The tentative schedule for the Idaho Writers Conference is here! Check back often for updates.
Don’t see everything you want? Hit the Show/Hide All button at the top right. Mark the star for sessions you want to attend, and you can view only your schedule. Try it out for yourself! Click on classes to learn more details about the presenters and the subject of the session. We can’t wait to see you in April.
Check out the restaurant and Hotel Guides below, and start planning your trip today!
ATTENTION: We are aware of the TimeZone being incorrectly identified as UTC; however, without erasing the entire schedule there is no way to correct it. So we are going to leave it as is. The times are correct for the Boise Time Zone (MTD).
Thank you for understanding.
Thursday 11 Apr 2024
Friday 12 Apr 2024
Saturday 13 Apr 2024
Thursday 11 Apr 2024
Registration – 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration
PreConference Master Class – Building a Sustainable Author Career
Building Your Lifelong Author Career
Becca Syme and Claire TaylorRm: 430A – B
Every sustainable author career has building blocks that must be laid in order to create a solid foundation. Join author alignment specialists Claire Taylor and Becca Syme for a day-long workshop where we outline the best way to create a life-long author career. We will be using individual alignment strategies (Enneagram and CliftonStrengths), and our goal is to have you leave this workshop with a solid plan for how to do this job for the rest of your life.
Becca Syme and Claire Taylor are both author alignment specialists who offer classes, coaching, and other resources for authors who want to do this thing for life. Using the enneagram and clifton strengths, combined with other techniques, they will teach you how to align your goals with your career.
Thu 9:00 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC
70 max
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Lunch Break
1 Hour Break for Lunch!
PreConference Master Class – Building a Sustainable Author Career
Building Your Lifelong Author Career
Becca Syme and Claire TaylorRm: 430A – B
Every sustainable author career has building blocks that must be laid in order to create a solid foundation. Join author alignment specialists Claire Taylor and Becca Syme for a day-long workshop where we outline the best way to create a life-long author career. We will be using individual alignment strategies (Enneagram and CliftonStrengths), and our goal is to have you leave this workshop with a solid plan for how to do this job for the rest of your life.
Thu 12:30 pm UTC – 5:00 pm UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Friday 12 Apr 2024
Friday Morning Session – 2024 IWG Con
8:00 am UTC – 9:00 am UTC Registration – 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration
9:00 am UTC – 10:00 am UTC General Session: Main Stage
Welcome and Introduction
Troy Lambert, Nick ThackerMain Stage – 420A
Welcome to the conference and a special message from your IWG President and Guest Speaker Nick Thacker!
Troy Lambert Troy Lambert is a freelance writer, author of over 30 novels and several works of non-fiction, developmental editor, and book coach. He lives, works, and plays in Idaho exploring the great outdoors. Nick Thacker Nick Thacker is a USA Today Bestselling author of thriller and action-adventure novels, and the founder and lead of Conundrum Publishing, a company designed for one thing: selling thrillers. Nick has also founded and sold businesses, including Author.Email, the only email marketing service exclusively for authors, and RadioWrite, the 24/7 news and music station designed for authors. He lives in Colorado and Hawaii, and writes in breweries worldwide. Stay up-to-date with his curated author marketing weekly newsletter, ThackStack.
Fri 9:00 am UTC – 10:00 am UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
10:15 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC Friday Morning Workshops
The Art of the Book Cover
Kate Baray, Judy Keim, & Laura DeLaneyMain Stage – 420A
What makes a book cover stand out? What makes a bookseller want to stock it on their shelves? What makes you want to pick it up and read it? We’ll talk all things book cover, and why that matter, in this exciting panel. We’ll get to your questions too!
