Superstars Writing Seminars 2025: Full Schedule

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8:45am MST

A New Take on Raising the Stakes

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Once you understand—more accurately—the relationship between plot and stakes, you can create and raise them more easily and effectively.

Speakers

September C. Fawkes

September C. Fawkes works as a freelance editor and writing instructor and is best known for her award-winning writing tip blog, SeptemberCFawkes.com. She has edited for award-winning and best-selling authors as well as beginning writers. For seven years she worked with David Farland... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Manitou

Session

8:45am MST

Deep 6: Using Deep POV to Take Your Writing to the Next Level

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Gunnison

Using Deep POV to Take Your Writing to the Next Level

Speakers

Amy Cowan

Amy Cowan, a seasoned professional with nearly a decade of experience in publishing, excels in acquisitions, editing, and financial intricacies. Presently the Publisher at Young Dragons, an imprint of Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates, she spearheads Children’s and Middle... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Gunnison

Session

8:45am MST

Get Out Of Your Own Way

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Colorado

Through subconscious self-sabotage and other internal safety mechanisms, we hinder ourselves from realizing our full potential

Speakers

Craig Martelle

Craig Martelle is a million-selling author of Sci-Fi and Thrillers. He runs the Successful Indie Author series of author-help videos, books, and group.

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Colorado

Session

8:45am MST

Getting Ready For Your Close-up

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Rio Grande

Understanding what film studios want and how to work with them

Speakers

Kevin Ikenberry

Kevin Ikenberry is a life-long space geek, bestselling science fiction and alternate history author, and teacher. With more than twenty-five novels published in multiple universes under his belt, Kevin continues writing stories uplifting the power of the human spirit in difficult... Read More →

James Fox

James Fox is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and filmmaker with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories across film, books, and digital media. Creator of the acclaimed The Sol Saga series, he is known for his intricate world-building and character-driven narratives... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Rio Grande

Session

8:45am MST

Legacy Planning: The Literary Side

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Arkansas

You have a successful story, novel, series, universe: does it all fade to black after you pass away? What do you want to happen, and how do you make it happen?

Speakers

Toni Weisskopf

Toni Weisskopf is an American science fiction editor and the publisher of Baen Books. She has been nominated four times for a Hugo Award. She has won the Phoenix Award, the Rebel Award, and the Neffy Award for best editor.

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Arkansas

Session

8:45am MST

Pitches / Career Counseling

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

White River II

Please check in at the Appointments Desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment.

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
White River II

Session

8:45am MST

Sustainable Social Media Strategies

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST

Platte

Detoxify your relationship with social media and find strategies that will fuel your creativity instead of draining it.

Speakers

Cindy Gunderson

Cindy Gunderson is a voice actress and award-winning author. Since she has commitment issues, she writes both sci-fi and fantasy, as well as contemporary romance and women's fiction under the pen name, Cynthia Gunderson.

Friday February 7, 2025 8:45am - 9:45am MST
Platte

Session

10:00am MST

Avoiding the Sophomore Novel Slump

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Manitou

Master the art of writing on deadline and avoiding the dreaded "sophomore novel slump"

Speakers

Jennifer Brody

Jennifer Brody (a/k/a Vera Strange) is a Bram Stoker Award Finalist and the author of A SACRIFICE OF BLOOD & STARS, DISNEY CHILLS, THE 13TH CONTINUUM trilogy, STAR WARS: STORIES OF JEDI AND SITH, and SPECTRE DEEP 6, prompting Forbes to call her “a star in the graphic novel worl... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Manitou

Session

10:00am MST

Copyrights 101

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Arkansas

An intro to why authors need to be aware of how to manage their own copyrights, even if they have an agent or publisher.

Speakers

Craig Martelle

Craig Martelle is a million-selling author of Sci-Fi and Thrillers. He runs the Successful Indie Author series of author-help videos, books, and group.

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Arkansas

Session

10:00am MST

How to Make Money as a Writer

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Colorado

The bottom Line on how to build a successful income-driven writing career

Speakers

Jonathan Maberry

Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, and comic book writer. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was produced as a Netflix original series. He writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Colorado

Session

10:00am MST

Level Up: Turning Your Intellectual Property into Successful Games

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Rio Grande

Join David Sherrer as he shares actionable insights on leveraging your intellectual property to create engaging and profitable games, drawing from his successful Kickstarter experience and game development expertise.

