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Registration for the 2025 Pikes Peak Writers Conference is now open!
The current schedule, like much of our writing, is a work-in-progress and is subject to change.
Sched is sponsored by Reedsy.
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Sunday, May 4
 

7:30am MDT

Breakfast
Sunday May 4, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am MDT
Open seating.
Sunday May 4, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am MDT
Ballroom

8:00am MDT

Morning Meditation
Sunday May 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MDT
The Dalai Lama said, "Don't learn Buddhism to be a better better Buddhist; learn Buddhism to be a better whatever you are." I am a writer.

Join author Johnny for discoveries in eastern philosophy with their application to the life of an author with its many disappointments. Sessions include directed mindfulness meditation and lecture on concepts that directly speak to the writer’s journey.
  • Day one: Basics - the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Noble path
  • Day two: Blocks - The Five Hindrances and the power of RAIN
  • Day three: Third Person Limited - Non-Identity and the muse
Each class meets in the morning before regular programming Though classes are meant as a three-day seminar, attendees can come to any of them without prior or later attendance and still get useful information.
Faculty
avatar for Johnny Worthen

Johnny Worthen

Award-Winning Author
Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multiple-genre author of novels and short stories. His best-selling science fiction series Coronam beginning with Of Kings, Queens & Colonies, then Of Civilized, Saved & Savages and now complete with Of Heroes, Homes & Honey, is an award-winning... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

8:30am MDT

Zeb's Lounge
Sunday May 4, 2025 8:30am - 10:15am MDT
Welcome to Zeb’s Lounge, a cozy space where you can read, write, relax, and recharge your electronics.
Sunday May 4, 2025 8:30am - 10:15am MDT
Seven Falls

9:00am MDT

Boost Your Book Sales with Amazon Ads
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Ready to reach more readers and boost your book sales? Join USA Today Bestselling author, Jennie Marts, as she covers the basics of creating Amazon ads that help your book stand out. You’ll learn how to create ads and leave equipped with actionable tips and insights to make your ads work for you. Whether you’re new to Amazon ads or just want some easy-to-follow tips, this session will give you the tools to start using Amazon ads to get your book in front of more readers!
Faculty
avatar for Jennie Marts

Jennie Marts

Jennie Marts is the USA Today Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Academy/Palmer

9:00am MDT

Sandboxes: Shared Universes and Co-writing
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
The MCU may be the first thing that pops to mind when you think of a shared world IP, but it’s a fast-growing trend in publishing communities. We’ll talk about shared universes in speculative fiction: what they are, how they work, IP considerations, and how to write in another author’s sandbox. From there, we’ll explore co-writing, including the best ways to outline and prepare for writing with a co-author, various techniques to splitting the workload, and the “yes, and” mindset that helps make these stories shine their brightest.

If you’ve ever written a book but didn’t have the expertise to flesh it out the way you wanted, want to write in another author’s IP, or just want to write a novel with your best buddy, we’ve got you covered.
Faculty
avatar for David Shadoin

David Shadoin

Author
David "Shady" Shadoin is a trouble-making, corn-fed Nebraska boy the United States Air Force managed to turn into a somewhat decent pilot of whirly birds. An avid reader from a young age, he has always found inspiration listening to rock music while reading Fantasy and Sci Fi novels... Read More →
avatar for H.Y. Gregor

H.Y. Gregor

Moderator
H.Y. Gregor was born in Portland, Oregon, but will always call the mountains of Colorado home. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science but put it down often enough to narrowly avoid law school. Now she spends her free time weaving fantasy tales and battling plot gremlins... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Douglas

9:00am MDT

The Allegory in Your Subtext
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
We review the concepts of allegory, archetypes, tropes and other story templates and how they can be used to shortcut what we are trying to deliver in our writing and create depth and subtext to our themes and characters. In the last hour we brainstorm characters using archetypes then allow writing time in the class to show off our new skills.
Faculty
avatar for Callie Stoker

Callie Stoker

Callie Stoker is an editor with almost two decades experience. Her business The Manuscript Dr offers coaching and editing services. We believe that writing is a skill that can be taught through the application of individual tools. We love helping our clients elevate their abilities... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

9:00am MDT

There's No "Right" Way to Write
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
They say writers either outline or wing it, but really there are other ways to write, including some that don't involve a notebook/computer at all! Learn several different ways to write and develop a story, from timed writing to mentally visualizing a scene, and find the various methods that work best for you or your current project. This workshop is also great for those who struggle with "writer's block" or every day life that keeps you from being creative.
Faculty
avatar for Alexandra Diaz

