2017 Nebula Conference: Full Schedule

11:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

Led by Laurie Mann, this stroll will give you an Intro to the city, followed by a stroll to lunch (distance: about 1.2 miles)

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator

Ask me if you have any questions about Pittsburgh

20170518.stroll.lunch pdf

Thursday May 18, 2017 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

Audience All welcome, family members too.

12:00pm EDT

Quiet Writing

It's a convention, but you're a writer and you have deadlines. Take advantage of the grandballroom and get some words in before programming starts. During the day, if you want more time, check out the Quiet Room in City Center B.

Thursday May 18, 2017 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Professional Development

12:00pm EDT

Registration

Thursday May 18, 2017 12:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

1:00pm EDT

Convention Mentor meetup

The SFWA mentor program pairs established writers with early career writers, or people attending the Nebula Award Conference for the first time. Participants will attend a brief orientation explaining the weekend, and then be paired with a peer who will help introduce the writer to people.

Moderators

Sarah Pinsker

Director at Large, SFWA

Thursday May 18, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Marquis A

SFWA function

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:00pm EDT

Business and Pleasure: The not-so-secret handshakes of convention life

When you are an early career writer, how do you get the most out of a convention without seeming pushy? Everyone knows that you shouldn't give an editor your manuscript in the bathroom (except for the guy who did it) but you also know that business takes place at conventions. What are the tricks and secrets?

Moderators

Brenda W. Clough

My latest novel, A MOST DANGEROUS WOMAN, is a neo-Victorian thriller just out from Serial Box. My previous novel, How Like a God, is out in e-format from Book View Cafe. My other works there include Revise the World, a time travel novel, and Speak To Our Desires, a dark detective... Read More →

Speakers

William Ledbetter

Writer

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam’s fiction and poetry has appeared in over 90 publications such as Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Lightspeed, and LeVar Burton Reads, as well as in six languages. By night, she has been a finalist for the Nebula Award. By day, she works as a Narrative... Read More →

Caroline M. Yoachim

Thursday May 18, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:00pm EDT

Navigating the gatekeepers of Middle Grade

As a middle grade writer, you are writing for an audience that often isn't the one with the wallet. How do find your audience through the gates of schools and parents?

Moderators

Merrie Haskell.

Author

Merrie Haskell’s novels are The Princess Curse, Handbook for Dragon Slayers and The Castle Behind Thorns. She won the Schneider Family Book Award (Middle Grades) and the DetCon1 Middle Grade Speculative Fiction award, and she was twice a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award... Read More →

Speakers

Jessi Cole Jackson

Writer & Professional Theatrical Costumer

Jessi Cole Jackson lives in the prettiest part of New Jersey. By day she builds costumes for a Tony Award-winning theatre. By night she studies Children’s Literature at Hollins University. Somewhere in between, she writes. Her short fiction can be found in Hidden Youth: Speculative... Read More →

Jane Yolen

SFWA Grandmaster

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.) is pleased to announce that Jane Yolen has been named the 33rd Damon Knight Grand Master for her contributions to the literature of science fiction and fantasy. The award is given by SFWA for “lifetime achievement... Read More →

Thursday May 18, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Panel

2:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings.

On Thursday, available topics are:
Editing, Short Fiction, Science Articles, Submitting, Whatever!
Writing, Editing, Querying, Nuclear Power
Plot Whispering, Point of View, Worldbuilding, Romantic sub-plots, Cats
Pronoun
Draft2Digital
Patreon

Speakers

Ann Kopchik

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Bishop O'Connell is the author of the American Faerie Tale series, a consultant, writer, blogger, and lover of kilts and beer, as well as a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. Born in Naples Italy while his father was stationed in Sardinia, Bishop grew up in... Read More →

Trevor Quachri

Editor in Chief, Analog Science Fiction and Fact

Before taking the reigns of ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION & FACT as editor in 2012, Trevor Quachri started off as an editorial assistant in 1999 and worked his way up the ladder at ANALOG and ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION, under Stanley Schmidt, Sheila Williams, and Gardner Dozois, respectively... Read More →

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

I have over twelve years in magazine, book and digital content marketing, publishing and online retail, in the US, UK and Canada. I've worked with the likes of Kaufmann Mercantile, Amazon Publishing, Amazon.com, Penguin Books, Maisonneuve Magazine and more. Ask me about indie publishing... Read More →

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

I'm an award-winning and bestselling author of thrillers, scifi, and fantasy, and the Director of Marketing for Draft2Digital. Talk to me about indie publishing, worldwide distribution, ebook conversion, author marketing, and the future of the publishing industry.

Thursday May 18, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

2:00pm EDT

Understanding Conflict Resolution

One of the trickiest things in publishing are the odd conflicts that arise. Whether this is between author and copyeditor, agent and editor, or between two characters on the page, we all deal in conflict. This presentation will provide audience members with an understanding of the complex reasons conflicts arise and with theoretical and practical knowledge for resolving conflicts. Audience participation will include brainstorming, some simple exercises, structured roleplays, and discussion.

Speakers

Anne Leonard

Writer

Thursday May 18, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:00pm EDT

Book Sales

Buy books from your favorite authors!

Thursday May 18, 2017 2:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

3:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings.

On Thursday, available topics are:
How Do Grants Work?
Short stories, Submissions, Editing, Science, Engineering, Outdoor Recreation, Work-Life Balance, Time Management
Brainstorming, World-building, Dialogue, Workshopping, Fight Scenes, Flash Critiques, and Fabulata
Draft2Digital
Patreon
Pronoun

Speakers

S.B. Divya

S.B. Divya is a lover of science, math, fiction, and the Oxford comma. She is the Hugo and Nebula nominated author of Machinehood (Saga), Runtime (tordotcom), and the short story collection, Contingency Plans For the Apocalypse and Other Possible Situations (Hachette India). Divya... Read More →

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Sally Wiener Grotta’s books include The Winter Boy (a Locus Magazine’s 2015 Recommended Read) and Jo Joe (a Jewish Book Council Network book). Her story "One Widow's Healing" was a 2019 Health Odyssey winner.Her hundreds of stories, columns and essays have appeared in scores of... Read More →

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Tracy Townsend

Writer, English Instructor

Tracy Townsend is the author of The Nine, book one of the Thieves of Fate series (Pyr), a gaslamp fantasy debut set in a world where theology is a science, three sentient species live in an uneasy truce, and the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of nine unsuspecting individuals... Read More →

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Thursday May 18, 2017 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

3:30pm EDT

Draft2Digital

A presentation by Draft2Digital about services they provide authors. Sign up for one-on-one conversations with Draft2Digital in Office Hours.

Speakers

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Thursday May 18, 2017 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Audience Hybrid, Indie

3:30pm EDT

Taxes and Incorporation

At what point should a writer consider incorporating rather than operating as a sole proprietor? There are benefits to both options, but sorting through it can be daunting for someone who isn't a tax professional.

