Schedule

List of Panels

Abandoning Traditional Publishing

Traditional publishing can be great, but it also has some major drawbacks and issues. When do you decide to throw in the towel? If your book is too weird, if you’re burnt out on rejections, or if you’ve had it with corporations entirely, what do you do with that? How do you go about building your own empire, eschewing traditional publishing entirely?

Advice to Aspiring Writers: Live Q&A!

Established pros assemble for a full 50 minutes of brain-picking on as many aspects of writing as we can fit, from developing your craft to navigating the industry, hard lessons learned and stories of triumph, and more. Our moderator will introduce the panelists and their expertise (including what areas are off limits) and then the floor is yours, dear attendees. Bring your questions!

Alanna the Lioness and the Queer Foundations of Fantasy Fiction

After decades, Tamora Pierce logged on and gave the people what they wanted: a canonically genderfluid Alanna. Returning to Pierce's books alongside other classic fantasy literature, our panelists discuss how queerness has been built implicitly, explicitly, and accidentally into the foundations of the fantasy genre, and how that's shaped the stories we see today.

Anthology Building 101

Ever thought about editing an anthology? Have an idea you’re hungry to develop, but not sure where to start? Our expert anthologists discuss the many paths to see your book out into the world—from going indie vs pitching to publishers, to submissions and curating your ToC, to the lesser-known costs and pitfalls and how to properly budget.

Arm Yourself Against a Sea of Chatbots: Writing in a World with “AI”

“AI” has begun to infiltrate many of the publishing spaces SFFH writers seek to use. If there is no future where this is avoidable, how can writers navigate an increasingly complex and often problematic environment?  Our panel will discuss paths forward for writers who may not be used to dealing with these challenges but still need to be able to get their work to markets.

Bam, Pow or Thwack Your Way Into Comics

How do you turn your prose novel into a graphic novel, or your slice-of-life idea into a weekly online strip? Should you try to break into the comic space traditionally, or go indie? And how can you make your existing work look interesting to comic publishers? Whether you've always wanted to transition to comics, or have recently discovered their appeal, join our panelists for a discussion on SFFH comics and their advice on how to get into the industry.

Be Less Precious About Your Writing Habits

The more we write, the more we risk getting stuck into a certain way of doing things. Location, time of day, beverage, headphones or no headphones, your favorite trinket beside you—at what point are these less beneficial practices, and more behaviors that get in the way of being productive? How do you recognize when you’ve become precious with your habits? And if you have, how do you break those habits?

Being a Good (Role) Player

So you’ve just been invited to a new TTRPG game, but you’re not entirely sure how to get what you want out of it. Or maybe you’ve played a bunch of times, but you’re just not having as much fun as you’d like. Join our panel to gain some tools to understand your own needs and wants as a player, how to play well with others, and how to have conversations that will lead to a better gaming experience.

Best Friends on a Long Arc

Friendship can be complicated. It shifts and bends—sometimes breaks—particularly over a long stretch of time. How can a series of books, or multiple seasons of television, challenge and transform a friendship in interesting ways? Where have creators broken a bond and reforged it, balancing realistic tension with not alienating fans? Our panelists discuss their favorite (or least favorite) long-term fictional friendships, including the ones that have worked and the ones that haven’t.

Biology of Zombies

With the rise of zombie fiction, there has also been a rise in discussion about the potential scientific backing of zombies. Whether through pufferfish venom, fungi, or various viruses, the real-life potential for zombification is the topic of more and more theories, and on everyone’s … brains. Join our panelists for an examination of these theories, whether or not they hold weight, and what authors may be able to pull on for their own zombie tales.

Blue Pencil Cafe

Want feedback from a pro writer or editor on your work? Bring 2-3 pages of writing and get real-time, in-person feedback from one of our expert critiquers. Or, sit down for a one-on-one Q&A about the writing industry. Sign-up in advance or at registration.

