9 AM MAIN:                 KEYNOTE with Karina Fabian, Persevering in Your Writing: There are a million things that can get in the way of your writing, from writer’s block to busy lives to feeling guilty about the time it takes. With 30 years’ experience, Karina Fabian has faced many of these — many times over — yet she’s published more than 45 books. Karina shares her strategies for persevering, including practical tips and learning to accept and even love ourselves as writers.
CWG Room: closed

 10:30 AM MAIN:         Allison Gingras, Optimizing Your Reach: SEO, Algorithms, Hashtags, Current Trends, Reach vs Engagement — the digital divide with its many buzzwords can be overwhelming and even a little confusing. After 15 years of navigating this territory, Allison Gingras shares lessons and resources to help you use the powers of social media and online platforms for good! 

10:30 AM CWG Room:   Amy Schisler, Self-Publishing Secrets Amazon doesn’t Want You to Know: How do you publish with Amazon and Ingram consecutively? What’s the best ebook publisher outside of KDP? Can I publish with KDP as well as others? How can I create an audiobook? What is a BIASC code and what do I do with it? Do I really need an editor? And more.

NOON, both rooms:    Meals with Mentors (box lunch to be ordered at registration and included in conference fee)

1:30 PM MAIN:            Panel: Tips for Giving and Receiving Manuscript Feedback. As writers, we’re often too close to our work to evaluate it objectively, so it’s crucial that we seek out feedback, whether from a critique group, beta readers, or paid editors. But what happens when we disagree with or don’t understand that feedback? And how can we, in turn, provide useful critiques to other writers?
Moderator: Carmela Martino. Guests: Allison Ramirez, Sr. Allison Regina Gliot, Arthur Powers 

1:30 PM CWG Room:  Kass Fogle, Reels: Discover how to create impactful Reels that resonate with your ideal readers and grow your author platform. This workshop covers the basics of Reels, from identifying your target audience and crafting content to filming tips, harnessing Canva for design, and maximizing engagement with captions and trending audio. Whether you’re new to video or looking to refine your skills, you’ll leave equipped to create Reels that showcase your unique voice and build authentic connections. 

3:00 PM MAIN:            Lorelei Savaryn, Navigating Secular Publishing as a Catholic Author. Lorelei has navigated the waters of publishing as a Catholic in a secular market that has shifted away from Christian values in the past couple of decades in a significant way. She provides insights into navigating this world as a Catholic, and advice/strategy for authors looking to pursue this path or learn more about it. 

3:00 PM CWG Room:  Gabriella Batel, Hook, Line, and Sinker: Nailing the First Page to Make Your Reader Keep Turning. Gabriella dissects the pivotal components of a strong opening to a novel, including how to construct a question-inducing first line; how to form a clear, bracing atmosphere without info dumping in the first scene; and how to set reliable expectations and foreshadow the rest of the book. It illuminates common pitfalls and highlights best practices, preparing writers to craft a beginning that will leave readers, agents, and publishers alike itching for more.

4:30 PM MAIN: Closing session