2024 Colorado Gold Writers Conference

Attending this event?

2024 Colorado Gold Writers Conference

Welcome, writers! If you have any questions about the schedule or the conference at large, please refer to the conference website at rmfw.org/conference or email conference@rmfw.org. To view the conference floor plan, select or click on map from the menu.

1:30pm MDT

Stories in a Flash

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

Flash Fiction challenges writers to include all elements of a satisfying story but at a greatly reduced word count, leaving consumers with a whirlwind read and a memorable ending. By the end of this workshop, participants will create a work of fiction worthy of editing for possible publication.

Speakers

Laurel McHargue

Author

Laurel McHargue—a West Point grad raised near Boston—lives and laughs and publishes and podcasts in the breathtaking beauty of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. After years as an Army Officer, a mother of two sons, and an English teacher, Laurel abandoned paid employment to concentrate... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Genre, Craft
Area Hybrid

3:30pm MDT

The 5 Sentence Method

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

Curious about the 5 Sentence plotting method sweeping TikTok? This plotting approach is perfect for pantsers who want to plot, or plotters who want to cut back on extensive outlines. Learn how to choose your book’s 5 sentences, then tie them to word count goals for flawless pacing. Simple and easy!

Speakers

Rebecca Thorne

Author

Rebecca Thorne has published both traditionally and independently, and uses her social media platform to educate about publishing and writing. She is best known for her sapphic cozy fantasy novel "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea." https://www.tiktok.com/@rebecca.thorne

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Craft
Area Hybrid

8:00am MDT

How to be an Author on Substack

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Conference Room V

Jump start or refresh your writing career by publishing your novel or memoir on Substack.com. In this one-hour workshop, attendees will learn all about Substack, how to post your stories, and earn income. Plus, how using this platform can make you a better writer.

Speakers

Z.J. Czupor

Author

Z.J. Czupor is immediate past president of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In addition to writing monthly columns for Rogue Women Writers, his latest thriller, "Cut Right Through Me," and mystery... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Other
Area Hybrid

9:00am MDT

Writing to Theme

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room V

From the lighthouse of intent, to hard questions, symbols, subplots and echoes, the class will encourage the writer to plumb the depths of meaning, bleed a little, and create multiple strands of meaning in their work. Class will offer concrete examples and methods to tease out your ideas.

Speakers

Johnny Worthen

Award-Winning Author

Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multiple-genre author of novels and short stories.His best-selling science fiction series Coronam, beginning with Of Kings, Queens & Colonies, then Of Civilized, Saved & Savages and now complete with Of Heroes, Homes & Honey, is an epic tale in... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Craft
Area Hybrid

10:00am MDT

Marketing in 2024 & Beyond: Leverage Your Assets

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room V

You can write, you can run ads, and you can burn out. What’s changed since we started publishing books is the way readers consume our content. Are you taking full advantage of that? Are you reaching them exactly where they are, with exactly the formats they want? Time to think bigger, broader. Here’s how.

Speakers

Nick Thacker

Founder, Book Career In a Year

Nick Thacker is the USA Today Bestselling Author of action-adventure thrillers and mysteries, including the Harvey Bennett Thrillers series. Often mentioned as a cross between Clive Cussler and James Rollins, his stories are written in a fast-paced, punchy style. Nick likes to build... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing
Area Hybrid

11:00am MDT

How to Use Hollywood Scene Writing Techniques For Your Novel

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT

Conference Room V

What do we love about a good movie or TV show? Great scenes that move the story along and keep us glued to the screen. This workshop will show you how to use proven screenwriting techniques to write scenes for your novel to ensure that your audience (and agent!) will turn every page.

Speakers

Kevin Campbell

Author

A 40-year television, film, and education veteran, Kevin Campbell started his career as a TV news journalist. He produced hundreds of news stories as well as TV commercials, marketing videos, and education/training content. He also taught video production for high school and college... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Craft
Area Hybrid

1:30pm MDT

80,000 Words in a Day

Saturday September 28, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

Write faster, better. Use dictation to smash your word count goals — with a system that’s proven to work.

