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CONFERENCE
This free, virtual conference is designed to help you make the most of your time with short videos from presenters around the world. Videos are available on YouTube indefinitely on YouTube and some presenters are available to chat in Discord. These authors, editors, and industry professionals are donating their time to help you be a better writer.
Learn more about our 2025 presenters and their topics below!
Subscribe for free on YouTube.
Organized by S.E. Reed and Theresa Green
Sponsored by YOU
2025 PRESENTERS:
Robin Alvarez
The Writer's TikTok Playbook:
Authenticity, Engagement, and Collaboration
Robin Alvarez is the author of the #1 New Release YA Ethnic Fairy Tale When Oceans Rise (May 2023). Strong female characters, mythological creatures, and a mixed-race perspective are staples of her work. While she's spent the majority of her life in beach towns, having almost drowned several times, she currently resides in a desert where the waters are less likely to kill her.
Robin's work has been featured on OwlCrate, ABC, NBC, and CBS news affiliates.
tiktok: @robiiehood
instagram: @authorrobinalvarez
youtube: @robiiehood
threads: @authorrobinalvarez
Sarah Bailey
Part 1: Intro to AI for Ethical Writers
—and—
Part 2: Intro to Using AI for Ethical Writers
Sarah Bailey is a freelance editor specializing many genres in both fiction and nonfiction. She holds a degree in Writing and Rhetoric from the University of Utah and a Publishing Certificate from the Denver Publishing Institute. When Sarah is not writing, editing, or listening to audiobooks, she can be found walking outdoors, planning her next travel adventure, or helping one of her five kids find their shoes.
@bailey.editing
Diane Billas
Creating Queer Characters in YA Books
and Why it Matters
Diane Billas is the author of the YA sapphic contemporary romance novel DOES LOVE ALWAYS WIN?, featured in Parents Magazine, and the YA superhero novel SUPERFICIAL, both with Creative James Media. Her sapphic short story, THE PROM DO-OVER will be featured in the PROM PERFECT anthology, out Spring 2025 with Wild Ink Publishing.
Diane Billas lives in Philadelphia with her husband and son. When she’s not writing she can be found reading multiple books at once, performing the French horn and piano, or dreaming of the next country she’s going to visit.
Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @dianebillas
Instagram/Threads @dianebillaswrites
Rachael Clarke
Seeds for Success
Rachael Clarke (R.A. Clarke) is an author/illustrator living in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. When not writing, she's enjoying family time, acting in community theatre, or relaxing at the lake. Her multi-genre fiction has won international competitions such as the Write Fighters 3-Day Novella Challenge, The Writer's Workout's 'Writer’s Games', the Writers Weekly 24-Hour Contest, and Red Penguin Books’ Humour Contest. She was a 2021 Futurescapes Award finalist, a 2022 Dark Sire Awards finalist, and her children’s book The Big Ol’ Bike was a Hindi’s Libraries finalist in 2021. Her debut sci-fi western novel Race to Novus released in April, 2024.
Tenesha L. Curtis
Book Outlining Basics
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Tenesha L. Curtis has been a lover of the dark, disturbing, and deviant since childhood. In her kindergarten and elementary school years, her favorite movies included classics like Child’s Play and Candyman. Unable to be tied to one genre, she’s consumed work from writers like Edgar Allen Poe, Kazuo Ishiguro, Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, Patricia Cornwell, Stephen King, Ayn Rand, and Zane. Her fascination with the human psyche led her to earn a master's degree in chemical addiction treatment and work in the mental health world for over a decade before turning her life over to literature completely. She uses this training and experience to influence straightforward books on writing made especially for newbie authors, and thrilling works of fiction in various genres.
Laura De La Cruz
Utilizing AI in Children's Book Marketing
With over 40 years of experience in marketing, Dr. Laura De La Cruz is an international best-selling author, educator, and self-publishing expert. She holds multiple advanced degrees and certificates in marketing, AI, and social media strategy. Writing under her own name and her pen name, Lana Doone, Dr. De La Cruz has self-published over 400 books and journals, captivating audiences worldwide. Her website, blessingsandbooks.com, and her widely-read blog provide valuable insights into self-publishing, journaling, and digital marketing. With a successful track record in SEO and social media marketing, Dr. De La Cruz empowers authors to thrive in an ever-evolving market, making her a sought-after speaker in the writing and publishing community.
