2026 Spring Writers Conference
List of Presenters

Meet your weekend writing coach:

 

Lindsay Schopfer, award-winning author, freelance editor, and experienced creative writing instructor whose teaching has helped writers at every level find their voice and sharpen their craft.

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Lindsay kicks off Saturday leading the session “Putting Words in Your Character's Mouth”, a deep dive into the art of writing dialogue that feels authentic, revealing, and alive on the page. He'll then take the stage at lunch to deliver his keynote, “The Writer's Odyssey”, a can't-miss talk for anyone who has ever wondered what it really takes to see a story through from beginning to end.

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Throughout the weekend, Lindsay is also available for one-on-one coaching consultations — intimate 15-minute sessions designed to give your writing real, focused attention. Lindsay reviews all submitted samples in advance so that your time together can go straight to what matters: what's working in your piece, and where it has room to grow.

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Coaching sessions are currently scheduled during Session 2 (10:45 AM – 12:00 PM) or Session 4 (3:15 – 4:30 PM) on Saturday and are subject to change. We'll do our best to accommodate your time preference, but sessions will sometimes need to be scheduled based on availability.

Coaching consultations are available for purchase as a separate ticket add-on. Once purchased, you'll receive submission guidelines and everything you need to make the most of your time with Lindsay.

Spots are limited, grab yours today!

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BIO:

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Lindsay Schopfer is an award-winning author who has been inspiring writers across the country for more than ten years. Whether it’s through his own works or his acclaimed creative writing courses, Lindsay is committed to his dream of making the world a better place, one story at a time.

 

Lindsay’s five novels and two short story collections have received multiple honors including the OZMA Award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards. Other accomplishments include serving as the Sci-Fi and Fantasy chair for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association’s literary contest, as well as being a volunteer mentor for a non-profit program connecting at-risk teens with professional writers.

 

Lindsay teaches creative writing for Pierce College and is a freelance editor with the Northwest Editors Guild. He lives in western Washington with his wife and three daughters and enjoys tabletop and video games, playing guitar, meditation, boxing, cooking, and learning American Sign Language.

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Class:

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Session 1: Putting Words in Your Character's Mouth

Dialogue has the power to reveal backstory, explore conflict, and develop characters like no other type of storytelling. Writers of all genres will benefit from this in-depth study of the ways that we describe conversations between characters. Participants in this workshop will learn how to write believable dialogue, how to use dialogue tags effectively, and the role of body language in narrative writing.

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Sessions 3 & 4: Attendee Appointments

Details coming soon...

Paula Coomer is a poet and literary writer of fiction and nonfiction. Her poems, short stories, essays, and articles have appeared in many journals, anthologies, and online publications. Book publications include the novel Jagged Edge of the Sky, which was nominated for the Pulitzer

Prize, short story collection Somebody Should Have Scolded the Girl, a Buzzfeed recommended title, and the poetry collection Nurses Who Love English, among others.

 

A long-time university teacher of writing, Ms. Coomer lives with her husband Phil in the tiny Palouse Prairie town of Garfield, Washington. In addition to writing and dabbling as a visual artist, she coaches writers, works as a book editor, and organizes a retreat program known as Clearwater Writers.

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Classes:

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Session 3: Get the Adrenalin Pumping: How to Create Believable Tension in Genre Writing

Establishing mystery is the job of every writer, not just in genre writing, but even in literary fiction. Mystery, the unknown, is the thing that keeps us reading. The difference is one of degree. But how is that done? What information is withheld from the reader and when? When is the right moment for a skeleton to jump out of the closet? For the monster to show up? For the bad guy to reveal that he is indeed the bad guy? It turns out that mystery and tension don’t do the job alone. They need their friend Pacing. Learn how instinct pays a role in making these choices, but also how informed decision making works to nudge your plot forward in unpredictable ways using pacing as a technique.

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Session 3 (part 2): Agent/Editor Panel

An agent and editor Q&A, giving you the chance to get your most pressing publishing questions answered straight from the people who know it best.