Speakers

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Kevin McLaughlin is a USA Today bestselling author of science fiction and fantasy novels, with over thirty books published. He has been a speaker at DragonCon, the Nebula Conference, 20Books, WorldCon, Arisia, Boskone, and other events. He believes in giving back to the writing community... Read More →

Bud Sparhawk

Chief Financial Officer

Bud Sparhawk’s short stories collection NONPARALLEL UNIVERSES will be launched at Balticon17 . His next novel: SHATTERED DREAMS will be launched in autumn of 2017. His most recent novel, DISTANT SEAS is available from Amazon and other booksellers as trade paperback and eBook... Read More →

Thursday May 18, 2017 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Panel

Audience Agents, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

3:30pm EDT

Flash Talks

Get snapshot talks on a variety of subjects. Each talk is five minutes long and geared toward jumpstarting your brain.

The tech stack and workflow of Fireside magazine - Pablo Defendini
Introducing Yourself, and Others, at Cons - K.M. Szpara
The Dark Side Has Bright Stars - Diane Turnshek
Romance Story Structure - Shanna Swendson
Search and Rescue Dogs - Ken Chiacchia
The Difference between Middle Grade and YA lit - Jessi Cole Jackson
Arthur C. Clarke called it - Bishop O'Connell
Grantwriting - Sally Wiener Grotta
Grab 'Em By the Taglines: Tips for Writing Engaging Cover Copy - Nancy Lambert
Units of Measurement - David D. Levine

Moderators

Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the Lady Astronaut series and historical fantasy novels: The Glamourist Histories and Ghost Talkers. She’s the president of SFWA, a member of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses and has received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer... Read More →

Speakers

Kenneth Chiacchia

Senior Science Writer, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

Ken Chiacchia’s bio reads like a random sampling of events from different people’s lives. A defrocked biochemist, he has since been a public relations writer, freelance newspaper reporter, science fiction author, EMT, search-and-rescue dog handler and search manager, firefighter... Read More →

Pablo Defendini

Publisher, Fireside Fiction Company

Pablo Defendini is a designer and developer for hire. He works with clients that sit in the overlap between publishing and technology. In addition to his design and development consultancy, Pablo runs Fireside Fiction Company, a small independent publisher.

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Jessi Cole Jackson

Writer & Professional Theatrical Costumer

N.R. (Nancy) Lambert

N.R. Lambert (she/her) is a speculative fiction author from New York City. Her stories appear or are forthcoming in Lightspeed, Vastarien, The Modern Deity's Guide to Surviving Humanity, PseudoPod, Lovecraft Mythos, Don’t Turn Out the Lights, and elsewhere. She’s also written... Read More →

David D. Levine

David D. Levine is the author of novel Arabella of Mars (Tor 2016) and over fifty SF and fantasy stories. His story "Tk'Tk'Tk" won the Hugo, and he has been shortlisted for awards including the Hugo, Nebula, Campbell, and Sturgeon. Stories have appeared in Asimov's, Analog, F&SF... Read More →

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Shanna Swendson

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults and spends her spare time on knitting and music.

K. M. Szpara

Author

K.M. Szpara is a queer and trans author who lives in Baltimore, MD, with a tiny dog. Kellan's debut alt-/near-future novel, DOCILE (Spring 2020, Tor.com Publishing), explores the snowballing debt crisis, consent, and privilege, and can be described as "really gay". He is the author... Read More →

Diane Turnshek

Carnegie Mellon University

Diane Turnshek is an astronomer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has been on the Board of Directors for both the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and Parsec, Pittsburgh’s premier science fiction organization. For nine years, she mentored graduate... Read More →

Thursday May 18, 2017 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis A

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:00pm EDT

The basics of Kickstarter

Many sci-fi and fantasy publishers, magazines, and authors have found success raising funds and building community with Kickstarter. Want to learn how to reach out to Kickstarter’s community of over 12 million backers? Margot Atwell, the Director of Publishing at Kickstarter, will teach you the basics of how to plan, launch, and promote your own Kickstarter project.

Speakers

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Margot Atwell is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, where she helps authors and publishers build community and find support for their creative projects. Previously, Margot was Publisher at Beaufort Books, an independent publisher of fiction and non-fiction books. Her first book, The... Read More →

Thursday May 18, 2017 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Audience Hybrid, Indie

4:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings.

On Thursday, available topics are:
How Do Grants Work?
Short stories, Submissions, Editing, Science, Engineering, Outdoor Recreation, Work-Life Balance, Time Management
Selling your books + growing sales on Apple / iBooks
Draft2Digital
Pronoun
Patreon

Speakers

S.B. Divya

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Partners

iBooks (I.W.)

Apple / iBooks

Thursday May 18, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

5:00pm EDT

Book Design: Covers and Interiors

This workshop is intended as an introduction to the design and layout of a book to be self published.

We will talk about how to prepare your manuscript, what software you might need to create print-ready files, what the current options are for self publishing (letterpress, traditional offset, digital, POD through an online service, e-books) and how these affect the choices you make.

We will also discuss basic issues of book design - paper choice, cover design including how to find cover art, choosing a typeface for text layout, margins and page numbers.

On hand will also be a resource library of reference works on book design and examples of each of the different way printed books are produced.

Speakers

Todd Sanders

Director, Air and Nothingness Press

I have run my own press - Air and Nothingness Press - since 1997. I’ve published five books of the translated poetry of Robert Desnos, three of my own books of poetry and am now publishing the writing of Jamie Lackey and UK fantasy authors Steph Swainston and Jonathan L. Howard.I... Read More →

Thursday May 18, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Audience Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie

5:00pm EDT

Imposter Syndrome vs. Archives.

In the computer age, it's easy to inadvertently lose your early-career (or current) work. Many early career writers also may feel like they aren't "important" enough to archive their work. We'll discuss strategies for current backups, selection for migration, and long-term maintenance of your literary papers, so that they are there when posterity calls.

Moderators

Lynne M Thomas

Editor/Publisher, Uncanny Magazine

Co-editor in chief/co publisher of Uncanny Magazine.10-time Hugo Award WinnerCo-editor of Chicks Dig Time LordsMember of the Verity! Podcast

Speakers

Laura Anne Gilman

David D. Levine

Bud Sparhawk

Chief Financial Officer

Thursday May 18, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

5:00pm EDT

Other careers for writers

Rather than quitting your day job, it is sometimes a better fit to find careers that work well in tandem with writing. The stability of a steady paycheck can relieve stress and actually free more time for writing.

Moderators

Barbara Krasnoff

Barbara Krasnoff has published over 30 pieces of short fiction in a wide variety of publications, including Clockwork Phoenix 5 (and 4 and 2), Mythic Delirium, Crossed Genres, Space and Time, Broken Time Blues: Fantastic Tales in the Roaring ’20s, Weird Tales, and Memories and Visions... Read More →

Speakers

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Tee Morris

Author

Tee Morris has been writing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and non-fiction for over a decade. His first novel, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana, became the first novel to be podcast in its entirety, ushering in a new age for authors — podcasting. He went on with... Read More →

John Murphy

John P. Murphy is an engineer and author, with a background in robotics, machine learning, and network security. His novella The Liar was a finalist for the Nebula Award, and his debut novel Red Noise will be out June 2020.