Laura Delaney As the co-owner of Rediscovered Book, Laura has invested in the reading culture of the Treasure Valley through partnerships with organizations like The Cabin, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, the Idaho Library Association, and the Boise School District. Under her leadership, Rediscovered Books has fought censorship in Idaho through the Read Freely Project, author events, education initiatives, and building grassroots’ support for the Freedom to Read. In 2023, Laura was part of the keynote panel on censorship with Maya Kobabe, author of Gender Queer at the American Booksellers Association’s Winter Institute She was interviewed on All Things Considered on National Public Radio on the topic of censorship in July 2022. When not at the bookshop, Laura is often playing board games, making jigsaw puzzles, and trying to find a place for just one more bookcase. rdbooks.org/fight-censorship-idaho
Fri 10:15 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Building Blocks for a Lifelong Career
Lisa PhillipsRm 430A
A practical workshop on what it takes to build a career with the future in mind. Tips for authors seeking publication, with practical advice on what is essential and what is just beneficial to an author just getting started – whether it’s the indie or traditional route.
Find out which building blocks are fundamental and provide a solid foundation for someone trying to grow a career from the very beginning. Followed by tips for those already published and how to level up with the future in mind. What software, market resources, and tactics can help a published author grow (and what is just a time suck) based on current trends and evergreen industry best practices.
Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 60 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after. Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.
Fri 10:15 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC
Business
Masterclass, Talk
80,000 Words in a Single Day?! Using Dictation to Draft Your Novel
Nick ThackerRm 430B
Use dictation and new and emerging tools to produce words faster than you ever imagined.
Nick Thacker is a USA Today Bestselling author of thriller and action-adventure novels, and the founder and lead of Conundrum Publishing, a company designed for one thing: selling thrillers. Nick has also founded and sold businesses, including Author.Email, the only email marketing service exclusively for authors, and RadioWrite, the 24/7 news and music station designed for authors. He lives in Colorado and Hawaii, and writes in breweries worldwide. Stay up-to-date with his curated author marketing weekly newsletter, ThackStack.
Fri 10:15 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC
WritersLife
Masterclass, Talk
Mastering the Three Story Method: Enhancing Your Writing Craft
J. ThornRm: 430B – Craft
Dive into the essentials of the Three Story Method with J. Thorn, a seasoned independent publisher and writing coach with a prolific output of over 2 million words and 200,000 ebooks sold worldwide. This workshop is designed for beginner to intermediate authors eager to refine their storytelling skills. Focusing on scene-level drafting and analysis, J. Thorn will guide you through practical techniques to significantly enhance the reader experience in your narratives. Learn to craft compelling scenes that captivate and engage, ensuring your stories resonate deeply with your audience.
If you plan to attend, Mastering the Three Story MethodFriday April 12 in the morning session, You can bring a scene or chapter you have written. You can analyze it during the session. It’s not required, but you might find it helpful.
J. Thorn has published two million words and has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. He is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. co-founded the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker and has interviewed some of today's most successful authors, including Matthew McConaughey, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Hugh Howey, Andy Weir, Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks, Lee Child, Stephen Pressfield, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more. Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, full-time writer, part-time professor at John Carroll University, founder of The Author Life Community, podcaster, FM radio DJ, musician, and owner of the Three Story Method Editing Agency.
Fri 10:15 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC
Craft
Masterclass, Talk
11:30 am UTC – 11:30 am UTC Lunch Break with Presenters
1 Hour Break for Lunch
Friday Afternoon Session – 2024 IWG Con
12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC Un-Conference Sessions
Conversational Groups in casual setting discussing various topics
Unconference Topic: Writer’s Block
TBD & TBDMain Stage – 420A
Writer’s Block: What is it, and why do people get it? How do you overcome it? Come learn from others and share your own experience.
Fri 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Mainstage
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: Choosing Your Genre
TBD & TBDRm 430A
What genre is best for you? What fits your voice, your style, and is something you can still sell? Join us for a discussion time of genre and why it matters.
Fri 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Business
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: Full-Time Author vs. Hobby Author
TBD & TBDRm 430B
Which path is right for you? That depends a lot on what your goals are with your writing. Let’s talk about it! Bring your questions and ideas.
Fri 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
WritersLife
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: Writing and Outlining Tools
TBD and TBDRm: 420B – Craft
What tools do you use for your writing? What does your process look like. Come share and learn about the process others follow.