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Session 4: Craft as Tool of Perseverance

It is safe to say that all of us as writers have faced that moment when we consider giving up. Often, that urge comes in response to rejection or so-called writer’s block or simply uncertainty around where to take a story next. Turning attention to the elements of craft is one way to persevere during these difficult passages. Often it’s a lack of preparation prior to starting a project that is at the root of the issues that are keeping us from moving forward. This session presents tools for taking a step back and engaging in writing practice around various craft elements to as a way of negotiating these obstacles.

Fitz Cyr is a queer romantasy author putting fictional darlings in occasionally funny, always heartfelt, and intermittently perilous situations for your enjoyment. They tell stories of adventure, hope, and the kind of love that makes you want to throw yourself into the sun for a cooldown. When they’re not figuring out how to make their protagonists kiss, Fitz can be found tending a jungle of houseplants, defying gravity with their circus besties, or howling at the full moon.

 

With over a decade of marketing experience, Fitz has worn many hats, from building social media strategies from the ground up to executing robust SEO campaigns designed to get you to Page One of Google. Having successfully sold the marketing agency they co-founded, Fitz is now focused on full-time authorship. They love love, empowering their communities, and helping writers both identify and amplify authentic brands that scale.

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fitzcyr.com

instagram.com/booksbyfitz

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Classes:

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Session 2: How to Build an Author Brand (and what to do with it)

Often, writers are so focused on the end goal of getting published that they completely forget the business side of the job. Whichever route you choose to pursue publishing through, it’s vital you start thinking about how to position yourself in the market. This means understanding YOUR brand and how it supports YOUR story.

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In this hands-on workshop, we’ll cover the fundamentals necessary to building and amplifying a brand, as well as best practices for how, when, and where to use it.

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Session 3: Marketing with Authenticity: Terrifying (to some) but Necessary (for all)

Marketing is tricky. Staying true to yourself while marketing can be even trickier. Across every industry, though, authenticity is what sells.

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This workshop will equip authors with easy, actionable digital marketing opportunities and explore both the importance and impact of marketing oneself authentically in 2026.

MaxieJane Frazier wrangles a stubborn pen from the far reaches of the Tunk Valley. Her work is in Complete Sentence, Gooseberry Pie, Switch, Cleaver Magazine, Booth, Collateral Journal, the Bath Flash Fiction anthology, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Bennington Writing Seminars and founded Mighty Mule Editing.

 

An instructor for Southern New Hampshire University's MA in English creative writing program,  a published author, and a full-time editor, coach, educator, and writer, she engages in the practice of writing and editing every day. She earned her Book Development certificate from Queens University of Charlotte, her MFA in Fiction and Nonfiction from the Bennington Writing Seminars, and her Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Delaware. Mighty Mule Editing is her editing umbrella. 

 

After 26 years, MaxieJane hung up her Air Force combat boots. She keeps a retired National Park Service (Mighty) Mule: Buck and is mourning the recent loss of the second, Festus, plus loves her two geriatric horses, Nadia and Cooper. Max is also a hard-core introvert who loves to listen and will happily talk your ear off. Learn more about her at maxiejanefrazier.com

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Classes:

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Session 1: Building Buzz in the Business of Books: Publishing Pathways & Sales

Long-form writers have more publishing options than ever — choosing the right publishing path and actually selling books are our two biggest challenges. This practical, idea-packed session explores a broad spectrum of publication methods, from traditional presses to independent and hybrid models, and touches on what each means for visibility, income, and creative control. Participants will think about positioning their work for the best publishing fit, understand realistic sales channels, and consider proven strategies to reach readers and build momentum. Whether you’re preparing your first manuscript or looking to expand your audience, this session offers an exploration for turning publication into sustainable readership.

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Session 2: Writing in Miniature, Mastering the Whole

What can writers learn from working short and writing small? What can't we learn? Flash fiction and nonfiction challenge us to be precise, purposeful, and deeply attentive to language—skills that powerfully carry into longer work. This interactive session introduces the essentials of flash writing, explores how extreme brevity reshapes storytelling, and demonstrates how writing in miniature builds stronger overall craft . Participants will see examples, discuss techniques, and try a short guided writing practice designed to sharpen focus and control. Explore how the smallest forms can make the biggest difference in your writing.