Speakers

Nick Thacker

Founder, Book Career In a Year

Nick Thacker is the USA Today Bestselling Author of action-adventure thrillers and mysteries, including the Harvey Bennett Thrillers series. Often mentioned as a cross between Clive Cussler and James Rollins, his stories are written in a fast-paced, punchy style. Nick likes to build... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Productivity
Area Hybrid

2:30pm MDT

How to Show & Sell Books at Events

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

Ready to hand sell your at live events like cons, library fairs, festivals, and more? No, you don’t need to be pushy, you don’t need to be “salesy,” and you don’t need to give up your soul. Though a midwesterner and congenitally allergic to hard sales, Laura has event success to share with you.

Speakers

Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Award-Winning Author

Laura VanArendonk Baugh writes award-winning fantasy of many flavors as well as non-fiction. She has summited extinct, dormant, and active volcanoes, but none has yet accepted her sacrifice. She lives in Indiana where she enjoys Dobermans, travel, fair-trade chocolate, and making... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing
Area Hybrid

3:30pm MDT

Is Your Book Packaging Hurting Your Sales?

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

People read your books and love them! So why is it so hard to generate more sales? You must treat your book as a product and understand how it’s packaged and presented to potential readers. Come learn how to analyze market trends and how they relate to the product you are offering.

Speakers

Andre Gonzalez

International Bestselling Author

Andre Gonzalez is the author of all things thriller and horror. He has penned the Wealth of Time series and the Insanity trilogy. You’ll likely find him buried under a long to-do list or his three young (and energetic) children.

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing
Area Hybrid

4:30pm MDT

Stacked Promos

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room V

Unlock the secrets of strategically coordinated book promotions in this informative workshop. You’ll learn to leverage multiple marketing avenues, cultivate an engaged author platform, amplify your book’s visibility, boost sales, and expand your readership. Join us and take your author game to new heights.

Speakers

LS Hawker

USA Today Best Selling Author

LS Hawker is the author of the thrillers THE DROWNING GAME, BODY AND BONE, END OF THE ROAD, and THE THROWAWAYS. THE DROWNING GAME is a USA Today bestseller and finalist in the ITW Thriller Awards in the Best First Novel category. Her novels have been translated into eight languages... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing
Area Hybrid

8:00am MDT

The Faceted Story

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Conference Room V

A presentation about those elements of narrative fiction that lend depth, value and resonance to writing. Examples and techniques will be offered to help shape niches and expand any story into new areas of interest for a greater chance to stand out from the slush pile.

Speakers

Johnny Worthen

Award-Winning Author

Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multiple-genre author of novels and short stories.His best-selling science fiction series Coronam, beginning with Of Kings, Queens & Colonies, then Of Civilized, Saved & Savages and now complete with Of Heroes, Homes & Honey, is an epic tale in... Read More →

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Craft
Area Hybrid

9:00am MDT

Serial Fiction: If It Worked for Andy Weir, Can It Work for Me?

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room V

Serial fiction has been around for more than 200 years and is making a comeback with the emergence of technology from social media platforms to television streaming and comic books. This advanced program will explore serial fiction’s history, current opportunities, and how it might start or jump start your writing career.

Speakers

Z.J. Czupor

Author

Z.J. Czupor is immediate past president of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and an active member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In addition to writing monthly columns for Rogue Women Writers, his latest thriller, "Cut Right Through Me," and mystery... Read More →

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing, Publishing
Area Hybrid

10:00am MDT

Generating Sales with Facebook Ads

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room V

Many authors believe Facebook Ads no longer work for generating sales. In reality, the platform has become highly competitive thanks to a flood of major corporations. Come learn how to efficiently carve out your space as an author and gain new readers on a platform that still has a billion users.

Speakers

Andre Gonzalez

International Bestselling Author

Andre Gonzalez is the author of all things thriller and horror. He has penned the Wealth of Time series and the Insanity trilogy. You’ll likely find him buried under a long to-do list or his three young (and energetic) children.

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room V

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Marketing
Area Hybrid