Building A Better Apocalypse

Climate crisis? We got it. Plague? We got it. Geo-political instability? Got that too! For writers seeking to hone in on potential disaster, whether for cli-fi, sci-fi, or post-apocalyptic dystopia, which do you pick? How do you build a crisis that feels real to your readers, especially when the truth often feels stranger than fiction, and challenges your characters? And how do you manage the precarious balance of disaster and empowerment, both for readers and characters?

Close Revision Strategies for Authors

After drafting and initial revisions, focusing in for a tight, line-by-line edit of your manuscript can sometimes feel like a daunting task. But it doesn’t need to be! Our expert panelists will walk you through a series of strategies to effectively carry out a deep edit of your work that won’t take ten drafts or ten years to complete.

Collaboration is an Alchemical Partnership

In the same way that sometimes you don’t want to live with your best friend, being close with another writer doesn’t mean you’ll be great collaborators—but when you find that perfect writing partner, the result can be alchemy. Join us as two rockstar writing duos discuss the fine points of their creative process. How did they first join forces, and how do the logistics work long-distance? How do their strengths complement each other? When do they push each other, and when do they pull back? What advice do they have for anyone looking for a writing partner?

Constructing a Historical Protagonist

So you want to write historical fiction (or historical fantasy, or alternate history, or what have you). What is the process of building your protagonist? How do you decide whose story this is, or should be? How do you balance authenticity to the historical period, while also being accessible for a modern audience? What are some of the common pitfalls, and what are the ways that writers should be thinking about what they know (or think they know)?

Crone Lit: The Time Has Come

Not every hero is a Millennial or Gen Z. Not every woman reaches a “certain age” and retires to gardening and keeping an eye on the grandkids. Enter crone lit, the newest subgenre that needs to take the industry by storm, where authors are championing stories focused on women protagonists over 50. It might take them a little longer to get moving in the mornings than it once did, but they’re still badass. And there is rich storytelling to be had in this underrepresented area of spec fic.

Embodied In Horror

When one has a body that is politicized, condemned, or subjected to casual violation, the concept of body horror can feel more like reality than fantasy. How do marginalized writers use speculative storytelling to examine the horror that’s already a part of their lives? How is their relationship to that violence and violation transformed through the lens of SFFH, and what can be gained by exploring the anger, trauma, and despair that comes with it?

Enticing Gamers: Environmental Storytelling

Games like Bioshock, Elden Ring, and the Dark Souls series make excellent use of environmental storytelling, i.e., using the environment to impart lore, background, and narrative itself. However, due to the nature of video games, this type of storytelling can often be ignored and walked past. What entices players to dig in and explore in search of story? How are we engaged by these design elements? And where does that fail and leave us missing something in our experience?

Escaping a Scarcity Mindset (Or Maybe You Don’t Want To)

For a long time now, creatives have been pushed to say yes to every opportunity, and wear many hats, because one day the offers might dry up. Clearly, this isn’t always sustainable. But once you’ve achieved the version of success where you’re busy—especially if you want to be busy—how do you keep from letting a scarcity mindset dominate your approach to art? Conversely, can a scarcity mindset be a useful tool for productivity and keeping ahead of the curve?

Falling Back In Love With Writing

If we can all agree on something, it’s that sometimes, writing is hard. Whether it’s dealing with burnout, the aftermath of writer’s block, or just existing in the world, most of us have had moments where we did not feel very positively about the work. How do we cope with this difficulty? What helps us to navigate these feelings, and to come back to our passion for the craft? How can we fall back in love with writing?

Gothic Horror in the New Age

Gothic horror has been popular for hundreds of years, with new sub-genres appearing all the time. How have more recent works, such as The Death of Jane Lawrence, Mexican Gothic, and What Moves the Dead expanded upon or challenged the existing structure of Gothic literature? What still appeals to us about the gothic, even hundreds of years out from its inception? And as we move further away from that beginning, what are the core concepts that make something truly gothic?

