Programming is Go!
What the heck are we doing at Writercon this year, you ask? (I know you're out there asking. I can hear you.)
Well, says I, we are on board for super-coolness, with something to tantalize no matter what your taste. Just look and
Discuss! A Round Table Summit - Fandom can often be insular, with little interaction between groups. We aim to show just how much we all have in common. Attendees from different fandoms will discuss predetermined themes, directed by a shadowy conspiracy who wants to rule your hearts and minds.
Expletive Deleted: How Explicit is Too Explicit - Are fics improved by a little mystery, or should the world be your characters’ gynecologist?
Is Fandom Gonna Have to Choke a Bitch? Language and Gender in Fanfiction - Unconscious use of gender-specific pejoratives can speak volumes about both the society the author hails from and the attitudes of that author’s characters. We talk about how to be more conscious of what we’re really saying - and when such language is an effective aid to our storytelling.
Evil in Our Midst: Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia in Fandom - Fans often fall prey to the notion that we’re better than other people. Unfortunately, prejudices are present in fandom just as in all subcultures. We examine what we can do to make our corner of the world a more tolerant place.
The Language of Love: How Sex Scene Descriptives Color the Overall Story - Do adjectives in a sex scene change the tenor of the entire story? Can you call it ‘making sweet love’ in a tale of betrayal and revenge, and vice versa? We explore whether sexual scenarios are more or less likely to set the tone for the story you’re trying to tell.
Scare Me to Death: Making Old Monsters New Again - The Creature. The Vampire. The Werewolf. Mummy, Zombie, Revenant, Ghost. These days, they’re as likely to be found shilling pizza, breakfast cereal, and beer than starring in our nightmares. How can we make these archetypes - old as imagination - inspire fear instead of nostalgia?
Writer’s Salon - If you've ever submitted your story to a beta, you know that the critique process can turn a good story into a great one. The Writers' Salon is like a face-to-face beta session, in which your story will be discussed by a small group of people who are passionate about writing. We'll give your story an honest critique, and you'll do the same for our stories, and then we'll all go home energized and ready to rewrite. We'll also discuss how to set up your own writing critique groups, whether online or face-to-face. Prior registration required.
Writing Relationships Without Sex - Sex seems so omnipresent in fic that it can sometimes overwhelm storytelling. This workshop will show you how to write relationships that don’t require sex to move the narrative along - not just between romantically-involved couples, but including friendships, sibling rivalries, parent-child dynamics, and other non-romantic attachments. Prior registration required.
Be a Better Beta - Want to give your writer more bang for their buck? Join us for a crash course in grammar notation and constructive crit. Prior registration required.
Enough Kissing, Get On With the Maiming! Gen-Fic - Talk about the nuts and bolts of crafting stories of adventure, mystery, horror, and action - without a romantic duo in sight.
It’s a Thing: Choosing the Right Adjective - Why say Cyclopean when you can say one-eyed? Is cerulean always better than blue? Our panel discusses how to decide between the dizzying array of descriptives to give your story the punch it needs.
Here Be Pirates: The Thorny Problem of Plagiarism - Instances of plagiarism have been on the rise, from small obscure fics to professionally published novels. Why do people pretend to have written other people’s work? What can we do to prevent it?
Cage Match: Science vs Magic - Does magic have any place in a science-driven universe? Can science exist in a magic-driven one? Will they duke it out or can they coexist in your narrative? Our panel discusses past use and future possibilities in a variety of settings.
Save the Drama for Your Mama: Screenplays - Screenplays aren’t just a different format, they require a different way of storytelling. Learn how to set it down from scratch, or how to adapt your existing story for the camera or a live audience. Prior Registration Required.
Is That Even Possible? Research - Some shows are more reality-based than others. Medical, police, and historical dramas all have a common pool of information which can make or break a story. Learn how to do the research, condense it for maximum effect with minimum information dumping, and when you can safety just make it up as you go.
Science for English Majors - Are you a former English major in love with a show heavy on the engineering? We know how frustrating it is to try and write technobabble when you haven’t the foggiest idea of how it really goes. Let our panel of scientists give you the basic information you need to write convincing science fiction.
Backwards & Forwards: Writing from Unconventional Places in the Narrative - Sometimes your story just doesn’t want to be told in a linear way. Explore ways to break the rules without sacrificing readability. Prior Registration Required.
Instant Crit - Sometimes you just need a quick assessment of your story. We provide a first reader who can give you on-the-spot, short critique. Prior registration required, page limits.
The Big Picture: Writing Larger Story Arcs - How to keep your baseline arc steady while writing episodic stories. Prior Registration Required.
Sharks Vs Jets: Fight Scenes - Writing action has unusual challenges - how to convey movement through a static medium, how to describe without bogging the action down in endless accounts of fists and fury. Together we’ll learn the rules for writing fights - and when to break them like a cheap stoolie. Let’s get ready to rumble!
If You Build It, They Will Come: How the Internet Builds Communities Around Fanfic - Blogging sites, message boards, you name it. Fanfic is the focal point for community-building world-wide. Come talk with our learned guests about how we find each other, what we get out of it, and whether we're all six degrees of separated from every other fan in existence.
Dirty Drabbles - It's a late-night titillation sensation! Listen to raunchy drabbles based on the winners of the fundraiser pairings, and offer your own bawdy tales.
