2024 Author Conference

Futurescapes Discord Invite

Silhouette of toy soldiers marching on dirt with text overlay "What are the stakes" and a circular inset photo of a young man with dark hair and a slight beard in the top right corner.

What Are The Stakes

with John Wiswell

11:00 AM EST / 8:00 AM PST

This class will explore how stakes operate in different kinds of stories, and how authors deploy them for richer stories. Topics will include how stakes affect characters and audiences differently, how to make stakes believable, how to keep stakes in focus so the story does not meander and lose steam, and how multiple sets of stakes within a single story can affect each other.

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May 25

A woman crouching on the ground outdoors with trees in the background, overlaid with text about maximizing character agency, balancing conflict, and choices. There is a small circular inset of a portrait of a woman with long red hair wearing a black top in the top right corner.

Maximizing Character Agency

with Kathryn Purdie

12:15 PM EST / 9:15 AM PST

Some writers have trouble adding enough conflict in their stories while others add too much. Conflict is necessary for good storytelling. Too little and you have no tension. Too much and your characters lose agency—the capability to choose a course of action that can change their outcome. Without character agency, your reader loses hope that the protagonist can achieve the main story goal. He or she becomes a victim to the plot, rather than the driver of it, and consequently loses reader interest and appeal. In this class, you’ll learn tips to enhance and troubleshoot the critical element of agency in your stories.

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Text overlay on a blurred background of a person writing in a notebook with an open book nearby, promoting writing and self-editing for fiction authors. A circular inset of a person with short dark hair and glasses appears in the top right corner.

Writing is REwriting! Self-Editing for Fiction Authors

with M.K. England

1:45 PM EST/ 10:45 AM PST

Learn a variety of strategies for analyzing what you’ve written and planning a strong and productive revision.

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A person dressed as a princess with a white, feathered dress and silver embellishments, standing in a snowy or icy environment with bare trees, viewed from behind. Overlaid text reads 'Weaving Fashion Into Your Storytelling'. In the top right corner, there's a circular inset photo of a woman with short brown hair, glasses, and a patterned sweater.

Weaving Fashion Into Your Storytelling

with Natania Barron

3:00 PM EST / 12:00 PM PST

Everyone needs clothing. At least at some point in your story. But how do you determine who wears what? How do you weave fabric into your world? How do your characters feel about what they wear, and what does it say about them? Let's delve into the essential worldbuilding pillar of fashion, fabric, and textiles, to see how it can support and expand your storytelling.

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A presentation slide titled 'The Star Method' with a starry night sky background. A small circular photo of a man with glasses and a light blue shirt in the upper right corner.

The STAR Method

with Moses Ose Utomi

4:15 PM EST / 1:15 PM PST

In this workshop, students will learn a method for creating compelling, interconnected casts of characters from a core of basic principles and characteristics.

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Artwork depicting a fantasy medieval village with burning buildings, surrounded by dark mountains, with a group of robed figures in the foreground.

Building Fantastic Economies

with Elizabeth Bear

11:00 AM EST / 8:00 AM PST

What do people eat? Where do their clothes come from? How do they find shelter? What's the source of transportation? How do magic or advanced technology affect those basic needs? How does trade and commerce affect the narrative tensions and drive conflict in this made-up world? Join Hugo Award winning author Elizabeth Bear to learn how to build just enough economic reality into your fantastical settings!

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May 26

A digital graphic with a green and black abstract background and white text that reads "To Prologue or Not to Prologue". There is a small photo of a smiling woman with curly hair and an orange sweater in the top right corner.

To Prologue or Not to Prologue

with Marvellous Michael Anson

12:15 PM EST / 9:15 AM PST

Exploring the history of prologues, the technical requirements, i.e. what makes a good prologue, what makes a bad prologue, why you need a prologue, when to keep or cut, and how prologues and epilogues can elevate or break a story.

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Group of people dressed in medieval costumes having a feast in a candlelit room, with a quote about food and storytelling overlaid.

Food! (The good, the bad, the sensory details, the plot movers…)

with Fran Wilde

1:45 PM EST/ 10:45 AM PST

This course contains food.

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A dark-themed digital illustration with a futuristic background. It features a serious man with curly hair and blue eyes in the background, overlaid with glowing digital lines. On the upper right corner, there's a small circular photo of a smiling young man with short dark hair. The text in the center says 'Crafting Compelling Characters' in bold white letters.

Creating Compelling Characters

with Mike Chen

3:00 PM EST / 12:00 PM PST

Learn strategies for quickly building realistic and engaging characters that fit into speculative worlds.

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Level Up with Critique

with Rose Ciesla

4:15 PM EST / 1:15 PM PST

Critiquing is one of the best ways to level up your craft. Learn strategies to deliver higher level feedback, interpret criticism (even if you don't agree), see your own writing with fresh eyes, and find critique partners.

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FAQs

  • Recordings will be available within 48 hours of the course. You can access them here for 60 days.

  • Yes! They will be linked below the video following the course in place of the “Join” button.