K. M. Szpara

Author

Thursday May 18, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

6:00pm EDT

Convention Mentor Meetup Part Deux

Moderators

Sarah Pinsker

Director at Large, SFWA

Thursday May 18, 2017 6:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
SFWA's Hospitality Suite - Room 2128

SFWA function

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

8:00pm EDT

Welcome Reception

Thursday May 18, 2017 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

9:30pm EDT

Tour of Allegheny Observatory

Limited Capacity seats available

Allegheny Observatory (159 Riverview Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15214) belongs to the University of Pittsburgh and is over 100 years old. It houses three telescopes in white domes standing high on a hill in Riverview Park, 4.4 miles from the Marriott. Tours of the building include the three-floor, glass-roofed library and a crypt set in the sub-basement pier of one of the telescopes where the remains of former astronomers have been laid to rest.

Use the online app to sign up by clicking to add it to your schedule. Or, visit the registration desk to use the paper sign-up sheet.

Speakers

Diane Turnshek

Carnegie Mellon University

Thursday May 18, 2017 9:30pm - 10:30pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

Social, Off-site tour

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

9:30pm EDT

Beer Tasting

Taste local beers with your fellow authors, agents and editors in SFWA's hospitality suite.

Thursday May 18, 2017 9:30pm - Friday May 19, 2017 1:30am EDT
SFWA's Hospitality Suite - Room 2128

Social

9:00am EDT

Quiet Writing

Friday May 19, 2017 9:00am - 9:45am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Professional Development

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

Led by Laurie Mann, this stroll will introduce you to moviemaking locations in Pittsburgh, especially The Dark Knight Rises (distance: about 2 miles)

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator

Ask me if you have any questions about Pittsburgh

20170519.stroll.movies pdf

Friday May 19, 2017 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

9:00am EDT

Registration

Friday May 19, 2017 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

10:00am EDT

Global Climatology for Worldbuilders

The major patterns of climate here on Earth -- including atmospheric and ocean currents -- can be directly derived from basic physics principles. These patterns, along with the location and shape of continents, let us predict the types of ecosystems found anywhere on the globe. Sorry, Star Wars, no more single-ecosystem planets!

Speakers

Gwendolyn Clare

Friday May 19, 2017 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
Marquis B

Professional Development, Solo presentation

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

10:00am EDT

Money management for an uncertain income

Most of the budgetting courses and software assume that you will have a regular paycheck. A writer is a freelancer, regardless of if they are self-published or working with a traditional publisher. Learn how to manage your money when your income is random.

Moderators

Laura Anne Gilman

Speakers

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Erin M. Hartshorn

SFWA Vice President

Erin M. Hartshorn did her graduate work in fish olfaction (and yes, she’s heard all of the jokes about how fish smell) before turning to words to make her living. Her freelance business makes others’ words look good through copyediting, proofreading, and indexing. Her fiction... Read More →

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as “spoiling cats.” She lives near Atlanta with three feline overlords, Athena, Minx, and Marmalade; and her husband, author and packager Bill Fawcett. She has published more than 50 books, including collaborations with Anne McCaffrey... Read More →

Shanna Swendson

Friday May 19, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

10:00am EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
Deathbuilding, Translation, Alternate History, Medicine, Pediatrics
Brainstorming, World-building, Dialogue, Workshopping, Fight Scenes, Flash Critiques, and Fabulata
Astronomy, Space Colonization
Draft2Digital
Pronoun
Patreon

Speakers

Anatoly Belilovsky

writer

Anatoly Belilovsky is a Russian-American author and translator of speculative fiction. He was born in a city that went through six or seven owners in the last century, all of whom used it to do a lot more than drive to church on Sundays; he is old enough to remember tanks rolling... Read More →

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Tracy Townsend

Writer, English Instructor

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Diane Turnshek

Carnegie Mellon University

Friday May 19, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

10:00am EDT

Gaming and Writing

What a writer needs to know to work in this market plus all the questions you didn't know but need to ask.

Moderators

Annalee Flower-Horne

@leeflower

Speakers

Liz Argall

Writer, Argall Creative

Liz Argall is a speculative fiction author, and creator of the all ages webcomics series Things Without Arms and Without Legs, a comic about creatures who are kind. Her fiction can be found in places like Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, This is How You Die: Stories of the Inscrutable... Read More →

S.B. Divya

Merc Rustad

author / AV

Todd Sanders

Director, Air and Nothingness Press

Friday May 19, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

10:00am EDT

Book Sales

Buy books from your favorite authors!

Friday May 19, 2017 10:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

10:30am EDT

Pronoun: A New Frontier for Book Data And Marketing

In a world where book markets are over saturated and readers’ attentions are pulled in many directions, it can be hard for a lone indie author to get discovered. That’s where Pronoun comes in. Your secret weapon for slaying the publishing world and reaching more readers. At this talk, learn how to best utilize our exclusive data and marketing tools to succeed.

Speakers

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Friday May 19, 2017 10:30am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis B

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

11:00am EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
History, Digital Humanities, Online and Archival Research
Selling your books + growing sales on Apple / iBooks
How Do Grants Work
Writing, Editing, Querying, Nuclear Power
Copywriting, Freelancing, Cats
Patreon
Pronoun
Plot Whispering, Point of View, Worldbuilding, Romantic sub-plots, Cats
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Speakers

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Ann Kopchik

N.R. (Nancy) Lambert

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Kat Otis

Kat Otis writes speculative fiction – everything from historical fantasy to urban fantasy, with a bit of science fiction thrown in for good measure. She lived a peripatetic life for almost two decades and is now rather bemused to be living in one place; she’s not recycling her... Read More →

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author, Paper Golem LLC

Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Campbell, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel, founded the Klingon Language Institute, and occasionally does work as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues. His science... Read More →

Partners

iBooks (I.W.)

Apple / iBooks

Friday May 19, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

11:30am EDT

How to handle being orphaned

When your editor or agent retires, what the heck do you do?

Moderators

Laura Anne Gilman

Speakers

Michael Capobianco

Advisor, SFWA

Michael Capobianco has published two solo science fiction novels, Purlieu (Placeholder Press) and Burster (Bantam). He is co-author, with William Barton, of the controversial hardcore sf books Iris (Doubleday, Bantam, reprinted by Avon Eos), Alpha Centauri (Avon), Fellow Traveler... Read More →

Merrie Haskell.

Author

Joyce Schmidt

Writer

Friday May 19, 2017 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Panel

Audience Hybrid, Traditional

11:30am EDT

An hour with SFWA's newest grandmaster

Moderators

Sheila Williams

Attendee, Asimov's

I'm a science fiction short story editor.