Tiktok: @lauradelacruz.author
Tommy Dean
5 Ways to Use Settings in Writing Flash Fiction
Tommy Dean is the author of two flash fiction chapbooks, Special Like the People on TV (Redbird Chapbooks, 2014) and Covenants (ELJ Editions, 2021), and a full flash collection, Hollows (Alternating Current Press, 2022). He lives in Indiana, where he is currently the editor of Fractured Lit and Uncharted Magazine. A recipient of the 2019 Lascaux Prize in Short Fiction, his writing can be found in Best Microfiction 2019, 2020, 2023, and Best Small Fiction 2019 and 2022. His work has been published in Monkeybicycle, Laurel Review, Moon City Review, Pithead Chapel, Harpur Palate, and many other litmags. He has taught writing workshops for the Gotham Writers Workshop, The Writers Center, and The Writers Workshop.
Twitter @TommyDeanWriter
Craig Kofi Farmer
From Fanfiction to Creative Fiction
Craig Kofi Farmer is a Prince George's County native, with two Bachelor of Science degrees from Towson University and one Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. He works in higher education administration, helping students achieve work-life balance and self-actualization. When he's not
writing, he's analyzing superhero movies, watching psychological thrillers, and deciding exactly what he's going to eat that day.
us.macmillan.com/author/craigkofifarmer
Twitter (@State_Farmm)
Instagram (@craigkofifarmer)
TikTok (@craigkofifarmer)
From Fanfiction to Creative Fiction
Lisa Fox
Writing In a Flash: Optimizing the Art of Flash Fiction
—and—
Leveraging Beta Reading with Andrea Goyan
Lisa Fox is a pharmaceutical market researcher by day and fiction writer by night. She survives—and sometimes even thrives—in the chaos of suburban New Jersey with her husband, two teenage sons, and quirky Double-Doodle dog. She is the author of two short story collections, Core Truths and Passageways: Short Speculative Fiction.
Twitter @iamlisafox10800
Charlotte Goodwin
The Agony of Querying
With over twenty years of military experience, and a lifetime of reading fantasy novels, Charlotte combined the two in when she began writing. Keen to explore what would happen when modern military characters were sent to a traditional fantasy setting, she started her first novel The Queen of Vorn three years ago
and has since written a total of six novels across two trilogies as part of The Gallantrian Legacy series. More recently, she has written a seventh story Magic Breakers which is set in a brand-new universe.
When she’s not making up stories, Charlotte can be found bashing her house to bits, playing soldiers, or running around after her husband and two sons in rural West Yorkshire.
X: @authorgoodwin
YouTube: Gallantrian Legacy @authorgoodwin
Facebook: Gallantrian Legacy
Christine Goss
Literary Agent Panel
with Cathie, Jenna, and Vicky
Christine Goss graduated from Lake Forest College with a BA in communications. Formerly a sales representative, her skills pair well with her love of reading and story development. As an author herself, the craft of writing is very important to her when she looks at manuscripts. In 2023, Christine was promoted to Associate Literary Agent at The Purcell Agency, moving over to FinePrint Literary in 2024.
Christine is drawn to stories with high stakes and tension. The first pages must draw her in with action and curiosity. Lyrical writing, along with emotionality, physicality, and interiority, are all key components Christine looks for in a manuscript.
Christine is generally interested in romance, historical fiction, book club fiction, and fantasy. Non-fiction and graphic novels covering a specific range of topics are also of interest. Championing marginalized voices is important to Christine as she seeks to include BIPOC, LGTBQ+, and neurodivergent (and more) authors on her list.
When she’s not working, reading, or writing, she’s usually chasing her two boys, who are likely chasing her fur baby (dog).
@cgossagent
(X, Threads, Instagram)
Andrea Goyan
Leveraging Beta Reading
with Lisa Fox
Andrea Goyan is an award-winning writer, playwright, and soon-to-be published poet. In her spare time, she paints, walks her dogs, and co-host’s Metastellar’s Long-Lost Friends and Storytime. She lives in sunny Southern California with her husband, the aforementioned dogs, and two cats.
Twitter @AndreaGoyan
Taylor Grothe
Autistic Authors
Taylor is a neurodivergent (ASD) NB writer passionate about voice-driven narratives centering on strong, compelling femmes and enbies.