Alexandra Diaz

Author
Alexandra Diaz is the author of several award-winning books for children and teens, including The Only Road (Pura Belpré Honor and Américas Award), The Crossroads (New Mexico’s Great Read at the National Book Festival), and Santiago’s Road Home (ALA Notable Children’s Books... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
El Paso

9:00am MDT

Full-on Fight Scenes: Tools and Tips to Fit Your Tale
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm MDT
Award-winning author and martial arts black belt Bowen Gillings combines forces with former MMA fighter and weapons expert AJ Metzger to help you understand how to write the perfect fight scene to fit your story. This workshop breaks down weapons from around the world and throughout history, demonstrates some basic techniques, tools, and tips, and explains the realities of violent action. Using successful current novels, fight scenes are analyzed in terms of character, voice, setting, and more. Attendees get their hands dirty with writing exercises and hands-on fight demos all to help you put real feel into the fights you write.
Faculty
avatar for Bowen Gillings

Bowen Gillings

Author, Faculty, Conference Staff
Bowen Gillings writes to keep fiction fun. Known for his humorous thrillers and snarky-voiced fantasies, Bowen's quirky, offbeat style "boggles the genre mind." Bowen loves giving back to fellow writers, sharing his successes and failures on TV, radio, podcasts, YouTube channels... Read More →
avatar for AJ Metzger

AJ Metzger

AJ Metzger retired from the Navy in 2023 and now plans Wargames for US Space Command. She has been writing all her life and in the last few years published multiple academic papers for law enforcement. She is branching out into fiction writing using some of the more comical and unique... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm MDT
Fremont

10:15am MDT

Book Cover Design and Positioning for Authors
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
In the competitive world of publishing, the adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” might be sound advice for readers, but for authors, the reality is starkly different. Your book cover is the first impression potential readers have of your work, and it can make or break their decision to purchase your book. Learn the art and science of book cover design and positioning, and how to apply it to your author business.
Faculty
avatar for Nick Thacker

Nick Thacker

Author, Author.Email
Nick Thacker is a USA Today Bestselling Author with over 40 published thrillers to his name. He is the founder and operator of Conundrum Publishing, Book Career In A Year, and the Write/Repeat workshops and writing intensives.In addition to his writing career, Nick has built several... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Douglas

10:15am MDT

The Pitfalls of Literary Contracts
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Getting your first literary contract is cause for celebration! However, for new and aspiring writers contracts can be daunting. Signing a contract you're unfamiliar, or uncomfortable with, can having lasting consequences. While not a complete "deep dive" into contracts, this one hour presentation focuses on the most common pitfalls regarding copyright, terms of rights, rights reversions, and other area writers need to know.
Faculty
avatar for Kevin Ikenberry

Kevin Ikenberry

Author, Speaker
Kevin Ikenberry is a life-long space geek and retired Army officer. As an adult, he managed the U.S. Space Camp program, two Challenger Learning Centers, and served on active duty in space operations before Space Force was a thing. He’s an international bestselling science fiction... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
El Paso

10:15am MDT

Microflashbacks as a Plot Device
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Understand how micro-flashbacks differ from regular flashbacks (it's more than just length!), and how to decide when a micro-flashback is the right choice.
Faculty
avatar for Deb Courtney

Deb Courtney

President, Pikes Peak Writers
Deb Courtney holds a degree in Fiction from the University of South Florida, where she was a Saunders Scholar in Fiction. She has had numerous short stories published and has worked as a freelance journalist, creativity coach and freelance editor. Her background also includes more... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

10:15am MDT

Short Story Generative Workshop (Part 2)
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
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.
Faculty
avatar for Shannon Lawrence

Shannon Lawrence

A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her short stories can be found in over sixty anthologies and magazines in addition to her collections. Her nonfiction title, The Business of Short Stories, and debut urban fantasy... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Seven Falls

10:15am MDT

Excavating Inspiration in Unlikely Places
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Writers need inspiration. Where do we find it? This workshop puts a new spin on research encouraging writers to look in unlikely places from the weird corners of the internet to thrift stores, music and the open road. We'll talk about mining the gold in everyday experiences, and how the seeds of inspiration just need a little light to grow. Then we'll do an exercise and share our results.
Faculty
avatar for Susan Mitchell