Speakers

Jane Yolen

SFWA Grandmaster

Friday May 19, 2017 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Marquis A

Expert Knowledge

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

11:30am EDT

Beyond Western Names

Writing diverse characters for Western markets can be a challenge when attempting to use traditional names for your characters. Authors may be asked to come up with shorter, easier to promounce names for English speaking readers or give their characters English nicknames. In some cases, authors may be asked to give up on a traditional name altogether.
Panelists can discuss ways to express diversity in their character names while still engaging an English speaking audience.

Moderators

Piper J. Drake

Author

Piper J. Drake (or “PJ”) began her writing career as “PJ Schnyder” writing award-winning sci-fi & paranormal romance and steampunk. She has received the FF&P PRISM award for her work as well as the NJRW Golden Leaf award and Parsec award. Now, Piper J. Drake is a bestselling... Read More →

Speakers

Philippa Ballantine

Author

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa Ballantine has always had her head in a book. At the age of thirteen she began writing fantasy stories for herself. Her first professional sale was in 1997, and since then she has gone on to produce novel length fiction. In 2006 she became... Read More →

Anatoly Belilovsky

writer

Gwendolyn Clare

S.B. Divya

Friday May 19, 2017 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

12:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
Comics, work for hire, emergency preparedness, Australian stuff
Book Advertising & Marketing, Indie Publishing Tactics & Techniques
Writing, Editing, Querying, Nuclear Power
Kickstarter, Independent Publishing
Patreon
Pronoun

Speakers

Liz Argall

Writer, Argall Creative

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Friday May 19, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

12:30pm EDT

Lunch

No programming

Friday May 19, 2017 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
TBA

1:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Speakers

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Friday May 19, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

2:00pm EDT

Building a Sustainable Patron-based Career

What does it take to tap into the passion of your fans? Hear from creators who are successfully getting paid doing what they love. Neil Clarke of Clarkesworld will lead an open discussion with Patreon creators who will share their insider knowledge and do’s and don’ts of launching and running a successful Patreon page. This session will give you the knowledge, resources, and inspiration to start building a sustainable patron-based career.

Moderators

Neil Clarke

Editor, Clarkesworld Magazine

Neil Clarke (neil-clarke.com) is the editor of the Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning Clarkesworld Magazine and several anthologies, including the Best Science Fiction of the Year series. He has been a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Editor (Short Form) eight times, won the... Read More →

Speakers

Cat Rambo

Merc Rustad

author / AV

Friday May 19, 2017 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management

2:00pm EDT

Beyond Bookmarks and Postcards

One of the things every author struggles with is swag. From collectible cards, to hand fans, to corkscrews, there's a world of promotional items out there. Our panelists look at cost/benefit analysis as well as best practices for creating them.

Moderators

Piper J. Drake

Author

Speakers

Walter Day

Jeffe Kennedy

Author

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning, best-selling author who writes fantasy with romantic elements and fantasy romance. She is an RWA member and serves on the Board of Directors for SFWA as a Director at Large. She is a hybrid author, and also self-publishes a romantic fantasy series... Read More →

Ann Kopchik

Fran Wilde

Author

Fran Wilde’s novels and short stories have been finalists for four Nebula awards, two Hugo Awards, and a World Fantasy Award. They include her Nebula/Andre Norton- and Compton Crook-winning debut novel, Updraft (Tor, 2015); its sequels, Cloudbound and Horizon; the double-starred... Read More →

Friday May 19, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
Editing, Short Fiction, Science Articles, Submitting, Whatever!
Archaeology: field work & lab work
Deathbuilding, Translation, Alternate History, Medicine, Pediatrics
Publishing contracts, Literary estates
Writing, Editing, Worldbuilding, Language
Pronoun
Patreon
Humor, narrative hooks, research, creating magic systems, calligraphy

Speakers

Anatoly Belilovsky

writer

Michael Capobianco

Advisor, SFWA

James W Fiscus

Writer

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Trevor Quachri

Editor in Chief, Analog Science Fiction and Fact

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Joyce Schmidt

Writer

Rosemary Claire Smith

Writer

My interactive choose-your-own-adventure game, T-Rex Time Machine, is available from Choice of Games. My story, “Diamond Jim and the Dinosaurs” (April 2016), placed third in Analog's AnLab Readers' Poll. I draw on my background as an archaeologist to write fantasy, science fiction... Read More →

Friday May 19, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

2:00pm EDT

Assistive devices in zero-G environments

Imagining a future in which space travel is commonplace, how would assistive technology need to adapt for zero-g or microgravity environments?

Moderators

Kate Baker

Executive Director, SFWA

Kate Baker is the Podcast Director and Non-fiction Editor for Clarkesworld Magazine.Kate won the Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine in 2011 and 2013, the British Fantasy Award for Best Magazine in 2014 and the World Fantasy Award for Special Award: Non Professional in 2014 alongside... Read More →

Speakers

William Ledbetter

Writer

David D. Levine

Kjell Lindgren

Astronaut, NASA

Dr. Kjell N. Lindgren was selected by NASA in 2009. He spent most of his childhood abroad and returned to the U.S. to complete his education and earn a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Colorado. He is board certified in emergency and aerospace medicine. After serving as... Read More →

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Friday May 19, 2017 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:30pm EDT

Advanced Kickstarter Skills for SFF

It’s clear from the huge success of SFF projects that there are many sci-fi and fantasy fans on Kickstarter. Margot Atwell, Director of Publishing at Kickstarter and Publisher of Gutpunch Press, will discuss best practices and recent developments on the platform. Learn how to use Kickstarter to understand and build relationships with your readers, and find new ones. Atwell will also answer burning questions from the audience.

Attendees will get the most from this if they’ve attended The Basics of Kickstarter presentation on Thursday, or if they already have an understanding of Kickstarter.

Speakers

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Friday May 19, 2017 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Audience Art Directors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie

3:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
Clarion, Clarion West, MFA programs, story brainstorming, story problem-solving
History, Digital Humanities, Online and Archival Research
Humor, narrative hooks, research, creating magic systems, calligraphy
Kickstarter, Independent Publishing
Selling your books + growing sales on Apple / iBooks
Patreon
Pronoun
Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Speakers

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Andy Duncan

Associate Professor, Frostburg State University

I have been publishing science fiction and fantasy at the short story, novelette and novella lengths since 1997, receiving a Nebula Award, a Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award and three World Fantasy Awards. I have taught undergraduate writing since 1993. I attended Clarion West in... Read More →

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Kat Otis

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author, Paper Golem LLC

Elsa Sjunneson

Attendee

Hugo, BFA and Aurora award winning editor Elsa Sjunneson is a Deafblind hurricane in a vintage dress. Her written work has appeared in CNN Opinion, Uncanny Magazine, Women of Marvel #1, and many other projects and venues. Being Seen, her debut memoir on media and disability releases... Read More →

Partners

iBooks (I.W.)