Genre Identity: How To Know If It's Time To Change

Authors tend to write in the genre they enjoy reading. But actors will tell you they can craft their most powerful characters when they're cast against type -- the comic in the tragic role, the tragedian as a clown. How is the same true of writing? What if you're too comfortable in your old familiar territory? What if your writing could acquire previously undiscovered power in a new genre? How do you know when venturing into a new genre risks sacrificing the audience or experience you've so carefully nurtured over the years? How do you decide if/when it's time to change genre?

He’s Babygirl: Reclaiming the Queercoded Villain

There is a long history of villains being queercoded, either as a way to signify their villainy, or as a way to include queer characters without tripping the sensors. In recent years, we have seen more openly queer villains (or at least, morally-grey characters): Lestat in AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, Astarion in Baldur’s Gate III, even Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Jobu Tupaki. What does having “problematic” queer characters mean for the LGBTQIA+ community and for speculative fiction? How does the canonical queerness of these characters expand our understanding of these stories and the question of “good representation”?  

Holy S***, How Did We Get Here? Kate Heartfield and Premee Mohamed, in Conversation

Can*Con’s two Author Guests of Honour are busy. In their respective genres, Kate and Premee have practically become household names, seeing international success and beating off opportunities with a stick. But how did they get here? What’s it like being Kate Heartfield and Premee Mohamed? Join us as these two amazing women dig into each other’s experiences and influences, in a conversation you won’t get anywhere else.

Hooking The Reader: Breaking Down What Works

We’ve all been told that the beginning of a story is the key to grabbing the attention of editors, publishers, and readers alike. First sentences, first paragraphs, first pages — it’s all important to making that first good impression. But what does that actually mean? Join four of our authors as they break down the first page of one of their published works, why those pages work, and how they came to write them.

How to Start a Magazine and Keep Your Mind Intact

Do we need a reminder that it’s a fraught time for SFF magazines? Though issues like financial stability and a flood of AI-written submissions continue, new and exciting markets continue to open, and long-running magazines continue to survive. How does one decide “hey, I want to start a magazine” and what comes next? What are the essential building blocks you need to successfully launch your first issue? And then how do you sustain without burning out?

Into the Glorious Headphones: Special Preview of The Heretic's Guide to Homecoming Audiobook

Listen: have you ever heard of the city of Thesopole? Join us for a storytime unlike any other. Take a seat, close your eyes, and be transported to the vibrant, mysterious world of Shale—complete with musical accompaniment! After seven years, Sienna Tristen’s cult classic The Heretic’s Guide to Homecoming is getting a glow-up in the form of an orchestrated audiobook. Want an in-depth look at taking a story “from page to stage”? We’ll be discussing the recording and composing process, alongside a sneak peek showcasing one of the lyrical stories-in-story that Heretic’s Guide is known for. Come with your questions ready!

It’s About The Yearning (TM)

Two characters meet in a crowded room; their eyes lock, their hearts beat in tune, a connection forged between them…and then what? Whether in a capital-R Romance, or between a protagonist and their sworn enemy, tension between characters adds interest and flavour for the audience. How do authors maintain this kind of tension throughout a story, a novel, or a series? Even more importantly, how do they stop it from becoming stale or repetitive, and make it something that can deepen with character development and plot progression?

Just Let Me Sell a Canadian Story, Dammit

Let’s be honest: the more Canadian a story is, the harder it can be to sell. Asking “why” is only part of the discussion. The real question is: how do we overcome or work around an apparent anti-Canadian bias? Where is the space in spec fic for stories set in Nunavut, or retelling the 1838 rebellion, or where John Ware fights off cattle-stealing aliens? Given certain recent events, is now the time for more Canada in fiction?

Killing the Imposter: Dealing with Self-Doubt

Regardless of their level of success, many writers still struggle with a sense of imposter syndrome: the persistent self-doubt in their accomplishments as well as the fear of being found out as a “fraud.” Join our panelists for a discussion of how to manage these thoughts and feelings. How do they change throughout the career? Are there lessons or takeaways that can be gained from the imposter syndrome? And how is this experience potentially complicated for those of marginalized identities?