Fri 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Craft
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC Friday 1:30 PM Workshops –
From Eyes to Ears: Authors and Book Narrators
James Mace Jon Waters Jim Lambert and Lonnie DustinMain Stage – 420A
Creating audiobooks can be a tricky and even expensive process, and it is important that you and your narrator work well together. There are also things like pronunciation and style to consider. Join author James Mace and his narrator as they talk about the ins and outs of getting your books from eyes to ears.
Fri 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
The Enneagram and Your Author Career
Claire TaylorRm 420B
How can the enneagram help you reclaim your author career and align your goals with who you are? Claire Taylor offers a talk on how to use the enneagram to make your author career the best it can be.
Claire Taylor is a fiction strategist and the owner of FFS Media. She helps authors create aligned and sustainable writing careers, using various tools, including the Enneagram. You can find all her author services, along with her 30+ fiction books at www.ffs.media.
Fri 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Craft
Masterclass, Talk
How’s Your Eggs Benedict?
James A. OwenRm 430A
How proud are you of the work you do? How do you describe it to others when they ask? The right approach can make all the difference in marketing, and will impact how someone else experiences your work. Keynote speaker and lifelong author James A. Owen shares how, when he asks you, “How’s Your Eggs Benedict?”
James A. Owen is the founder and executive director of Coppervale International, an art and design studio that also published the periodicals International Studio and Argosy, develops television and film projects, and is redesigning an entire town in Arizona, among other ventures. James has written and illustrated two dozen StarChild comics, the award-winning MythWorld series of novels (published in Germany and France), the bestselling series The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, the inspirational nonfiction book Drawing out the Dragons, and more. More than a million copies of his publications are in print and sold all over the world. James began his career in publishing approximately two years before he was old enough to get a driver’s license and was the youngest publisher ever to be an exhibitor at the San Diego Comicon. He founded Taliesin Press in 1992, both writing and illustrating the company’s debut publication, a Dickensian comic book titled StarChild. In both 1994 and 1995, James was named to the trade magazine Hero Illustrated’s list of the one hundred most influential people in the Comic Book Industry. On July 17, 1995, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Disneyland’s opening, Taliesin Press was renamed Coppervale International — mostly because no one could pronounce Taliesin, and those who could kept asking James if he could design buildings instead of comics. During the fall of 1995, Coppervale negotiated a marketing arrangement with direct market distributor Capital City that pushed the company to international prominence, which led to an invitation by industry leader Image Comics to co-publish the new StarChild series, Mythopolis. The two dozen StarChild comics James produced remain in print as the six-volume Essential StarChild set, and are being re-released in the spring of 2013 as the one-volume Twentieth Anniversary Nearly-Complete Essential StarChild. Before the turn of the millennium Coppervale also secured publication rights to the century-old arts magazine International Studio, which debuted in the spring of 1999. After the turn of the millennium, International Studio was relaunched along with a high-end revival of the periodical Argosy, both of which won many design awards in amounts inversely proportional to the amount of money the magazines made. They won a LOT of awards. The first book in a series of prose novels written by James titled Mythworld (Kai Meyer’s Mythenwelt in Germany) won the 2003 AI award for Best Novel, and was nominated alongside books by Stephen King and Michael Crichton for the prestigious Phantastik Prize for Best International Novel. Steve won, but James got more votes than Crichton, so that’s okay. As of May 2012, MythWorld Book One: The Festival Of Bones and MythWorld Book Two: Invisible Moon are available in English as an ebook from the Coppervale International website, with further editions to follow. James has written and illustrated six books in the bestselling series The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica: Here, There Be Dragons; The Search For The Red Dragon; The Indigo King; The Shadow Dragons; The Dragon’s Apprentice; and The Dragons of Winter. The series is now being published in more than twenty languages. A seventh volume, The First Dragon, will conclude the series in November 2013. Often asked to speak at schools, James rarely discusses his books, instead choosing to focus instead on stories drawn from his own life – examples of overcoming obstacles and adversity, about how making choices in life is like drawing a Dragon and how he came to do what it is that he loves most in the world for his job. These stories were made available to James’s readers in Drawing Out The Dragons, a non-fiction collection that was released as an ebook, and thanks to an over-funded Kickstarter project, is also available (in VERY limited quantities) as a hardcover and paperback from Coppervale International.
