Fantasy Writers’ Week 2024 Recap

Do you want your fantasy story to resonate with readers long after they’ve turned the last page? Join us for “Writing Compelling Fantasy Antagonists,” where we’ll delve into the art of crafting villains that are more than just obstacles for your heroes. Discover how to create nuanced, multi-dimensional antagonists that challenge your protagonists, drive your plot, and add depth to your fantasy world. Join us and learn the secrets to making your villains memorable and your story unforgettable.

Dana Pittman is a USA Today and Amazon Bestselling romance and paranormal romance author, Certified Developmental Editor, and the Chief Storyteller with Danja Tales, a boutique romance developmental editing company in Houston, Texas. She specializes in romances (contemporary, steamy, billionaire, etc.), paranormal romance, fantasy, suspense/thrillers, and plotting. And she’d love to chat with you about YOUR novel.

Special links:

Learn more about Dana Pittman: http://www.danjatales.com/

Dana’s Q&A video: https://www.loom.com/share/cd90e8f291554bf299f488caffe665cb?sid=6bb17539-c7cf-4636-b2fa-278ec139ee51

When a reader falls in love with your setting, they want MOAR! And in today’s market, the trilogy (and the trilogy of trilogies!) is the ultimate golden goose to hook your audience and keep them coming back for more. Published fantasy author Janet Forbes and pro-worldbuilding consultant Dimitris Havlidis share the secrets of worldbuilding a setting bigger than a single story, with the breadth and richness to support countless novels, short stories, and even games and spin offs... all while spending a minimum of time worldbuilding, and most of your time writing!

Janet Forbes (she/her) is a published fantasy author, game developer and (secretly) a velociraptor, and has been building worlds since she was knee-high to an orc. In 2017 she co-founded World Anvil, the award-winning worldbuilding, writing and tabletop RPG platform which boasts a community of almost 2 million users. As a writer, Janet has published short fiction in several collections, was the lead author of The Dark Crystal RPG (2021), has also written for Infinite Black, Kobold Press, Penny Dragon Games, and Tidebreaker, and is notorious for sneaking dinosaurs into every IP she works on.

Dimitris Havlidis (he/him) has been building settings for 30 years, and has made more epic, sandbox worlds than he’s had hot dinners. He holds degrees in Computing, Social Psychology (always useful for tormenting characters) and Graphic Design, and worked as a CTO for some of the top agencies in the UK. He left the corporate world to focus on World Anvil, which is now his life's work. With his wife Janet Forbes, he developed the groundbreaking Agile Worldbuilding Method, and has given talks and seminars at some of the biggest conventions in the world on worldbuilding and game mastery. He loves cheese, lemon pies, and top hats.

Special offer:

Go to https://www.worldanvil.com to start your worldbuilding journey. Use code PWAFANTASY24 for 60% off any annual membership until April 28, 2024.

Writing a book is a massive, complex undertaking. It is easy to get bogged down in the many different tasks and elements and miss something or get frustrated. Applying project management techniques can help writers get and stay organized, set and meet writing goals, and be motivated and accountable to themselves throughout the process, from planning to pitching.

In this session, we will walk through how to plan a book project from start to finish. We’ll cover SMART goals, creating a project roadmap to track progress, and how building a plan helps keep your creative energies focused. We’ll normalize the rollercoaster of the creative process and talk about how to get your book project across the finish line!

A voracious reader of all kinds of fiction (and sometimes memoir and non-fiction), Kerry Savage (she/her) is an Author Accelerator certified book coach who works with novelists from the planning stages through revision, helping writers get their best book ready for the world. She is also a J-school grad and former project manager, as well as being hard at work on her first novel (a work of historical fiction based on the life of a real badass female pirate). She serves as a volunteer mentor for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) and Sisters in Crime (SinC). She loves good wine, cheese, and trying to keep her succulents alive.

Special links:

Get $20 off Kerry’s Project Management Course with code PWA20OFF: https://www.kerrysavage.com/prowritingaid-fantasy-writers

Download Kerry’s slides: https://bit.ly/pwa-pm-presentation

Want to write a multi-book series? In this presentation, Savannah will talk through what makes certain book series successful, while others are not—including how to avoid the biggest mistakes she sees writers make when crafting a series. She’ll also talk through 5 steps to start planning your book series, including how to craft a cohesive message and story world across your books and how to map out your plot points and character arcs across books as well.

