Join award-winning author CJ Milacci as she shares her journey from aspiring writer to published author. In this encouraging and practical session, CJ breaks down the essential building blocks every writer needs, including: discovering your "why" mastering the craft, embracing different seasons of growth, and building meaningful connections in the writing community. Whether your student dreams of writing novels or simply wants to improve their storytelling skills, they'll learn valuable insights about the writing and publishing process. CJ shares hard-won wisdom about balancing creative passion with practical steps, the importance of perseverance, and how to maintain vision through challenges.

Take pieces of your real life—or things from your imagination—and create a story! Award-winning middle grade author Becca Wierwille shares her story creation process with young readers and encourages them to create stories from their own lives and imaginations. This presentation includes details about Becca’s story creation process, tips for students who want to create their own stories, a group writing exercise, an opportunity for young readers to workshop with each other and practice creating their own stories, and Q&A time at the end.

Are you a writer, performer or storyteller who struggles to finish what you start? Join us for a two-session crash course in Story Analysis – the structural side of storytelling. Together, we will pull back the curtain on the mechanics of three-act structure, connect the art of storytelling to Biblical principles, and give you the tools to maximize your own creative process. This interactive seminar is presented by Sight & Sound Conservatory.

Learn how to successfully launch your first book using Kickstarter's crowdfunding platform. This practical session covers essential strategies for engaging readers, funding publishing costs, and building a supportive community before your book hits the shelves. Perfect for aspiring teen and adult authors, you'll discover: How to determine if Kickstarter is right for your project Critical preparation steps for a successful campaign Ways to build your audience before launch Tips for creating compelling rewards Common pitfalls to avoid Led by award-winning author, C.J. Milacci who has run several successful Kickstarters for her books and mentored other writers through successful Kickstarter campaigns

How do you get your book from a Word document on your computer into the hands of readers? In this workshop we will walk through the self-publishing process, from editing and formatting, to websites, finances, and getting your book on Amazon. You'll learn how to make your book look professional, and what steps to take if you're ready to hit "publish." Perfect for aspiring young authors who want to turn their passion for writing into a published book.

Despite years of formal education, American students still struggle with writing—a problem that often follows them to college, where remedial writing classes are increasingly common yet ineffective. Studies show that nearly 20% of college graduates lack cohesive writing skills, revealing the shortcomings of today’s standardized methods. In this talk, Jeannie shares time-tested techniques that have cultivated strong writers for centuries, long before modern systems interfered. You’ll learn practical tools to help your child become a confident, capable writer who can competently express thoughts and ideas. Discover how to replace ineffective methods with an approach that builds lasting skills in clarity, communication, and creativity.

So many parents ask, “Why doesn’t my son enjoy reading? I want him to love it!” We look at ways to help your boys read better (because it’s hard to love it when it’s hard!), enjoy reading more, and find joy in stories and in research. From the parents of six adult sons, all of whom learned (eventually) to love reading! Many boys struggle with writing, too. They complain that it's too hard, that they can't think of anything to write, that they don't know why they have to do it anyway. Hal & Melanie homeschooled all six of their boys all the way through. Their boys learned to love writing and won writing awards. You can pull it off, too!

Home academics can be particularly difficult if you think composition is a mystery and you HATE to teach writing. Wouldn’t you love to have the practical tools to teach composition without the stress? Join Gretchen Roe as she reflects with humor and insight on ways to teach a subject many parents dread.

If your child gives you the “blank stare” when you ask him to do a creative writing lesson, don’t despair – there is help! Dr. Sandi Queen, author of the multi-award winning “Language Lessons” series and homeshooling mom of six, shares how to let your child know what is expected in his writing, how to draw out the reluctant writer and inspire confidence, and more in this session for parents of all ages.