Speakers

David Sherrer

David Sherrer is a lifelong gamer and story teller, and is the Marketing Director of Chenoweth Press and Lead Game Designer of Chenoweth Games. His debut card game "Cat Magic: The Game" released in 2022 and was funded on Kickstarter within hours of launching.

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Rio Grande

Session

10:00am MST

Pitches / Career Counseling

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

White River II

Please check in at the Appointments Desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment.

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
White River II

Session

10:00am MST

That’s Not What I Wrote: Listening and Learning From Your Editor

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Gunnison

Whether you’ve hired an editor to help take your book to the next level or your agent/publisher has made editorial suggestions, changing your manuscript can be hard. This course will go through the most common editorial mistakes (and how not to make them), what to do when the editor wants you to change more than you are willing, and how to come to terms with the changes you know you have to make. We will walk you through the right questions to ask after you get your edits and the best ways to go about making your changes.

Speakers

Sabine Berlin

Sabine is an avid reader, writer, and editor. She has a BA in History, a Certificate of Proficiency in Editing and Document Design, and an M.Ed in Higher Education Leadership. During the day she works in higher education. At night she reads, writes, edits fiction, and watches K-dramas... Read More →

Lindsay Flanagan

Lindsay Flanagan is an award-winning editor with an MA in English and Creative Writing.Her debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was published by Young Dragons Press in August 2023, with two more books about AnnaGrey slated for publication in 2024 and 2025.She’s edited for... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Gunnison

Session

10:00am MST

Transforming Profit Margins: A Guide to Direct Sales and Special Edition Books

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Platte

Learn actionable insights for breaking free from traditional distribution limitations, allow for greater control of profit margins, increase customer retention, and create a new paradigm of profitability in book publishing.

Speakers

Dana Claire

Dana Claire, a marketing and sales expert, public speaker, and young adult author, founded The INKfluence, a specialized marketing agency for authors. The INKfluence offers special edition design & production, Kickstarter campaign management, and direct sales website build outs. Passionate... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Platte

Session

11:15am MST

6 Secrets about 6-Figure Kickstarter Success

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Colorado

Explore advanced strategies and insights that power high-performing crowdfunding campaigns in this session tailored for experienced creators. Discover the key elements behind six-figure success, from maximizing audience engagement and crafting optimized prelaunch marketing funnels to designing premium reward structures and tackling mid-campaign slumps with tactics like flash rewards. Packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples, this session is designed to help you refine your approach and scale your results. If you're ready to push your campaigns to the next level, this is your blueprint for Kickstarter success.

Speakers

Dana Claire

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Colorado

Session

11:15am MST

AMA: Running a Seven-Figure Author Business

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Rio Grande

Jeanette will be sharing secrets on how to get to the next level on your author journey from structure and process to networking and making deals.

Speakers

Jeanette Strode

During the last 8 years as COO of Shadow Alley Press, Jeanette’s learned a lot about Indie Publishing. It takes persistence, a dedicated team, and big goals and dreams. Since 2016, she’s worked with numerous authors on these exact things. Helping them to narrow down their goals... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Rio Grande

Session

11:15am MST

Author Branding for Success

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Platte

Exploring the ins and outs, ups and downs of successful author branding based on more than thirty years of tracking trad and indie authors.

Speakers

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Mark has worked in the book industry since 1992, published more than thirty-five books, and is a pioneer in digital publishing. Past roles include President of Canadian Booksellers Association, Director of Self-Publishing & Author Relations and Director of Business Development, and... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Platte

Session

11:15am MST

Pitches / Career Counseling

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

White River II

Please check in at the Appointments Desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment.

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
White River II

Session

11:15am MST

Tax Myths Costing Authors Money

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Arkansas

There’s a lot of bad tax advice floating around, and following it could mean leaving money on the table—or worse, committing tax fraud without realizing it. In this session, we’ll tackle common misconceptions about tax deductions for authors, clarify what’s truly deductible, and explore strategies to maximize savings while staying compliant. Learn how to keep more of what you earn—legally and effectively.

