In-depth story structure techniques for building a page-turning romance. You have done the hard part! You have created a good working draft of your romance novel. Now it is time to switch into editing mode and shape that draft into an effective page-turning romance that readers will love. We will be working on the structural foundations of your story before developing the plots points for the external and emotional conflicts which drive the romance relationship. The structure of the opening chapters of your manuscript will be covered in-depth to ensure that your readers are hooked from the start!

Writing a book series is challenging, and it's a great way to create an enthusiastic, loyal readership. Attendees will learn what you need to create your own book series. Your planning begins with your first book. Then we'll review the key concepts to creating a successful series and some tools to help you make it happen.

Our keynote speaker for Young Author's Day is New York Times and bestselling author, Jason Reynolds, the 2020 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Reynolds is the author of thirteen books for young people, including his most recent, Look Both Ways: A tale told in Ten Blocks. 
An inspiring speaker, we were all moved to tears.

Sometimes you can't put your finger on why your story isn't singing the right tune. Maybe its time to do a deep dive into your primary and secondary characters. Join Sandy McCormack as she pulls apart the details on how to create a memorable and deeper character.

In this era of #MeToo consent is on the forefront of not only our everyday lives but also in our choices of entertainment. Romance novels have been held in high regard as bastions of consent in the same breath as they are ridiculed for feeding the fantasy of the bodice ripper. Join award winning author Anna Alexander in an open forum discussion of how do we as authors pay heed to societal changes and reflect those views in our works. Are we doing enough, or have we not gone far enough?

It’s not groping. It’s chemistry between two people. That intangible push/pull. Will they/won’t they. Listen to Darcy Carson explain the four elements of sexual tension in this short video.

Intimacy isn’t all about sex. It is the closeness between two people in a relationship. Intimacy means different things to different people. Learn the twelve steps from Darcy.

Introducing the idea of focused drafts; Macro-edit drafts (structure, character, scene/summary)

A good story teller captures our imagination with compelling settings, characters and emotions. Why not pull settings, characters and emotions from our own lives? Learn how to tap memories for writing memoir or fiction. Video includes writing exercises.

Are such short forms viable for publication? What is going on in the proliferating market for shorter Mystery, Thriller, Horror, and Suspense?