Tons of writing topics to be covered at Imaginarium

Tons (figuratively) of topics will be covered at Imaginarium Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 7-9, an event that I’m proud to be a part of for the first time this fall. The event is an annual event centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels.

Authors, illustrators, poets, publishers, podcasters, gamers and more will benefit.

Here are just a few of the topics to be discussed:

What’s in a Name?
How to create names for your characters that fit your world’s language and culture.

Controversy!
Panelists discuss how to navigate the minefield of controversial topics without censoring yourself or offending the masses.

Faith in Fiction
A general discussion about presenting spiritual beliefs in fiction, how to be culturally sensitive to others’ beliefs and your audience, and how to write about religions/spiritual paths you do not know.

New Author Boot Camp
So you wrote a book…now what? This panel will take you through the steps of being a new author – from publishing to promotion, the tools you need to succeed, making friends in the industry, and the hard lessons learned from simple mistakes.

Query Crazy!
The book is done and polished. Now…to query. Our panelists provide tips on how to write a query which will sell your book.

Getting Into Illustration
You like to draw and would like to do it for books. How do you go about it? Do you need an agent? What’s it like to work with the author? This panel will cover these questions and more.

Creating Your Romantic Lead
Romantic leads don’t have to look like Fabio anymore. What makes a good romantic lead, male or female? They can be quirky, nerdy, and even a little bit evil … so long as we love them.

Game of Thrones
All things GoT! Panelists discuss the books, the tv adaptation, and how the two can coexist so peacefully in such a hard world.

Page to Screen
What books-to-screen have worked, and which could have worked better? Does a great book make for a great TV show or movie?

The Language of Fear
Good horror is all about atmosphere. Panelists discuss how to set the scene for a good scare without going too far.

Promotion for Self-Pubbers
How to cost-effectively promote your books on-line and in person without the support of a publisher behind you.

Podcasting 101
Technology has lowered the bar…you should be podcasting! Our panelists will tell you how and why.

Historical Writing
Whether it’s immersive content or just a hint of flavor for the period, historical writing can challenge your skills with setting and the portrayal of historical events for a contemporary audience.

The Psychology of Speculative Fiction
Why do people write (and read) it? Using examples – and writers – to help explain the effects of being creative in this field. I’ve never had a boring session moderating this panel!

Why Young Adult Works for All Ages
From The Hunger Games and Harry Potter to Goosebumps, writers discuss the universal appeal of writing for the YA audience – and why it’s never just for teens.

Again, this is just a tiny smattering of topics to be covered. See the entire list here.

Specific times and dates and my schedule to be announced.