Lived Experience as Story Fodder

“Write what you know,” says the old advice, but how do we actually put it into practice? Beyond just using knowledge from our careers or our everyday lived experience, how do we incorporate more specific histories and skills? Panelists with a wealth of experience and fascinating journeys in their backstories discuss how they figure out what they want to use in their writing, and how they have done so over the course of their careers.

Local Writing Communities & How To Join Them

Trying to find out how to join a writing group? Look no further! Ottawa is full of them, from small friend groups that meet semi-regularly, to larger, broader groups that meet less frequently. They range from casual, just-here-for-the-vibes organizations to focused, critique-oriented ones. Whatever your preference, there’s likely a group out there for you, and this panel will highlight some, as well as the process of getting involved.

Maggot Story Hour

Come hear four ABSOLUTELY TRUE and ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING tales from our artisans of terror!  
Allow them to freeze your blood and tingle your spine! Take away memories that will live in your dreams forever and perhaps inspiration for your own terrifying tale!
Readers will have ten minutes to share their stories and astound your psyches, followed by a chance to ask each other questions about their horrific words and the TRUTH behind them.

Monstrous Retellings: Weaving Classics and the Supernatural

A lot of the classics already come packed with supernatural elements or references, reflecting widespread beliefs at the time in the power of spirits or gods. When retelling the works of a writer like Shakespeare or Dumas, how can you use those beliefs to weave in actual (or more) of the otherworldly? Is there a line where the twist becomes too weird, or you risk breaking too much with the source material’s original vibe? And given that the monstrous or supernatural often reflected attitudes toward marginalized groups, how do you approach this sort of writing in a way that’s respectful and aware?

Murderbot? Murderbot!

From the bestselling book series to the new Apple TV show, Murderbot has captured many hearts, and seems poised to capture more. So let’s talk about it! What do we love most about Martha Wells’ books, and how has the show adapted those elements? How do the differences in framing between the books and the show change the story and the characters that we love? How does Murderbot’s interiority translate into a visual form? What about the pacing of All Systems Red? Panelists will discuss this and more about the galaxy’s favorite SecUnit.

Navigating Social Communication

Communication can be difficult, especially when trying to navigate potentially high-stakes conversations with editors, agents, publishers, and even fans. For neurodivergent, shy, and otherwise socially awkward people, this can be even more challenging. What are the potential pitfalls that exist for authors, and how can they be circumvented, avoided, or otherwise dealt with? How do we remain true to ourselves and our needs, and keep our batteries up and our spoons in good supply, while also finding ways to positively connect with others and get our meaning across?

New Fronts in World War Fiction

The two World Wars stand among the most written-about periods in speculative fiction—and yet, fresh stories continue to appear, presenting new angles and perspectives on the familiar. How have recent authors re-examined the World Wars? Which fronts still need to be covered? And why do these two conflicts continue to be such a focus for creators and readers alike?

New Perspectives on Space Exploration

Space exploration in fiction has often been seen through a specific lens, which mirrors the dominant culture (i.e. white, male, colonial) - “the final frontier.” What would change if we attempted to prioritize other perspectives? If we started from a lens that included non-white, non-male, non-able-bodied, non-Western, non-cishet ideas, values, and viewpoints? How can we create new models of space exploration from this stance?

No One Mourns the Wicked: Villainous Retellings

Wicked (book, musical, and now film) has shown the potential power in retelling a story from the “villain’s” perspective. Still, how do we determine which characters are well-suited to this kind of retelling, and what treatment do we give them? The Wicked Witch of the West and Maleficent can be sympathetic, sure, but how about the Joker or Cruella de Ville? What tips the scales in terms of how audiences receive these retellings, and what does it say about our relationship to the existing text?

