2025 Panels and Workshops

Below is a list of our Panel and Workshop Programming for 2025!

Imaginarium 2025 will feature over 135 Panel and Workshop sessions, so be sure to check back to this page regularly to see all the new additions in each category!

Panels are listed first, followed by all the workshops. Read through topics, descriptions, and presenters below!

To get Event Tickets to register for Imaginarium 2025, please visit: https://www.entertheimaginarium.com/2025-event-tickets/

Panels

Writing and Publishing Panels

Audiobook Narration Vs AI: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on the rise of audiobook narration utilizing AI and the ethical ramifications of using such technology. (60 min)

Crafting Cross-Genre: Moderator TBA. A discussion on writing within the vast multitude of genres and how to blend them effectively.

Creating Culturally Diverse Characters: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on why representation matters in literature and the impact a writer can have creating diverse characters.

Dr. Moreau’s Laboratory: Animal Mashups and Chaos: Moderator – Barbara V. Evers. Panelists become mad scientists using an animal mashups card deck. Moderator selects 2-4 animal cards. Panelists imagine an animal mashup and write a couple of sentences of the first encounter with their creation in a story. The audience votes for their favorites. We play as many rounds as time permits, and the overall winner earns bragging rights. (2 hrs.)

Final Drafts: Moderator TBA. We will discuss the main issues to check before handing over your manuscript to an editor, beta-reader, or publisher.

Inspiring Poetry: Moderator – TBA. We will discuss ways to inspire and inform your poetry. How to use art, people, culture, activism, emotions to drive your creativity.

Language Barriers in Dialogue: Moderator TBA. How to prevent misunderstanding and ineffective dialogue, assuming your reader will have limited understanding of the language or dialect within your dialogue.

Modern Sub-Genres: Moderator TBA. Learn about modern sub-genres and how to utilize them in your writing.

Researching Myths & Legends: Moderator TBA. Authors will share their researching journeys and insight, and discuss their favorite resources.

Sci-Fi Through the Ages: Moderator TBA. Join us in a discussion of Sci-Fi writing through the years, from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea to writing modern dystopian horrors. Learn how you can take your writing above and beyond, putting your spin on a modern Scientifiction tale.

Self Editing: Moderator TBA. Learn why writers can not self-reflect their manuscript critically and why beta-readers and hiring a professional editor are so important.

Slushfest: Moderator – Barbara V. Evers. Get a peek at how an agent or editor evaluates your submission. Writers anonymously submit the first page (double-space, 12 point font) of their manuscript at the beginning of the session. A moderator reads the page aloud and panelists raise their hand at the point where they would stop reading. Once over 50% of panelists have raised their hands, the moderator stops reading and the panelists explain why they raised their hand or why they didn’t. Gives great insight into how to get your manuscript past the slushpile. (2 hrs.)

Using AI Ethically: Moderator TBA. How to use AI as a effective tool and not become dependent on it for your writing or art. Examples include research and concept development.

Writing Through “Blocks”: Moderator TBA. Whether you ‘believe’ in writing blocks or not, at some point we have all struggled with productivity. Seasoned writers will share their struggles and how to push through your own blocks.

Content Creation, Social Media, and Podcasting Panels

Content Creating: Moderator TBA. Current You-Tubers and Social Media Influencers share tips on how to produce content, with the goal to market and self express.

Using Social Media Effectively: Moderator TBA. This panel will explore the algorithms and tools of the larger platforms and help you understand what each can effectively offer.

Filmmaking and Screenwriting Panels

One Fans Trash: Moderator – James Sabata. Do you have a horror movie you passionately defend, even though it’s universally panned? Join us as we dive into those cinematic outcasts that, for some reason, hold a special place in our hearts. We’ll champion our favorite misunderstood gems, explore why they resonate with us. Will we get others to give these films another chance or will this panel be the double tap that puts them away for good?

So You Want to be a Filmmaker?: Moderator – TBA. A discussion on how to make your idea into a film. Learn what equipment you will need in today’s productions, budgeting tips, organizing your team, and the art of wearing many hats.

Gaming Panels

coming soon

Miscellaneous Panels

Writing & Wrestling II: Everything Comes Back to Wrestling: Moderator – Dwan L. Hearn. Regardless of the topic of conversation, you can always bring it back to the topic of the greatest form of theater, wrestling. Also true, whatever you do in the creative space, from fantasy writing to film-making, you can tie back to pro-wrestling. Join us for a discussion where we share how watching and studying wrestling can help any and all Creatives.

Going Straight to Heel: Moderator – James Sabata. Professional wrestling is a world of heroes and villains, where wrestlers often shift from good guys (faces) to bad guys (heels) throughout their careers. Join a lively group of friends as they delve into their all-time favorite heel turns. They’ll share which heel turns left a lasting impression, which ones defied their expectations, and perhaps how they would orchestrate their own villainous transformations. Audience beware—one panelist might just betray everyone before this panel ends!

