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Storymakers

Storymakers

  • Conference
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      • Critique Networking Event
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2025 Conference Class Schedule

Grid Schedule
Expanded Class Guide

Please use the buttons above to see the class schedule and the expanded class guide.

Intensives

$15 per class

Intensive classes are two-hour classes that require pre-registration.

If the class you’d like to attend is full, you may request a spot on the waitlist by emailing the Instruction team.

2025 conference intensives

CRAFTING MARKETABLE FICTION

Drawing from years of experience publishing eighteen New York Times bestselling novels, Brandon will talk about the planning that goes into creating a pitch and a story that editors will purchase. He will also examine the elements that must be present for a commercial narrative to delight publishers and readers.

Brandon Mull

Crafting Marketable Fiction

ALGORITHM-PROOF YOUR AUTHOR CAREER

The world of writing and publishing is constantly evolving. How can you keep up without feeling like you’re sprinting inside a giant hamster wheel? This session will help you algorithm-proof your author career, setting up a foundation for success that will outlast the constant changes. Starting with the most important part–the writing–you’ll then pick up practical tips for evergreen marketing and promotion to help create a sustainable author career.

Emma St. Clair

Algorithm-Proof Your Author Career

MASTER CHARACTER CONSTRUCTION USING THE VULNERABILITY SEQUENCE

Martine Leavitt says, “Character is plot.” Truer words on writing craft were never spoken. A special kind of magic happens when characters become vulnerable, but nothing provides greater reader fulfillment than seeing this from the story’s emotional antagonist. Using a vulnerability sequence she uncovered in her masters thesis, Melanie will show you specific narrative steps to leverage your emotional antagonist’s story arc for the greatest reader payoff. Dig into why five characters with the same emotional wound can react with five different shields and drive the plot to five different places as a result. Character shields predict their actions, and intentionally choosing a character’s emotional shields will lead to greater integrity between character and the plot. Goodbye to “too stupid to live syndrome,” goodbye to protagonists making out-of-character choices to drive tension in the plot. Hello to organic plots with richer and more devastating conflicts and stakes!

Melanie Jacobson

Master Character Construction Using the Vulnerability Sequence

SEVEN POINT STORY STRUCTURE: A DEEP DIVE INTO CREATING SUBPLOTS, GENRE MIXING, AND MORE!

Seven Point Story Structure is a plotting tool that can be helpful for both plotters and pantsers. It can also be used to help weave subplots into the main narrative of your story, regardless of what genre you’re writing. Come learn how to craft effective subplots and use Seven Point Story Structure to its greatest effect.

Tricia Levenseller

Seven Point Story Structure: A Deep Dive into Creating Subplots, Genre Mixing, and More!

Pricing Comparison

All in-person and virtual attendees will be able to access virtual playback of the in-person and bonus virtual classes for 90 days after the conference.

In Person Ticket
770 cap
$
305
  • Live conference attendance
  • Keynote speakers
  • 110 classes for playback
  • No Whitney Gala
Learn More
Virtual Ticket
unlimited
$
205
  • No live attendance at conference
  • Keynote speakers live link only
  • 110 recorded classes for playback
  • No Whitney Gala
Learn More
Whitney Gala
280 cap
$
65
  • No live attendance at conference
  • No keynote speakers
  • No classes for playback
  • Whitney Gala dinner and ceremony
Learn More

available add-ons

Add-ons for In-Person ticket

Add-ons for Virtual ticket

Add-ons for Whitney ticket

  • Thursday Workshops
  • First Chapter Contest
  • Intensive Classes
  • Agent & Editor Consults
  • Premise & Plot Chats
  • Whitney Gala Ticket
  • First Chapter Contest
  • Intensive Class Bundle
  • Whitney Gala Ticket
  • Virtual Gala Tickets available
  • (May also purchase Whitney tickets in conjunction with either in-person or virtual ticket options)

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Nonprofit

Storymakers Author Guild is a nonprofit 501c6 under the IRS code. While donations are welcome, they are not tax deductible.

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