Balticon 58 begins in a dozen days, and my weekend will be extremely busy — I’ve been placed on ten programming items, plus I’ll be recording three episodes of my Eating the Fantastic podcast. I could have been on eleven items, but decided to turn down the offered reading slot because that would have made my days much too crowded.

If you’ll be in Baltimore as well, here’s where to find me — when I’m not off getting early morning donuts or late night cannolis, that is!

No Sh*t, There I was!
Friday, May 24, 8:30 p.m. (Guilford)
Everyone has one of these stories. Our panelists will share theirs.

How to Keep Writing After the Workshop
Saturday, May 25, 11:30 a.m. (Club Lounge)
Writing workshops can be energizing and inspirational, but not everything can be done within a workshop environment. How can we take what we learned and apply it to our writing process? What ways can you build on friendships made during the workshop, like building accountability or sprinting partners? Let’s talk about how to keep the benefits of a workshop going over the long term.

Autographing
Saturday, May 25, 4:00 p.m. (5th Floor Lobby)
with Adeena Mignogna

Podcasting on the Cheap
Saturday, May 25, 5:30 p.m. (Mount Washington)
Podcasting requires the use of specialized hardware and software, but starting your podcast doesn’t have to break the bank. Come learn about the best tools you can assemble on a budget, where to find free-to-use content, and production techniques you can use make even the cheapest gear sound good.

Structuring Your Story
Sunday, May 26, 1:00 p.m. (Club Lounge)
We’ve gone way beyond the Three Act structure. We have things like, the Nine Act structure, Beat Sheets, the Snowflake Method, and more. It’s all very confusing. If you’re a new writer, where do you start? If you’re an established writer, which of these techniques are useful to you, are you using them already? Our panelists will help you navigate the dangerous shoals of writing structures and new (or not so new) techniques.

Double Threats: Writing Both Science Fiction and Fantasy
Sunday, May 26, 4:00 p.m. (Mount Washington)
There are many authors who write both Science Fiction and Fantasy. How do writers approach writing each genre? Do writers tend to be better at one genre than the other? How do writers decide which genre suits the story they want to tell?

Best Resources on Writing
Sunday, May 26, 5:30 p.m. (Mount Washington)
What books should you have on your shelf when you’re trying to read about writing? There are some great YouTube channels out there too. Let’s talk about the best resources to help you write your story.

Write What You Love While Paying the Bills
Sunday, May 26, 7:00 p.m. (Guilford)
As a writer, how do you balance writing what you love and writing what the market wants? Balancing what sells with your passion while earning enough money to keep the lights on is a juggling act. How do you decide on your next project? Panelists will discuss how they’ve found their own place in this turbulent mix.

How to Incorporate Critique
Monday, May 27, 10:00 a.m. (Gibson)
Someone’s read your work in progress… and they have feedback. How do you know what should be incorporated, and how can you do it so that changes feel consistent with what you’ve written? How can you deal with conflicting suggestions? How do you tell the difference between impartial constructive feedback and a reader’s personal preference?

Dealing with Literary Rejection
Monday, May 27, 1:00 p.m. (Guilford)
Every creator has received a rejection at some point in their career. Just because you’re been rejected doesn’t mean your story is bad. There can be lots of reasons why your story was rejected. Let’s talk about some strategies to help you move forward and keep writing and submitting.

If you’ll be there as well, please say hi!