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Watch live panels featuring screenwriters as they break down their techniques for crafting compelling scripts and navigating the entertainment industry.

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Discover live streaming events where directors, producers, and cinematographers discuss the creative and technical processes behind their films.

The Plot Wheel: More than Just Structure

July 15, 2026
The Plot Wheel is more than a structure—it’s a storytelling engine designed to create connection, momentum, and reader satisfaction. In this engaging presentation, Court Stevens breaks down the eight essential movements of story into a clear, repeatable framework that helps writers move from idea to fully realized narrative. Writers will gain the power to intentionally shape both the emotional journey and the commercial appeal of their work.

Book Pipeline

Book Pipeline connects writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry through competitions and workshops, providing hands-on support to bridge the gap between emerging authors and the industry since 2014.

Script Pipeline

Script Pipeline connects writers with producers, agents, and managers, facilitating over $8 million in sales through competitions and ongoing industry support, helping launch major films and secure high-profile representation since 1999.

Film Pipeline

Film Pipeline connects filmmakers and writers with agencies and executives, focusing on diverse storytelling and playing an active role in developing and promoting projects, reviewing thousands of submissions annually since its launch in 2018.

The Art of the Thrill: Essentials for Writing Exciting Thrillers

Recorded

June 17, 2026

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Subjects

Publishing, Screenwriting

Topic

Craft

It begins with a knock at the door.
A body discovered.
A startling crime.

But how do you keep readers turning pages long after that inciting incident? How do you build tension that tightens chapter by chapter, plant red herrings without losing track of them, and deliver twists that surprise and satisfy?

In this session, thriller-award-winning author Lauren Nossett will break down the architecture of a gripping story. She’ll discuss how to raise the stakes, design layered characters, and craft suspense. 

You’ll learn how to:

  • Craft a compelling inciting incident and a can’t-look-away opening scene
  • Create imperfect heroes and complex villains
  • Layer in escalating obstacles and conflicting motivations
  • Build suspense using pacing and the ticking clock
  • Write plot twists, turning points, and cliffhangers
  • Deliver a satisfying ending while resolving red herrings

You’ll leave with practical tools you can immediately apply to your manuscript and a clearer roadmap for keeping readers up all night.

What attendees have said ...

"Very thorough presentation of crafting a thriller. The examples helped illustrate the topics."

"Symposium brings on some great writers to talk craft. Lauren Nossett is one who comes with her own insights on story development and a candid rendition of what a writer must tackle in the course of a project. Always informative."

"I liked the exploration of imperfect characters and this multi-level cause and effect on the story."

"The instruction was detail-oriented and not vague. I don't want an overview. I want specifics. This did a great job hitting all the notes with examples."

"Loved the explanation of the three-act arc and how to write strong sub characters. This gave me a lot of ideas for the novel I'm writing."

"It was succinct and to the point, accompanied by examples that illustrated the ideas. She was great, thorough, informative."

"Superbly done. The basics and foundation for writing a good mystery-thriller. Thanks!"

Host

Lauren Nossett
Lauren Nossett is a professor turned novelist and the award-winning author of the thrillers The Resemblance and The Professor. Described as "elegant and thoughtful" by The New York Times and "impossible to put down" by Paste Magazine, The Resemblance won the ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel. Her next novel, Indie Darling, will be released in July 2026. Lauren is the […]

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Upcoming Events

The Plot Wheel: More than Just Structure

July 15, 2026
The Plot Wheel is more than a structure—it’s a storytelling engine designed to create connection, momentum, and reader satisfaction. In this engaging presentation, Court Stevens breaks down the eight essential movements of story into a clear, repeatable framework that helps writers move from idea to fully realized narrative. Writers will gain the power to intentionally shape both the emotional journey and the commercial appeal of their work.

Commercially Driven Decisions: Being Intentional with Story Choices

July 22, 2026
The Commercially Driven Choices session by Court Stevens reveals what separates stories that are simply well-written from those that truly connect and sell. This dynamic session unpacks the strategic decisions writers must make to increase reader engagement—focusing on transformation, satisfaction, opposition, scope, and consumability as the core drivers of commercial storytelling.

Screenwriting Essentials: Improving the Read

July 29, 2026
It's called "A good read," and it’s the difference between a good story being easier to identify and one that gets buried in an avalanche of text. Professional screenwriter Tom Vaughn (Winchester, starring Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren) shares critical advice to elevate your writing to a more pro level.

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Finding Your Niche: Buck Trends to Build a Career with Purpose

June 24, 2026
Zach Bandler will offer a practical framework for identifying the thematic lane you’re uniquely positioned to explore, and connecting that work to communities, institutions, and ecosystems that are actively seeking those stories. Attendees will learn how to move beyond chasing traditional industry pathways and instead build a personal storytelling identity that attracts collaborators, funding, and audiences. Because the goal isn’t to do everything. It’s to do something that only you can do, and build a career around it.

The Art of the Thrill: Essentials for Writing Exciting Thrillers

June 17, 2026
In this session, thriller-award-winning author Lauren Nossett will break down the architecture of a gripping story. She’ll discuss how to raise the stakes, design layered characters, and craft suspense. 

Beyond the Happy Ending: The Psychology of the Rom Com

June 10, 2026
This course digs into the psychology behind why romantic comedies work so well on us—the attachment science behind the slow burn, the dopamine hit of the first kiss, and what our favorite on-screen relationships say about what we actually want in real life. This journey through the tropes and the psychology of the genre will aid the way you write and cause you to think twice about the lessons we have taken away about love.

Symposium, presented by Pipeline Artists, is a year-round virtual conference empowering creatives with honest, no-nonsense guidance across the arts. Through seminars, industry panels, and Town Hall discussions on screenwriting, filmmaking, publishing, and career-building, Symposium offers grounded advice from working professionals to help you forge your own unique path.

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