Horror Dating Game (18+): Moderator – James Sabata. Ever wonder what it would be like to date the wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, or hey, maybe Godzilla or Cthulhu are more your speed? What questions would you ask of them? What would make each one an ideal date? Join us as we play “The Horror Dating Game” where audience members get to ask questions of our horror icons and monsters to determine which is the best possible fit for that missing piece of your heart…We bring audience members up one at a time to play the game. They ask the panelists three questions and determine who they’d want to go on a date with.

Music Panels

Synopsis to Song: Moderator – TBA: How to transfer your book synopsis to song and how to use it to market your brand.

Workshops

Writing and Publishing Workshops

The Art of Writing Weapons: Presenter – B.A. Richards. Join B.A Richards as he describes the main types of weapons, show how to turn everyday objects we carry into weapons, and discuss how to make your own sci-fi and magical weapons — and how to break them. He will be bringing prop swords to show.

Being Creative During Times of Grief & Trauma: Presenter – Tim Bischoff. Making progress on your writing during times of Grief or Trauma does not look the same for everyone. It’s ok that writers deal with difficult times in different ways. As the old saying goes “When it Rains it Pours”, can be overwhelming. Sometimes it’s better “To Dance Between the Raindrops” and focus on the smaller things. to continue forward while dealing with the deluge of Grief or Trauma. Come join me to share experiences, remedies and support with fellow authors.

Building Believable Worlds for All Genres: Presenter – Ava Cuvay. It’s not just a Sci-fi thing. Worldbuilding is a crucial aspect of any story in any genre. Award winning, bestselling author Ava Cuvay outlines why, how, and what to avoid to enhance your worldbuilding thought processes for a truly engaging story. (There might be a few Star Wars references! 🙂 )

Crafting a Career in Non-Fiction: Presenter – Anthony Taylor. Typically non-fiction writers earn more than any other genre of authors. We will discuss what makes a non-fiction book interesting,researching the topic, and how to make it relatable to readers.

Firearms: A Primer for Fiction Writers: Presenter – John Bukowski. Many genres, including thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and even romance, may involve firearms. Yet many fiction writers have little understanding of this topic. In my one-hour workshop, I go through the basic types of modern firearms (pistols, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, etc.), how they work, the common calibers, and the pitfalls to avoid when writing about them (eg, putting a silencer on a revolver). I base this upon my fifty years of experience with firearms and my ability to simplify and demystify the basics for the average writer. I taught this course for the first time last year at Imaginarium and it was very well received. Many stayed until 3 PM on the last day of the conference to hear it. There were so many questions that it actually ran late. I think it met a substantial unmet need and would love to repeat it.

The Future is Burning: Crafting Compelling Climate Fiction: Presenter – Diego Tovar. Climate fiction (Cli-Fi) is more than just a genre—it’s a movement that combines storytelling with urgent environmental themes. This workshop explores the fundamentals of crafting Cli-Fi narratives that engage readers while addressing global challenges like climate change, environmental justice, and resource scarcity. Participants will learn how to:

-Build rich, believable worlds affected by climate change or with climate change themes.
-Develop characters that represent diverse perspectives on environmental issues.
-Balance the science and the fiction for compelling, fact-based storytelling.
-Create narratives that inspire hope, fear, or action.
-This session is ideal for writers interested in speculative fiction, dystopian narratives, or storytelling with a purpose.

How to Make Your Book a Pleasure to Read: Presenter – Dan ‘The Word Weaver Pro’ Eveland. The layout and type you use should not even be noticed. The goals of good layout/typesetting is to use signals to let the reader know what language structure they are currently in, such as a heading, paragraph, sentence or quote.

Readers have been conditioned from a very young age to recognize these signals unconsciously so they can understand what a section of text is for without having to consciously figure it out. For them it is familiar, comforting, and expected. That is the form. What the words say is, for the most part, is completely unrelated. Confuse them with a plot twist, not some odd treatment of the text. Bad layout and type treatments will force them out of the world you have created back to a reader trying to interpret what a screen or paper page is trying to convey.

This session will explore the proven standards that have been used for centuries, and how to adapt them to your own books.

How to Write and Create an Audio Drama/Fictional Podcast: Presenters – Devin Hylton and Tim Miller. An in-depth look at the process of producing an audio drama, pre-production, the writing process, the audio process, and how to direct actors in this new and exciting medium.

How to Write Funny: Presenter – Virginia Smith. Humorous writing goes beyond telling jokes; learn how to infuse your writing with humor. This workshop will present techniques for instilling humor in fiction, including the Anatomy of a Joke, Phrasing for Impact, Overstatement, Understatement, and more. Each technique is illustrated with examples from published works. Come prepared to laugh and learn!