Apple / iBooks

Friday May 19, 2017 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

3:30pm EDT

Balancing Mental Health and Deadlines

Starting with the understanding that the trope of the tortured artist is annoying, at best, and harmful at worst, the solitary life of a writer can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness. The stress of deadlines can interfere with productivity. What are some techniques or tools available to writers? What warning signs might a writer pay attention to as a sign of when it is time to get help?

Moderators

Seanan McGuire

Seanan McGuire was born in Martinez, California, and raised in a wide variety of locations, most of which boasted some sort of dangerous native wildlife. Despite her almost magnetic attraction to anything venomous, she somehow managed to survive long enough to acquire a typewriter... Read More →

Speakers

Gwendolyn Clare

Vicky Hsu

Co-founder, Habitica

Merc Rustad

author / AV

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam

Friday May 19, 2017 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

3:30pm EDT

Dealing with Discouragement

The short story you're sure is good is rejected by every publisher you send it to. Your carefully crafted novel is shrugged off by 20 agents. Your self-published novelette earns one star on GoodReads. This discussion will cover personal strategies to deal with disappointments, rejection, and other setbacks.

Moderators

Barbara Krasnoff

Speakers

Siena Leslie

Co-founder, Habitica

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Trevor Quachri

Editor in Chief, Analog Science Fiction and Fact

Elizabeth Shack

Shanna Swendson

Friday May 19, 2017 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

3:30pm EDT

Podcasting for Writers: How the Heck Do We Do This?

Podcasting is enjoying (yet again!) a renaissance with new podcasts popping up online left and right, and many authors are wanting to fire up their mics and podcast. But what exactly should you podcast? Yet another writing podcast? Flash fiction? What’s an option? And exactly what does it take to get started? Podcasting for Dummies author Tee Morris and award-winning podcaster Pip Ballantine cover options (and pitfalls) on how to get started and how to keep going.

Moderators

Philippa Ballantine

Author

Speakers

Piper J. Drake

Author

Tee Morris

Author

Friday May 19, 2017 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:00pm EDT

Office Hours

Often the best conversations at a convention are the ones that carry over after a panel. Here we have provided a space for authors, editors, agents, and our partners to share their expertise in intimate meetings. These can either be a one-on-one about an area of expertise such as hypnotism, sailing, or contract law. Or it could be an offer to talk shop such as brainstorming sticky plot points, world-building dilemmas, or how to set up book tours.

On Friday, available topics are:
Clarion, Clarion West, MFA programs, story brainstorming, story problem-solving
History, Digital Humanities, Online and Archival Research
Humor, narrative hooks, research, creating magic systems, calligraphy
Social media! Tips/tricks/advice (Feel free to bring your device)
Book Advertising & Marketing, Indie Publishing Tactics & Techniques
Brainstorming, World-building, Dialogue, Workshopping, Fight Scenes, Flash Critiques, and Fabulata
Pronoun
Patreon
All Things Military

Speakers

Jonathan Brazee

Writer

I am a retired Marine infantry colonel and now a full-time hybrid writer living in Colorado Springs with my wife Kiwi and twin pre-school-age girls, Danika Dawn and Darika Marie. I am a two-time Nebula Award Finalist, a two-time Dragon Award Finalist, and a USA Today Bestselling... Read More →

Carrie DiRisio

Author

Carrie Ann DiRisio runs multiple popular social media accounts including @BroodingYAHero, and has worked for Serial Box Publishing. She is the author of the upcoming YA Parody novel BROODING YA HERO'S GUIDE TO ACHIEVING MAIN CHARACTER STATUS.Her speaking engagements include talks... Read More →

Andy Duncan

Associate Professor, Frostburg State University

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Kat Otis

Justin Renard

Head of Marketing, Pronoun

Tracy Townsend

Writer, English Instructor

Friday May 19, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge, Office Hours

5:00pm EDT

The Fantasy Author's Guide to Beer

This solo presentation examines brewing methods from Mesopotamia to the Victorian era. We also discuss the role of beer in each cultural context, and speculate about how different historic beers would have tasted.

Speakers

KT Bryski

Author

KT Bryski is an award-winning fantasy author. Their short fiction has appeared in Best American SFF, Lightspeed, Nightmare, Strange Horizons, Apex, the Deadlands, PodCastle, Lackington's, and others. KT has won the Parsec Award and has been a finalist for the Eugie, Sunburst, and... Read More →

Friday May 19, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

5:00pm EDT

Things you should know when your fiction is headed for audio

The chances of your work appearing in audio is fairly high. There are things you can do, when your work is headed to audio, to help make it as seamless a transition as possible.

Moderators

Mary Robinette Kowal

Speakers

Philippa Ballantine

Author

Jim Freund

Hour of the Wolf Productions

Jim Freund has been involved in producing radio programs of and about literary sf/f since 1967, when he began working at New York City's WBAI-FM at age 13. An audiobook, Chatting Science Fiction, of some recent noted interviews for his radio show, Hour of the Wolf, was released... Read More →

Laura Pearlman

Attendee

Shanna Swendson

Friday May 19, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Expert Knowledge

Audience Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

5:00pm EDT

Flash Fiction and its benefits

Flash fiction forces writers to make every word count, a skill that is useful for longer stories, too. We'll discuess what makes a good flash story, give tips and tricks for writing flash, and suggest markets for finished flash stories. With the possibility of Patreon or Kickstarter rewards, knowing how to write flash can offer a surprisingly low-impact source for income, if you can learn to write it.

Moderators

Caroline M. Yoachim

Speakers

Brooke Bolander

Writer

Brooke Bolander is a chaos-sowing trickster girl of indeterminate employment, half-tornado, half-writer. Originally from the deepest, darkest, swampiest regions of the southern US, she attended the University of Leicester from 2004 to 2007 studying History and Archaeology and is a... Read More →

Trevor Quachri

Editor in Chief, Analog Science Fiction and Fact

Cat Rambo

John Wiswell

John (@Wiswell) is a disabled writer who lives where New York keeps all its trees. His work has appeared at Uncanny Magazine, Weird Tales, Fireside Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, Pseudopod, Podcastle, and Flash Fiction Online.

Friday May 19, 2017 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

7:00pm EDT

Registration

Friday May 19, 2017 7:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

7:30pm EDT

Nebula Nominee Presentation

Here is your chance to meet and congratulate this year's Nebula Nominees before the mass autographing.

Friday May 19, 2017 7:30pm - 8:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

7:30pm EDT

Book Sales

Buy books from your favorite authors and get them autographed during the Mass Signing

Friday May 19, 2017 7:30pm - 10:30pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

8:00pm EDT

Mass Autographing and Pronoun Nitrogen Ice Cream Social

Speakers

Marie Andreas

writer, Marie Andreas Author

Marie is a multi award winning author writing fantasy, space opera, and steampunk.

Mike Antares

Star. Writer.

Speculative fiction writer who dabbles in astronomy, anthropology, indigenous culture and social movements. Organizer of HONK! Festivals, player of cymbals, fan of rosé and gin.