Speakers

Seth C. Norris

Norris CPA LLC

Seth Norris is a CPA with over 12 years of experience in public accounting, serving as a bank CFO, and running his own virtual tax and accounting firm. Married to an author, Seth has a deep understanding of the unique challenges creatives face, making him a trusted financial partner... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Arkansas

Session

11:15am MST

The Plot Module

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Gunnison

When you're starting out as a writer (or even if you're experienced) sometimes it's a lot of work to fully plot out your novel. You might have heard of certain "beats" you're supposed to hit. But what if you had an exact guide that walked you through the entire plotting process, chapter by chapter, so you wouldn't have to guess what happens next? That's what you'll discover in Jason's Plot Module, an easy-to-follow and flexible plotting template that will take away the guesswork.

Speakers

Jason Hamilton

Jason Hamilton is a mythic fantasy author, former content manager at Kindlepreneur, and now runs the largest YouTube channel about the use of AI in creative writing (The Nerdy Novelist). His Story Hacker membership (StoryHacker.ai) has helped hundreds of authors write their first... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Gunnison

Session

11:15am MST

TribeTalks: “Ted Talk” Style Presentations from Tribe

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST

Manitou

Critical Community: How to Build an Excellent Critique Group (presented by Elise Stephens)
Harnessing Your “Starter” energy to become a “Finisher” (presented by C.L. Fors)
East Meets West: Exploring the Fusion of Storytelling Traditions (presented by Sammie Trinidad)

Moderators

Joshua Essoe

Joshua Essoe is a full-time editor who’s edited for NYT bestsellers, like David Farland and Piers Anthony, along with hundreds of independents. His books on writing, funded in just hours on Kickstarter cover the most-common issues he sees in fiction writing. Find him teaching at... Read More →

Speakers

C.L. Fors

CL Fors, Cherrie Lynn to her friends, is an author, illustrator, and publisher hailing from the California desert where she lives with her author husband, four clever children, and a small menagerie of creatures. She is a recent Illustrators of the Future winner and author of the... Read More →

Elise Stephens

Elise Stephens (she/her) writes stories influenced by the themes of family, memory, and finding hope after a devastating loss. She also draws inspiration from her love for theater and a globetrotting childhood. She is a first-place winner of Writers of the Future (2019) and a finalist... Read More →

Sammie Trinidad

Sammie Trinidad likes to call herself the "Filipina Wonder Woman" - she even has the cosplay to prove it. Her stories include romance, both in SFF and contemporary, and her stories have been published in League of Utah Writer anthologies and the Eagle Con anthology. The three C's... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Manitou

Session

1:45pm MST

Badass Book Covers 101

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Platte

Learn how to create standout covers in any genre.

Speakers

Jake Clark

I make badass art for badass stories. Full of grit and storytelling, my work is geared to capture attention. Using 3-d modeling software combined with digital painting and other assets, my fully custom creations play with perspective and scale in a way few other covers do.

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Platte

Session

1:45pm MST

Build Your Author Platform Through Writing & Selling Magazine Articles

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Arapaho

Led by Kerrie Flanagan, a seasoned freelance writer with hundreds of published articles and the author of Writer's Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing, this workshop is your gateway to becoming a published and paid magazine writer.

Speakers

Kerrie Flanagan

Kerrie Flanagan, with 25+ years in publishing, is an accomplished author, consultant, and instructor. She’s written for top magazines, authored 24 books, and developed the Magazine Writing Blueprint. Kerrie supports authors through her expertise and dedication and through speaking... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Arapaho

Session

1:45pm MST

Elephants and Elevators: Demystifying Marketing

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Manitou

Focusing on marketing principles and how they apply to self-publishing and indie authors, this class will be an exploration of marketing and how to make it work for you. Advertising is only one small part of marketing and understanding what else it is will help you to be more a more effective promoter.

Speakers

Logan Uber

The Brothers Uber

Logan Uber, author, publisher, and presenter, has more than a decade of marketing and crowdfunding experience. He runs the Brothers Uber, a publishing house with a focus on telling great stories. He holds four master’s degrees and has been a guest lecturer at schools throughout... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Manitou

Session

1:45pm MST

Fantastical Implications: Enhancing Magic, Story, and World with the Magic-System Blueprint

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Gunnison

Explore how the Magic-System Blueprint can systematically elevate your fantasy writing by creating richer, more impactful fantastical elements that deepen your storytelling and expand your world-building.