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Session 3 (part 2): Agent/Editor Panel

An agent and editor Q&A, giving you the chance to get your most pressing publishing questions answered straight from the people who know it best.

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Session 4: Ink that Ignites: Writing for Impact

Why do some pieces stay with us long after we’ve finished reading them? In this session, writers explore how to create work that resonates through clarity of intention, emotional precision, and narrative momentum. Whether writing in fiction or creative nonfiction, impact comes from making deliberate choices about voice, structure, tension, and truth.

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We’ll examine what gives writing weight, how to deepen emotional stakes without melodrama, and how to shape language so that it carries both meaning and music. Through examples and practical exercises, participants will learn how to sharpen their prose, heighten resonance, and craft endings that echo. This session is designed for writers who want their work not just read — but felt.

Dan Gemeinhart is the #1 NYT Bestselling author of ten books for young readers, including The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, The Midnight Children, and Busted. A former children's librarian and now full-time author, he lives with his wife and three daughters in Cashmere.

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Class:

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Session 3: Outlining for Writers who Hate Outlining

Details coming soon...

Elena Hartwell Taylor writes the Eddie Shoes Mysteries, the Sheriff Bet Rivers Mysteries, and most recently, standalone suspense with The Haunting of Emily Grace. She also has two short guide books available on the writing craft, The Foundation of Plot and The Construction of Character.

 

When she's not writing, she works as a developmental editor with Allegory Editing, where she also coaches writers, assists with query prep, and leads online workshops. She lives at Paradise, an equine property just south of Spokane that she shares with her husband, dogs, cats, horses, and a giant mule. To learn more visit:

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www.ElenaTaylorAuthor.com

www.AllegoryEditing.com

www.TheMysteryofWriting.com

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Class:

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Sessions 1 & 2: Agent Pitch Appointments

By appointment, first-come-first-served at the registration table day-of.

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Session 2: Self-Edit Like a Pro

Join author and developmental editor Elena Hartwell Taylor to discuss how an editor approaches a manuscript. Learn methods for assessing common errors like story structure, head-hoping/POV problems, info dumps, clunky dialogue, and more. Through a combination of lecture and exercises, this workshop will prepare writers to improve any work-in-progress, from first draft to preparing a manuscript for submission.

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Session 3 (part 2): Agent/Editor Panel

An agent and editor Q&A, giving you the chance to get your most pressing publishing questions answered straight from the people who know it best.

Erick Mertz is a developmental editor and ghostwriter from Oregon City, Oregon. He is the author of various paranormal mystery books and short stories. When he isn't writing, which is rare, he enjoys basketball and beer, cooking and exploring the Pacific Northwest with his wife, son and two dogs.

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Classes:

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Session 1: Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn't, What I'd Do Differently

This class covers self-publishing basics. Using examples from the presenter's self-publishing journey, I cover important topics like editing, covers and reaching readers. I talk about why each element is critical, look at common mistakes, and describe the best practice for each.  I've self-published numerous titles in my paranormal mystery series over the last five years, much of that coming through trial and error. Using a blend of data and humor, I demonstrate for students what worked for me, what didn't, and what I would do differently.

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Session 2: Beyond “What Happened?”: Crafting Transformational Memoir Interviews

Whether you’re ghostwriting for a client or mining your own life for material, the quality of your memoir depends on the quality of your questions. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn how to move beyond surface-level prompts (“What happened next?”) and into emotionally resonant storytelling. We’ll explore how to:

• Ask questions that uncover turning points, internal conflict, and transformation

• Gently guide clients into meaningful reflection without retraumatizing them

• Recognize when a memory is a story—and when it’s just information

• Listen for subtext, contradictions, and emotional clues

• Interview yourself with the same depth and rigor you’d bring to a client

• Turn raw conversation into narrative structure

You’ll leave with a practical framework for conducting memoir interviews, a bank of powerful questions you can use immediately, and a deeper understanding of how to create trust, emotional safety, and story clarity in every conversation. This session is ideal for memoirists, ghostwriters, developmental editors, and any writer working with lived experience as their source material.

