In This Section
Dialogue! It’s a writer’s best friend. All it needs is a little love and understanding—Author
Debbie Black will provide the understanding, and you bring the love! Come get comfortable
writing dialogue that sounds authentic, contributes to character development, helps
with pacing, and seamlessly works scene-by-scene to advance your plot. We’ll break
it down to simple techniques that will get you on your way to mastering dialogue—your
new best friend!
The two most important pages of your manuscript are the first and last. The opening
determines if the reader (including an agent or editor) is going to continue reading
your work or put it down in search of something more engaging. The ending determines
how the reader will feel when they look back on your work after closing the final
page. Author Mark Parsons will share how to accomplish both of these crucial elements
to ensure your story lives on within the reader’s mind long after they’ve closed the
book.
How do you know which Point of View is best for your book? How do you decide if you’re
going to write from multiple POVs? This panel of top writing experts will discuss
their approach and why understanding POV is an essential element of your writing journey.
You’ve felt the pulse-pounding drama of a good story, caught up in a book that feels
so real you're inside it. Scenes are the essential building blocks of great fiction
and memoir. They bring flat narrative into full-color action, allowing you to breathe
life into compelling characters through dynamic action. Join best-selling author Jordan
Rosenfeld as she breaks down scene elements, scene design, and how scenes build plots.
Plot may drive your story forward, but it's your characters that make readers care.
Whether you're crafting commercial page-turners or character-driven literary fiction,
the key to reader engagement lies in creating protagonists who feel real, complex,
and emotionally accessible. Author Nicole Meier will help you map out your protagonist's
arc of change and create intimate connections that resonate long after the final page.