Fri 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Business
Masterclass, Talk
YES! You’ve Been Booked as an Author Presenter–Now, What Will You Say?
Cristen IrisRm 430B
Speaking events offer excellent opportunities to share the knowledge and wisdom you’ve acquired on life’s journey, especially as it relates to your author journey. During this presentation, Cristen Iris will offer clear and actionable guidance for how to choose a speaking topic, organize your presentation, prepare for the big event, maximize your comfort while in the spotlight, promote your book without pushing it, and leverage your experience to get more like it.
Cristen Iris is a developmental editor, nonfiction book collaborator, and author coach who specializes in working with mission-driven and self-motivated but often frustrated and confused clients. She helps them understand the publishing industry, embrace their thinking and work styles, and choose the most effective ways to write to and reach their target audience. The result: high-impact, commercially viable nonfiction books. Her clients have contracts with Big 5, academic, and respected traditional model independent publishers. Some have found satisfaction and success as self-published authors. They’ve earned more than 60 book and writing awards. Bestseller rankings including New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon Charts. Several of them consistently (week after week, month after month, and for several years) rank between #3 and 100 in one or more of their Amazon sales categories. National media coverage includes Parade Magazine, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and New York Post. And their books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Cristen believes that writing and editing are a way of life, the constant creation and refinement of thought and action that leads to our highest level of contribution. In addition to her own statement of belief about the value of writing and editing, she embraces as a mantra Ezra Pound’s position that “Fundamental accuracy of statement is the sole morality of writing,” and enthusiastically agrees with Robert McKee that “in a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is an act of social responsibility.” Cristen is a serious publishing professional for serious authors because: This is her passion. This is her livelihood. This is her legacy.
Fri 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Writers Life
Masterclass, Talk
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC Friday 3:00 PM Workshops –
How to Avoid Publishing Scams
Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske and Katie ReedMain Stage – Rm 420A
Everyone has a dream, and there are a ton of companies out there who will exploit you in any way you can to “help” you achieve them. But many of these opportunities are scams and just designed to take your money. They make impossible promises that can suck in nearly any writer. How do you tell if you are a part of one of these scams, and how do you get out of them? Better yet, how do you tell them, “no thank you” in the first place? Two veterans of the business will share their thoughts and take your questions.
Troy Lambert Troy Lambert is a freelance writer, author of over 30 novels and several works of non-fiction, developmental editor, and book coach. He lives, works, and plays in Idaho exploring the great outdoors.
Fri 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Mindset for a Lifelong Writer
Lisa PhillipsRm 430A
No matter the author, or what their goal is as a writer, we all face the same struggles and setbacks. We all have to channel our creativity into putting words on a blank page–no matter what we are writing. Learn how to recognize when fear stalls your inspiration and how to write anyway. How to manage burnout, or times of creative drought, and keep going even when you feel like quitting. Be encouraged and inspired for a lifetime of creative discovery from an author with ten years publishing experience coming up with fresh stories that continue to entertain readers.
Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 60 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after. Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.
Fri 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Writers Life
Masterclass, Talk
Triangulation of Characters
Lisa MangumRoom 420 B
Lisa Mangum
Fri 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Introduction to Indie Publishing
Val RobertsRoom 430B
When it comes to indie publishing, where do you start? How do you format and upload manuscripts? Where do they go? What do all those formats mean, anyway? And then the marketing? Author Val Roberts will offer an overview of these topics and more.
Val Roberts
Fri 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
4:30 pm UTC – 5:45 pm UTC Friday 4:30 PM Workshops –
Writing in Multiple Genres
Val Roberts, Ken McConnel, Judy Keim and Kate BarayMain Stage – Rm 420A
“Pick a genre and stick with it,” many people will tell you. But do you have to? Or can you write in multiple genres? Join this panel of experts to learn how to do it and what it can mean for your author career.
