Read more about Welcome to Quasar! An Introduction from SFWA

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Are you a SFWA member who’s writing YA or MG, or are interested in it? Come join our social hangout!

Read more about Opening Act: Poetry by Brandon O’Brien

Independent authors exist across mediums, publishing books, analog games, video games, comics, and more. But for all the diversity in their final products, Indie creators face many similar struggles – with distribution platforms, payment models, and promotions strategies. If you’re an indie or hybrid SFF creator, don’t miss this pragmatic industry chat across the indie landscape. We’ll explore common pitfalls and survival tactics for SFF writers who are doing most of the work alone – but in a system where indie creators are always stronger together.

Alexis Westmore will moderate our dynamic chat between Joan Marie Verba, Jessica Maison, Karrie Shao, and Richard Ruane.

Read more about Panel 1.1 Shared Challenges for Multimedia Indie Creators

We’re honored to host a conversation moderated by Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware, with agents Alice Speilburg and Natascha Morris, who can speak to the challenges writers face when protecting their rights as creators. In a year that has brought us many major industry discussions around AI piracy, merch clauses, moral rights waivers, copyright, and rights reversion, it’s time for seasoned and early professionals alike to empower ourselves and one another. This seminar has a hands-on learning component.

Read more about Seminar 1.1 Contract Need-to-Knows for a Challenging Year in Industry

Join Jennifer Hudak for some healing techniques to improve our bodies right from our chairs. You do not need extra equipment for this series of yoga moves with SFF flair.

Read more about Outpost Station (Wellness Activity)

Sometimes art emulates life, and sometimes life emulates art. For writers who also do the work of developing stronger community networks, worldbuilding strategies show up in far more than plans for the latest story draft. What lessons for better community organizing can we take from SFF, and how does our work in community organizing improve the speculative tales we tell? This year at Quasar, four dynamic creators will invite you to think more ambitiously about how you dream up community – on the page, and in the world around you. Join us for a co-facilitated conversation between BrightFlame, Curtis Chen, and James Stegall.

Read more about Panel 1.2 Mutual Resilience: How SFF Writers Build Community On and Off the Page

Office Hours scheduled by appointment.

Read more about Office Hours -A-

One of the most important lessons writers learn over their careers is adaptation. There is no “one size fits all” for creative success, especially when each of us has a different relationship to disability, illness, and neuro-variation. What happens when that relationship is further changed mid-stream? When something that worked for you for years is now affected by new challenges? For Quasar, SFF creators share their experiences with adjusted workflows, and offer insight into centering wellness all along.

We’re delighted to be in conversation with Eugen Bacon, Scott Edelman, Vanessa Ricci-Thode, and Catherine Tavares.

Read more about Panel 1.3 Centering Wellness as Creators

Rob Cameron – teacher, linguist, writer – will be guiding us through the process of creating hope for the next generation through SFF. How do we get out of our own way as older writers, to create spaces in prose where the next generation can learn about and explore the world as confidently as possible? How do we lead with curiosity, when meeting younger readers where they are, and help them to understand that there are older helpers on hand, to face whatever challenges lie ahead?

Read more about Workshop 1.2 Creating Real-World Hope through Speculative MG/YA

Collaboration is an essential part of many SFF projects, but it’s not always easy. Whether working in video games and shared narrative worlds, or with editors and sensitivity readers, there will be challenges as well as rewards. How much expectation-setting is necessary? What can we do to keep our professional partnerships healthy and mutually rewarding? What do we do when they aren’t working out? Join our panel in talking from experience about how best to work collaboratively in the genre.

We’re collaborating with Anthony Eichenlaub, Sydnee Thompson, Darusha Wehm, and Rosemary Jones on this event!

Read more about Panel 1.4 SFF Collaboration Done Right