Susan Mitchell

Susan Mitchell embraces folklore, ghosts and monsters. She tunes into that wavelength to write dark fiction, horror and thrillers. Her work has appeared in literary magazines and can be found in the upcoming anthology Open-Hearted Horizon from University of New Mexico Press. Originally... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Academy/Palmer

11:15am MDT

Zeb's Lounge
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm MDT
Welcome to Zeb’s Lounge, a cozy space where you can read, write, relax, and recharge your electronics.
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm MDT
Seven Falls

11:30am MDT

Pre-Writing Checklist
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Often neglected the most important part of the process is prewriting. Spurned by a powerful but short-sighted urge to “get started" one rushes headlong and unprepared into the deep unforgiving waters of muddled middles, flat characters, incomplete ideas, and weak plots only to founder and wreck on the infamous writer’s block.

What you need is a pre-writing checklist to verify you’re ready, that your is hold full, your ship intact, your destination sure. Laden with sharpened harpoons for the literary leviathans that await.

This class presents a concrete check list of items and angles every author should consider before starting out of any work of fiction.
Faculty
avatar for Johnny Worthen

Johnny Worthen

Award-Winning Author
Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multiple-genre author of novels and short stories. His best-selling science fiction series Coronam beginning with Of Kings, Queens & Colonies, then Of Civilized, Saved & Savages and now complete with Of Heroes, Homes & Honey, is an award-winning... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Academy/Palmer

11:30am MDT

Write Towards the Ending
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
The ending should represent everything you want the book to be, a culmination of the struggles and decisions your character has made, to deliver a final knockout punch. Whether you plot out every scene beforehand or set pen to paper to see where it leads, every story should build towards a satisfying ending that is (ideally) both unexpected and inevitable. This workshop is all about writing the most impactful ending that will leave your readers feeling like the hours they put into your book were worthwhile.
Faculty
avatar for James Persichetti

James Persichetti

Editor, Author, Lost Hat Editorial Services
James Persichetti is a writer, freelance editor, and rock climber who enjoys writing about queer characters going on adventures. He earned an English degree at Regis University and studied Arthurian legends, where he drew inspiration for his debut graphic novel, A Tale of Two Knights... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
El Paso

11:30am MDT

Kid Lit 101
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Want to write for kids? If you're used to the norms of the adult publishing landscape, moving into children's literature requires understanding a whole different set of rules. This overview of the current children's literature landscape, from picture books to YA, highlights unique considerations for writing, querying, publishing, and marketing kids' books.
Faculty
avatar for Christina Allen

Christina Allen

President-Elect, League of Utah Writers
Christina Allen (publishing as C.W. Allen) is a Midwestern transplant to rural Utah where she serves as the President-Elect of the League of Utah Writers. She writes long stories for children and short stories for former children. She is also a frequent guest presenter at writing... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

11:30am MDT

So You Went to a Writers Conference, Now What?
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Learn how to use post-conference energy to propel your writing forward. So, you’re home from the writers conference and it feels a little like you’ve left Hogwarts. You’ve met so many people. You’ve taken in all the workshops you could. You’ve taken copious notes. You’ve made new friends, maybe even had a pitch appointment, and were asked for pages (OMG!). Kim will show you how to take advantage of the heady after-conference atmosphere and use it to create momentum toward making your writing dreams happen.
Faculty
avatar for Kim Olgren

Kim Olgren

Kim Olgren is a Book Fest award-winning, internationally-selling author and author of the cozy mystery, Flipped – A Jillian McElroy Flipping Mystery (written as Kimberly Olgren). Flipping houses can be murder. As Jillian soon finds out when she buys her first house for renovation... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Douglas

12:45pm MDT

Lunch
Sunday May 4, 2025 12:45pm - 2:00pm MDT
Faculty hosted tables. Host names will be posted on tables and a seating chart in the hallway outside the ballroom. Attendees, please feel free to sit wherever you don’t see a reserved table sign or a reserved seat name card. Attendee entrance doors will be opened at the time listed on the schedule.
Faculty
avatar for David R. Slayton

David R. Slayton

David R. Slayton (He/Him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he lives in Denver, Colorado and writes the books he always wanted to read. His debut, White... Read More →
Sunday May 4, 2025 12:45pm - 2:00pm MDT
Ballroom
 
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