Savannah Gilbo is a certified developmental editor and book coach who helps fiction authors write, edit, and publish stories that work. She’s also the host of the top-rated Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast, where she delivers weekly episodes full of simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. When she’s not busy crafting her own stories, you can find Savannah curled up with a good book, a cozy blanket, and her three furry partners in crime.

Special link:

Get Savannah’s free Series Planning Worksheet: https://www.savannahgilbo.com/pwa

During this networking session, you will have the opportunity to meet other people in the fantasy writing community through speed dating. We will be sending you into breakout rooms in groups of 4 or 5. 

From best selling authors like Tracy Hickman and Chris Fox to beginner writers building their very first setting, World Anvil has helped almost three million users create countless worlds and settings. World Anvil has tripled sales for established authors, led to publishing deals for new writers, and helped aspiring authors break into the industry, or launch their own self-publishing careers. Learn what World Anvil is, and why writers are choosing to build worlds, write novels, and market their work on World Anvil from founders Janet Forbes and Dimitris Havlidis.

Janet Forbes (she/her) is a published fantasy author, game developer and (secretly) a velociraptor, and has been building worlds since she was knee-high to an orc. In 2017 she co-founded World Anvil, the award-winning worldbuilding, writing and tabletop RPG platform which boasts a community of almost 2 million users. As a writer, Janet has published short fiction in several collections, was the lead author of The Dark Crystal RPG (2021), has also written for Infinite Black, Kobold Press, Penny Dragon Games and Tidebreaker, and is notorious for sneaking dinosaurs into every IP she works on.

Dimitris Havlidis (he/him) has been building settings for 30 years, and has made more epic, sandbox worlds than he’s had hot dinners. He holds degrees in Computing, Social Psychology (always useful for tormenting characters) and Graphic Design, and worked as a CTO for some of the top agencies in the UK. He left the corporate world to focus on World Anvil, which is now his life’s work. With his wife Janet Forbes, he developed the groundbreaking Agile Worldbuilding Method, and has given talks and seminars at some of the biggest conventions in the world on worldbuilding and game mastery. He loves cheese, lemon pies, and top hats.

Special offer:

Go to https://www.worldanvil.com to start your worldbuilding journey. Use code PWAFANTASY24 for 60% off any annual membership until April 28, 2024.

Which is more important when writing a novel: page-turning plots or engaging characters? Believe it or not, neither can exist without the other! In this workshop, Lewis Jorstad will guide you through the four key turning points of every successful story, and how each one is tied to an active decision your hero makes. By the end of this class, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of your novel, but an actionable plan for adding these turning points to your next draft.

Lewis Jorstad is a book coach and editor who helps passionate fiction writers master their craft and find their readers at The Novel Smithy. When he isn’t helping students or writing books of his own, you can find him babying his houseplants and baking far too many homemade bagels.

Special link:

Need help getting to know your protagonist (and the decisions they’ll make)? Grab Lewis’ free character interview guide, 50 Questions to Ask Your Protagonist, here: https://thenovelsmithy.com/50-questions/

Learn how to have a lasting impact on readers by discovering the 3 kEys to Reader Enchantment (not a typo, just a corny mnemonic!). These keys are based in the brain science of how readers experience a story and what immerses them page after page. Through guided steps, you will put three of the hardest-hitting exercises for each key into practice. You’ll learn crucial steps in the process to get started…

• setting up the right promises for readers so they know where the story is going (That gets them reading, at least!)

• entertaining readers by knowing how to make those readers care in the first place

• giving readers a deep, vicarious experience in which you're playing out your story's meaningful core

This workshop is perfect for authors who want their stories to better connect with and enchant readers. Do you have something you really want to share with readers and at least inspire a few who need your story? You’re exactly the kind of passionate creative who will benefit from knowing the “whys” behind craft advice, and when and how to implement such advice in your story. You don’t want to miss this session if you want to unlock your novel’s fullest potential.

Book coach and editor Gina Kammer uses brain science hacks to take science fiction and fantasy authors through each step of the novel-writing process to create stories that enchant readers. Gina combines her background in teaching college writing and literature with her insights as a former in-house editor to mentor authors through craft instruction and the publishing industry. With over a decade of professional story-dragon experience, she coaches authors at inkybookwyrm.com so they know exactly which next steps to take on their journeys to publication.

