Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026

Grounded Authors Guild guidance and current U.S. copyright guidance for AI-assisted work.

AI is changing the writing life, and for serious writers, that change presents an extraordinary opening. In this workshop, we will examine how AI is reshaping the creative process, what it means for authorship and originality, and how writers can use these tools to deepen their thinking and sharpen their process while keeping human authorship at the center.

You will learn: 

• What has changed in creative writing process in the age of AI
• The two definitions every modern writer must understand
• The three types of writers emerging in this new era, where do you fit?
• The copyright guidance that matters now

This session will challenge old assumptions, clarify what is at stake, and offer a more intelligent path forward for writers who want to work with new tools.

Writing an entire novel can be intimidating. But if you remember that a book is a series of connected scenes, writing one scene at a time is much less daunting. Once you master scene structure, you have mastered one of the basics of storytelling. To help with this, Pam McCutcheon explains what scene and sequel are and how to structure them with maximum effect, then uses movie examples and interactive story development to drive the point home.

Conflict ignites every scene in your novel. But how do you stoke those fires to keep your readers engaged and your plot moving? In this workshop, you'll learn that conflict isn't about confrontation; it's about character choices. This 7-step method will guide you in turning up the heat on your characters with intense stakes and escalating tension. Get ready to light up your manuscript with the tools to craft a story so powerful, it will burn in the minds of your readers long after they turn the final page.

A class about the most visceral genre–HORROR. We'll discuss its evolutionary origins, compare it to its sister genre, then explore it, categorize it and wrestle with it to explore techniques to effectively use horror in our own writing.

This presentation puts self-editing tasks into an easy-to-follow list format. You can check off each item before submitting your manuscript to anyone from critique partners to agents and editors. Most of the tasks are quick and use shortcuts in Word such as Find and Replace. Others are a bit more work-intensive, like culling extraneous adverbs or removing filter words and writing in deeper POV but will ultimately strengthen your story.

Creating authentic character relationships is essential in every genre—whether you're crafting a swoon-worthy romance, developing a fierce rivalry, or building a deep friendship. In this workshop, we'll explore how to layer both physical and emotional intimacy from first glance to Happily Ever After. You'll leave with a clear guide for developing believable relationships that resonate with readers and intensify the emotional engagement of your story.

If you’ve never caught this workshop at, say, MileHiCon, Bubonicon, FyreCon, or at COSine, the premise is absurdly simple:

Attendees bring an anonymized, 300-word story opening, either short story or novel, and drop it in front of Bowen at the beginning of the workshop. He will peruse the audience and select INSTANT EDITORS from those gathered and bring them up front.

For each manuscript, in randomized order, he will read aloud until three of the Instant Editors raise their hands, signifying that they would not publish the story. If he completes the story with fewer than three hands raised, consider that a success!

Each Editor will then share what they liked about the story, and then Bowen gives his own thoughts. The author, who is still anonymous at this point, is invited to reveal themselves. Sometimes, Bowen reads a ringer, a manuscript from a previously-published work, by a noted author, just to keep the Instant Editors guessing.

If you find that you have the time and inclination to participate, please consider joining Bowen and his INSTANT SLUSHPILE WORKSHOP with your anonymized manuscript in hand!