No Story Left Behind: The Ups and Downs of Submitting Short Fiction

Navigating the short fiction industry can be overwhelming, exhilarating, and disappointing. While pro-paying markets are reliable and offer the most money and recognition to writers, they are not the be-all end-all of short fiction publishing! There is much to gain in submitting to semi-pro and token markets, especially now that they can be used towards your SFWA and CODEX memberships. However, this can open up a flood of potential submissions that can be difficult to swim through; join our panelists to hear their experiences with this side of publishing.

Non-Logical Worldbuilding

There are plenty of resources out there to help writers build fantastical worlds that still feel grounded, realistic, and based on systems of cause-and-effect. But what about worlds that aren’t aiming for verisimilitude with our own? Who needs logic when technology based on puns is funnier, or when you want to scare your readers with physics they can’t possibly comprehend? Join our panelists to find out what kind of storytelling is possible when building a world based not on science, but on metaphors and abstract concepts.

Non-Traditional Routes to Traditional Publishing

The conventional wisdom around traditional publishing is that it takes years of querying agents, elevator pitches, slush piles, many refusals, and so on. However, there are other paths: publishers large and small that will accept full manuscripts directly, specialized publishers searching for new work, and genres where the competition is much easier. What are these paths? And what are the red flags that authors should be aware of going down these paths?

One Ring to Bind Them: Writing Metaphors

Metaphor can be an excellent tool to develop themes, to enhance characterization, and to make more room for exploration. This can be as simple The Fall of the House of Usher’s literal crumbling house, or as complex as the magic system in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle. As writers, how do we use magic, technology, or monsters as extended metaphor? Is there a difference between representing a character’s internal struggle and representing a broader theme? What are the potential pitfalls or red flags in doing so?

Platforms for Indie Publishing

You’re an indie author with work that’s ready to be published, and you don’t feel like feeding Amazon (or at least not exclusively). Where do you go? Platforms like itch and Radish offer different opportunities, perks and drawbacks to getting your work out there. Our expert indie authors and publishers will walk you through their pitfalls and discoveries, to give you the best foot forward on your publishing journey.

Poor Coping Skills in SFFH

Stories have often run on the poor coping mechanisms of their characters: if Bruce Wayne just went to therapy, he wouldn’t need to be Batman, and so on. Nowadays, though, our heroes tend to be a little more self-aware: Lucifer goes to therapy, and still takes the wrong lessons away. Fleabag is aware of her issues, but that doesn’t stop her from making bad decisions. What is compelling to us about these characters who are self-aware but still make poor choices? What tension and room for exploration does this create? How do works walk this line between self-awareness and dysfunction?

Publishing Red Flags and Warnings for New Writers

Much as we’re all supposed to be in this together, the unfortunate truth is that every industry has bad actors—including publishing. While some red flags are easy to spot, others are more subtle, both before and after you enter an agreement. What language in a contract might lead to future issues? How can you spot the potential for bad behavior from a publisher, before it’s too late? And if you find yourself in an agreement with someone who turns out to be a bad actor, what options are available to you? (Note: This panel is meant to be constructive, not as a venue to air specific grievances.)

Queer But No Romo

In queer bookish spaces, a story’s central romance is king. Discussions abound around the protagonist and their love interests and which romance tropes apply. But what happens if you remove romance from the equation? How does one navigate queer friendships when romance is the expected staple? In worlds full of magical creatures and space explorations, what other queer stories can we tell? What are some excellent queer books that don’t feature romance?

Reading Like A Writer

Reading is a great way to learn about stories and to pick up tools of the trade, but most of us can read. How do we ensure that we are taking the most from our reading experience? How do the pros take what they read and turn it into active learning? What should aspiring writers be thinking about as they look at their to-read pile or peruse their local library?

Rewriting The Course of History

When it comes to alternate history, rewriting history by removing or fundamentally altering events is a common trope. But how does a writer realistically explore the ramifications of, say, World War II never happening, or the Communist Revolution in China, or the birth of Ashoka the Great? How do we navigate writing about the aftershocks of an event, and figuring out a new world state based on it? What does the choice of which event to alter or remove say about how we as a society view the event, and the stories we therefore tell about it?

