2025 Preliminary Conference Schedule At-A-Glance

 

Time

Title

Presenter

Room

 

12—4 p.m.

Registration

Lobby

1—1:50 p.m.
Breakout sessions

Help! This Isn’t Fun Anymore!

Christina Fennell

Henrietta

Poetry as a Healing Art

G. Anthony

Thistle

Panel: Connecting with Libraries

Vanessa Taylir, Director, Jack Russell Memorial Library; Michelle Carter, Director, Aram Public Library; Natalie Beacom, Director, New Berlin Public Library

Hutchinson

2—2:50 p.m.

Breakout sessions

Plotting for Pantsers

Meadoe Hora

Henrietta

Succinct, Savvy Novel Description Workshop

T.K. Sheffield

Thistle

AI For Writers: An Introduction

Dr. Sean Weidman

Hutchinson

2:50—3:20 p.m.

Break

3:20—4:10 p.m.
Breakout sessions

15 Steps from First Draft to Contract (with Mistakes to Avoid Along the Way)

Nick Chiarkas 

Henrietta

Crafting Emotionally Resonating Stories

Kristin Tenor

Thistle

Financial Record Keeping for Writers

Valerie J. Clarizio

Hutchinson

5:00—6:30 p.m.

Dinner (on your own, or join a group— sign up in lobby!)

7—9 p.m.

Lakefly After Hours Open Mic, Oshkosh Public Library

Public Library

 

Saturday, May 3

 

7- 8:30 a.m.

Lakefly Book Fair vendor set-up

Paul L.

8 a.m.—1 p.m.

Registration for Lakefly Writers Conference

Lobby

9 a.m.—4 p.m.

Lakefly Book Fair—free and open to the public

Paul L.

9—10 a.m.

Keynote Speaker

Tammy Borden

Leander Choate

10—10:30 a.m.

Time to visit the Lakefly Book Fair 

Paul L.

10:30—11:20 a.m.
Breakout sessions

Five Steps to Writing Meaningful and Marketable Devotions

Carmen Leal

Henrietta

The History of Mystery – From Goodwin to Christie

Judith Maupin

Thistle

Writing for the MG and YA Audience

Kate Penndorf

Hutchinson

Writing Through the Pain of Loss (two hour session)

Patricia Skalka and John DeDakis

Lefevre

Publishing 101: Inside the Business of Publishing with a Wisconsin Indie Publisher

Michael Braun

Dixie

11:30 a.m. —
12:20 p.m.
Breakout sessions

Discover Your Writer’s Voice

Victoria Reeves

Henrietta

Plot Candy: How to Get An Editor or Agent Addicted on Page One

Wendy Wimmer

Thistle

What Makes a Great Author Website? 

Celeste Anton

Hutchinson

Bill’s Conversation with Oshkosh Author Ron Rindo

Bill Gillard and Ron Rindo

Dixie

12:30—2 p.m.

Lunch

Leander Choate

2:00—2:50 p.m.
Breakout sessions 

From Inspiration to Authenticity: A Rough Guide to Discovering Inspiration In Everyday Life and Building Authenticity In Characters and Narrative

Nickolas Butler

Henrietta

Dealing with Imposter Syndrome

Larissa Antonioni

Thistle

Self-Publishing Simplified: Insider Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices for Independent Authors

Sarah Kolb –Williams and Britt Petersen

Hutchinson

Literary Magazine Editors Panel Discussion (two hour session)

Panelists: Miriam Brabham, fsm; Kristin Tenor, Story; k Abram, Thunderbird Review; and Rebecca Meacham, Sheepshead Review.

Lefevre

Niche Marketing for Children’s Books

Kathleen Waldvogl

Dixie

3—3:50 p.m.
Breakout sessions 

The Benefits of Writing and Publishing across Multiple Genres

Malinda Andrews

Henrietta

Dash of Love: Romantic Subplots for Novels of Any Genre

Miranda Darrow

Thistle

2025 Publishing Trends

Heather Buchanan

Hutchinson

Be Authentically You through Poetry

Thomas Cannon, Bill Gillard and James Hamilton

Dixie

4– 4:30 p.m.

Door prizes & farewell

Leander Choate

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