Liz Argall

Writer, Argall Creative

Philippa Ballantine

Author

Sue Hollister Barr

Author, SFWA

My sci fi is adult, a touch raunchy/bohemian, and an eclectic mix of sentiment and dark humor. I need help getting my books sold. I can provide help with all aspects of wordsmithing from line-edits to story structure.

Anatoly Belilovsky

writer

rebekah brockway

Have a fun factoid? I love fun factoids! Just no politics please, I'm on vacation.

Michael Capobianco

Advisor, SFWA

Curtis Chen

Secretary, SFWA

Once a Silicon Valley software engineer, Curtis C. Chen (陳致宇) now writes stories and runs puzzle games near Portland, Oregon. He's the author of the Kangaroo series of funny science fiction spy thrillers and has written for the Realm originals Ninth Step Station, Machina, and... Read More →

Neil Clarke

Editor, Clarkesworld Magazine

Brenda W. Clough

Lawrence C. Connolly

Writer

Lawrence C. Connolly’s collections include Visions (2009), This Way to Egress (2010), and Voices (2011), which feature many of his stories from Amazing Stories, Cemetery Dance, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Twilight Zone, Year’s Best Horror, and other top magazines... Read More →

Dave Creek

Author

Dave Creek is the author of the novels CHANDA'S AWAKENING and SOME DISTANT SHORE, novellas TRANQUILITY and THE SILENT SENTINELS, and short story collections A GLIMPSE OF SPLENDOR and THE HUMAN EQUATIONS.He's also published the Great Human War trilogy, including A CROWD OF STARS (2016... Read More →

Carrie DiRisio

Author

Gardner Dozois

Piper J. Drake

Author

Scott Edelman

Author

Timons Esaias

Author

Timons Esaias is a satirist, poet, essayist and short fictionator. His works have appeared in twenty languages. A finalist for the BSFA, and winner of the 2005 Asimov's Readers Award for poetry, his story "Norbert and the System" has appeared in a textbook, and in college curricula... Read More →

James W Fiscus

Writer

Susan Forest

Secretary, SFWA

Three-time Aurora finalist, Susan Forest writes SF, fantasy and horror, and is a freelance fiction editor. Her stories have appeared in Asimov’s, Analog, Tesseracts, AE SF Review, OnSPEC, and her collection, Immunity to Strange Tales. Susan has judged the Endeavour Award, and she... Read More →

Desirina Frew

Laura Anne Gilman

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Douglas Gwilym

author, co-editor of Novus Monstrum

Douglas Gwilym's short story "Poppy's Poppy" (Penumbric Magazine) has been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award this year. His story "Year Six" (LampLight Magazine) was on the preliminary ballot last year, and is on Ellen Datlow’s recommended reading list for Best Horror 14.He has... Read More →

Joe Haldeman

writer, MIT

Joe Haldeman is an American science fiction author and combat veteran of Vietnam. He is best known for his 1974 novel The Forever War. That novel, and other of his works including, The Hemingway Hoax (1991) and Forever Peace (1997), have won major science fiction awards including... Read More →

Claire Humphrey

Larry Ivkovich

Writer, Larry Ivkovich

Larry Ivkovich’s genre work has been published in over twenty online and print magazines and anthologies.He has been a finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest and was the 2010 recipient of the CZP/Rannu Fund award for fiction.Published novels include the... Read More →

Michael Jones

Jeffe Kennedy

Author

Mary Robinette Kowal

Jamie Lackey

Jamie Lackey lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their cats. She has had over 170 short stories published in places like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine, and Escape Pod. Her debut novel, Left-Hand Gods, was published by Hadley Rille Books, and she’s created five successful... Read More →

Kjell Lindgren

Astronaut, NASA

Michael Martinez

writer

Rhonda Mason

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Tee Morris

Author

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Cat Rambo

Sydney Rossman-Reich

Student, Northwestern University

I am an early-career fantasy and science fiction writer currently focused on short stories. I love to talk about fantasy and science fiction books, comics, tv-shows, movies, board games, video games, and any and all speculation about alternate worlds and what the future might ho... Read More →

Todd Sanders

Director, Air and Nothingness Press

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author, Paper Golem LLC

Rosemary Claire Smith

Writer

Bud Sparhawk

Chief Financial Officer

Shanna Swendson

Mark Tompkins

Author

Mark Tompkins is the Author of The Last Days of Magic and Days of The Witchhunters (Penguin Random House). Last Days was hailed by The Washington Post as “a beautifully detailed book and an entertaining read” and named one of The Best New Books by People Magazine. Mark is under... Read More →

Kevin Tumlinson

Director of Marketing, Draft2Digital

Mary Turzillo

Writer

Mary Turzillo won the 2000 Nebula for novella with "Mars Is No Place for Children." Her poetry collection, Lovers & Killers, won the 2013 Elgin Award. She has been on the British SF Association, Pushcart, Stoker, Dwarf Stars, and Rhysling ballots. Sweet Poison, written with... Read More →

Ruth Vincent

Author, Harper Voyager Impulse

Sean Wallace

Publisher, Prime Books

Connie Willis

writer

Navah Wolfe

Editor, Saga Press

Jane Yolen

SFWA Grandmaster

Nominees

Charlie Jane Anders

Attendee

Charlie Jane Anders is the author of the forthcoming Victories Greater Than Death, the first book in a young adult trilogy. Plus an upcoming short story collection, Even Greater Mistakes. And a collection of essays about how to make up stories during tough times, called Never Say You Can't Survive. With Annalee Newitz, she co-hosts the Hugo Award-winning podc... Read More →

Brooke Bolander

Writer

S.B. Divya

Amal El-Mohtar

Writing Excuses Podcast

Amal is an award-winning writer of prose, poetry, and criticism. She’s written stories about maps, bird women, book women, the Arabic alphabet, singing fish, Damascene dream-crafters, sentient diamond oceans, and pockets that are bigger on the inside. Her stories The Green Book... Read More →

Barbara Krasnoff

William Ledbetter

Writer

David D. Levine

Seanan McGuire

Sam Miller

Sam J. Miller is the last in a long line of butchers, and the Nebula-Award-winning author of The Art of Starving (an NPR best of the year) and Blackfish City (a “Must Read” in Entertainment Weekly and O: The Oprah Winfrey Magazine). He lives in New York City, and at samjmille... Read More →

John Murphy

Sarah Pinsker

Director at Large, SFWA

Lindsay Ribar

Author, PenguinTeen

Lindsay Ribar is the author of the YA novels THE PROS OF CONS (co-written with Alison Cherry and Michelle Schusterman); ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES; THE ART OF WISHING; and THE FOURTH WISH. She spent nine years as a literary agent, and now works in contracts at DAW Books. Ask her about... Read More →

Merc Rustad

author / AV

Jason Sanford

Author

Jason Sanford is an award-winning author of short stories, essays, and articles. A two-time finalist for the Nebula Award, Jason has published more than a dozen stories in the British SF magazine Interzone, which also devoted a special issue to his fiction. He has also published numerous... Read More →

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam

Fran Wilde

Author

Alyssa Wong

Caroline M. Yoachim

Friday May 19, 2017 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

Audience Agents, All welcome, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, family members too., Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

Led by the Nebula Conference Chair, Laurie Mann, this stroll will introduce you to Pittsburgh (distance: about 2 miles)

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator

Ask me if you have any questions about Pittsburgh

Saturday May 20, 2017 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

9:30am EDT

Registration

Saturday May 20, 2017 9:30am - 4:30pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

10:00am EDT

SFWA Business meeting

Saturday May 20, 2017 10:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

10:00am EDT

Book Sales

Buy books from your favorite authors!