Robot Lovers, Friends, & Coworkers: Real-World AI in Spec Fic

Relationships between silicon and carbon-based life forms have been the stuff of sci-fi since Asimov (and before). Today, with the rise of generative AI and robots in everyday life, fiction is once again becoming reality. How are storytellers staying a step ahead to invent fictional robot-human families, workplaces, lovers and more? When imaginary constructs become real, where can our imaginations take us next?

Sensitivity Reading 101

A sensitivity read is a powerful tool for writers who recognize the limits of their own lived experience, and who want to capture a wide spectrum of humanity with respect and verisimilitude. What should writers be looking for when hiring a sensitivity reader, and what should they expect from the process? Our panel of sensitivity readers will shed some light on the kind of mindset necessary for getting the most out of a sensitivity read, what to look for in a reader (and how many), what kind of rates to budget for, and even how to become a sensitivity reader yourself.

Short Kings: The Rise of the SFF Novella

Over the past five years or so, the novella has returned to prominence, despite (or perhaps because of?) its small size. Join a collection of editors and writers as they discuss the novella as a medium, how the approach to writing them is different from short fiction or novels, why they have taken flight in the SFF space specifically, and how they can help both emerging and established writers.

Slow Fiction

In our fast-paced world, and our avid desire to consume books, let us not lose sight of the importance of a slow burn. How does a narrative that wanders and ponders strike different chords within us? When does meandering fiction hit as powerfully as something action-packed? In the creation of art, taking your time can also be similarly significant. Where can a slow approach to fiction lead you as a creative, and why is that important?

Speculative Songwriting, aka So You Want To Write The Next Epic: The Musical

Speculative elements can be found as easily in poetry and song as they are in prose, and with the online popularity of things like Epic: The Musical, it seems more feasible than ever to create and produce vast, fantastical stories through song. But how would a poet interested in songwriting get started? How can elements like composition and rhythm feed into speculative verse? What tools and areas of learning can help with your project, especially if you’re new to the form? How might you approach this as a solo act, versus finding collaborators?

The Art of Rest

We all know (or at least say we know) that rest is important, but what does that actually mean? How do we find meaningful rest in a world that is often very chaotic and demanding? How do we incorporate rest in a way that’s restorative, as opposed to “just enough” so we can go back to the grind? How do we find activities and skills, beyond just crashing into bed once in a while, that actually nurture us creatively and sustainably?

The Bond of Brothers: Writing Sibling Relationships

Whether rivals or lifelong friends (or both!), sibling relationships have the possibility to bring great complexity and interest to your characters. But how to adequately portray those relationships on the page? What are the keys to writing siblings whose dynamic rings true to readers? What are some common frustrations, and what kinds of dynamics would we like to see more of between fictional siblings?

The Continuation of Epic Fantasy

In recent years, we have seen a shift towards popularity of smaller, more contained stories in fiction, and in fantasy especially: the cozy, the quiet, or at least, the more character-driven and personal. But epic fantasy still appeals to a wide range of readers. Why has it endured? What can epic fantasy achieve that perhaps other types of storytelling aren’t meant to? How has our understanding grown in terms of who gets to tell epics, and in the kinds of epic myth-making we engage in as a society?

The Heroine's Journey in Modern Science Fiction and Fantasy

The “Hero’s Journey” remains a classic writing framework, but it clearly does not apply to every story, and some, including Maureen Murdock and Gail Carriger, have developed an alternative Heroine’s Journey. How does this model better reflect the needs of different stories and protagonists? How does it change the role of community and connection? How do authors explore the idea of “the descent” in their work?

The Player-Shaped Hole

Coined by luminary Richard Dansky, the “player-shaped hole” refers to writing a narrative that’s inclusive of player agency, rather than how a novelist or screenwriter has the characters dance to a specific tune. How does this work as a games writing method? Must there always be a player-shaped hole in a narrative game? How can elements of this method be adapted into other forms?

