Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026: Full Schedule

Sched is sponsored by Reedsy.
The 2026 Pikes Peak Writers Conference is in the books!
You must be logged into Sched to see the handouts.

8:30am MDT

Read & Critique Session 1

Friday April 17, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Fremont

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

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 →

Agents & Editors

Anna Michels

Senior Editorial Director, Sourcebooks

Anna Michels has been at Sourcebooks for more than thirteen years and is Senior Editorial Director of Sourcebooks nonfiction and Poisoned Pen Press. Anna is looking for a wide variety of books under the nonfiction umbrella, including history, narrative and prescriptive nonfiction... Read More →

Bowen Gillings

Associate Agent, Savvy Literary

Bowen Gillings joined Savvy Literary in 2025 and has nearly a decade of experience as an author and champion of authors. Currently building his list, Bowen seeks to partner with writers who possess a sense of professionalism and a sense of humor. He loves books with a strong narrative... Read More →

Friday April 17, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am MDT
Fremont

Business of Writing

Moderator DJ Cochran, Torie Fox-Phillips

9:45am MDT

Read & Critique Session 2

Friday April 17, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Fremont

Fantasy/SciFi

Faculty

Carol Berg

Carol Berg, former software engineer, never expected to write epic fantasy novels. Nor did she expect to win the Colorado Book Award four times or hear that her books had been read on the slopes of Denali, in the war zone of Iraq, or underneath the Mediterranean. She certainly never... Read More →

Agents & Editors

Elisa Saphier

Agent, MacGregor & Luedeke

Elisa Saphier is an agent with MacGregor & Luedeke where she is the exception, looking for nonreligious nonfiction and upmarket genre fiction (especially mystery/thriller and romance) to balance out her mostly literary list. She represents upper middle grade through adult (fiction... Read More →

Kelly Stone

Associate Editor, St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Kelly Stone is an associate editor at St. Martin’s Publishing Group. She joined St. Martin’s in 2021 after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Communication. Her list consists of action-packed thrillers, rom-com/mystery mash-ups, elevated cozy mysteries, and humor-filled... Read More →

Friday April 17, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Fremont

Business of Writing

Moderator DJ Cochran, Torie Fox-Phillips

3:15pm MDT

Read & Critique Session 5

Friday April 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Fremont

Children/MG/YA

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 →

Agents & Editors

Drue VanDuker

Assistant Editor, St. Martin's Press

Drue VanDuker is an assistant editor at St. Martin's Press, where she has worked since 2022 after graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English and a minor in Rhetoric and Writing. At SMP, she has worked across a wide range of genres, including book club... Read More →

T.S. Ferguson

Azantian Literary Agency

Before joining Azantian Literary Agency, T.S. Ferguson worked for 16 years as an editor for some of the top children's and teen book publishers in the business, including Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Harlequin Teen/Inkyard Press, and JIMMY Patterson Books. He has worked... Read More →

Friday April 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Fremont

Business of Writing

Moderator Chris Mandeville, DJ Cochran

9:45am MDT

Brainstorming Using the Plotting Board

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

Academy

Have you ever wanted to brainstorm a new story with a critique group (or even just with yourself), but find it's difficult to keep track of everything? If so, the plotting board can help give you a very visual picture of how your characters and plot work together to show you what you have, but also what may be missing in your story. Join Pam McCutcheon as she explains how to use the plotting board and works through a story with the audience to demonstrate.

Faculty

Pam McCutcheon

Pam McCutcheon writes a variety of romance subgenres under her own name, and urban fantasy under the name Parker Blue. She also writes nonfiction books for writers, including the popular Writing the Fiction Synopsis and The Writer's Brainstorming Kit.

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

Craft of Writing

Moderator DJ Cochran

9:00am MDT

Story Structure: A Master-Level Class in One of Writing’s Most Daunting Subjects (2 hours)

Sunday April 19, 2026 9:00am - 11:15am MDT

Academy

Whether a writer is a plotter or a "pantser", the task becomes easier with a clear grasp of story structure. This course compares ancient and modern structural techniques, showing their similarities and differences in order to simplify the writing process and find the necessary beats all powerful and resonant stories contain. The course breaks down the most common frameworks and provides insight to story flow, character growth, and the emotional connection to readers.

Faculty

Kevin Ikenberry

Author

Kevin Ikenberry is a life-long space geek and retired Army officer. As an adult, he managed the U.S. Space Camp program, two Challenger Learning Centers, and served on active duty in space operations before Space Force was a thing. He’s an international bestselling science fiction... Read More →

Sunday April 19, 2026 9:00am - 11:15am MDT
Academy

Craft of Writing

Moderator DJ Cochran

11:30am MDT

SEND IT!?! What to Do—and What Not to Do—When an Editor or Agents Wants Your Manuscript

Sunday April 19, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT

Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

You’ve pitched your project to an editor or agent, and you’ve received the magic words: send me your manuscript! After you’ve done your happy dance, you might be inclined to panic: wait a minute, what exactly am I supposed to send? What if I need more time? What if it’s no good? What if I make a bunch of rookie mistakes and I BLOW THIS CHANCE??? Fear not, intrepid writer. This workshop provides a comprehensive guide to getting your workshop from “send it” to pro-level submission. With advice from industry experts, real-world examples, and a detailed checklist, you’ll have everything you need to whip your manuscript into shape, craft a compelling synopsis, write a stellar cover letter, and submit your requested materials like a pro.

Faculty

Chris Mandeville

Author

Chris Mandeville is an unrepentant coffee drinker, night owl, and binge writer. She can write anywhere, but her usual spot is a comfy chair at home in the Rocky Mountains with her service dog, Oski, snoozing by her feet. When she isn't writing, she loves to cook, travel, and teach... Read More →

Sunday April 19, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Pikes Peak/Royal Gorge

Business of Writing

Moderator DJ Cochran
Audience Intermediate

8:30am MDT

9:45am MDT

3:15pm MDT

9:45am MDT

9:00am MDT

11:30am MDT

Get help with the event