Taylor graduated cum laude with Honors from Duke University (2012), and is a 2024 Nonfiction MFA graduate of Fairfield University’s Creative Writing Program. Their shorts can be found in Coffin Bell, Bag of Bones Press, Haven Speculative, Shortwave Magazine, and various other places. Taylor was a Round 9 Author Mentor Match adult mentor, the graduate Assistant Managing Editor of Brevity Magazine for 2022-23, one of the founding members and the 2023-24 program coordinator of Round Table Mentor, and a host of Queer Author Talk (QAT) on Twitter. Their debut YA horror novel, Hollow, comes out with Peachtree Teen in fall 2025, with another book to follow in 2026.
Taylor is represented by Victoria Marini of High Line Literary Collective.
@TaylorLGrothe everywhere :)
Taty Guedes
Translation:
delights and difficulties
Taty has been working as a translator and reviewer for over 25 years, mainly with technical translations. She was born in São Paulo and now lives in Porto Alegre, Brasil, after a long stunt in Dublin, Ireland and a short one in Seattle, USA. She is an avid reader, a literature lover and a book hoarder who is starting to make her way in the world of the literary translation — and writing. She shares a home with her teenager son and their five familiar felines.
@guedesftaty
Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong
Literary Agent Panel
with Christine, Jenna, and Vicky
Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong is a literary agent with Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. A prolific reader of many genres, Cathie represents Romance in all categories; Commercial, Book Club, and Women’s Fiction; Domestic and Psychological Suspense; “light” Horror; and Mystery. Cathie looks for manuscripts that catch her attention within the first few pages. If you can evoke an emotional response in the opening pages—make her laugh out loud, cause her pulse to race, make her cry, make her curious—you’ve got a winner. Cathie is never interested in Science Fiction or High Fantasy in any genre; however, “accessible” fantasy with paranormal or supernatural elements, and without excessive world building or difficult magic systems, are often a good fit. At this time, Cathie is only accepting adult fiction.
MJ Huntsgood
What is Speculative Fiction?
MJ Huntsgood is a speculative mystery and horror author from Washington DC. She is a 2025 best of the net nominee who has been published in over a dozen literary magazines and loves to elevate authors all around the world. When she's not furiously writing, she's working as a vaccine scientist focusing on monoclonal antibody production.
@MJHuntsgood
(Twitter, BlueSky, Instagram)
Care H. Knyght
Character and World Building
Fantasy Author C. H. Knyght, Care, writes surrounded by five (un)-helpful furbabies. Always with a pen in hand, if she’s not writing, she’s drawing illustrations and book covers. Care has four novels, as well as a number of short stories and writers’ workbooks to her name.
Tiktok: authorchknyght
X & Instagram: @chknyght
Will Lenzen, Jr
Beyond the Story
Will Lenzen Jr is award-winning designer, filmmaker, and writer.
Tim J. McKay
Master the Craft:
The Hidden Power of Copywork in Editing
Tim J. McKay is a writer, editor, and part-time writing professor from Ottawa, Canada. He used to be a pastor, still cares about good and evil, and still strives to create meaningful experiences for others. He has degrees in history, theology, and public policy, along with a diploma in professional writing, but likes nothing more than hiking in the woods, running along the Rideau Canal, and connecting with the people he loves. Oh, and reading a good book.
Rachel McMillan
Leveraging Efficient Research
Rachel McMillan is the author of over 20 books including the bestselling The London Restoration, The Mozart Code and The Liberty Scarf (Harper Collins). After a decade in corporate educational publishing, she worked as a senior associate agent for a renowned agency before going independent two years ago. She has worked every angle of the publishing industry from author to agent to editor to marketing, publicity and sales. She is a popular conference speaker and tastemaker. A history buff, she enjoys on location research to some of the most fascinating cities in the world. When not scribbling her next novels for Harper, she is currently writing a biography of architect Sir Christopher Wren for Pen and Sword in the UK.
@rachkmc
Vanessa Montalban
From Roots to Realms:
Crafting Fictional Worlds Through Cultural Inspiration
Miami-born Vanessa Montalban channels her wanderlust for far-off worlds into writing young adult fiction, including A Tall Dark Trouble, winner of the Florida Book Awards in the YA category.
She’s a first-generation college graduate and is hard at work creating a collection of stories. Her work has appeared in Diabolical Plots and Entropy Magazine, and her newest novel These Vengeful Wishes is coming spring 2025.