Special links:

• Limited-time program-enrollment bonus: Get The Querying Course FREE with full access and editorial support when you enroll in the Enchant Your Readers book coaching program before May 15: https://www.inkybookwyrm.com/courses/enchantyourreaders

• Follow along with Gina’s workbook: https://www.inkybookwyrm.com/f/eyr-guide

If you’ve done much research on selling books, you’ve likely noticed a vast general consensus that an author newsletter is a must! Reader magnets are what get readers to subscribe to your newsletter. Seems simple enough, but what are reader magnets, really? What do they look like? How do you make them? What do you do with them after you make them? What should they do? Maybe you’ve even tried to make some, but they don’t seem to be doing what you hoped they would. In this presentation, award-winning fantasy author, Z.S. Diamanti, demystifies what he considers to be one of the three foundational pillars for author growth. Let’s make magic with reader magnets.

Z.S. Diamanti is the award-winning author of the Stone & Sky series, an epic fantasy adventure and the result of his love for fun and fantastical stories. His short works have been published in magazines, literary journals, newspapers, and books. He went to college for a very long time and has far too many pieces of paper on his wall. He is a USAF veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and worked in ministry for over 10 years before pursuing creative endeavors full-time. He and his wife reside in Colorado with their four children where they enjoy hikes, camping, and tabletop games.

Special link:

Meet new heroes in 7 FREE fantasy stories set in the award-winning classic style epic fantasy world of Stone & Sky! Fly away on griffin-back at https://FreeFantasyFiction.com

Interested in tackling one of the most popular genres in our current literary landscape? This workshop will teach you all about romantasy: What it is, how it’s structured, how it differs from fantasy and romance, and how to appeal to your target audience while also honoring your passion. If you want to craft a swoon-worthy “ship” and thrust them into a fantastical world, this workshop is for you.

Jenna Moreci is a bestselling dark fantasy romance and writing craft author, as well as a YouTube sensation with hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Her first installment in The Savior’s Series, The Savior’s Champion, was voted one of the Best Books of All Time by Book Depository. Born and raised in Silicon Valley, Jenna spends her free time snuggling up with her charming partner and their tiny dog, Buttercup.

Special links:

• Subscribe to Jenna Moreci’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/jennamoreci

• Get your copy of The Savior’s Champion: https://books2read.com/tsc

• Get your copy of Shut Up and Write the Book: https://books2read.com/suawtb

Join ProWritingAid’s Director of Community Engagement, Hayley Milliman, on a deep-dive into making your editing process easier with ProWritingAid.

As Director of Community at ProWritingAid, Hayley Milliman focuses on building engaging, helpful learning content for the millions of users who rely on ProWritingAid to make their writing clear and effective. Hayley has a robust writing portfolio and has written for dozens of publications on topics related to education, marketing strategy, history, entrepreneurship, and more.

What do the first ancient playwrights, Carl Jung, and Dungeons and Dragons have in common? They all understood the power of character archetypes. Join author, editor, and book coach Julie Artz as she explores how writers can not only use the classic fantasy character archetypes to maximize tension on the page, but move beyond them to create fresh, resonant characters in their fiction. In addition to the helpful tips provided in the lecture, participants will also receive Julie's bonus Fantasy Archetype Checklist to keep on hand as they craft their characters.

Julie Artz helps writers who dream of a life spent telling stories that matter slay their doubt demons so they can send their work out into the world with confidence. An active member of the writing community, she has volunteered for SCBWI, TeenPit, and Pitch Wars and is a member of EFA, the Authors Guild, and AWP. A social and environmental justice minded story geek, Julie lives in an enchanted forest outside of Seattle, Washington, with her husband, two strong-willed teenagers, and a couple of naughty furry familiars.

