CON
(online)
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Friday & Saturday, April 9 - 10, 2021
This year we're hosting the third annual Young Eager Writers Conference online! We have a fun program planned, including new craft talks and workshops tailored to young writers (between 15 and 25 years old), an array of talented guest speakers, and exciting events like our virtual Vendor Break and Costume Social. Set off to a fruitful writing future with us this spring!
PRESENTATIONS
Writing to the Beat
with Jacqui Castle
Save the Cat and The Hero's Journey are two common methods of beat writing used by both screenwriters and novelists alike. Beat writing is often seen as a middle ground between pantsing and plotting. Instead of a rigorous outline, it provides something similar to a story map - a loose structure to follow that gets your protagonist from the first to the last page, with plenty of room to play in between. In this workshop, we will discuss why these methods have gained in popularity and how they can help us strengthen our stories. Plus, we will have a chance to dive into some beat-writing exercises and get that creativity flowing.
Using Story to Change the World
with Michael Evans
Details coming soon...
Environmental Storytelling & Show Don't Tell: How I Learned to Write through Playing Video Games
with Meg Eden
The popular saying goes: “A picture’s worth a thousand words.” With the rapid developments in technology, our storytelling is changing to not just be on the page, but through movies, television, and video games--highly visual mediums. Through the power of images, we can convey a whole narrative in a short space. Games like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Gone Home use environmental storytelling to give us pieces of characters’ lives. In this workshop, we’ll discuss examples of games that tell stories through objects, and go into our own writing exercises inspired by video games.
Who Is My Protagonist?
with Mason Deaver
Join award-winning author Mason Deaver in discovering the wants, desires, and expectations of your protagonist, fleshing out the details of their past, and investigating why they want something and who they will be once they get it. Learn to craft a realistic protagonist you're proud of!
Follow the Flaw
with Brendan Reichs
Learn to craft emotional resonant plots by focusing on what’s wrong with your characters and exploiting those weaknesses to maintain story tension.
Failing Forward
with Scott Reintgen
Scott Reintgen walks through the failures that made him into a successful writer. Every author faces rejections and struggles, but we rarely view those moments as fuel for the fire that gets us to our next goal. Scott will talk about the fact that it's not whether or not you fail that matters, it's what you do next.
Craft talk
with Wiley Cash
Details coming soon...
Finding Innovation
with Quentin Bolden
While you may believe your writing career only consists of sitting in front of a laptop 24/7, Quentin Bolden debunks that idea and offers examples on how your writing future can include many other forms of inspiration. Don't quit your day job as long as your day job fuels your storytelling.
Costume Social
with YEW Team
Details coming soon...
SCHOLARSHIPS
YEW offers scholarships to young writers who are ready to take the necessary steps to success!
VENDOR BOOTHS
Are you an author or organization young writers should know about? Book a booth at our next conference for our Virtual Vendor Break!
OTHER EVENTS
YEW offers new and FREE workshops every month! To stay up-to-date, sign up for our newsletter below.
Sparking Creativity Workshop
with Desiree Brown
Character Development: Relationship Building
Tuesday, January 5 at 6pm - 7pm EST
Generative Workshop
Tuesday, February 2 at 6pm - 7pm EST
Generative Workshop
Tuesday, March 2 at 6pm - 7pm EST
Generative Workshop
Tuesday, April 6 at 6pm - 7pm EST
Generative Workshop
Tuesday, May 4 at 6pm - 7pm EST
YEW Workshops Online
with Desiree Brown & Michael Evans
Dates subject to change...
Topic to be announced...
Saturday, January 23 at 1pm - 2pm EST
Topic to be announced...
Saturday, February 6 at 1pm - 2pm EST
Topic to be announced...
Saturday, March 6 at 1pm - 2pm EST
Topic to be announced...
Saturday, April 3 at 1pm - 2pm EST
Topic to be announced...
Saturday, May 1 at 1pm - 2pm EST