With 21.45% of the US population falling into the Baby Boomer category (with another 19.71% being Gen X), readers are increasingly looking for more mature characters in books and movies. Some writers are meeting the demand with heros in their 40s and 50s, but can we go further? Faster? Older? What are the pitfalls and limitations of writing characters beyond the traditionally accepted age groups in SF/F? Better yet, what is the potential?

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Narrative design is often misunderstood as being a synonym for game writing, but good narrative design combines the tools of storytelling, game design, and narrative strategy to help bring a game to life. This panel brings together narrative designers to talk about the ways that narrative systems deliver, shape, and change storytelling – and how their own work in this field has evolved and grown over time.

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When authors decide to take the indie publishing route, they assume responsibility for dozens of creative and strategic decisions. Who should be your editor? Your cover designer? What is your marketing and business strategy? Join us to explore how you to plot your own course to success when you are making the major publishing decisions.

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Today’s readers actually love a shorter read! And novellas are most easily translated to movies. Then why are novellas pushed to the back of publishing house lists, and relegated to the sidelines with minimum distribution? These novella writers and publishers reflect on what could be a booming business and what writers may consider going forward.

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How do you find and build community as a writer? When is feedback helpful, and when is it toxic? This panel will explore how to form and maintain connections with other writers, and how to share, critique, and champion each others work.

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Indie publishing is a new frontier for many authors, but what does breaking into this space look like for members of the LGBTQ+ community? Join us for a discussion of ideas, advice, and the personal experiences of independently published queer authors.

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When the writing is strong, the world building is interesting, and the characters are compelling, readers want more. They want to spend time with the same characters on new journeys without losing the wonder which first drew them in. Authors discuss how to maintain consistent publishing schedules while meeting, maintaining, and set new expectations with their readers.

Read more about Writing a Series that Delivers and Delivers

It starts with one story, but want to revisit the world, or you aren’t finished exploring this them. Once you’ve built a collection, how do you approach publication when most short stories are accepted one at a time? This panel talks about the business of traditionally publishing short story collections, from writers who have done so.

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Fantasy and Science Fiction have always drawn elements from their sister genre Horror, from the zombie-like White Walkers of George R.R. Martin’s A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE to the psychological horror in space of S.A. Barnes’s DEAD SILENCE. This panel would explore this dark mix of genres, including how to write it and providing great examples for everyone’s reading lists.

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No matter your age or experience, writers with ADD face unique challenges in creating and completing a project. Authors with lived experience discuss the challenges and triumphs in their careers.

Read more about The Challenge of Writing with ADD