Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026 has ended

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Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026

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The 2026 Pikes Peak Writers Conference is in the books!
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7:30am MDT

Morning Meditation and Writer Wellbeing Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeJohnny Worthen

8:00am MDT

Newcomers Briefing AcademyBowen Gillings

8:30am MDT

Book Cover Design...You're Not the Audience DouglasCasey Cowan Read & Critique Session 1 FremontMary Robinette Kowal • Bowen Gillings • Anna Michels Emotional Resonance: Or How I Made My Dad Not Talk to Me for a Week Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeKevin Ikenberry Fact vs. Fiction: Writing Authentic Investigations PalmerDavid Lyons Make It Make Sense: Logic, Logical Fallacies and Character Motivations AcademyTaryn Skipper Creative Writing Before and After AI: Navigating the New Literary Renaissance El PasoAna del Valle

9:45am MDT

Freelancers: Building a Business Mindset AcademyCallie Stoker Lending a Voice to Your Voice: Mastering the Author-Narrator Relationship PalmerChris Mandeville • Aaron Fors Read & Critique Session 2 FremontCarol Berg • Elisa Saphier • Kelly Stone The Art of the Elevator Pitch DouglasNicole Luongo They Want to Hear From You! Pikes Peak/Royal GorgePippa Grant Q&A with Reavis Wortham Cherry Creek/Cripple CreekReavis Z. Wortham Scene and Sequel El PasoPam McCutcheon

11:00am MDT

Agent Panel Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeJessica Berg • T.S. Ferguson • Bowen Gillings • Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong • Elisa Saphier Speed Pitch Fremont 0 to 60: Write Pacing Your Readers Won’t Forget PalmerStant Litore The Joy of Revision: Essential Self-Editing Strategies for Prose that Pops AcademyAnita Mumm Turn That Spark Into a Blaze: 7 Steps to Craft Compelling Conflict El PasoDawn Alexander This Ain’t Your Granddaddy’s Western DouglasReavis Z. Wortham • Casey Cowan

12:15pm MDT

Welcome Lunch BallroomMary Robinette Kowal • Pippa Grant • Reavis Z. Wortham

2:00pm MDT

Becoming Your Characters: Narrating Your Own Audiobook AcademyAaron Fors Editor Panel Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeNicole Luongo • Anna Michels • Kelly Stone • Drue VanDuker Read & Critique Session 4 FremontReavis Z. Wortham • Casey Cowan • Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong Why the First 10 Pages Make or Break Your Novel (with Live Editing) DouglasJessica Berg The Gooey Guts of Horror El PasoJohnny Worthen Story Spark Bootcamp: AI Hands-On Story Building Workshop PalmerAna del Valle

3:15pm MDT

Ask an Agent: Q&A with Elisa Saphier Cherry Creek/Cripple CreekElisa Saphier Editor-Agent Sweet Spot Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeReavis Z. Wortham • Anna Michels Read & Critique Session 5 FremontKelley J. P. Lindberg • T.S. Ferguson • Drue VanDuker Short Stories: Good for the Novelist, Good for the Career, Good for the Soul DouglasSam Knight Ten Editing Hacks El PasoJessica Snyder Words, Words, Words PalmerCarol Berg Scrivener 101 AcademyDebbie Maxwell Allen

4:15pm MDT

Snack Break Ballroom

4:45pm MDT

Pitch Perfect Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeCathie Hedrick-Armstrong Read & Critique Session 6 FremontPippa Grant • Jessica Berg • Nicole Luongo Pitch to H.Y. Gregor Cherry Creek/Cripple CreekH.Y. Gregor Beyond the Bedroom: Using Physical and Emotional Intimacy to Create Authentic Character Relationships El PasoDawn Alexander Middles and Try-Fail Cycles DouglasMary Robinette Kowal Scrivener 102 AcademyDebbie Maxwell Allen Time to Get Creative: Time Management and Productivity for Writers PalmerTaryn Skipper

7:30pm MDT

Dinner Ballroom

9:00pm MDT

Marketing Pikes Peak/Royal GorgeJenny Kate • Susan Mitchell Working Through the Slush Piles El PasoBowen Gillings Sandboxes: Building Castles with Co-Writing PalmerH.Y. Gregor Write Drunk, Edit Sober FremontDeb Courtney