If the Thursday Workshop you wanted to attend is already full, add your name on this waitlist and we'll make sure we let you know if there are any cancellations.
IMPORTANT DATES:
- January 25: Storymakers Conference Registration
- February 10: Survey Responses Due (First Pages only)
- March 10: Last Day for Cancellation Refund
- March 17: Group Assignments/Submission Instructions Sent Out
- April 7: First Pages Due
- April 14: First Pages Given to Instructors & Members
- May 12: Thursday Workshop Day
These live, pre-conference workshops give attendees a chance to learn from successful authors in small groups, where they receive one-on-one guidance and hands-on experience in specific areas. Check this page for more information about group submission instructions, instructors, deadlines, and other pre-conference instructions.
All Thursday workshops will be live only this year. There will not be a virtual option. Workshops will be just $40 per session, and $80 for Spinning Words Into A Golden Screenplay since it is a full day class. You can't beat these deals!
Attendees will receive their group assignments after Thursday, March 17, 2022. They should be prepared to submit required materials no later than April 7, 2022. The last day to cancel Thursday Workshops and receive a refund is March 10, 2022. No refund can be given after this day.
Emails with information about your Thursday Workshops will be sent out closer to the conference. Please watch for this email in your inbox (or spam) folder. If you have any questions, you can reach out to our Thursday Workshops team.
List of Workshops:
With a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, this fabulous workshop is always popular. You will share your first ten manuscript pages with an established author instructor and other members of your group before the conference. Then, during the conference, you will meet with your assigned group and receive specific feedback on those pages from your instructor and group. You will be expected to review the pages of each group member prior to attending the workshop.
Instructors will be announced after registration is full.
When you read through your story, do you picture the events unfolding in your mind just like a movie? Do you dream of seeing your ideas on the big screen? Join bestselling author and screenplay writer Jenni James as she teaches you how to format your story into a marketable screenplay, the ins and outs of the industry, and how to submit your work. This class will last for BOTH SESSIONS of Thursday Workshops so Jenni can cover all the information you'll need to make your dreams become a reality.
About the Instructor:
Jenni James is an award-winning, bestselling author of forty books. She has been working as a screenwriter, adapting her books to film since 2017. Her first book-to-film, Not Cinderella's Type, won Best Feature Film in the 2018 LDS Film Festival.
Jenni is known as a beloved author for her clean works in adult, young adult, and children's genres. Some of her series include The Jane Austen Diaries (Pride & Popularity, Persuaded, Emmalee, Mansfield Ranch, Northanger Alibi and Sensible & Sensational) as well as the Jenni James Faerie Tale Collection --Fairy tales the way they should've been written. She is also known for her Regency Romance series (The Bluestocking and the Dastardly, Intolerable Scoundrel, Lord Romney's Exquisite Widow, and Lord Atten Meets His Match) and her acclaimed children's book: Prince Tennyson, as well as many others.
Jenni has taught writing and marketing workshops and classes at many conferences around the United States. She loves to speak at schools and inspire students to follow their dreams.
When she isn't creating, Jenni can be found chasing her children around the house, or kissing her hunky hubby. Her life is finally the fairy tale she's always written about.
In this day and age, it’s hard to find time to sit down and read a book. That’s why so many people are turning to audiobooks and podcast serials to satisfy their thirst for a good story. In this class, author, narrator, and podcaster Jared Garrett will teach you how to turn your own books into audiobooks. Jared will show you the equipment you will need and teach you how to set up your own studio. Then, each attendee will get the chance to record a sample of their own story and get immediate feedback on voice and style.
About the instructor:
Jared Garrett is a family man, husband, dad, speaker, writer, coach, professional dabbler, hobby mentalist, and end-times cult escapee. He's written and published eight books, traveled the world, and seen countless plays with his favorite person. He's married to Annemarie Garrett and couldn't be happier. Together, they might not be Voltron, but they're close.
Agents and editors often complain that newer writers don’t understand the concept of character agency. What is it, and why does it matter? Bestselling Author Rebecca Rode will give you a quiz to determine your protagonist’s level of agency. Once the problem areas are identified, you will dive into the plot and free your characters so they can direct their own stories using Rebecca’s 5 Rules. Warning: Your characters may become more proactive than ever!
About the instructor:
Rebecca Rode is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of TIDES OF MUTINY, the dystopian Numbers Game series, and the Ember trilogy. She is also the author of the inspirational book for moms, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES, as well as a number of online newspaper and magazine articles. It's her books about fierce teens smashing societal barriers, however, that she enjoys writing the most. Rebecca has five children, two cats, one husband, and a ridiculous number of books. She is represented by Kelly Peterson at Rees Literary.
Walk through the process of preparing and perfecting your author submission packet with author and editor Jolene Perry. Every attendee will receive an emailed copy of a workbook prior to the class. During the class, you will address and workshop your story’s viability, pitch, query, synopsis, opening pages, and author bio. Additionally, learn valuable tips for the submission process, marketing, and presenting your query.
