Articles & Press
A Designer's Guide
to Cover Art
Itch Perfect and an
evil Matt Damon
Creating Languages
in Fantasy
Creating a new language is a challenge! But it’s part of the fun of building another world. In this panel, fantasy authors discuss how to begin creating a language – along with dialects and idioms – handling translations, and being mindful of pronunciations.
Wordcrash
John Ick and space alien elves with K. J. Harrowick and Luke Zwanziger.
How to Develop Distinct Narrative Voices
Learn how to develop distinct narrative voices when writing a multi-POV novel! This panel was part of Storycrafting Sessions: Character Development, a one-day virtual conference hosted by the Weeknight Writers Group.
ConLang Development
Enrich Your Worldbuilding with New Words. Listen to these Weeknight Writers experts discuss constructed languages and tips for making those words add depth to your story.
Judging A Book By Its Cover
The job of a book’s cover designer is not so simple as it may first appear, and covers can have enormous impact on sales. Come join experienced cover designers Dave Brasgalla and K. J. Harrowick as they chat about the ins and outs of cover design.
Pairings Project
K.J. Harrowick is one of my favorite people already, but when I got to read the final version of her debut novel, I was reminded exactly why she is my critique partner and friend. She crafted a story that falls in love with the tropes of fantasy, science fiction, and romance, and weaves them together…
On Writing Communities
What does the phrase ‘writing community’ bring to your mind? I have been an active member of the twitter writing community for almost a year now and my experience so far has been that it has connected me with not only authors, but also fellow book bloggers, readers and more.
Using Our Darkness to Create Compelling Villains
How do you craft a villain for your story that feels alive? When you delve deep into your villains and treat them as the heroes of their own stories, they can help propel your hero along their arc and make your stories even stronger as a result. So settle in and be prepared to treat your inner devils with a dose of empathy.
Writing Short Stories
Short stories can be more challenging than one would expect! Learn about the various types of short fiction, how to show and tell within limited word counts, and balancing theme and character with plot within short stories.
Build Your World
World building is one of the trickier aspects of a story, and how it’s done will vary widely by genre, building around a tale that remains focused on the characters and their emotional journey. Create stronger immersion for your readers to have an impact on your character.
Creating an Author Brand
An author brand can be a useful marketing tool. Expert panelists discuss why it’s important, how to decide on a brand, and what tools and resources are available, along with pitfalls to avoid.
Erroneous Code in Fiction
If there’s one consistent thing I always see in science fiction, it’s the all-in-one magical hacker who can transcend language with a little punk rock and a long night of script writing. To understand why the hacker vs. corporation security myth doesn’t work, we need to dig deeper, straight to the source: the code.
Worldbuilding with
WriteHive
Worldbuilding is everyone’s favorite thing, but it’s not everyone’s best skill. Check out this panel from some amazing worldbuilders on the tips, tricks, and techniques they use to make their fictional worlds come to life!
Set Your Writer Goals – And Keep Them
A submission deadline is looming, and you’ll want your best, prettiest, most polished manuscript to shine like a beacon. You’ve still got work to do, and it can be tough to close your browser window and focus on your work.
Structure, Plot Points
& Story Beats
The structure of your story is the content backbone and has one of the hardest jobs: to ensure all the pieces of your character’s adventure are in their proper place. But the structure isn’t just about alignment of the details, it has to serve several functions.
Tech Savvy Authorpreneur
Writing–as an activity and as a business–has come a long way since the Internet boom. Authors can self-publish books, make covers, create websites, format their novels, and outline with software that didn’t exist even five years ago. As trends move toward tech, it’s important to understand what tech to use AND how to use it. Check out this panel for tips on getting tech-savvy!
Writer Communities
In episode 6, Jeni and Melissa discuss creating a writing community with author K.J. Harrowick. Listen in…EPISODE 6 Writing Community.