Speakers

Clark Rowenson

Fascinated by magic since pine cones could be fireballs, C. R. Rowenson (Clark) is an award-winning author, blogger, and writing coach that studies magic building like others study oil-painting. His prime directive is to help storytellers craft and repair unforgettable magic systems... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Gunnison

Session

1:45pm MST

How to Catch a Trend: Romantasy and the Business of Trends & Genre Mash-ups

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Rio Grande

Catching a hot publishing trend is like lightning in a bottle, but trends are always changing and evolving, so explore practical tips for writing to market but not being derivative.

Speakers

Jennifer Brody

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Rio Grande

Session

1:45pm MST

International Rights 101

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Arkansas

An introduction to international rights — what they are, pros & cons to reserving or granting those rights, the role of international book fairs, and how authors can best make decisions to manage these rights, even if they have an agent or publisher.

Speakers

Kristin Nelson

Kristin established Nelson Literary Agency, LLC, in 2002 and over the last two decades, she has represented over fifty-five New York Times bestselling titles and many USA Today bestsellers. Her clients include Shelby Van Pelt, Hugh Howey, Jamie Ford, Marie Lu, Stacey Lee, Ally Carter... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Arkansas

Session

1:45pm MST

Pitches / Career Counseling

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

White River II

Please check in at the Appointments Desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment.

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
White River II

Session

1:45pm MST

Writing Real Law Enforcement Characters

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST

Colorado

Getting it right without getting bogged down. Where to get information, what you need to know—and what you don’t need to worry about. Do you have to have experience as a cop to write about that life? Not at all. But it helps to "know a guy."

Speakers

Marc Cameron

New York Times bestselling author Marc Cameron has written short fiction for The Saturday Evening Post and Boys’ Life Magazine. He’s the author of thirty books—Westerns, Jericho Quinn Thrillers, Arliss Cutter Mysteries featuring a deputy US marshal based in Alaska, and seven... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm MST
Colorado

Session

3:00pm MST

Book Marketing In 2024

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Platte

Three Marketing Strategies You MUST Be Focusing On

Speakers

Nick Thacker

I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author, with over 40 thrillers published to my name. I run Book Career In A Year, helping authors reach the next level.

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Platte

Session

3:00pm MST

Combating Burnout

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Rio Grande

Discover effective strategies to recognize, manage, and overcome burnout, revitalizing your passion and productivity in the creative process.

Speakers

James Hunter

James Hunter is a full-time Inkslinger and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Discount Dan, and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, a publishing company that specializes in LitRRP... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Rio Grande

Session

3:00pm MST

Creating Calm Waters and Navigating Personal Finance with Ease

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Arkansas

Discover essential financial strategies to stop bailing water and instead ride the winds of success when they arrive.

Speakers

Clark Rowenson

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Arkansas

Session

3:00pm MST

Editing and Polishing Your Manuscript in MS Word

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Arapaho

What are the most common issues editors see that can be minimized by the author? Advice for authors on what should and should not do, and tips and tricks to help you present your best manuscript to their editor and/or publisher.

Speakers

Mia Kleve

MRK'd Up Editing

Mia has been an avid reader since she was a kid, starting with science fiction and fantasy, but soon moving into detective fiction. She’s one of those people who always has a book. She started as a proofreader, but soon moved into line, copy, and developmental editing. She has... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Arapaho

Session

3:00pm MST

Indie Author Book Services

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Manitou

TBD

Speakers

Dave Sheets

Indie Author Book Services

Dave Sheets has spent more than 28 years in the publishing industry working with many of the top book publishers, distributors, and printers in the industry, followed by owning a publishing services company working with independent authors. He has served clients in various sales and... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Manitou

Session

3:00pm MST

Let's Trim That Word Count

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Gunnison

This workshop will explore techniques for reducing your word count and getting your book into a lean, mean, competitive shape.

Speakers

David R. Slayton

David R. Slayton (he/him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he writes the books he always wanted to read. His epic fantasy, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea, won... Read More →

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Gunnison

Session

3:00pm MST

Pitches / Career Counseling

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST

White River II

Please check in at the Appointments Desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment.

Friday February 7, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
White River II

Session