Saturday May 20, 2017 10:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

11:00am EDT

SFWA Services -- What we can do for you?

SFWA has dozens of services for its members and it's easy to overlook things. In this presentation, we present an overview of things SFWA can do for you. Afterwards, SFWA representatives will be available if you have more in-depth questions.

PLEASE NOTE: This panel is directly following the business meeting, in the same room, so the start time might be a little late.

Speakers

Michael Capobianco

Advisor, SFWA

Erin M. Hartshorn

SFWA Vice President

Derek Künsken

Co-Chair (Programming), Can*Con

After leaving molecular biology, Derek worked with street kids in Central America before joining the Canadian foreign service. He now writes science fiction full time in Gatineau, Québec. His short fiction has appeared in major magazines like Analog, Clarkesworld, and Asimov's, and... Read More →

Cat Rambo

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author, Paper Golem LLC

Saturday May 20, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge SFWA function

Audience Agents, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

12:00pm EDT

Lunch

No programming

Saturday May 20, 2017 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
TBA

1:00pm EDT

Facebook ad campaigns for authors

A survey of how to manage Facebook ads for authors - what they are, why and how to use them to sell your books, and some advanced tips on making them work best for you.

Speakers

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Saturday May 20, 2017 1:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Career Management, Solo presentation

1:00pm EDT

How to Vet Freelance Editors and Copy Editors

You want to polish your manuscript and need help to catch all the things you miss. Sometimes that's plot. Sometimes it's continuity. Sometimes it's just grammar. But as a writer, how do you tell if an editor is the right person to help you with your blind spots? In this panel, we'll cover how to find freelance editors as well as how to evaluate their work before hiring them.

Moderators

Vanessa Rose Phin

Associate Editor, Strange Horizons

Ness is a developmental editor, learning designer, writer, sensitivity reader, and calligrapher--sometimes all at once. Ve is a Midwestern transplant to Baltimore, where ve somehow earned a history degree writing about crossdressing sailors and genderqueer deities.

Speakers

Neil Clarke

Editor, Clarkesworld Magazine

Brenda W. Clough

Barbara E. Hill

Author, Publisher NobleFusion Press

Barbara E. Hill is an author, publisher, consultant and fairy godmother to all creatures great and small. She’s been addicted to horses her whole life – well, pretty much any critter, truth be told – and manages to squeeze in “real life” around their fluffy furry edges... Read More →

Deanna Hoak

Copyeditor

Bishop OConnell

Writer, Harper Voyager

Saturday May 20, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie

1:00pm EDT

Erasure is not equality

Authors often that leave things out to a) avoid depicting them "wrong" or b) because they are trying to be "sensitive," or c) don't want to be "political" with their fiction. Marginalizions are routinely excluded from work that is otherwise trying to be progressive and inclusive (such as fat/body acceptance, aroace erasure, or aro erasure in general; or trans being often left out of the LGBT shorthand, in particular transmasc folks; etc.)

Moderators

Merc Rustad

author / AV

Speakers

KT Bryski

Author

Curtis Chen

Secretary, SFWA

Jessi Cole Jackson

Writer & Professional Theatrical Costumer

K. M. Szpara

Author

Saturday May 20, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

1:00pm EDT

What Role Does Humor Have in an Unsettled Society

Society is shaped by narrative. What responsibility do humorists have to consider the larger context in which their work appears? And how do we handle that responsibility? Is satire still useful? And where is the line between funny and damaging?

Moderators

Charlie Jane Anders

Attendee

Speakers

Anatoly Belilovsky

writer

Carrie DiRisio

Author

Michael R. Underwood

Attendee

Michael R. Underwood is an author, podcaster, and publishing professional. Mike's books include space opera Annihilation Aria, the Ree Reyes Geekomancy books, the Stabby Award-finalist Genrenauts series, and Born to the Blade (written with Malka Older, Cassandra Khaw, and Marie Brennan... Read More →

Connie Willis

writer

Saturday May 20, 2017 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:30pm EDT

Avoiding Distraction

Writers are told that they need to diversify their income. How do you manage deadlines when switching between multiple projects?

Moderators

Piper J. Drake

Author

Speakers

Vicky Hsu

Co-founder, Habitica

Siena Leslie

Co-founder, Habitica

David D. Levine

Erin Roberts

Attendee

Saturday May 20, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:30pm EDT

Makeup for Writers

You're at a con, you're exhausted and have to look like you're in top form. Learn tricks for femme, ace, masc, and everyone on the gender spectrum to spackle over the fatigue. This isn't about conforming to media stereotypes but about using a tool to look like the best version of you.

And if you're a nominee wanting a little extra sparkle... this is a hands-on workshop.

Speakers

Mary Robinette Kowal

Saturday May 20, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Career Management, Solo presentation

2:30pm EDT

Setting up your own book tour

Book tours serve to connect a writer with their audience. It also allows writers to interact directly with the booksellers who will potentially handsell their books. So how can a writer set up a book tour to maximize that effectively without breaking the bank.

Moderators

Curtis Chen

Secretary, SFWA

Speakers

Jim Freund

Hour of the Wolf Productions

Tee Morris

Author

Saturday May 20, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Panel

Audience Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:30pm EDT

What Teens are Looking for in YA Literature

YA Literature is consumed, enjoyed, and written by people of all age groups. But what about its original target demographic? What, exactly, do teenagers enjoy about YA? What makes or breaks a good YA book? In this panel, a group of teenagers and SFWA's newest grandmaster discusses what they love and hate about the genre and its many subgenres, tropes, and traits. Come listen and learn.

Moderators

Diane Turnshek

Carnegie Mellon University

Speakers

Kyra Boisseree

Kyra Boisserée is a Comparative Literature major at Reed College. While she unironically adores Shakespeare and Les Misérables (yes, the book), she has a lot of thoughts about the literary field as a whole (specifically its hierarchies and standards of worth) which she has been... Read More →

Ana Maria Curtis

Student, Swarthmore College

Ana studies English Lit, Economics, and Mandarin Chinese. She wrote some words once.

