Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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7:30am MDT

Morning Meditation and Writer Wellbeing

Saturday April 18, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Join author Johnny Worthen for discoveries in eastern philosophy with their application to the life of an author with its many disappointments. Sessions include directed mindfulness meditation and lecture on concepts that directly speak to the writer’s journey. Classes build upon previous one, but all are welcome to each and all. There’s much to gain. Day one: Basics – the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Noble path Day two: Block – The Five Hindrances and the power of RAIN Day three: Third Person Limited – Non-Identity and the muse Each class meets in the morning before regular programming Though classes are meant as a three day seminar, attendees can come to any of them without prior or later attendance and still get useful information.

Faculty

Johnny Worthen

Award-Winning Author

Johnny Worthen grew up in the high desert snows and warm summer winds of the Wasatch Mountains. He graduated with a B.A. in English, minor in Classics and a Master's in American Studies from the University of Utah. After a series of businesses and adventures, including years abroad... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 7:30am - 8:30am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Writing Life

Audience Advanced

8:30am MDT

Critique Like a Boss: Get the Most from Your Critique Group

Saturday April 18, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

A constructive, positive critique group may be the most overlooked (and free!) way to make your manuscript stand out in this ultra-competitive market. Learn the types of critique groups, guidelines for review sessions, tips for being an effective reviewer, and why critiquing others’ writing is one of the best ways to improve your own skills.

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 8:30am - 9:30am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Craft of Writing

Moderator Kaitlyn Price

9:45am MDT

MICE Quotient

Saturday April 18, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

In this workshop, we learn about the simple organizational structure of the MICE Quotient. Pretty much every story, fictional or nonfictional, can be explained through this fairly simple organizational structure. Together we learn how to make this structure work for you when writing.

Faculty

Mary Robinette Kowal

Keynote

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winning alternate history novel The Calculating Stars, the first book in the Lady Astronaut series which continues in 2025 with The Martian Contingency. She is also the author of The Glamourist Histories series, Ghost... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Craft of Writing

Moderator Deb Courtney

11:00am MDT

Book Clubs for Writers: Why and How

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

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Not every reader is a writer, but every writer benefits from reading. Book clubs are a fabulous way to reap the benefits of reading, studying and discussing books with readers. We'll talk about how this will improve your writing, even if you never discuss your own book or genre. We will dive into lessons taken from a few successful book clubs lasting over a decade: the mechanics of a successful group, different styles and formats for book clubs, what keeps them thriving, and what they have in common. You'll leave with a good idea of what kind of book club might work best for you, how you can expect it to improve your writing, how to set one up, and how to keep it alive after the novelty wears off.

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 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Writing Tools

Moderator Jodi Anderson

2:00pm MDT

Things No One Told Me

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

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

It’s an informal discussion about what I learned after my first novel was accepted for publication. Writing is the easy part, but there’s a whole world of work and experiences that follow. This one is like those old-fashioned magazine articles called, “This Happened to Me.”

Faculty

Reavis Z. Wortham

Keynote

NYT Bestselling author, Reavis Z. Wortham, is the recipient of many awards, including two Spur Awards from the Western Writers Association, and six Will Rogers Medallions. Kirkus Reviews listed his first novel in the historical Red River series, The Rock Hole, as one of their Top... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Writing Life

Moderator Bailey Finn

3:15pm MDT

Book Fair Business

Saturday April 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Congratulations! You book has been published, and you’re ready to sell at your first book fair. Whether it’s local with only a few authors or one of the major “cons” or regional events, you’ll want your work to stand out from the crowd. How do you draw attention to yourself and your book(s)? What kind of sales pitch will bring and keep customers at your table? How do you speak about your book to the general public? In this workshop, we’ll discuss the secrets of successful sales at book fairs.

Faculty

Laurie Marr Wasmund

Author, lost ranch books

Laurie Marr Wasmund holds an M.A. in literature from the University of Denver. She has been an editor, community college instructor, and national writing workshop presenter. Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines such as Cimarron Review and Weber Studies. She is... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Business of Writing

Moderator Bailey Finn
Audience Beginner

4:45pm MDT

Inventing a New Author You

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

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Things aren’t rolling along quite the way you’d like in your career? In this workshop, I’ll offer practical tips on identifying your goals, evaluating how your current brand meets those goals, and steps to take for launching a new brand. We’ll discuss everything from re-branding within the same pen name to modernizing your catalog’s packaging to launching an entirely separate pen name.

Faculty

Pippa Grant

Keynote

Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually... Read More →

Saturday April 18, 2026 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Business of Writing

Moderator Jodi Anderson

7:30am MDT

8:30am MDT

9:45am MDT

11:00am MDT

2:00pm MDT

3:15pm MDT

4:45pm MDT

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