image of pen in ink

Schedule

2024 Schedule - Stories We Tell

Friday, November 1, 7-9 pm

Welcome & Keynote with Shawn Wong

Doors open at 6 pm

Saturday, November 2, 9 am-4:30 pm

Workshops (Schedule coming soon!)

Workshop Title	Workshop Description	Presenter Name	Audience	Category
What's So Funny?	Sometime satirizing intractable problems is the last-best way to capture society's attention. Jonathan Swift did this in "A Modest Proposal". Andy Borowitz uses humor to point out hypocrisies, problems and paradoxes. Humor as sideways truth (A Robin Williams concept) is universal.	Bob Balmer	All	Craft
Levels of Editing: From Assessing Big Picture to Catching Typos	What does an editor do exactly? We'll discuss levels of editing and the difference in editorial guidance between self-publishing and traditional publishing. What is developmental editing? Should you hire a beta reader? Is line editing the same as copy editing? What the heck is a style guide? Let's explore editing.	Jenny Bartoy	Beginner, Intermediate	Craft
How to Get it Done	Many famous writers have spoken about their formulas for their successful writing careers. What is your blueprint for completing your work? How do you stay productive, inspired, and maintain your mental health?	Andy Becker	All	Craft, Motivation
(Un)Common Objects: Building New Worlds from Familiar Things	Need a hand out of a creative rut? In this generative workshop, we'll explore two ways of creating new stories: defamiliarizing common expressions and unlocking the power of deliberate paradox.	Tara Campbell	All	Craft, Motivation
The Opening of a Novel	In this workshop we'll focus on how to open a novel. Where does the story really begin? What will propel the story forward? And what does the reader need to see at the outset?	Connie Connally	All	Craft
Marketing your Writing: Finding your Audience	The workshop focuses on knowing if your story has an audience before you write, how you shape it to your audience as you write, and to determine what editor and/or agent is right for your project.	Scott Eagan	All	Careers
Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn't, What I'd Do Differently	Self-publishing is already hard enough. Don't make it even harder. This course offers real tips you can use.	Erick Mertz	All	Craft, Motivation, Careers
From Idea to Outline: Planning Out a Great Book	So, you've got an idea for a novel. Or maybe you're finally ready to write that family memoir. Designed for beginners, this workshop helps even seasoned writers take their story from idea to outline. Entice your readers to keep turning those pages and keep them guessing until The End.	Valerie Ihsan	Beginner	Craft
Stories in Poetry: Keeping the Metaphor, Creating the Story	Since the Greeks, poetry has told stories. The panel will discuss how poetry, in teh contemporary tells a story while holding firm to the form. We will consider how poets usch as Elizabeth Bishop, Paisley Rekdal, Layli Lonsolider establish poetic intimacy and how poets Lawrence Matsuda, Kathleen Flenniken, and Robinson Jeffers document the internment of the Japanese in WWII, protest WWII, and how in the NW Hanford forever changed families, communities evironment.	PANEL: Josie Emmons Turner, Allen Braden, Kathleen Byrd	All	Craft
Her Side of the Story: Mapping the Heroine's Journey	A fast-packed look at how understanding the heroine's journey can enhance character development and provide a map for plot design. The sis NOT the hero's journey re-imagined for a heroine, but the heroine's very own journey and very own stages.	Nikki Poppen	All	Craft
His Side of the Story: Mapping the Hero's Journey	The session uses Joseph Campbell's iconic mapping of the hero's journey to create three dimensional characters and active plot lines. Great for beginners and intermediate writings looking to revamp or refresh their character development.	Nikki Poppen	All	Craft
The Process of Storytelling: Writing a Memoir	Course is designed for all levels interested in exploring their past, understanding their own stories, and sharing them with the world through the powerful medium of memoir. Through a blend of insightful lecture and exercise, participants will learn how to craft a compelling narrative that resonates with readers.	Shama Shams	Beginner, Intermediate	Craft, Motivation