2024 Schedule
Thursday, November 21
6-8pm
Friday, November 22
8:30am
Check In Opens
Johnson Center Lobby
Check in with coffee, tea, and water available all day
9:30am
-
9:30-9:55am
The winner of the Belmont Student Storyteller Series for nonfiction will present.
Johnson Center
-
9:30-9:55am
Panelists: Cat Hooper, RJ Jacobs, Meredith Lyons
Come learn tips and tricks on writing your great American novel! Audience members will come away with ideas and suggestions on completing the first step in your publication journey.
Small Theater
10:00am
11:15am
-
11:15-11:40am
The winner of the Belmont Student Storyteller Series for fiction will present.
Johnson Center
-
11:15-11:40am
Panelists: Rea Frey, Jennifer Moorman, Mary O'Donohue
Unlock the secrets to building a powerful author platform beyond social media. In this panel, you'll explore innovative ways to cultivate genuine connections, amplify your voice, and grow your readership—no scrolling required.
Small Theater
11:45am
-
11:45am-12:40pm
Panelist: Heather Adams
Go from an unknown name to a known, seen, and understood expert and author without a publicist, publishing house, or even followers! Join brand strategist and 25-year publicity veteran Heather Adams as she takes you behind the scenes to reveal her secret sauce to helping launch more than 100 New York Times bestsellers.
Small Theater
-
11:45am-12:40pm
Panelists: Sophie Cudd, Claire Tattersfield, volunteer agents
Every creator needs a great elevator pitch, but it may be challenging to step outside of your familiarity with your writing to assess what makes it marketable. Learn from an agent and editor/author what makes a great pitch for your writing, and then we'll split into small groups with professionals from all areas so you can practice your pitching and get ready to show your project to the publisher, agent, or production company of your dreams.
Large Theater
12:40pm
Lunch with Networking
Harrington Place Dining Hall
1:45pm
-
1:45-2:10pm
The winner of the Belmont Student Storyteller Series for screen will present.
Johnson Center
-
1:45-2:10pm
Panelists: Meredith Boggs, Ainsley Britain, Mandy Johnson
Come learn about your Enneagram type as it relates to your writing and how you can leverage that superpower for your productivity and impact. Audience members will walk away with an understanding of how to avoid the pitfalls of their type and utilize their type's unique creative strength to propel them forward.
Small Theater
-
1:45-2:10pm
Panelists: Mimi McCarley
"Talking Vision for Writers" focuses on crafting a clear, compelling vision for yourself as a writer, unlocking the creativity and drive needed to transform that vision into reality. It offers practical strategies to help you envision and achieve your writing goals with clarity and purpose.
Large Theater
2:20pm
-
2:20-2:45pm
Panelists: Clay Stafford, Amanda Bauch
You have a story to tell—your life. Learn how to tell it in a way that fascinates agents, editors, publishers, and especially readers. This session will give an overview of how to do it.
Johnson Center
-
2:55-3:20pm
Panelists: Randa Newman, Korby Lenker
So, you’ve written a screenplay and you want to bring it to life. Here’s how it actually happens. We’ll be sharing the process and reality of moving from script to screen.
Johnson Center
-
2:20-245pm
Panelists: Camille Smaby, Andrea Jacobs, Natalie Sanford
Join us for an informative panel aimed at boosting your picture book sales and visibility. You'll learn how to optimize SEO, create engaging descriptions, and write effective Amazon consumer copy. Gain valuable insights on social media strategies and how to utilize consumer reviews to enhance your marketing approach for picture books.
Small Theater
-
2:55-3:20pm
Panelists: Ami McConnell, Anne MacDonald, Furaha Norton
This session will demystify the editorial process, exploring the various stages of editing—from big-picture conceptual editing to fine-tuning copyediting. Our expert panelists will share their experiences, offer practical tips, and answer your questions about how editors enhance and refine your manuscript. Whether you're an aspiring author or a seasoned writer, this discussion will give you a clearer understanding of how editors work their magic and how you can collaborate with them to elevate your writing.
Small Theater
-
2:20-3:20pm
Panelists: Jenny Hale, Nancy Naigle, Melissa Collings
Discover the art of crafting compelling romance narratives that resonate with readers on an emotional level. This session will explore key elements like character chemistry, emotional tension, and plot pacing to create unforgettable love stories.
