Learning how to write compelling stories and characters is the foundation of every writer’s career, but a successful career is built on a series of business decisions over a long period of time. This session will go over the basics of the business side of the film and television industry, with practical tips to help writers make more informed business decisions at every stage of their careers.

Learn strategies for developing, executing and releasing successful projects when you don’t have access to money or resources. Producer Sharri Hefner will not only guide you through best practices for taking your projects from idea inception through archival processing, but she will also discuss strategies for developing a sustainable creative career.

The skills for writing dialogue in plays can be applied to many other forms of creative writing. So, how can you start honing those skills?

Learn how to avoid the telltale oversights that secretly undermine self-published books’ potential for success from the get-go.

Acquisitions Editor Chantelle Aimée Osman (Agora Books, Polis Books) will walk you through the steps needed to become submission-ready. From polishing your manuscript after you get that highly-anticipated “yes,” all the way to a stellar opening line—and even down to the proper font—Chantelle gives you the how-to in making your work stand out from the pile.

Multi-hyphenate director/producer/screenwriter/Chapman professor Kay Tuxford (The MisEducation of Bindu) will walk you through step-by-step how to choose a good first short script to write, produce it, and get it in front of an audience. By the end of this presentation, you'll have a toolbox filled with information on the dos and don’ts of short filmmaking

Foyinsi Adegbonmire, Associate Editor from Feiwel & Friends, will explain the publication process from the standpoint of a traditional publisher and what you can expect from a professional collaboration with your editor from the moment your book is acquired until it hits the shelves.

Literary agent Dani Segelbaum takes the helm on those answers. This talented agent will cover the golden rules of writing the perfect book proposal and help you unpack what's needed to write something enticing and salable. By the end of this presentation, you'll have the tools to craft a finished proposal, plus tips on getting the best possible agent and deal for your book.

Editor and literary agent Latoya Smith might be the next step along your way to publication, and lucky for us, this editor/agent super-combo is here to share her wealth of knowledge and plant helpful guideposts for authors who are ready to get their manuscript out into the world, rather than let it sit on their desktop.

What exactly is branding? Leah Lewis streamlines this topic so you can get a jump on branding strategies that fit your own creative trajectory. She is an independent content creator, documentary filmmaker, tech startup founder, and non-profit executive, and has a lot to say about developing a brand that can elevate your artistic career.