Well, says I, we are on board for super-coolness, with something to tantalize no matter what your taste. Just look and
Discuss! A Round Table Summit - Fandom can often be insular, with little interaction between groups. We aim to show just how much we all have in common. Attendees from different fandoms will discuss predetermined themes, directed by a shadowy conspiracy who wants to rule your hearts and minds.
Expletive Deleted: How Explicit is Too Explicit - Are fics improved by a little mystery, or should the world be your characters’ gynecologist?
Is Fandom Gonna Have to Choke a Bitch? Language and Gender in Fanfiction - Unconscious use of gender-specific pejoratives can speak volumes about both the society the author hails from and the attitudes of that author’s characters. We talk about how to be more conscious of what we’re really saying - and when such language is an effective aid to our storytelling.
Evil in Our Midst: Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia in Fandom - Fans often fall prey to the notion that we’re better than other people. Unfortunately, prejudices are present in fandom just as in all subcultures. We examine what we can do to make our corner of the world a more tolerant place.
The Language of Love: How Sex Scene Descriptives Color the Overall Story - Do adjectives in a sex scene change the tenor of the entire story? Can you call it ‘making sweet love’ in a tale of betrayal and revenge, and vice versa? We explore whether sexual scenarios are more or less likely to set the tone for the story you’re trying to tell.
Scare Me to Death: Making Old Monsters New Again - The Creature. The Vampire. The Werewolf. Mummy, Zombie, Revenant, Ghost. These days, they’re as likely to be found shilling pizza, breakfast cereal, and beer than starring in our nightmares. How can we make these archetypes - old as imagination - inspire fear instead of nostalgia?
Writer’s Salon - If you've ever submitted your story to a beta, you know that the critique process can turn a good story into a great one. The Writers' Salon is like a face-to-face beta session, in which your story will be discussed by a small group of people who are passionate about writing. We'll give your story an honest critique, and you'll do the same for our stories, and then we'll all go home energized and ready to rewrite. We'll also discuss how to set up your own writing critique groups, whether online or face-to-face. Prior registration required.
Writing Relationships Without Sex - Sex seems so omnipresent in fic that it can sometimes overwhelm storytelling. This workshop will show you how to write relationships that don’t require sex to move the narrative along - not just between romantically-involved couples, but including friendships, sibling rivalries, parent-child dynamics, and other non-romantic attachments. Prior registration required.
Be a Better Beta - Want to give your writer more bang for their buck? Join us for a crash course in grammar notation and constructive crit. Prior registration required.
Enough Kissing, Get On With the Maiming! Gen-Fic - Talk about the nuts and bolts of crafting stories of adventure, mystery, horror, and action - without a romantic duo in sight.
It’s a Thing: Choosing the Right Adjective - Why say Cyclopean when you can say one-eyed? Is cerulean always better than blue? Our panel discusses how to decide between the dizzying array of descriptives to give your story the punch it needs.
Here Be Pirates: The Thorny Problem of Plagiarism - Instances of plagiarism have been on the rise, from small obscure fics to professionally published novels. Why do people pretend to have written other people’s work? What can we do to prevent it?
Cage Match: Science vs Magic - Does magic have any place in a science-driven universe? Can science exist in a magic-driven one? Will they duke it out or can they coexist in your narrative? Our panel discusses past use and future possibilities in a variety of settings.
Save the Drama for Your Mama: Screenplays - Screenplays aren’t just a different format, they require a different way of storytelling. Learn how to set it down from scratch, or how to adapt your existing story for the camera or a live audience. Prior Registration Required.
Is That Even Possible? Research - Some shows are more reality-based than others. Medical, police, and historical dramas all have a common pool of information which can make or break a story. Learn how to do the research, condense it for maximum effect with minimum information dumping, and when you can safety just make it up as you go.
Science for English Majors - Are you a former English major in love with a show heavy on the engineering? We know how frustrating it is to try and write technobabble when you haven’t the foggiest idea of how it really goes. Let our panel of scientists give you the basic information you need to write convincing science fiction.
Backwards & Forwards: Writing from Unconventional Places in the Narrative - Sometimes your story just doesn’t want to be told in a linear way. Explore ways to break the rules without sacrificing readability. Prior Registration Required.
Instant Crit - Sometimes you just need a quick assessment of your story. We provide a first reader who can give you on-the-spot, short critique. Prior registration required, page limits.
The Big Picture: Writing Larger Story Arcs - How to keep your baseline arc steady while writing episodic stories. Prior Registration Required.
Sharks Vs Jets: Fight Scenes - Writing action has unusual challenges - how to convey movement through a static medium, how to describe without bogging the action down in endless accounts of fists and fury. Together we’ll learn the rules for writing fights - and when to break them like a cheap stoolie. Let’s get ready to rumble!
If You Build It, They Will Come: How the Internet Builds Communities Around Fanfic - Blogging sites, message boards, you name it. Fanfic is the focal point for community-building world-wide. Come talk with our learned guests about how we find each other, what we get out of it, and whether we're all six degrees of separated from every other fan in existence.
Dirty Drabbles - It's a late-night titillation sensation! Listen to raunchy drabbles based on the winners of the fundraiser pairings, and offer your own bawdy tales.