Val Roberts, Ken McConnel, Judy Keim, and Kate Baray
Fri 4:30 pm UTC – 5:45 pm UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Copyright & Intellectual Property
Bradlee Frazer and Hawley TrowelRm 430A
As an author, you don’t need to be a lawyer, but it helps if you know the ins and outs of intellectual property and copyright. Attorney Bradlee Frazer will cover the basics, and answer your questions about what you do and don’t need to do.
Bradlee Frazer is a partner with Hawley Troxell and is Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property & Internet practice group. In addition to emphasizing and focusing on all facets of Internet law, Intellectual Property law, and Information Technology law, he also helps clients with related transactional work and litigation. Brad is a published novelist, and he has also written extensively for national legal publications and law blogs. He is also a frequent speaker on internet, intellectual property, and computer law topics and is a regular guest lecturer at Boise State University on those subjects. A Boise native, Brad began his legal career in 1989 as an intellectual property attorney and commercial litigator at a Boise-based law firm. In 1997 he accepted an in-house position as Senior Intellectual Property Counsel with Fortune 1000 company, Micron Electronics, Inc., and remained there through the company’s merger with Interland, Inc. (now Web.com), then the nation’s largest Web hosting company. He eventually became Deputy General Counsel for Micron Electronics, Inc., and Interland, Inc. From June 2003 to February 2006, Mr. Frazer served as Deputy General Counsel to MPC Computers, LLC, in Nampa, Idaho.
Fri 4:30 pm UTC – 5:45 pm UTC
Business
Masterclass, Talk
Let History Be Your Guide
James MaceRm: 420B
Most of what we know about history comes from pop culture references, be it books, film, video games, or music. Too often, historical accuracy is sacrificed on the altar of telling an engaging story. But are the two concepts really mutually exclusive? James Mace walks us through the art of the historical novel, how by allowing history to be our guide, we can tell stories that are enthralling to the reader, while honouring the legacies of the past.
James Mace is an author, historian, and life-long storyteller. According to his parents, he’s been telling stories since he was six, though it would be many years before he took up writing. This first began as a hobby in the early 2000s, penning physical fitness articles for a bodybuilding website and a now-defunct magazine called Hardcore Muscle. James wrote the initial draft of his first novel, Soldier of Rome: The Legionary, as a cathartic means of escapism while serving in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He has since released thirty-one books, including twelve Ancient History best-sellers, and five South African History best-sellers. His works currently span his two favourite eras: Ancient Rome and the British Empire. He plans to eventually delve into Medieval times, as well as the First World War. Outside of his historical novels, James maintains a blog called The Buffed Historian, sharing random fitness and other tales from across history. His hobbies include weightlifting, road cycling, foothills hikes, travelling across the globe, live theatre, video games, and sitting down for a game of Dungeons & Dragons with friends. He lives in Boise with his wife, Tracy, and their cats.
Fri 4:30 pm UTC – 5:45 pm UTC
Craft
Masterclass, Talk
Author’s Ergonomic: Ergonomics for People Who Sit at a Desk All Day
Doug SimpsonRm: 430B – Writers Life
Do you find sitting for hours at your computer painful? Computer work should not cause numbness or tingling in your arms or hands. Your neck should not ache. Doug Simpson will present ways to prevent these symptoms and help you take care of your most important writing instrument, Your Body.
Doug Simpson has worked as a therapist since 1994. He learned various ways to help people move more efficiently and avoid medication and surgery. A certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist, he knows the best ways to keep your body performing at its best.
Fri 4:30 pm UTC – 5:45 pm UTC
Writers Life
Masterclass, Talk
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
6:00 pm UTC – 6:30 pm UTC Mingle time Bar Con at the Grove – Informal
Mingle time Bar Con at the Grove
Informal Gathering – You will Find people at the Bar.
Saturday 13 Apr 2024
Saturday Morning Session – 2024 IWG Con
8:00 am UTC – 9:00 am UTC Registration – 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Registration
9:00 am UTC – 10:00 am UTC Annual Meeting – Main Stage
Annual Meeting (See Annual Meeting Tab) – Main Stage
Annual Membership Meeting
Troy Lambert – IWG BoardMain Stage – 420A
Annual meeting for the Idaho Writers Guild Members. Members will hear from the board, vote on new positions, and learn about the future of Idaho Writers Guild. Open to everyone, but only members will be eligible to vote.
