Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2025

Newcomers Briefing 8:00am - 8:30am

The Sequel to Every Scene 8:30am - 9:30am

Antagonists 9:45am - 10:45am

Using Outlines and Synopses as Tools for Revision 11:00am - 12:00pm

Traditional Publishing vs. Independent Publishing 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Contemporary World Building: Tips and Tricks to Giving Readers t... 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Editor Panel 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Entering New Markets Through Literary Translations 9:00pm - 10:00pm

Welcome Lunch 12:15pm - 1:45pm

Snack Break 4:15pm - 4:45pm

Dinner 7:30pm - 9:00pm

Just-In-Time Description and World Building 8:30am - 9:30am

Starting Your Story in the Right Place 9:45am - 10:45am

Non-verbal Communication in Fiction 11:00am - 12:00pm

Capturing the Elusive Voice 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Refilling Your Creative Well 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Decoding Blockbuster Plots and Synopses 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Instant Slushpile 9:00pm - 10:00pm

How to Pick Comps and Why They Matter 8:30am - 9:30am

Marketing Your Book to Success: Before, During & After Publicati... 9:45am - 10:45am

Whose Story Are You Telling? 11:00am - 12:00pm

When You See It: A Practical Guide to Show, Don’t Tell 2:00pm - 3:00pm

The Six Foundational Elements of Romance Fiction 3:15pm - 4:15pm

A Crash Course on Critique 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Mysteries, Monsters & Mayhem 9:00pm - 10:00pm

Read & Critique Session 1 8:30am - 9:30am

Read & Critique Session 2 9:45am - 10:45am

Speed Pitch 11:00am - 12:00pm

Read & Critique Session 4 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Read & Critique Session 5 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Speed Pitch 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Write Drunk Edit Sober 9:00pm - 10:00pm

Pitch Like a Pro 8:30am - 10:45am

Unleash Your Inner Author Confidence: Overcoming Imposter Syndro... 11:00am - 12:00pm

Do Your Settings Work as Hard as You Do? (2 Hours) 2:00pm - 4:15pm

Deviously Twisted Mystery Endings 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Morning Meditation 7:30am - 8:30am

Assembling Your Publishing Dream Team 8:30am - 9:30am

Story Blueprint: Using Tropes to Build the Infrastructure of You... 9:45am - 10:45am

Treating Publishing Like Tinder 11:00am - 12:00pm

Neurodivergence & Writing 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Writing in the Age of TikTok: Ultra Short-Form Storytelling 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Agent Panel 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Marketing Tips and Tricks 9:00pm - 10:00pm

Zeb's Lounge 8:00am - 9:45am

Group Storytelling 9:45am - 10:45am

Zeb's Lounge 10:45am - 3:15pm

Q&A with John Gilstrap 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Zeb's Lounge 4:15pm - 5:45pm

Newcomers Briefing 8:00am - 8:30am

Weaponize Those 5 Love Languages to Develop Characters and Build... 8:30am - 9:30am

Bangs & Booms 101: Technical Stuff That Writers Should Get Right 9:45am - 10:45am

Write What You Feel: Emotion in Fiction 11:00am - 12:00pm

Strong Language: For and Against Swearing in Fiction 2:00pm - 3:00pm

What are Mentors Meant For? 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Make ‘Em Laugh: How Bringing the Humor Heightens All Other Emoti... 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Breakfast 7:00am - 8:30am

Lunch with Keynotes 12:15pm - 1:45pm

Snack Break 4:15pm - 4:45pm

Banquet 7:30pm - 10:00pm

Market Awareness and Writing to Market 8:30am - 9:30am

Short Story Generative Workshop (Part 1) 9:45am - 10:45am

The Happily Ever After Business Plan 11:00am - 12:00pm

How to Choose a Hybrid Publisher That Meets Expectations 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Book to Film Strategies to Sell Your Story in a Single Sentence,... 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Swipe Write: How to Match with Your Perfect Editor 4:45pm - 5:45pm

But Is It a Good Idea? 8:30am - 9:30am

The Author's Website 9:45am - 10:45am

Seven Screenwriting Strategies to Elevate Your Script 11:00am - 12:00pm

The Six Marketing Principles That Should Guide Your Writing Care... 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Thrills, Chills...and Ills? What Makes a Story Horror? 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Plotting Your Character's Demise 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Booksigning 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Morning Meditation 7:30am - 8:30am

Codes, Ciphers and Secret Messages 8:30am - 9:30am

Beyond the Bedroom: Using Physical and Emotional Intimacy to Cre... 9:45am - 10:45am

Crafting a Cozy Mystery 11:00am - 12:00pm

Secrets of Pacing and Clarity 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Map Out Your Plot Using Story Structure 3:15pm - 4:15pm

The Writer’s Career Path 4:45pm - 5:45pm

Zeb's Lounge 8:00am - 9:45am

Drop-in Chat with Avery Flynn 9:45am - 10:45am

Write Drunk Edit Sober Follow-up 11:00am - 12:00pm

Zeb's Lounge 12:00pm - 3:15pm

Drop-in Chat with David R Slayton 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Zeb's Lounge 4:15pm - 5:45pm

Boost Your Book Sales with Amazon Ads 9:00am - 10:00am

Excavating Inspiration in Unlikely Places 10:15am - 11:15am

Pre-Writing Checklist 11:30am - 12:30pm

Breakfast 7:30am - 9:00am

Lunch 12:45pm - 2:00pm

Sandboxes: Shared Universes and Co-writing 9:00am - 10:00am

Book Cover Design and Positioning for Authors 10:15am - 11:15am

So You Went to a Writers Conference, Now What? 11:30am - 12:30pm

There's No "Right" Way to Write 9:00am - 10:00am

The Pitfalls of Literary Contracts 10:15am - 11:15am

Write Towards the Ending 11:30am - 12:30pm

Full-on Fight Scenes: Tools and Tips to Fit Your Tale 9:00am - 12:30pm

Morning Meditation 8:00am - 9:00am

The Allegory in Your Subtext 9:00am - 10:00am

Microflashbacks as a Plot Device 10:15am - 11:15am

Kid Lit 101 11:30am - 12:30pm

Zeb's Lounge 8:30am - 10:15am

Short Story Generative Workshop (Part 2) 10:15am - 11:15am

Zeb's Lounge 11:15am - 12:30pm