Special links and offer:

• Julie’s slides and the Character Archetype Workbook are available from: https://pages.julieartz.com/fantasywritersweek

• Added bonus: Are you in the 5% of writers who are truly ready to pitch? Find out with my self-paced course, WKND Pitch Perfection. Here’s a coupon code for $30 off for Fantasy Writers Week folks only: PWA_APRIL2024 Redeem at https://julie-artz.mykajabi.com/wknd-pitch-perfection

Lara Ferrari is an author marketing specialist on a quest to help you attract readers and sell more books without any of the usual social media awkwardness. Join her for this Fantasy-focused workshop as she introduces us to 12 author archetypes, each with their own spell-binding strategies for crafting connections with readers and building a legion of fans (before your book is even published). Tune in to discover whether you’re an Alchemist, a Changeling, a Dark Wizard, or something else entirely…

Lara Ferrari is an author marketing specialist who’s helped over 100 authors grow an engaged community of readers online (and helped them have fun doing it!). After a passion for marketing landed her a career in copywriting and a love of books led to developmental editing, Lara eventually managed to combine both areas of expertise and find her true purpose. After successfully using Instagram to build her own business, she now channels all her energy into helping authors charm the social media algorithms and share their stories with the readers who will love them most.

Special link:

Access Lara’s Fantasy quiz: https://lemonfriday.myflodesk.com/fantasy-quiz

Writers work for years—if not decades—to break into publishing, but once they get there, many find themselves trapped in a cycle of hustle and burnout. Writing stops being fun. Anxiety skyrockets. Every new publishing milestone brings another layer of imposter syndrome. In Beyond Burnout: How to Stay in Love with Writing & Build a Sustainable Author Career, traditionally published author and master certified coach Isabel Sterling breaks down the root cause of author burnout and provides actionable steps that every author can take to burnout-proof their career.

Isabel Sterling is a master certified coach and the founder of The Confident Author Academy, where she helps novelists create sustainable, burnout-free authors careers. A traditionally published author herself, Isabel writes twisty paranormal thrillers about magical queer girls who find love after heartbreak. Her novels include These Witches Don’t Burn, This Coven Won’t Break, and The Coldest Touch.

Special link:

Get a free download of Isabel’s Burnout-Free Writing Worksheet: http://www.isabelsterling.com/burnout

During this networking session, you will be placed into small break-out rooms to collaborate on building your own fantasy world.

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to elevate your storytelling to new heights! In “Adding Depth to Your Fantasy World,” we’ll delve into the secrets of creating rich and believable worlds that will mesmerize readers and bring your stories to life.

As Director of Community at ProWritingAid, Hayley Milliman focuses on building engaging, helpful learning content for the millions of users who rely on ProWritingAid to make their writing clear and effective. Hayley has a robust writing portfolio and has written for dozens of publications on topics related to education, marketing strategy, history, entrepreneurship, and more.

Kristina Stanley is an award-winning author, professional editor, and creator of the StoryCoach Story Editing Certification. She has spent the last decade designing a practical story editing process that any writer or editor can use to make sure that the plot, characters, structure, and settings are as impactful as possible.

From building captivating characters to weaving seamless plots and infusing your writing with emotion, Kristina is here to help. Bring your burning questions and editing dilemmas for personalized guidance and expert insights that will transform your manuscripts.

Join our interactive workshop to master the art of crafting compelling query letters. This session offers hands-on learning with live critiques of your queries. Discover the key elements that make your pitch stand out and learn how to effectively communicate your book’s essence to literary agents or publishers. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, this workshop provides invaluable insights and personalized feedback to enhance your query letter writing skills. Don’t miss this opportunity to fine-tune your pitches and increase your chances of getting noticed in the competitive world of publishing.

Marvellous Michael Anson has been writing for over a decade and has self-published a thriller, His Dark Reflection, to critical acclaim. She was shortlisted for the Futureworlds Prize in 2023, winning mentorship from a top UK editor. Her debut fantasy novel, FIRSTBORN OF THE SUN was shortlisted for the 2022 Jericho Writers Friday Night Live Competition and the 2022 Kit De Waal Bursary, was longlisted for the 2023 REVPIT competition, and won the 2023 Jericho Writers’ Self Edit Course Bursary. In addition, Marve is a filmmaker who wrote and produced an award-winning short film in 2016 and is a recipient of the 2017 AFRIFF Film School Scholarship Program. She works as a technology consultant during the day and a storyteller at night. She is a member of the Society of Authors, Alliance of Independent Authors, and the British Fantasy Society. She is represented by Kesia Lupo, Bindery Agency. 

During this networking session, you will be placed into small break-out rooms to get to know each other and discuss your takeaways from the week.