Large Theater
3:30pm
-
3:30-4:30pm
Panelists: Elizabeth Parman, Becky Monds
From query letter to published book: Let’s talk about publishing from the perspectives of a debut author and a HarperCollins acquiring editor. Come with your questions about the process!
Small Theater
-
3:30-4:30pm
Panelists: Melissa Collings
Learn how to harness the full potential of email marketing to grow your audience and engage readers. This session will cover effective email strategies, from crafting compelling content to building lasting connections with your subscribers
Large Theater
4:30pm
Mix and Mingle
Make dinner plans with groups!
Saturday, November 23
8:30am
Check In Opens
Johnson Center Lobby
Check in with coffee, tea, and water available all day
9:30am
10:50am
-
10:50-11:15am
Panelists: David Hancock
Because the battle begins before a book even hits the shelves, an author needs every weapon to get ahead of the competition. David will share proven insights and advice to help you stop wasting time and money with the top four Guerrilla Marketing weapons that will help authors sell their work before and after it’s published. Practical low-cost and no-cost marketing techniques will help authors design a powerful strategy for strengthening their position, promoting their books, and maximizing their revenue.
Johnson Center
-
11:20-11:45am
Panelists: Alana White, Bonnie Blaylock, Joy Jordan Lake
What makes a protagonist so compelling readers will follow them from the opening paragraph to the final page? Three award-winning authors share how to create a main character who will capture your readers’ imaginations and hearts while giving them a story they can’t put down. Audience members will leave this session not only energized, but also with handouts with techniques and tips to help them create their best work.
Johnson Center
-
10:50-11:45am
Panelists: Erica Rodgers, Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, Alisha Klapheke
Join authors Erica Ivy Rodgers and Kristin O’Donnell Tubb on an interactive plotting adventure. In this workshop the audience becomes the third member in this 55-minute Dungeons & Dragons mini-campaign. This is a a real-time novel development exercise from the dawn of an idea to submission.
Large Theater
11:50am
-
11:50am-12:15pm
General book signing for all our author panelists! Hosted by Parnassus.
Johnson Center
-
11:50am-12:15pm
Panelists: Jessica Meeks, Stephanie Beard
Audiobooks have boomed in recent years and their rapid growth in popularity is not expected to slow any time soon. Learn the ins and outs of how audiobooks are made, what both indie and traditional authors can do to ensure they launch successful audiobooks, and what is projected for this segment of the publishing industry.
Small Theater
-
11:50am-12:15pm
The winner of the Belmont Student Storyteller Series for song will present.
Large Theater
12:15pm
Lunch with Networking
Harrington Place Dining Hall
1:20pm
-
1:50-2:15pm
Panelist: Briana Cole
Every writer has a story, and this is mine. Join me as I share the ups and downs of my screenwriting journey, from adapting my first book, to seeing my work come to life on screen (all while juggling three boys and a full-time job). In this session, I’ll dive into my creative process, the challenges of breaking into the industry, and the invaluable lessons I learned along the way. Whether you're an emerging writer or looking for fresh perspectives, you’ll gain insights on navigating the screenwriting world and crafting scripts that reflect your unique voice while resonating with audiences.
Johnson Center
-
1:20-2:15pm
Panelists: Ariel Curry, Liz Morrow
Every book offers a story of transformation. Memoirs are about the author's transformation; fiction is about the transformation of a character; and nonfiction offers a transformation for the reader. This interactive workshop will help you design a cohesive journey for your reader and begin planning your book's content around the Transformation Tale framework. Audience members will walk away with clarity around their book's overall structure and content.
Small Theater
-
1:20-2:15pm
Panelists: Kiersten Modglin, Margaret Riley King
Come learn about how you can make writing a real, sustainable career in this exclusive interview with full-time novelist Kiersten Modglin, hosted by WME literary agent Margaret Riley King. Audience members will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to successfully self-publish and monetize their passion for writing.
Large Theater
2:15pm
-
2:15-2:45pm
Johnson Center Lobby
2:50pm
3:50pm
Closing Remarks
Large Theater