Sat 9:00 am UTC – 10:00 am UTC
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
10:30 am UTC – 11:45 am UTC General Session – Main Stage – Becca Syme
Build a House You Want to Live In – Sustainable Author Career 101
Build a House You Want to Live in: Sustainable Author Career 101
Becca SymeMain Stage – Rm 420A
Every author career has foundational building blocks that make up our foundational success. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to build an author house you want to live in. With success coach and author success alignment specialist, Becca Syme of the Better-Faster Academy and the Quticast for Authors.
Becca Syme holds a master’s degree in transformational leadership and has been a success coach (primarily utilizing the Gallup Strengthsfinder®) for over fifteen years. She’s coached over 5,000 individual authors and creatives through her Write Better-Faster and Strengths for Writers classes & coaching cohorts: six- and seven-figure authors, major award winners, midlisters, and new authors alike. Becca is a firm believer that an individualized approach is the most effective, so she’s brought on other certified coaches who are also writers, to help coach even more writers to maximize their strengths. Please find those coaches in the menu and see who would be the best fit for you. Becca is not currently taking new clients, but please see one of our other coaches!
Sat 10:30 am UTC – 11:45 am UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
11:45 am UTC – 1:00 pm UTC Lunch Break
1 Hour Break for Lunch
Saturday Afternoon Session – 2024 IWG Con
12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC Un-Conference Sessions
Unconference Topic: Critique Groups
TBD & TBDMain Stage – Rm 420A
This session is led by you, the participants. We’ll introduce the topic and discuss it briefly, and then tables will be open for you to discuss the topic with your peers and the pros at the conference.
Sat 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Main Stage
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: The Ethical Use of AI
TBD & TBDRm: 420A – Business
This session is led by you, the participants. We’ll introduce the topic and discuss it briefly, and then tables will be open for you to discuss the topic with your peers and the pros at the conference.
Sat 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Business
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: Finding the Right Editor
TBD & TBDRm: 420B
This session is led by you, the participants. We’ll introduce the topic and discuss it briefly, and then tables will be open for you to discuss the topic with your peers and the pros at the conference.
Sat 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Craft
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
Unconference Topic: Voiceovers and Narration
TBD & TBDRm: 430B – Writers Life
This session is led by you, the participants. We’ll introduce the topic and discuss it briefly, and then tables will be open for you to discuss the topic with your peers and the pros at the conference.
Sat 12:30 pm UTC – 1:15 pm UTC
Writers Life
Demos, Vendor Demo, Vendors
1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC Saturday 1:30 PM Workshops –
Let’s Talk Generative AI: A Panel
J. Thorn, Troy Lambert, Nick Thacker and Prof. Tracie LeeMain Stage – Rm: 420A
Want to learn more about AI and how it really impacts authors? Bring your questions to this panel of experts in the industry who use AI in, well, different ways. Opinions? We got ’em, but we would love to hear yours. Join us for this insightful discussion of one of today’s hottest topics.
Sat 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Main Stage
Masterclass, Talk
Creating Villainous Villians
Bonnie Jo PiersonRm 430B
Your protagonist is only as good as the antagonist who challenges him. How then, do you create a villain worthy of your protagonist? Together we’ll study historically epic villains, their archetypes, and more to find the perfect recipe for creating the most villainous of villains.
Gifted with a short attention span, Bonnie wants to experience and do as much as she can. Using the great powers of YouTube she’s taught herself how to knit, crochet, paint with oils, acrylics, and watercolors, coach volleyball, play the piano and cello, ride a motorcycle, renovate a house, sing, sew, raise livestock, bake, and most importantly how to write. With a degree in biology, she’s a lover of all things science, especially in the microscopic world. She and her Navy veteran husband have four children and spent several years bouncing around to various locations in the United States. Now she’s made her home in small-town Idaho, where she’s attempting to resurrect her great-grandparents one hundred year-old farm.
