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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 (Sci-fi+Horror elements), and Science-Fantasy or Magi-tech (Magic as/is Science; or Magic exists separately alongside Technology) not only exist but thrive. What can we learn from exploring these cross-genre spaces? This panel will explore why some of the most interesting stories under the Science Fiction umbrella term exist on the fringes of the genre, what opportunities draw writers to liminal genre spaces, and what to be aware of when exploring the fringes of Science Fiction in…

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 faced or explored in Science Fiction? This panel explores thoughts and questions around accessibility in Science Fiction: how think about or imagine tools, trends and futures in which disabled folks experience greater integration, more opportunities and participate in trailblazing new paths ahead. This panel is part of Storycrafting Sessions: Science Fiction, a 100% FREE virtual conference happening on March 19th! Sign up for this panel or look at the full event schedule! The Moderator Stephen…

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 product of what we know of history and can learn or extrapolate from personal experience. This panel will discuss how to ethically borrow inspiration from existing cultures without perpetuating harmful stereotypes, and distinguishing the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation (and how you can avoid the former!) when writing Science Fiction. This panel is part of Storycrafting Sessions: Science Fiction, a 100% FREE virtual conference happening on March 19th! Sign up for this panel or…

Civilization and Conquest: Colonial Echoes & Themes in Sci-Fi - March 19, 2022 at 12:30 EST Many aspects of mainstream Science Fiction involve or revolve around themes of discovery and exploration. As Science Fiction boldly explores the far reaches of space and other dimensions, or extrapolates futures -- utopic, dystopic and in-between -- writers face a challenge to capture the magical moments of discovery while addressing the fact that many 'magical moments' of discovery in human history were followed by exploitation, war, and varying forms of oppression for the resources and peoples 'discovered'. As far as we fling our minds to encompass the vast imagined (and not-yet imagined!) corners of the universe, echoes of colonialism and conquest follow. Science Fiction offers an ideal arena for reimagining history or reengineering the…

Trigger Warning: Writing Sci-Fi With Emotional Awareness - March 19, 2022 at 11AM EST on Zoom! Various traumatic events like wars, genocides, invasions, & colonization -- on an individual, global, and often galactic scale -- often form important plot and thematic points in Science Fiction. While these are important events to represent, they also present a dilemma as they are traumatic events with wide ripple effects that can be felt for generations on individual, social, cultural, economic and national levels. Developing an aware and conscientious approach when working with emotionally triggering content is important when working with material of this type or scope. This panel will discuss how to tackle sensitive subjects in Science Fiction, and how writers can cultivate informed and effective story development while avoiding harmful stereotypes. We'll…

Today marks the launch of my newest endeavor to help authors build successful long-term careers: the Author Success Club. The Author Success Club is a premium membership club hosted on Ko-fi. Every month, the Author Success Club provide new resources to help members improve one of the following areas of their careers: Marketing - Most resources will focus on digital marketing since that’s what my expertise is in, but there will also be resources to help you sell books at in-person events.Health - This might not seem career related, but when your health falls apart, so does everything else. The Author Success Club will share resources on how to make self care part of your routine in order to maintain the health of your brain and body.Writing craft - All…