Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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.

8:30am MDT

Just-In-Time Description and World Building

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Douglas

Whether you’re writing modern murder mysteries, historical rom-coms, urban fantasies, or space operas, your characters exist in a world that includes mundane features like geography, transportation, and money (does your protagonist need a MetroCard to hop the NYC subway?) and deeper aspects such as religion, politics, magic, bureaucracies, pandemics, or natural disasters. Learn how to avoid info-dumping while still creating a believable world that your characters inhabit and your readers will love.

Faculty

Kelley J. P. Lindberg

President, Blue Raven Services Inc.

Kelley J. P. Lindberg writes award-winning YA and adult fiction, and sometimes admits to having written several best-selling how-to books. Her fiction and essays have appeared in literary magazines, in anthologies including PPW’s Journeys into Possibility, and in the Tellables app... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

9:45am MDT

Starting Your Story in the Right Place

Friday May 2, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Douglas

One of the most challenging goals in commercial fiction is knowing what to include and what to exclude in a first chapter. In this craft-oriented workshop we'll focus on examples that strike the right balance between exposition and action (in medias res).

Faculty

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 →

Friday May 2, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

Audience Beginner

11:00am MDT

Non-verbal Communication in Fiction

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Douglas

Explore 5 areas of non-verbal communication, from physical interaction to how people inhabit the space around them, and how each can contribute to writing more realistic scenes and characters.

Faculty

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 →

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

2:00pm MDT

Capturing the Elusive Voice

Friday May 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Douglas

What is voice? It is often talked about but rarely clearly described. This presentation will break down what voice is and how it functions in prose. The tools taught will help you shift generic exposition and prose into character-driven voice with the use of language, metaphor, simile, and character point-of-view. It will cover how voice functions in first person vs. third person, and include exercises to help you discover your own unique voice for your writing.

Faculty

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 →

Friday May 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

Audience Beginner

3:15pm MDT

Refilling Your Creative Well

Friday May 2, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Douglas

Productivity gurus talk about time management, but we don’t often talk about ENERGY management, especially when it comes to the chaotic and unpredictable energy of creativity. Even if you’re a master of scheduling your life and have set aside plenty of time for writing, what happens when you find your creative well has run dry? How often do we hear writing advice about putting your butt in the chair, your hands on the keyboard, and making sure inspiration strikes from 9 to 5 every day? While that advice is well-intentioned, it treats writers like machines and can easily lead to burnout. Learning to manage your energy and refill your creative well is an essential skill for any writer who wants to make it in this New-York-hustle industry—without running themselves into the ground.

Faculty

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 →

Friday May 2, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Douglas

Writing Life

4:45pm MDT

Decoding Blockbuster Plots and Synopses

Friday May 2, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT

Douglas

Use the tools, tips, tricks and formulas for movies and television series to engineer or reverse engineer your plot and perfect the points to address for a compelling synopsis.

Faculty

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 →

Friday May 2, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

9:00pm MDT

Instant Slushpile

Friday May 2, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm MDT

Douglas

If you’ve never caught this workshop at, say, MileHiCon, Bubonicon, FyreCon, or at COSine, the premise is absurdly simple:

Attendees bring an anonymized, 300-word story opening, either short story or novel, and drop it in front of Lou at the beginning of the workshop. He will peruse the audience and select INSTANT EDITORS from those gathered and bring them up front.

For each manuscript, in randomized order, he will read aloud until three of the Instant Editors raise their hands, signifying that they would not publish the story. If he completes the story with fewer than three hands raised, consider that a success!

Each Editor will then share what they liked about the story, and then Lou gives his own thoughts. The author, who is still anonymous at this point, is invited to reveal themselves. Sometimes, Lou reads a ringer, a manuscript from a previously-published work, by a noted author, just to keep the Instant Editors guessing.

If you find that you have the time and inclination to participate, please consider joining Lou and his INSTANT SLUSHPILE WORKSHOP with your anonymized manuscript in hand!

Faculty

Lou J Berger

Author, Lou J Berger, Author

Lou J Berger lives in Littleton, Colorado with his high-school crush and two rescue dogs. A member of SFWA, he has been published in Clarkesworld, Galaxy’s Edge magazine, and a host of anthologies. He is STILL working on his first novel.Although a fan of science fiction since he was a small boy, reading Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, and of course the Heinlein juveniles, Lou also enjoys... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

8:30am MDT

Market Awareness and Writing to Market

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Douglas

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.

Faculty

Becca Syme

Better-Faster Academy

Becca Syme (MATL) is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has been coaching success alignment for more than a decade. She is the author of the Quitbooks for Writers series and the popular Write Better-Faster course. She also writes mystery novels in her spare time and lives on one... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT
Douglas

Business of Writing

9:45am MDT

Short Story Generative Workshop (Part 1)

Saturday May 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Douglas

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

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 →

Saturday May 3, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

Audience Beginner

11:00am MDT

The Happily Ever After Business Plan

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Douglas

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!

Faculty

Jessica Snyder

HEA Author Services

Jessica Snyder is an editor, author coach, and the host of The HEA Club, a community for romance authors. As the owner of HEA Author Services, she specializes in romance fiction and her clients range from best-selling authors like Pippa Grant and Lucy Score to new authors who are... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Douglas

Writing Tools

2:00pm MDT

How to Choose a Hybrid Publisher That Meets Expectations

Saturday May 3, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Douglas

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.

Faculty

Michelle Vandepas

CEO, GracePoint Publishing

Michelle Vandepas' upcoming book, Divine and Dangerous: A Radical Guide to Living Your Most Powerful Purpose, is scheduled for trade release in Fall 2025. Her entrepreneurial journey has led her into publishing, where she is also a captivating speaker known for her empowering message... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Douglas

Business of Writing

3:15pm MDT

Book to Film Strategies to Sell Your Story in a Single Sentence, Treatment, Pitch Deck or Bible

Saturday May 3, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Douglas

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

Faculty

Jennifer S. Wilkov

Book & Creative Consultant, Your Book Is Your Hook!

Jennifer S. Wilkov is a multi #1 international best-selling award-winning author, an award-winning freelance writer, and a respected book business and Hollywood story consultant in her business called “Your Book Is Your Hook.” She supports first-time writers and seasoned authors... Read More →

Saturday May 3, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Douglas

Craft of Writing

Audience Beginner

4:45pm MDT

Swipe Write: How to Match with Your Perfect Editor

Saturday May 3, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT

Douglas

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.

Faculty

Jessica Snyder

HEA Author Services

Saturday May 3, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT
Douglas

Business of Writing

9:00am MDT

Sandboxes: Shared Universes and Co-writing

Sunday May 4, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am MDT

Douglas

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

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 →

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

Craft of Writing

Audience Intermediate

10:15am MDT

Book Cover Design and Positioning for Authors

Sunday May 4, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am MDT

Douglas

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

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

Business of Writing

11:30am MDT

So You Went to a Writers Conference, Now What?

Sunday May 4, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT

Douglas

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

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

Writing Life