Sat 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Paper Trail: MAP Your Path to Publication
Stacey SmekofskeRm: 430A – Business
Navigate the publishing maze like a pro and uncover the secrets of traditional, independent, and self-publishing. Discover the perfect path for your manuscript and Stacey will give you expert guidance, insider tips, and a compass pointing straight to your publishing dreams.
Stacey is an editor and publishing coach for award-winning independent authors. I primarily work as a developmental and substantive editor who works with independent authors. She is adept in fiction, including fantasy, thriller, horror, dystopian, YA, and children’s literature. She also specializes in nonfiction editing for inspirational, motivational, business, and self-help books in a variety of subjects.
Sat 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
Business
Masterclass, Talk
So You’ve Decided to Quit.
Dennis GauntRoom 420 B
You’ve got writer’s block that won’t go away. You’ve had one rejection too many. You’re burned out. You want to quit. We’ve all been there. But before you set fire to your laptop, let’s talk. Let’s redefine what “success” can look like. Let’s talk about quitting the right things for the right reasons.
Dennis Guant
Sat 1:30 pm UTC – 2:45 pm UTC
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC Saturday 3:00 PM Workshops –
From Battlefield to Bookshops: How War Shaped an Author’s Journey
James MaceMain Stage – Rm 420A
From 2004 to 2005, James Mace deployed to Iraq with the Idaho Army Guard. It was there that he wrote the initial draft of what would become his first book, Soldier of Rome: The Legionary. What was at the time a means of cathartic escapism went on to shape his career, currently spanning thirty-two books, as an author of historical fiction. Learn how he channeled his experiences, the sights, sounds, smells, and abject feelings, into storytelling.
James Mace is an author, historian, and life-long storyteller. According to his parents, he’s been telling stories since he was six, though it would be many years before he took up writing. This first began as a hobby in the early 2000s, penning physical fitness articles for a bodybuilding website and a now-defunct magazine called Hardcore Muscle. James wrote the initial draft of his first novel, Soldier of Rome: The Legionary, as a cathartic means of escapism while serving in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He has since released thirty-one books, including twelve Ancient History best-sellers, and five South African History best-sellers. His works currently span his two favourite eras: Ancient Rome and the British Empire. He plans to eventually delve into Medieval times, as well as the First World War. Outside of his historical novels, James maintains a blog called The Buffed Historian, sharing random fitness and other tales from across history. His hobbies include weightlifting, road cycling, foothills hikes, travelling across the globe, live theatre, video games, and sitting down for a game of Dungeons & Dragons with friends. He lives in Boise with his wife, Tracy, and their cats.
Sat 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Craft
Masterclass, Talk
Revision: Resetting Your Author Career
Troy LambertRm 430A
When you have a long author career, sometimes you need to take a moment to reset, re-evaluate, and take a new direction. How do you know when that is, and how to you decide where to go? In this talk, we’ll explore real stories of the changes from the start of a career in publishing during the “gold rush” into the new, golden age of publishing.
Troy Lambert is a freelance writer, author, editor, and the educaiton lead for Plottr. The author of over 30 novels and several works of non-ficiton, he llves, works, and plays in the mountains of Idaho.
Sat 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Writers Life
Masterclass, Talk
Leveraging AI for Your Author Email List: Strategies for Efficiency and Engagement
J. ThornRm: 430B
Explore the innovative application of AI in managing and growing your author email list with J. Thorn, a veteran email marketing expert with over a decade of experience managing lists of 7,000+ subscribers, including “Creative AI Digest.” Tailored for intermediate to experienced authors, this workshop unveils simple yet effective strategies to employ ChatGPT for creating high-quality, personalized email content that saves time and enhances engagement. Discover how to prompt AI effectively to produce optimal results, ensuring your communications stand out. Join us to harness the power of AI and take your email marketing efforts to the next level.
J. Thorn has published two million words and has sold more than 185,000 books worldwide. He is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. co-founded the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker and has interviewed some of today's most successful authors, including Matthew McConaughey, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Hugh Howey, Andy Weir, Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks, Lee Child, Stephen Pressfield, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more. Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, full-time writer, part-time professor at John Carroll University, founder of The Author Life Community, podcaster, FM radio DJ, musician, and owner of the Three Story Method Editing Agency.
