We all have a rough idea of what constitutes disability in our human world, specifically in American culture. What would be a severe disability to an alien but not to us? Where losing a sense of smell might be somewhat limiting to humans, how would that affect a being in a civilization of dogs-creatures? What about an intelligent plant-creature with no roots? What if everyone but you had the ability to jack into an immersive virtual cyberpunk world? What alien or "future" disabilities have al...

If you are new to the industry or trying to break in, this can be quite jarring compared to “regular” job applications. For some this will be an awesome part of applying for a new Job, where you get to show off and brag about all the cool stuff you have done. But for many, it can be a daunting experience, leaving you to wonder if you are missing the secret entry code into the job you seek. Here, we will clear the air and snuff out those pesky mistakes before they happen!

Tropes are one of the building blocks of stories, but they can be misused, overused, and just plain worn out. How can you use tropes effectively in your writing? What are some stories that have done to well? Let's talk about using tropes, with and without flipping them around.

Dragons… How do they work? Making Creatures in your world that make sense for the environment you have created.

There are a lot of things that are different about us that some may think would make impossible to do a craft, but it turns out that if you want to create bad enough, nothing can get in your way. Our panelists will talk about how their disabilities have altered how they do their craft, and sometimes even enhanced the outcomes.

We have to eat when we send people beyond Earth's surface. What has been done so far to prepare for that need?

Many a good story teller have appeared to be good writers because of their editors, and many good writers produce amazing works for the same reason. Learn about some of the things that an editor brings to your writing and why they are worth their weight in gold.

So you want to tell a story, but can’t code? Or you have coded a game, but there is nothing for the players to do? If you can’t do both, you will likely have to work with someone from the other side of the brain. There may be barriers, but we are here to give tips and share our experiences working with the other half.

If you aren’t one of those people who can both draw and write, then there’s a good chance you will be collaborating with a creative type who does the thing you don’t. We will share some tips and tricks we have learned that help keep communication clear and projects moving forward.

Come bid farewell to our guests! 

A Guide to hands-off storytelling and the reasons to not be a helicopter parent to your characters. Hear from “writers” who choose to witness their stories and how their characters come to form their own adventures.

How and How Long will it take to get from here to there in space? G. David Nordley will provide some rules of thumb for constructing timelines that involve interplanetary and interstellar journeys. Along the way, he will point out where conventional wisdom is seriously oversimplified in a conservative way, and where one may need to make some hard choices between what is possible and what one might want for a plot.