Panel Sessions - Utopia Convention

Schedule

Friday, June 21st is the Conference Day at Scarritt-Bennett Center

Saturday, June 22nd is the Book Signing Event

To manage capacity, there is a morning signing and an afternoon signing.

All authors will be at both.

The 2024 UTOPiA Awards and the Wild Hunt Cosplay Runway are both on Saturday, June 22nd in the evening.

There will be a cash bar, and cosplay runway.

Sign-ups for the cosplay runway will be open in June.

Keynote: C.J. Redwine

Sessions and Panels

NOT A COMPLETE LIST. The rest of the sessions will be added as we round out the schedule, rooms, times, etc. The ones below are confirmed. Readings, too, will be announced closer to the event.

Special Edition Books for Indie Authors

Editing Panel

Out of the Box Marketing

Successful Book Launch

World Building

Battling Our Own Inner Critics

Fantasy Romance or Romantic Fantasy

Co-Writing Panel

Representation in Books

The Future of Books & Publishing

Q&As Room

Book Readings Room

Representation in Books:

Jen Bailey
Jessica Cage
Jaci Wheeler

Race. Disability. Gender. Sexual Orientation. Representation in the books, and in those writing the books, matters. Sensitivity readers went from being required to being dismissed at some publishing houses. Are writers allowed to write about something they haven’t experienced themselves?

In this discussion, our panelists will have an open discussion about the current state of representation, why it matters, how to approach the writing about other people’s experiences, and how we all can be part of the conversation. **Please note: the opinions are just that, and the panelists are not here to solve the publishing world’s problems. Rather, they were asked to participate on, and lead the panel discussion with the room to bring more points of view to the table, and create positive dialogue around important topics. One hour will never be enough time to discuss it all, and we hope the session will spark conversation, not be the final word on it.

Beyond the Veil: World Building

Quinn Loftis: moderator
Cait Marie
K.L. Kolarich

World building isn’t just for fantasy books. It is central to not only things like the topography of the places held within its pages, but also to the cultural standards and rules governing the interpersonal relationships and politics of the book’s plot and story. Is there such a thing as too much description? How and when do you reveal the rules of your world to best effect? And how much do you repeat or expand upon in sequels and spin offs?

The creative process intertwines with research to create rich, believable characters, settings, and mythology that keep the reader coming back for more. Discover new ways to do this well from authors at the top of their game.

Visual Book Branding (Sponsored by The Illustrated Author Design Services)

Melissa Stevens: Moderator
Casey Bond

From trending book genre design to special edition, drool-worthy collections, this session is about why it’s so important to visually brand your book, and how to do it efficiently and effectively to help you sell more books and raise your profile in a crowded market.

Two Heads Are Better Than One: Collaborative Co-Writing (Sponsored by Delphina Miyares)

Delphina Miyares: Moderator
Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison

Join this panel of collaborative writing teams to discover their methods for keeping cooperation, collaboration, and creativity flowing both ways. It isn’t one size fits all, so if you’re interested in co-writing, or aren’t sure how to deal with the money pieces, don’t miss this panel where they will share all they’ve learned along the way to six-figure success.