Sat 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
Business
Masterclass, Talk
The Author-Agent Relationship
Katie Reed and Erica SageRoom 420 B
Kyrsten Bell
Sat 3:00 pm UTC – 4:15 pm UTC
15 Minute Break
15 Minute Break
4:30 pm UTC – 5:00 pm UTC General Session – Contest Awards
Contest Awards
Contest Awards
Troy Lambert420A – Main Stage
We’ll present the winners of this year’s contest on the main stage. If you even think you are a winner, don’t miss this session, and a chance to congratulate those who entered and won! Come see why entering our contest is worth the time and effort!
Presented by Troy Lambert, Idaho Writers Guild President
Sat 4:30 pm UTC – 5:00 pm UTC
Main Stage
5:15 pm UTC – 6:45 pm UTC General Session – KeyNote Speaker – James A. Owen
General Session Main Stage
General Session – Keynote
James A. OwenMain Stage – 420A
James A. Owen is the founder and executive director of Coppervale International, an art and design studio that also published the periodicals International Studio and Argosy, develops television and film projects, and is redesigning an entire town in Arizona, among other ventures. James has written and illustrated two dozen StarChild comics, the award-winning MythWorld series of novels (published in Germany and France), the bestselling series The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, the inspirational nonfiction book Drawing out the Dragons, and more. More than a million copies of his publications are in print and sold all over the world. James began his career in publishing approximately two years before he was old enough to get a driver’s license and was the youngest publisher ever to be an exhibitor at the San Diego Comicon. He founded Taliesin Press in 1992, both writing and illustrating the company’s debut publication, a Dickensian comic book titled StarChild. In both 1994 and 1995, James was named to the trade magazine Hero Illustrated’s list of the one hundred most influential people in the Comic Book Industry. On July 17, 1995, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Disneyland’s opening, Taliesin Press was renamed Coppervale International — mostly because no one could pronounce Taliesin, and those who could kept asking James if he could design buildings instead of comics. During the fall of 1995, Coppervale negotiated a marketing arrangement with direct market distributor Capital City that pushed the company to international prominence, which led to an invitation by industry leader Image Comics to co-publish the new StarChild series, Mythopolis. The two dozen StarChild comics James produced remain in print as the six-volume Essential StarChild set, and are being re-released in the spring of 2013 as the one-volume Twentieth Anniversary Nearly-Complete Essential StarChild. Before the turn of the millennium Coppervale also secured publication rights to the century-old arts magazine International Studio, which debuted in the spring of 1999. After the turn of the millennium, International Studio was relaunched along with a high-end revival of the periodical Argosy, both of which won many design awards in amounts inversely proportional to the amount of money the magazines made. They won a LOT of awards. The first book in a series of prose novels written by James titled Mythworld (Kai Meyer’s Mythenwelt in Germany) won the 2003 AI award for Best Novel, and was nominated alongsidebooks by Stephen King and Michael Crichton for the prestigious Phantastik Prize for Best International Novel. Steve won, but James got more votes than Crichton, so that’s okay. As of May 2012, MythWorld Book One: The Festival Of Bones and MythWorld Book Two: Invisible Moon are available in English as an ebook from the Coppervale International website, with further editions to follow. James has written and illustrated six books in the bestselling series The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica: Here, There Be Dragons; The Search For The Red Dragon; The Indigo King; The Shadow Dragons; The Dragon’s Apprentice; and The Dragons of Winter. The series is now being published in more than twenty languages. A seventh volume, The First Dragon, will conclude the series in November 2013. Often asked to speak at schools, James rarely discusses his books, instead choosing to focus instead on stories drawn from his own life – examples of overcoming obstacles and adversity, about how making choices in life is like drawing a Dragon and how he came to do what it is that he loves most in the world for his job. These stories were made available to James’s readers in Drawing Out The Dragons, a non-fiction collection that was released as an ebook, and thanks to an over-funded Kickstarter project, is also available (in VERY limited quantities) as a hardcover and paperback from Coppervale International.
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