Instagram/Threads/Tiktok: @vvmontalban
Amy Nielsen
From Concept to Contract:
Navigating the Picture Book Journey
Amy Nielsen spent twenty amazing years as a children's and youth librarian. She is currently a literary agent at The Purcell Agency, specializing in picture books. She is also the author of the picture book GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS: UNDERSTANDING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. When not reading or writing, Amy and her family can be found boating the waters of Tampa Bay with two canine co-captains in mermaid life vests.
@AmyNielsen06 - Twitter (most active)
IG @Author_Amy.Nielsen
Benjamin Ryan
How To Write A Book In 7 Days
(and other secrets of the trade)
Benjamin Ryan is the acclaimed author of "Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys", a spellbinding novel that has earned near-universal five-star reviews. Praised for its ability to "hook and inspire change," the book quickly became a bestseller, selling out on major online retailers. It has also received prestigious accolades from the BookFest Awards, NYC Big Book Award, and the Book Blogger’s Novel of the Year Award.
As proud member of the LGBTQ community and a military brat, he brings a rich and diverse perspective to his writing, drawing from his lived experiences. After facing a life-threatening diagnosis in his mid-20s, Benjamin embarked on a transformative journey, losing over 175 pounds and undergoing several major surgeries. His lived experiences infuse his work with authenticity, inspiration, and resilience—“I didn't want to die with these stories inside me.” He is currently a Special Education teacher in Manhattan who holds degrees in Art History, World Religions, and a dual Master's in Education and Special Education from NYU.
In addition, Benjamin contributed the foreword for "Apparently Different", a collection of stories about disabilities by Adria Goldman Gross, FIPC, and Douglas Winslow Cooper, PhD. He actively engages with fellow authors, readers, and fans on Twitter (@BRClothWrites), sharing his journey, and continually refining his craft.
Twitter: @BRClothWrites
Insta: @BRClothWrites
Facebook: Benjamin Cloth
Jenna Satterthwaite
Literary Agent Panel
with Cathie, Christine, and Vicky
Jenna Satterthwaite is a literary agent with Storm Literary Agency and the author of Made for You (Mira/Harpercollins, 2024), Beach Bodies (Summer 2025, Transworld/PRH UK)/A Killer Getaway (Summer 2025, Sourcebooks US), and The New Year's Party (October 2025, Mira/HarperCollins).
Born in the Midwest, Jenna grew up in Spain, lived briefly in France, and is now happily settled in Chicago with her husband and three kids. Jenna studied classical guitar at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Zaragoza and earned her BAs in English Lit and French at Indiana University. Now she works a 9-5 style office job where she types many emails while drinking many cups of excellent coffee. Once upon a time, Jenna moonlighted as a singer-songwriter in folk band Thornfield. She loves sushi, reading in her natural habitat (aka her bed), and women taking back their power.
Jenna is closed to queries now, but will open again in 2025: QueryManager.com/Jenna_S
Demi Michelle Schwartz
A Peek Into Publishing Podcasts
Demi Michelle Schwartz is an author from Pittsburgh, represented by Michelle Jackson at LCS Literary. She primarily writes young adult fiction, focusing on the fantasy and thriller genres, though she loves to explore other genres and age categories in her short stories found in anthologies. Her work can be found in Clio’s Curious Dash Through Time by Wild Ink Publishing, GORE 4 (Demons): A Halloween Anthology by Poe Boy Publishing, UnCensored Ink: A Banned Book Inspired Anthology by Wild Ink Publishing, and more set for publication in 2025. Along with being an author, she is the host of Literary Blend: A Publishing Podcast, a freelance fiction editor through her independently-run services, Amethyst Ink Editorial, and a publicist for Wild Ink Publishing. When Demi isn’t working on her manuscripts and finding ways to further her involvement in the publishing industry, she is chasing her other dream as an award-winning songwriter and recording artist.
Twitter & Instagram: @demimschwartz
Leah Simmons
From Prose to Screen
Leah is a genre writer from South Dakota specializing in horror and sci-fi that ranges from the deep exploration of humanity's darker nature to laugh out loud funny. Leah's roller derby feature film, VALENTINE CRUSH, has received over 20 awards, including Best Feature, Best Original Soundtrack, and Audience Favorite. She is a member of the Independent Writers' Caucus and a Store Writer's Lab alum. When Leah’s not writing or roller skating, she enjoys spending time with her 6-year-old son who is obsessed with Godzilla.