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Session 4: From the Inside Out: The Short Story Submission Game

In 2023, my friend and I set out to publish a horror anthology. It will be easy, we thought. We know what we like to read. How wrong we were. Master the short story submission process and learn how to make your short stories stand out to editors! This class will let you know some insider tips and strategies to beat the odds and get published.

Lynne Pearson is the owner of All That Editing, where she has been helping writers strengthen their stories since 2015. A member of the Northwest Editors Guild with a certificate in editing from the University of Washington, she works almost exclusively with independent romance authors—guiding them from rough draft to polished, page-turning prose.

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She believes editing is a collaboration, not a critique session. She understands that sharing a manuscript can feel vulnerable, especially for first-time authors, and approaches every project with encouragement, clarity, and respect. As she likes to say: she’ll never tell you your baby is ugly… but she might suggest your baby would look even better in a different outfit.

 

With a keen eye for detail, Lynne protects protagonists from the perils of plot holes, punctuation problems, and poorly developed story arcs. She addresses everything from big-picture elements to craft fundamentals. And yes—she is a proud champion of the Oxford comma.

 

She publishes fun, flirty, feel-good fiction under the name Lynne Hancock Pearson and has woken with a book hangover on many a morning.

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Classes:

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Session 3 (part 2): Agent/Editor Panel

An agent and editor Q&A, giving you the chance to get your most pressing publishing questions answered straight from the people who know it best.

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Session 4: Query Your Query Letter

Got a query letter you're not sure about? Bring your questions — and your draft — to this interactive session led by a working editor. We'll take a close look at up to five pre-submitted query letters, offering real-time feedback on what's working, what needs refining, and how to make your pitch stand out. Along the way, you'll also pick up practical guidance on the fundamentals of query letter writing that applies no matter where you are in the process. Whether your letter is submitted or you're just listening in, you'll walk away with a sharper sense of what editors and agents are actually looking for.

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(Participants who wish to receive feedback must submit their query letter in advance first 5 letters received will be read. Provide your query letter to: lynne@allthatediting.com)

Katie Reed has worked in publishing for over a decade as a developmental editor and literary agent. Previously with Andrea Hurst and Associates, she founded her agency, Katie Reed Literary, last fall. Katie is looking for contemporary romance, dark fantasy romance, dark romance, romantasy, women's fiction, and psychological suspense/thriller. She resides in Idaho where you can find her upriver in the summertime, preferably with a good book.

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Sessions and Panels:

 

Sessions 1 & 2: Agent Pitch Appointments

By appointment, first-come-first-served at the registration table day-of.

 

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Ask the Experts: An Agent, an Author, and an Editor Walk Into a Room…

Session 3 (part 1): Agent/Client Relationships

Ever wonder what it really looks like to work with a literary agent? In the first half of this session, agent Katie Reed and one of her clients pull back the curtain on the agent-client relationship — from that first offer of representation through the realities of working together on submission and beyond. In the second half...

Session 3 (part 2): Agent/Editor Panel

... the floor opens up for an agent and editor Q&A, giving you the chance to get your most pressing publishing questions answered straight from the people who know it best.

Derek Sheffield is the 8th poet laureate of Washington State. His books include Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry, winner of a 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, Not for Luck, selected by Mark Doty for the Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize, Through the Second Skin, runner-up for the Emily Dickinson First Book Award, and Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy.

 

A two-time finalist for the Washington State Book Award, his other awards include the Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year in Nature Writing and the James Hearst Poetry Prize judged by Li-Young Lee.  He teaches at Wenatchee Valley College and Western Colorado University, edits poetry for Terrain.org, and can often be found in the woods along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range near Leavenworth, Washington.

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Class:

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Session 1: You Reading This, Be Ready: A Poetry Workshop

Many of us have cultivated the practice of deep reading as a way to enter the making space of poetry. In this workshop, we will turn from critical readings of select poems to making our own poems.