opening lines and give you tips on how you can craft opening sentences that will capture the attention of a reader (and hopefully an agend and editor, too).
How Roleplaying Games Can Make You a Better Writer
Description:
Sure, roleplaying games have probably taught you everything you need to know in life, but what can they teach you about writing? We'll discuss several aspects, such as dialog, making your characters come alive, pacing, subplots, clues and misdirection, narrative description, managing combat scenes, making characters fit the story, plots, and avoiding writer's block.
Why has going after dragons been so popular in fiction? Our panelists discuss classic dragon hunters like Beowulf, Saint George, and Bilbo Baggins, in addition to how the hunt has changed over the years. Learn how to shape the classic story into something fresh and exciting.