Sumitra Singam
Writing Trauma Without Traumatising Yourself
Sumitra Singam is a Malaysian-Indian-Australian coconut who writes in Naarm/Melbourne. She travelled through many spaces, both beautiful and traumatic to get there and writes to make sense of her experiences. Her work has been published widely, nominated for a number of Best Of anthologies, and was selected for Best Microfictions 2024. She works as a psychiatrist and trauma therapist and runs workshops on how to write trauma safely. She’ll be the one in the kitchen making chai (where’s your cardamom?).
@pleomorphic2
Abigail F. Taylor
Finding and Entering Contests
Abigail F. Taylor is an award winning Own Voices author from Texas. Her novella, THE NIGHT BEGINS, debuted with Luna Press Publishing Feb 2023 and her next book, Maryneal, 1962 hits the shelves in 2025. Her short stories and poems can be found in Writer’s Digest, Globe Soup, Fractured Lit, Sixfold Magazine, and Illya’s Honey, among others. She once spent a year working on the film set for The Dinosaur Experiment, and had a stint in religious studies. She lives with four cats, two small dogs, and a sassy rooster.
bluesky & twitter: @abigailftaylor
TikTok- talltalesabigail
Tina Tocco
Ready to Submit?
Submitting Your Writing to Literary Journals
Tina Tocco is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her work has appeared in New Ohio Review, South Dakota Review, Potomac Review, River Styx, Hobart, Italian Americana, Highlights for Children, Cricket, and other publications. Tina has contributed to multiple anthologies, such as The Best Small Fictions 2019, Best Nonfiction Food 2020, and, most recently, The Haunted States of America, a middle grade ghost story anthology (SCBWI-Godwin Books, 2024). Tina earned her MFA from Manhattanville University, where she was editor-in-chief of Inkwell.
Wendy Van Camp
Every Word Matters:
using poetry concepts to enrich your prose
Wendy Van Camp, Anaheim's Poet Laureate Emerita, is a dynamic voice in speculative poetry, blending cutting-edge technology, astronomy, and daydreams. Her talent has earned her nominations for the Elgin Award, Pushcart Prize, and Dwarf Stars Award. Wendy's poems, stories, and articles grace journals worldwide such as "Star*Line," "Scifaikuest," and “San Diego Poetry Annual.” She regularly contributes to “Indy Author Magazine.” An active podcaster, you can see Wendy
as a panelist on the "Con-Tinual" stable of podcasts "Fandom" and "The Panel Room". You can hear her as a rotating host of "Poets Cafe" on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles or on her own audio podcast "No Wasted Ink Ramblecast." As a member of SFWA, SFPA, and IBPA, Wendy is a passionate advocate for the speculative community. Her debut poetry collection, "The Planets," was nominated for the Elgin Award. Discover more about Wendy and her writing coach services at wendyvancamp.com.
Editing + Coaching for SFF - indigoskye.com
amazon.com/author/wendyvancamp
medium.com/@wvancamp
twitter.com/wvancamp
instagram.com/nowastedink
Free Monthly Newsletter - nowastedink.substack.com
Vicky Weber
Literary Agent Panel
with Cathie, Christine, and Jenna
Vicky Weber is a former elementary school teacher turned bestselling children’s book author and literary agent at Creative Media Agency. She represents commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specializes in children’s literature. In all manuscripts, she want intensity in the writing—to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up her alley.
Abigail Wild
Media Law:
what authors need to understand
Abigail holds her MFA in creative writing, a BA in graphic design, and has earned graduate certificates from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, as well as continuing education credits through Rutgers University. She is a Pushcart nominated young adult novelist who aims to help struggling teens feel seen, heard, and understood.
Abigail is the founder and owner of Wild Ink Publishing, an independent traditional publishing company. Her goal is to be a steppingstone publisher for debut novelists and poets as they grow their writing career and publication lists. Through Wild Ink’s anthology projects, she has published more than two hundred aspiring authors. She has also published a number of novels, picture books, chapbooks, and books of poetry. Abigail is not afraid to publish experimental works that other publishing houses shy away from.
Abigail runs the Young Writers Workshop and the Young Filmmakers Workshop at Messiah University where she is also part of the English faculty. Abigail also teaches publishing, editing, and writing short works in the M.F.A. program at Southern New Hampshire University. She is currently in school for her second graduate degree, studying communications/public relations where she found her love for media law.
X and TikTok: @WildInkPub
facebook.com/WildInkPublishing