About the instructor:
Jolene (Jo) Perry is a middle and high school teacher turned author and a former “Author in Residence” at Alaska Pacific University. She married the guy she kissed on her high school graduation night, is a life-long Alaskan living in Colorado, and has spent months sailing in the Caribbean. She’s a multi-time Whitney Award finalist, writes in multiple genres, and creates workbooks and courses for DIY authors.
Does your website have you pulling out your hair? It doesn’t have to be difficult. In this class, you’ll learn the basics of WordPress from Karlene Browning who has been an important figure in editing, promoting, and publishing books for many years. She’ll cover the WordPress dashboard, using themes and plugins to customize your site with the look and functionality you want, security tips and best practices, and more. [Advanced Beginner to Intermediate level; Karlene asks that you have a basic website before the conference.]
About the instructor:
Karlene Browning loves books! She loves reading them, talking about them, and making them shine. In fact, she is so enamored with books that she has requested her headstone simply read, “The woman who loved books.”
Karlene has worked in the publishing industry since the mid-1980s. She has owned a niche publishing company, acted as acquisitions editor for other publishers, worked for and with multiple printers and book presses, and even worked the sales side as assistant manager of a bookstore.
In this day and age, with so many new authors popping up on a regular basis, how do you keep your readers informed and interested in what YOU are writing? One way is to send out regular newsletters that are both fun and informative. This very hands-on class taught by newsletter guru Raneé Clark will help you get your newsletter started or jumpstart the one you already have. Learn how to set up and schedule your newsletters, learn how to get more readers, and most importantly, learn how to get readers to click on those book links!
About the instructor:
Raneé Clark has eight years of freelance editing experience and an eye for story. She loves helping authors find both little and big holes, as well as polishing grammar and punctuation. She has a degree in history from the University of Wyoming that she loves putting to use for her clients. She has an eye for perfection and seeks to make sure every client is satisfied with any project they work on together. She’s a multi-published author with experience in both the indie and traditional publishing markets. When she’s not chauffeuring her boys to various activities (and sometimes while she is), she loves to read, obsess over clothes, and figure out how to find Crumbl cookies in rural Wyoming.
Do you want to become better at editing your own work? In this class, author and editor KayLynn Flanders will teach you how to recognize common issues, and help you learn to make the small changes that will take your writing to the next level. We'll practice spotting problems and building up sentences in new and interesting ways to match your vision for your work.
About the instructor:
KayLynn Flanders graduated with a degree in English Language and editing, and spent many years as a freelance editor before turning her passion to writing. Her award-winning YA fantasy novel, Shielded, and its sequel, Untethered, were published by Delacorte Press/PRH. KayLynn loves reading, writing, traveling, and volleyball, and thinks there’s nothing better than a spur-of-the-moment road trip.
General FAQs
Thursday, May 12th, 2022.
Yes! You can do just the first session, just the second session, or both.
All initial instruction letters are posted on the website under our Thursday Workshop page. It is each attendee’s responsibility to go to the site and follow the instructions pertaining to their workshop. Once that is done, if further instructions are needed, they will be emailed to you. All due dates are listed under each workshop on the website.
We will reply with an acknowledgment of receipt within three business days after you send us your materials. If you don’t receive acknowledgment, please contact Tifani Clark and Rebecca Lamoreaux at the Thursday Workshops email.
If you miss your deadline, your instructor is no longer required to read your materials before the conference. Our instructors are offering their valuable time to help us, and our dates are chosen to give them enough time to complete their preparations before the conference. Please be considerate of your instructor(s) and send your materials in on time.
Yes. A link to the list will be published on this page once it’s available.
With all of the factors that go into creating our groups, accommodations cannot be made. However, please rest assured that we match you as closely as possible to your instructors.
2 hours and 45 minutes.
Workshops will be held on the 3rd floor of the Utah Valley Convention Center in downtown Provo, Utah.
No. If cancellation occurs before the refund deadline, a refund will be issued to you and we will offer your spot to the next person on the waiting list. If your cancellation comes after the refund deadline, you will forfeit your registration fee and your spot in the workshop.
Maybe. Some workshops require you to fill out forms, quizzes, or submit pages to group members before the conference. If you are in one of these workshops, you will be given instructions beforehand. Please check for emails the Thursday Workshops committee in your spam/junk folder if you are not receiving emails about your workshops.
No. But bring pictures or video, if they’re funny.
Sure. Come prepared to interact and work in whatever makes you most comfortable. It is a good idea to bring a jacket or sweater, or to dress in layers, since each person responds to temperatures differently.
We will have a thirty-minute break between workshop sessions and will provide a snack to those attending in-person. Snacks may contain gluten, dairy, or nuts, and none of them will be certified allergy free. The convention center does not allow us to bring in outside food. There is a small concession stand inside the center for your convenience, as well as places to purchase food near the venue.
We love children, but having them with you during a focused workshop will be a distraction to you and others in your group. If you have a nursing infant, you may bring him/her, however, we strongly suggest bringing someone to care for your infant while you are in session.
We have elevators that reach the third floor, which is where our Thursday Workshops are located. You will need to use the elevators that are located near the escalators, as the other elevators only reach the second floor.