Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2025

How do I use the data available to me through Amazon to understand my place in the market, and write to market? There are four different archetypal pathways you can use to write to market. This workshop will cover each of the four types and use the Kindletrends data analytics tools to help writers understand whether or not they should write to market, and how to do it.

Split over two days, an hour each.  Short stories have made a comeback. They're fun, but also beneficial to honing writing skills. Learn about the dynamics of short story writing then use prompts to start stories during the hour. Work on them overnight if you choose. Come back on day two to break into partners/groups to look over what you've started and get feedback. For the last twenty minutes we'll go over finding markets and submitting.

Skyrocket your career by creating goals that stick, getting clear on your plan, and achieving all the things. The framework and strategies in this course are applicable to most small businesses and industries, but the examples we present are tailored to writers and editors at all levels of their careers. If that sounds like you, you’re definitely in the right place!

Michelle, an experienced hybrid publisher and industry expert, will guide you through the key factors to consider when selecting a hybrid publishing partner. From evaluating distribution options, presale strategies, and print runs versus POD (Print on Demand), Michelle will share her exclusive 27-point checklist designed to help you make the best decision for your publishing journey. Whether you’re a first-time author or looking for a better fit, this session will empower you to choose a publisher that aligns with your creative vision and goals for success.

Stories go beyond the pages of a book in the form of screenplays and scripts that are marketed and viewed by eager theatergoers and read by avid readers. Many writers want to raise their story to the big screen, whether they start with a book they believe is a film or with the film in mind. However, understanding what it takes to actually pitch the story for the screen and take it from book to film, television or streaming can seem like a mystery of its own. In this presentation, Jennifer S. Wilkov, multi #1 international best-selling author, award-winning freelance writer, and Hollywood story consultant, will share book to film strategies so you can take your story to multiple media. Break through the pages of your book, streamline your pitch for Hollywood with these documents, and craft them with ease. Expect to learn:

• The basics for selling your story in a single sentence
• Treatments, pitch decks and bibles: what to include and what not to
• Fool-proof ways to structure your storytelling in your pitch documents
• Proven techniques to use to craft these essential pitch documents
• Top strategies to sell your story from book to film

Learn what aspects to look for when researching the right freelance editor for you and your story, create your own plan for self-editing and revising, and master a few mindset tips that will help you throughout your author career.