Announcing our 2024 Flathead River Writers Conference

Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell, Montana

October 4-6, 2024

October 4 Workshop with Keir Graff - $125

October 5 and 6 Conference - $190

Student Discount and Single-Day Passes Will Be Available

Registration for Members will open around April 20

(Members will receive an email when registration opens)

Presenters

Author/Editor Keir Graff - 4.5 hour-workshop, Friday, Oct. 4

Capture Readers with Conflict

Good writers use conflict to capture readers’ attention—great writers put conflict on every

page. Editor and author Keir Graff shares straightforward techniques everyone can use, in

every kind of narrative writing, to punch up plot lines, create more fascinating characters,

and make dialogue sing. (Handouts provided; bring up to five sample pages of your own

work for sharing.)

Full Conference October 5/6

Keir Graff

Secrets of a Working Writer

Some full-time authors are household names with #1 New York Times bestsellers and

National Book Awards—and then there are the rest of us. Join novelist, children’s author,

ghostwriter, and editor Keir Graff for an inside look at how one working writer makes it

pay.

Tales of a Fifth Grade Hero

What is middle-grade fiction and how do you write it? How do you sell, publish, and

promote it? In this informative and inspiring presentation, veteran middle-grade author

Keir Graff (The Poison Puzzle, with James Patterson) shares the rewards of going back to

grade school.

Author Debra Magpie Earling presentations

Keynote: Wonders of the Landscape: One writer’s journey

We all possess connections to places both real and imagined that ignite our sense of

wonder. In this lecture Debra Magpie Earling will explore how our personal lives can

intersect with our personal geography and become part of a greater mythology.

The Dark Door Opens

What elements of fiction conjure a curious alchemy that haunts us after we close a book?

How might we use our own unusual experiences to ignite our fiction? In this workshop

we’ll explore the phenomenal stories that surround us. Be prepared to share an uncanny

story, a spooky hometown legend, or a time when something strange occurred. We will use

the grist of your stories to write convincing prose. Bring a sense of humor and an old-

fashioned notebook to scribble your ideas. Come with the notion that writing is fun, and

spooky.

Elements of Conjuring Story

Do you ever wish you had a few more ingredients in your writing cupboard to conjure a

more effective story? Could you use some additional ideas that might make your characters

and scenes turn from mundane to mesmerizing? In this workshop, we’ll examine a few

essential ingredients that will help make your stories shimmer.

Agent Joanna MacKenzie

Finding and Working with an Agent

Finding the best champion for your work can be,

well, a lot of work. In this session we’ll talk about the query process, what to do when an

agent offers representation, and how to make the agent-author relationship a fruitful and

profitable one.

Revise Like a Pro

Learn what’s going through an agent’s mind when they’re reading your

manuscript and then how to help yourself be the best editor of your own work. We’ll talk

about the questions agents ask themselves when considering a new project, how to revise

according to feedback and why killing your darlings is sometimes the best thing to happen

to your story.

Author Kathy Dunnehoff

10 Hacks of the Successful Writers

Writers are generous in sharing what works for them in their writing process. Why not

enjoy our collective genius? Get the tips we could all use to make the job of writing more

productive, more fun, and even more successful.

The Story Bible

You’d think writers would be good at paperwork, but that collage of sticky notes on our

desks may illustrate we’re not. Why not create a system to track ideas, information about

characters, plotting, and even future marketing plans? There are multiple ways to do it, and

you can choose the best fit for you.

Author Maggie Doherty

From Ideas to Publication: the Path to Creative Freelance Writing

The newsroom isn’t the only location to share the latest stories or pen noteworthy op-

eds. Freelance journalism offers writers an opportunity to explore their interests, land

exciting bylines, and develop relationships with editors at your favorite publications. This

workshop offers an introduction to freelance journalism from pitching to publication in a

variety of outlets, from local to national.

Author Leslie Budewitz

Mystery Genres and The Cozy Market

From darkest noir to light and humorous, mystery and crime fiction is a wide-ranging

genre. We’ll review the distinctive subgenres, then focus on one of the most popular, the

cozy---the comfort food of the mystery world. What’s the appeal, what are the key elements

and trends, and how can you make yours stand out?

Setting the Scene in Fiction

The most compelling stories take us somewhere, introducing us to places we’ve never been

or giving us a new view of familiar ground. We’ll look at what makes a place come alive on

the page, whether it’s the main location for your story or a side trip. We’ll dive into the

emotional connections between people and places, and look at how your choices as a

writer can create characters and plot so deeply integrated with setting that the story could

take place nowhere else.

Author Carl Stevens

Technical Writing Doesn't Have to be Boring

Using creative writing principles and techniques, attendees will have a hands-on

experience in ‘punching up’ technical, professional and business writing. Course goal is to

give students the tools to ensure that their messages leap off the page and offer the best

chance being read and understood.

Agent Zoe Howard

Pitching Boldly: Agent and Publicist on Angling Books

“Do you want to read a book with this energy?” Every writer eventually has to pitch their

book, whether in a query letter to agents or to independent booksellers. Join literary agent

and book publicist Zoe-Aline Howard for an inside look at how agents and publicists pitch,

with practical tips for getting noticed, without veering too far from the formal.

DIY Publicity for the Indie Author

What is “DIY publicity,” and how can you make it work for your indie book? In this hour-

long session, Pine State Publicity book publicist Zoe-Aline Howard surveys the state of

book publicity, answers questions about working with an outside publicist (when to bring

one on, where to find one, and what they can do for your book), and offers insight into

building your own publicity campaign.

Author Danica Winters

The Romance Genres and Market

Danica Winters helps you get your love, your desires, on paper. While geared to the

Romance genres, this workshop is pertinent to anyone who includes relationship and

romantic attachments in their writing.

Hook, Line, and Sinker: Getting Attention and Sustaining the Momentum

In this fun and informative hands-on course, we will break down what it takes to create a

strong hook for agents, editors and readers. Bring (or have access to) your current H.I.P

(hook in progress) so we can focus on what is working, what needs a tweak, and what will

make your work stand out in the market.

Full-time Student attendance

$60.00

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