Workshop Descriptions

Between the Lines and Behind the Scenes:

Loving Books through Literary Analysis (C.H. Williams)

Look in the nooks and crannies of favorite books. Explore the ways authors draw on symbols to paint an immersive picture, and how readers can track those ideas to gain clues about the world and characters therein. Teach readers to step even deeper into worlds they love by following the bread-crumbs left behind by the author. This workshop will make you a better author.

My Rainbow: From Life Journey to Book (Deshanna and Trinity Neal)

Deshanna and Trinity will read the children’s book that they have created. Participants will then have the opportunity to ask Deshanna and Trinity about their lives as advocates, as authors, and as writers.

Poetic Sharing Circle Workshop (Dr. Traci Currie)

Poetic Sharing Circle Workshop - The goal for this workshop is to create a space for people to comfortably share their voices, their identities and their way of moving in their bodies when performing poetry.

Real Characters for Real Readers

(FEATURED AUTHOR - Yamile Saied Méndez)

Learn how to create and develop characters (protagonists, secondary, tertiary, antagonists, etc) from scratch. Yamille will guide students to find the characters' motivations and motives, backstory, and role in the narrative instead of forcing them to adjust to a plot. No cookie cutter or cardboard characters! The characters will become real people and pop off the page so we can map their journey.

Self-Publish and Market Your Writing (E.S. Rosalynn)

This writing duo will take you through the ins and outs of their decision to self-publish as well as share all the creative ways they are getting their work into the hands of readers. Join the session for exploration of self-publishing (Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Book Baby, Wattpad, etc.) and marketing (blog, email, social media, advertising, etc.) options. They will even guide attendees through a special branding session to explore authors’ unique messaging, so you’ll leave the session with tools you can implement immediately.

Writing and Revising: Super Fun Times...No? Really!

(FEATURED AUTHOR - Kari Anne Holt)

KA Holt talks about writing and the revision process, and how messy it can be. Through photos of her own writing process, and the piles and piles of revisions she has for each book she’s written, students get to see early versions and marked up pages of her books, while learning that revising is one of the most important aspects of creative writing (and that it can actually be really fun).