Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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11:00am MDT

Through Animal Eyes: Adventures in Writing the Nonhuman

Saturday April 18, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

El Paso

This workshop will help writers explore ways to bring animals and other non-human subjects into their adult, young adult, or middle grade fiction. A series of exercises help participants connect more deeply with the natural world and share your insights and experience with others.

Faculty

Anita Mumm

Anita Mumm is a writer and developmental editor based in Salida, Colorado. At her editorial firm, Mumm’s the Word, she supports first-time novelists and bestsellers alike. Her clients have earned top spots on The New York Times bestseller list and received acclaim from Publi... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
El Paso

Craft of Writing

Moderator Joe Lenhoff
Audience Intermediate

2:00pm MDT

Strong Character Voice: What It Is, What It’s Not, and How to Achieve It

Saturday April 18, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Academy

Maybe you’ve heard an agent or editor ask for stories with strong voice. But what on this blue-green Earth are they talking about? After briefly defining Authorial Voice vs. Narrative Voice vs. Character Voice, we’ll demystify what agents and editors mean when they talk about “voicey” characters, and focus on how to infuse more character voice into our manuscripts. We’ll study examples of strong voice and learn to create distinguishable voice for each character without going overboard and veering into caricature. You'll come away with clear, actionable steps they can take to spot opportunities to add voice and to develop and improve character voice in their stories.

Faculty

Taryn Skipper

Author/artist Taryn Skipper’s publications include her science fiction novel for young adults, Between Tungsten and Gold (Sept. 2025, Splinter Press), picture and activity books for children, short stories and poetry in anthologies, cover art, and a decade of commissioned portraits and paintings. She enjoys presenting and volunteering at writing events and conferences and sits on the Storymakers G... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Academy

Craft of Writing

Moderator Joe Lenhoff
Audience Beginner

4:45pm MDT

Editing Beyond “Gut Feel”: A Checklist for Success

Saturday April 18, 2026 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT

Palmer

Revising your work (or critiquing others’) can be overwhelming. Without specific elements to look for, it’s easy to fall back on our “gut feel,” which is hard to articulate and even harder to trust. Learn to evaluate 17 storytelling aspects to edit and strengthen any manuscript, including your own!

Faculty

Kelley J. P. Lindberg

President, Blue Raven Services Inc.

Kelley J. P. Lindberg writes adult and YA fiction, but her writing history is littered with dozens of how-to books (including several bestsellers) and hundreds of articles. Her fiction and essays have appeared in literary magazines, in anthologies including PPW’s Journeys into... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT
Palmer

Craft of Writing

Moderator Joe Lenhoff

Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026

11:00am MDT

Anita Mumm

2:00pm MDT

Taryn Skipper

4:45pm MDT

Kelley J. P. Lindberg

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