The Post-D&D Gaming Landscape

Prompted in part by designers looking to move away from WOTC, several high-profile creative teams are sending forth entirely new TTRPG systems out on an adventure, as alternatives to Dungeons and Dragons. What are systems like Daggerheart (Darrington Press), Tales of the Valiant (Kobold Press), and Draw Steel (MCDM) offering to players and creators? In what ways are these games in conversation with D&D and others? How has their popularity changed the gaming landscape?

The Rise and Fall of Queer Media

 It is undeniable that in the past decade or so, queer media has seen exponential growth, with shows like Somebody Somewhere, Veneno, Steven Universe, and Heartstopper receiving both critical acclaim and enormous fan responses. However, at the same time, many fan-favourite queer shows have been cancelled before their time (for example, Sense8 and Our Flag Means Death). How do we make sense of these two seemingly inconsistent trends, particularly as queer representation becomes more attacked, and how can fans best support their favourite works?  

The Taste of Sadness: Writing Emotional Dysregulation

Heart racing, sweat dripping, stomach in knots — all classics of showing emotional reactions and responses. As writers, we want to evoke emotion in ways that are specific to our characters, and understandable to our readers, but sometimes this means that we resort to cliches. How do we find new and interesting ways to communicate our characters’ emotional states (and distress) to our readers, especially when the experience may be different from what is expected? How can we attune to our own emotions and somatic experiences in a helpful way for enriching our writing?

Tragic Horror

Horror often explores the more miserable aspects of the human experience. It brings us in close to the moments where we fail and experience pain. But alongside tremendous human suffering, we also see significant human resilience: persisting in the face of overwhelming odds and terrible fates. How do we as writers navigate that exploration of the tragic nature of horror? Where are the lines between horror and tragedy? And how do we balance that out with enough hope to keep readers going?

Translating Yourself: Cultural Representation in Fiction

The need for more published works from BIPOC writers is greater than ever, but the publishing industry still balks from anything that is not white-coded, white-adjacent, or white-palatable enough. When white publishers and readers still carry so much power and influence, how do writers grapple with the demand to “translate” - adding descriptions of food or clothing, defining non-English words, or explaining non-Western history, culture, and politics? What is sacrificed by adding this layer of subtle translation or exposition, and what is gained?

Who’s Telling This Story (And How)

One protagonist, dual protagonists, multi-point-of-view stories. First-, second-, and third-person points of view—there are many options to choose from. But what do each of these choices actually mean for your story, on a fundamental level? What does choosing to write in first person (or second, or third) say about the story you’re trying to tell? What makes the difference between a story with multiple POVs, and a story with multiple protagonists?

Worldbuilding Without the Nuclear Family

Across storytelling, the nuclear family (monogamous sexual-romantic partners who can have children) remains the favoured unit—inscribed as such in many tax laws and religious customs. And while a lot of queernormative worldbuilding tackles the “a man and a woman” aspect of this, it is still fairly rare to see writers chuck it out the window entirely to explore what else can exist. How do other changes to family structure and customs impact broader societal organization? How are housing or childcare arranged? Who do these changes advantage / who derives more structural power from them?

Writing Groups to Propel your Career

What do you need from your writing group in order to grow as a writer — or, how do you run a writing group that successfully empowers its members? As Felicia Rose Chavez highlights in her work The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop, it’s worth re-examining traditional writing models to see if they’re really working for you. What are the advantages of doing a group cold read, versus adopting a more democratic feedback model? What is gained by focusing on holistic support among members, rather than just the words — and how do you manage that practically? And how do you identify when a particular group’s structure is just not what you need?

You Got Dragons in My Romance Novel

The past few years have seen the rise in popularity of Romantasy, combining elements of both high fantasy and romance, as seen in works like Fourth Wing and the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. What is it that compels us about this combination? How do the high stakes inherent in these books make things spicier or more interesting? And how do authors use fantasy worldbuilding to increase the romantic/sexual tension between their leads?