Category: Wilwrite26 Online Track

  • 4 – 5PM Saturday Zoom 2: Social Media(tion for those who just don’t know where to start with social media marketing)

    If you want to maximize your readership reach, social media is a necessary evil. In this workshop, we’ll explore each of today’s leading platforms, their respective audiences, as well as their technical strengths and weaknesses. Over the course of 60 minutes, we will cover the core components of building and amplifying a brand in 2026, as well as tips and tricks to jumpstart your social media strategy. This is a beginner-level marketing workshop built for authors at any stage of their publishing journey, and there will be Q&A time throughout.

    Faculty

    • Fitz Cyr
      Fitz Cyr is a queer romantasy author putting fictional darlings in occasionally funny, always heartfelt, and intermittently perilous situations for your enjoyment. They tell stories of adventure, hope, and the kind of love that makes you want to throw yourself into the sun for a cooldown. With over a decade of marketing experience, Fitz has… Read more: Fitz Cyr

  • 4 – 5PM Saturday Zoom 1: How a Literary Agent Supports Your Writing Career

    Join a panel of literary agents as they discuss the many ways agents support authors throughout their publishing journey. From preparing a manuscript for submission and identifying market opportunities to negotiating contracts and building a long term career, the panel will offer an inside look at the author and agent relationship.

    Faculty

    • Daniele Hunter
      Daniele Hunter (she/her) is a queer, chronically ill, disabled junior agent in the children’s department at McIntosh & Otis. She started at McIntosh & Otis in 2016 as an intern and has been there ever since. She has a BA in English with concentrations in Literary Criticism, Poetry, and Creative Writing from Drew University. Before agenting,… Read more: Daniele Hunter
    • Natalie Kimber
      Natalie/Nat Kimber (she/her) has been an agent with The Rights Factory since 2014, and is based in Weehawken, NJ. She represents adult fiction, nonfiction, and books for young adults. She is the lead organizer of the NYC Writers Circle. She takes pride in guiding authors through the strategy and practical process of publishing, and yet she acknowledges that a wondrous… Read more: Natalie Kimber

  • 4 – 5PM Saturday Belmont B: How to be a Happy and Successful Writer

    How do you stay happy, healthy, and feeling successful as a writer or artist while dealing with rejection, imposter syndrome, envy, and other fun challenges of the creative life? Randy Henderson will share research-based tips on defining success and maintaining emotional well-being as a creative. He’ll also show how to craft character arcs as a tool for examining our writing selves.

    Faculty

    • Randy Henderson
      Randy Henderson is the author of the quirky Finn Fancy contemporary fantasy trilogy from Tor. He’s also a Writers of the Future grand prize winner, Clarion West grad, sometime TTRPG livestreamer, and frequent cat pillow. Socials: @randyauthor. Find out more at https://www.randy-henderson.com/. Schedule

  • 3:30 – 4PM Saturday Belmont A/B & Zoom One: Break

    Refill your coffee and head to the courtyard. It’s the perfect time to meet with friends or make new ones before our last round of workshops for the day.

  • 2 – 3:30PM Saturday Zoom 2: Dirtying Up Your Character: Finding their Flaws

    Why is “dirtying up” your character so important? It makes them more complex and memorable. Many writers focus too much on making their protagonist likable, but real people are flawed and your characters should be too. In this workshop with Marilyn Atlas, you’ll explore the difference between likability and relatability, learning why relatability matters more. You’ll analyze well-known characters, bring your own original character, and dive deep into their psyche through interactive exercises. We’ll also watch movie scenes and discuss how writers make characters relatable even when they’re unlikable.

    Faculty

    • Marilyn R Atlas
      Marilyn R Atlas is a literary talent manager, award-winning producer and the co-author of Dating Your Character. Among her credits as a film producer are Real Women Have Curves (winner audience award Sundance Film Festival 2002) for HBO; A Certain Desire, starring Sam Waterston; and Echoes, which won the Gold Award at the Texas International… Read more: Marilyn R Atlas

  • 2 – 3:30PM Saturday Zoom 1: The Pocket Guide to Pantsing: How to write a novel without an outline, with confidence

    Pantsers: want to ditch outlining forever but don’t know how? Writing a novel without one is like solving a puzzle blind—daunting, but not impossible, and mastering it means writing stories you never dreamed of, stories readers will pay for. In this no-BS presentation, prolific author Michael La Ronn shares the process he’s used to write 30+ novels without an outline: a reliable structure to follow, how to beat self-doubt, exactly what to write when you’re stuck, and how to edit as you go for a clean first-and-final draft.

    • Michael La Ronn
      Michael La Ronn has published many science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He built a writing career publishing 10-12 books per year while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending law school classes in the evenings. Visit his fiction website at www.michaellaronn.com and his resources for writers at… Read more: Michael La Ronn

  • 2 – 3:30PM Saturday Belmont B: All Play, No Pressure: A Generative Poetry-Writing Workshop

    Writer’s block often comes from putting too much pressure on ourselves and our writing. In this 90-minute generative poetry workshop with keynote Christopher Diaz, you’ll explore playful approaches that shift your mindset from critical to curious, helping you write without judgment, surprise yourself, and even have fun. You’ll walk away with new tools to move through writer’s block and a mindset that encourages playful experimentation for a healthier, more sustainable writing practice. This workshop is perfect for beginning writers looking for consistency, seasoned writers wanting to shake up their process, or anyone open to trying something new or playful. We’ll experiment with approaches for when you’re stuck on what to write, unsure how to start, or ready to stretch your voice and try something different.

    Faculty

    • Christopher Diaz
      Christopher Diaz (he/him) is an indigenous CHamoru from the Pacific Island of Guåhan. As a writer, performer, and photographer, he’s been featured by NBC News, Poets & Writers.org, and more. Recently he was awarded a fellowship with Indigenous Nations Poets and an artist grant from the Washington State Arts Commission. In 2025, he was the… Read more: Christopher Diaz

  • 12:30 – 1:45PM Saturday Belmont A/B & Zoom One: Saturday Keynote

    It’s time! The ballroom doors are open. Join us in person or on Zoom for Saturday’s Keynote with publishing expert and celebrated author Jane Friedman. Then, meet the next generation of young writers as they read their work, showcasing fresh voices and exciting new ideas.

    About Jane Friedman

    Jane Friedman headshot

    Jane Friedman has spent 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and industry reporting. In 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.

    She is the author of The Business of Being a Writer, which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the NEA and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.

    Find out more at JaneFriedman.com

  • 11:30AM – 12:30PM Saturday Belmont Foyer: Lunch

    It’s lunchtime! If you’ve registered for a boxed lunch, then come to the Belmont Foyer and pick up your meal. If not, check your folder for our list of neighborhood options, prepared for you by President Emerita Gail Pasternack.

  • 10:30 – 11:30AM Saturday Zoom 2: Bring Your Story World to Life

    World-building can turn a story from “just OK” into something readers can’t put down. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create immersive, believable worlds that draw readers in and support your story. Julie Artz will guide you through practical techniques to make your story world feel vivid and alive.

    Faculty

    • Julie Artz
      Julie Artz helps writers who are almost there across the finish line. She is an Author Accelerator-certified Founding Book Coach and a sought-after writing instructor and speaker. She regularly contributes to Jane Friedman and Writers Helping Writers, and has taught for SCBWI, AuthorsPublish, Jane Friedman, IWWG, and many local writing groups. A consummate social justice… Read more: Julie Artz