Alina Sichevaya

Jane Yolen

SFWA Grandmaster

Saturday May 20, 2017 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Expert Knowledge, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:00pm EDT

Creating and Depicting Invented Cultures

From Tolkien’s Dwarves to Star Trek’s Klingons, invented cultures have always been a major part of science fiction and fantasy. But how do writers create and write about these new cultures? We’ll take a look at the three main models for inventing cultures, from human cultures in disguise to the completely new and unfathomable, three ways to put culture on the page, from “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all” to intersectionality that puts a new spin on the fictional melting pot, and three common pitfalls that can hamstring your story and alienate readers.

Speakers

Erin Roberts

Attendee

Saturday May 20, 2017 4:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Solo presentation

Audience Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:00pm EDT

The New Normal: Activism for Writers/How to Balance Activism and Writing

Society is shaped by narrative. How does an author participate in shaping that society by the narratives we choose to tell? Can we take the skills that we have honed on fiction and use them in real life to shape conversations? And how do we decide when and if we want to?

Moderators

Sarah Pinsker

Director at Large, SFWA

Speakers

Andy Duncan

Associate Professor, Frostburg State University

Annalee Flower-Horne

@leeflower

Sally Wiener Grotta

Author

Sam Miller

Elsa Sjunneson

Attendee

Saturday May 20, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:00pm EDT

Critical assessment: What's next in genre?

A group of critics discusses trends that they've seen with different publishers and editors. From decolonised fantasy epics to queered space opera, they speculate about what things are likely to be of interest in the future.

Moderators

Amal El-Mohtar

Writing Excuses Podcast

Speakers

Charlie Jane Anders

Attendee

Jason Sanford

Author

Alina Sichevaya

Mary Turzillo

Writer

Navah Wolfe

Editor, Saga Press

Saturday May 20, 2017 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

4:30pm EDT

'Starting a Reading Series in your Town: Lessons We've Learned in Seattle and Portland'

In this presentation, we take a look at what SFWA has learned from starting the SFWA Northwest Reading Series in Portland, OR.

Moderators

Mark Nieman Ross

Author

Mark Niemann-Ross is a Portland-based writer of hard science-fiction with an emphasis on the impact of technology on society. He is a two-time winner of Analog Magazine Reader's Choice Award, has appeared in Stupefying Stories, narrated audio books, and is working on his first novel... Read More →

Saturday May 20, 2017 4:30pm - 5:00pm EDT
Marquis C

Expert Knowledge

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

6:00pm EDT

Nebula Reception

Saturday May 20, 2017 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

6:00pm EDT

Registration

Saturday May 20, 2017 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

7:00pm EDT

Nebula Banquet

Saturday May 20, 2017 7:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

8:30pm EDT

Nebula Award Ceremony

Approximate time

Saturday May 20, 2017 8:30pm - 10:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

9:00pm EDT

Book Sales

The Book Sales room times are "soft" on Saturday night. the room will be open for about an hour at the conclusion of the Nebula Awards so you can pick up some books by the winners!

Saturday May 20, 2017 9:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

9:30pm EDT

Tor Books and Tor.com Open Party

Saturday May 20, 2017 9:30pm - Sunday May 21, 2017 11:30pm EDT
SFWA's Hospitality Suite - Room 2128

Social

10:00pm EDT

Nebula Alternate Universe Speeches

Saturday May 20, 2017 10:00pm - 11:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

Expert Knowledge

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

Led by the Nebula Conference Chair, Laurie Mann, this stroll will take you to see PNC Park, Heinz Field and Point State Park (distance: 3.5 miles).

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator

Ask me if you have any questions about Pittsburgh

Sunday May 21, 2017 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

9:30am EDT

Registration

Sunday May 21, 2017 9:30am - 11:00am EDT
Grand Foyer Lobby

SFWA function

10:00am EDT

Work For Hire

When trying to diversify the income stream, work for hire is a potential option. Our panelists discuss possible pitfalls to look out for in contracts, and how to be creative on demand.

Moderators

Liz Argall

Writer, Argall Creative

Speakers

Kenneth Chiacchia

Senior Science Writer, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

N.R. (Nancy) Lambert

Jody Lynn Nye

Author

Sunday May 21, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Panel

Audience Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Traditional

10:00am EDT

Understanding Neuroscience: The Evolved Brain

The human brain may be the most complex structure in the universe, but that won't stop us from learning, thinking, and writing about it. How can we dive into something so impenetrable, and extract stories that are coherent, plausible, and free from the cliches of the past fifty years?

Moderators

Benjamin C. Kinney

Attendee, Escape Pod

Benjamin C. Kinney is a neuroscientist, SFF writer, and assistant editor (submissions editor) of the science fiction magazine Escape Pod. His short stories have appeared in many excellent magazines including Strange Horizons, Analog, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. You can read more... Read More →

Sunday May 21, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis B

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

10:00am EDT

Fairy Tales as a Mode of Composition

Fairy tales have dominated our cultural imagination for centuries. From the Brothers Grimm to the Countess d’Aulnoy, from Charles Perrault to Hans Christian Anderson, storytellers have crafted tales that have always found a place in our hearts. These folk and fairy stories have a long tradition of shifting their shapes as they're passed from hand to hand: Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's Fairy Tale Series invited numerous authors to unfold stories and ballads into novel length; Angela Carter and Francesca Lia Block modernised, darkened and subverted familiar stories. But what connects these beyond the mutations of plot? Is there such a thing as "a fairy way of writing?" This panel will explore the imaginative space of folk and fairy tales, beyond straight-up retellings, as a mode of composition.

Moderators

Navah Wolfe

Editor, Saga Press

Speakers

Amal El-Mohtar

Writing Excuses Podcast

Seanan McGuire

Jane Yolen

SFWA Grandmaster

Sunday May 21, 2017 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
Marquis A

Professional Development, Panel

10:00am EDT

Book Sales

Buy books from your favorite authors!

Sunday May 21, 2017 10:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Salon 6 (Grand Ballroom)

SFWA function

11:00am EDT

Deep Dive into Digital Marketing

From Curated Content to Costs-Per-Click, we'll discuss how to build a successful digital marketing campaign, a viable social media platform, and other easy techniques to use social media to advertise and promote your work. Attendees are encouraged to come with questions!

Speakers

Carrie DiRisio

Author

Sunday May 21, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Audience Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

11:00am EDT

Toastmaster Q&A

Join NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren for a Q&A in which you get to to let out your inner five-year old that made you start writing science-fiction and fantasy. This is a chance to ask an actual astronaut all the things.

Speakers

Kjell Lindgren

Astronaut, NASA

Sunday May 21, 2017 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Marquis A

Expert Knowledge

Audience Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

11:00am EDT

Writing What You DON’T Know: Going Beyond Research

There is an old adage amongst authors of “Write What You Know” but what if you want to bring something new, something unknown to your work. What if you want to bring more diversity to your work, especially when an inspiration hits you? They have been called “Sensitivity Editors” but some authors dedicated to getting their fiction right prefer to call them “Cultural Consultants.” Panelists talk about the importance of reaching out to communities outside their own comfort zones and cultural circles, and writing in arenas that are not second nature to them.

Moderators

Professional Development, Panel

Audience Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional