The 1st Annual
August 8-10, 2025
In Beautiful Cedaredge, Colorado
Workshops
Below are descriptions for each workshop
Please see the Schedule for times and venues
Top 20 ways to market your book - Polly Letofsky:
Book Contests: An insider track to what judes look for - Sara Frances: Winning a book contest can be the best credential for the independent author. Winning can aid in reader acceptance and distribution and keep those critical aspects from becoming black holes which keep good authors from establishing a significant audience. Awards are not just good business and enhanced public relations. Awards are steppingstones toward more recognition and sales opportunities for any small- or large-press author. This workshop helps writers get a running start on how points are scored and where judges focus their eagle eyes. Story content may be king, but everything else about writing quality is equally important. Publication quality including covers and front and back matter—these all add up. Sara explains how and why the writer should compete, what details bring highest scores, and what factors are certain score killers. This is a comprehensive PDF presentation with interactive examples.
The Art of the Essay - Christie Aschwanden: This workshop will discuss the essay as a form. We’ll study structure, arc, and literary techniques, and analyze some illustrative examples. We’ll also explore a few short exercises to put these techniques to practice. Bring a notebook and writing implement. You’ll have a chance (but won’t be required) to share your exercises with the group.
Kindle Direct Publishing | Self publishing 101 - Don Benjamin: The Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) print-on-demand process can be a daunting challenge for the first-time user. This workshop offers step-by-step instruction, moving from establishing an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) to self-publishing a paperback book. Working on-line in real time, the presenter will demonstrate: 1) how to set up an ISBN with Bowker Publishing Services; 2) how to set up a KDP account; 3) how to complete the KDP self-publishing process by inputting paperback details, uploading content including a formatted book manuscript and formatted book cover, and choosing paperback rights and pricing. This is a real-time demonstration allowing participants to see the work in progress.
Writing a memoir - Polly Letofsky:
The Soulful Poem - Wendy Videlock: Come discover how a few musical elements can give your poems surprise, depth, and memorability.
Non-Fiction book proposal basics - Christie Aschwanden: This workshop will take you through the fundamentals of the nonfiction book proposal. You’ll learn about the format and necessary components of a proposal and find how to research and write the various sections. You will also receive guidance on turning your book idea into a proposal to send to agents.
Make your storytelling cinematic - J. Warren Weaver: Writers can learn much from the world of screenwriting that can be easily adapted to make their story move. This workshop looks at concepts that will inject some energy into writers’ chapters and create a narrative that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, all while effortlessly keeping them turning the page.
Creating a story bible & timeline - Terri Benson: Terri explains what a story bible is, why a writer needs it, and what goes in it. She outlines how a timeline with the story bible keeps things straight and significantly reduces rewrites and mistakes. She presents multiple options for story bibles, emphasizing that simple is better so that a bible actually gets used. Workshop participants will learn how to keep track of contacts and sources. She shares examples of her bible and timeline format and how she uses a simple timeline format which is easy to edit, grow, and change. She also lists other sources of information on story bibles.
The Radical Metaphor of Place - Kierstin Bridger: Image and emotion find their most magnetic pull when we explore their deepest roots and expand the boundaries that have come before. We’ll look at examples from fiction, NF, and poetry to write into what we don’t know about what we know. Whether you want to energize your prose with the transformational power of poetic language or reanimate key images in your poetry work, we can express the seemingly inexpressible with the power of metaphor. Get ready to experiment with all your senses.
Self editing for fiction writers - Cindi Myers: This workshop talks about how the draft of a writer’s novel can be polished to produce the best possible work. Cindi will provide a plan for refining the manuscript. Her plan starts with big picture issues such as theme and character development. Then she focuses on fine-tuning to really make the prose sparkle.
Agents, Editors, & Submissions, Oh My! - Terri Benson: In this workshop Terri goes over types and names of edits, and different sorts of editors and what you can expect from each type of editor. In addition, she explains who agents are and what they do. Then she outlines how to know if you’re ready to submit to both agents and editors/publishers and how to go about it. She also touches on what happens after a writer gets accepted by one or more of these important individuals. (After the writer gets over yelling, screaming, and celebrating, that is!)
Intuitive Character Development – Pam Chiaro (PK Stuart)
In this interactive workshop, you'll learn to develop characters by "listening" to them rather than forcing them into predetermined plot points. Through guided exercises, we'll explore: Physical descriptions, strengths, weaknesses and abilities; Distinctive character quirks that create memorability; Unique character voices that assist you in writing believable dialogue; Internal and external Goal, Motivation, and Conflict (GMC) frameworks. You'll leave with practical techniques to develop characters who feel real, make consistent choices, and propel your narrative forward. By the end of this workshop, you'll understand how well-developed characters can lead your story in surprising and satisfying directions.