Harnessing The Elements: the Potential of Elemental Magic Systems – June 4, 2022 at 5:30 – 6:30PM EST The archetypal and primal resonance of elemental magic systems make them a staple trope in fantasy magic systems — but how can we uniquely adapt this classic magical expression to simultaneously build up characters and the secondary […]
They Call Me… Tim!: Passive Worldbuilding with Names, Epistolary, and Food
They Call Me… Tim!: Passive Worldbuilding with Names, Epistolary, and Food – June 4, 2022 at 4 – 5PM EST Framing devices like epistolary and footnoting can be powerful tools for enriching your story and your world. Naming schemes, epistolary, and food are a few simple but powerful tools to more smoothly integrate your secondary […]
Beyond Elves and Dwarves: Creating Unique Fantasy Species
Beyond Elves and Dwarves: Creating Unique Fantasy Species – June 4, 2022 at 2:30-3:30pm EST Fantasy has endless possibilities, but many fantasy worlds seem stuck on the same handful of species: elves, dwarves, maybe a goblin or an orc. This panel will encourage you to go beyond these fantasy staples by looking at under-utilized mythological […]
What I Learned – and What I Regret – About Launching My First Book on Kickstarter
Earlier this year, Brandon Sanderson ran a Kickstarter to publish four novels he wrote during the pandemic and earned a whopping $41.7 million. This wasn’t the first Kickstarter run by an author or even by Sanderson himself, but the size of this campaign brought it into the public eye and got everyone talking about the […]
Urban Fantasy: Layering Another World Over Our Own
Urban Fantasy: Layering Another World Over Our Own – June 4, 2022 at 12:30 – 1:30PM EST While the medival period tends to inspire the bulk of older fantasy stories, the genre has expanded to include the unique terrains and challenges facing city-dwelling protagonists. Urban fantasy writers face the challenge of balancing the fantastical and […]
Fantasy as a Safe Space: Using Fantasy to Explore and Critique Social and Political Themes
Fantasy as a Safe Space: Using Fantasy to Explore and Critique Social and Political Themes – June 4, 2022 at 11AM – 12PM EST The innate narrative distance in Fantasy Fiction creates a unique cultural space for important social and cultural critique. In this panel, we’ll explore how to mindfully build into your stories ways […]
Best Patreon Alternatives for Content Creators and Authors
Patreon provides millions of creative entrepreneurs with the tools they need to build a sustainable monthly income, but the company has faced several controversies the past few years, most recently when it suggested incorporating NFTs into its systems. As decisions like these have eroded trust in Patreon, more and more people are seeking Patreon alternatives […]
Magic-tech, Steampunk and other Cross/Sub-genres: Skirting the Fringes of Sci-fi
Magic-tech, Steampunk and other Cross/Sub-genres: Skirting the Fringes of Sci-fi – March 19, 2022 at 5:30 pm EST Why are we drawn to the liminal spaces? Around standard ‘core’ Science Fiction subgenres, such as Space Opera, Time Travel, or , subcategories like Steampunk (which combines Science Fiction aspects with Historical and/or Fantasy elements), Zombie fiction […]
Accessibility in Science Fiction: Imagining New Tools for Disabled Folks
Accessibility in Science Fiction: Imagining New Tools for Disabled Folks – March 19, 2022 at 4pm EST Science, in both life and fiction, is used to break barriers, solve problems, and elevate the human experience. What scientific advancements or inventions might change life for disabled folks? How might the challenges and opportunities of accessibility be […]
Races, Religions, and Cultures: How to Ethically Borrow Inspiration from Existing Patterns of Human Existence
Races, Religions, and Cultures: How to Ethically Borrow Inspiration from Existing Patterns of Human Existence – March 19, 2022 at 2:30 EST The vast diversity of richly-populated worlds is a common and much-loved aspect of Science Fiction. Since we haven’t met any aliens (yet…!), the diversity within a writer’s mind and work is a direct […]