Interviewing Your Characters – Unlock Their Deepest Secrets: Presenter – Lynn Tincher. Ever feel like your characters are holding something back? In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to “interview” your characters to uncover their hidden depths, motivations, and quirks. Using a structured yet creative approach, we’ll dive into thought-provoking questions that bring characters to life, strengthen dialogue, and enhance storytelling. Whether you’re developing a new character or refining an existing one, this session will help you craft well-rounded, authentic personalities that leap off the page. Come prepared to ask tough questions—your characters might just surprise you!

Interviewing Your Location – Bringing Your Setting to Life: Presenter – Lynn Tincher. Your setting is more than just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing part of your story. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to “interview” your location to uncover its personality, history, and hidden details. Through guided prompts and creative exercises, you’ll explore how setting influences mood, character interactions, and plot development. Whether you’re crafting a bustling city, a haunted mansion, or an enchanted forest, this session will help you create immersive worlds that feel as real as your characters. Get ready to ask your setting the tough questions—it has stories to tell!

Killing Off Your Characters: Presented by Barbara V. Evers. It has to happen. Characters must die. But how do you do this effectively? Let’s explore the hallmarks of a satisfying death scene and what you need in order for your readers to care. (60 min)

Like, Love, Lust: The Art of Romance: Presenter – B.A. Richards. Learn the Art of Writing a Romance. In this workshop we will look at what parts of a romance is important to readers, how it can be integrated into ANY genre, and some time at the end for spicy talk.

Marathonarium 3 (A Premium Exclusive Workshop): Presenter – Stephen Zimmer. Get ready for a new 3-Hour Short Story Marathon at Imaginarium 2025, where your completion of a short story gets you published in the third volume of our Imaginarium Convention Marathonarium Anthologies!

The Marathonarium 3 workshop will be conducted by award-winning author, editor, and podcaster Stephen Zimmer, and will include a short presentation focusing on marathon-style writing and the craft of writing short stories.

At the end of the presentation, the three-hour creative writing adventure begins!

The presentation will begin at 5 PM on July 17th.

At 5:30 PM, we begin writing.

By 8:30 PM, each participant will transmit his or her story to Stephen for the next steps, which will include editing and time for you to make any needed corrections or revisions to your short story.

Then, the stories will be published in the Marathonarium Anthology Volume 3, which will be released in both print and digital formats, with proceeds supporting the Imaginarium Convention! Stories are non-exclusive, meaning that you will be able to use them in any project that you would like!

Limited to just 18 participants and a small additional fee involved. To see full information on the Marathonarium 3 Workshop and sign up for it, please visit: https://www.entertheimaginarium.com/marathonarium-3-premium-workshop-sign-up-form/

Military ranks and Structure: A Primer for Fiction Writers: Presenter – John Bukowski. Many genres deal with the military, yet many writers are unfamiliar with military structure, chain of command, ranks, etc. This proposed course would outline and contrast the ranks used by different branches of the military, the different disciplines involved (armor, infantry, engineers, intelligence, etc.), and the organization of military units (platoon, company, battalion, etc.) I have been an ardent student of military history for close to sixty years and am well-versed in these areas. Like the firearms primer, I think that this course would fill an unmet need.

Pitfalls on the Pathway to Publication: Presenter – R.G. Yoho. In this presentation, R.G. Yoho will share a number of mistakes he made as a young writer/author, and what you must do to avoid them.

Public Speaking for Creatives: Presenter – Barbara V. Evers. You need to promote your creation, but you fear speaking or not knowing what to say. Let’s take a look at how to find opportunities, how to create and deliver an effective message, and what to do about nerves/imposter syndrome. (60 minutes)

Pump up Your Prose: Presenter – Ava Cuvay. Give your writing a six-pack that has nothing to do with your hero’s abs. Award winning, bestselling author Ava Cuvay offers a list of craft rules to help trim down and beef up the power of your writing for maximum storytelling impact.

Short Story Writing: Presenter – Arlan Andrews, Sr. This is an instructional workshop on “Short Story Writing” with a focus on science fiction and fantasy.

Stories That Sparkle: Presenter – Virginia Smith. Grip your readers with a story that sparkles by applying Sparkle Tips that address techniques for the creating tensions, seamless sensory description, avoiding throw-away words, and adding backstory that enhances the plot without hijacking it.

Structure and Narrative Tension: How to Hold a Story Together: Presenter – Eilot Parker. Narrative structure in creative writing isn’t just storytelling. It’s the components that ultimately build a story. In this 75-minute interactive workshop, participants discuss and learn ways to create narrative tension within a story along with some techniques that can help hold a story together so that the reader keeps turning the pages. Using Peter Benchley’s book Jaws the framework for discussion, participants will examine some types of narrative structures and how to determine if they might be the best one to choose for their story. This workshop is good for novice writers or experienced writers looking to add strength and depth to their narrative.

Syllabic Poetry Writing Challenge: Presenter – Erynn Crittenden. A challenge for poets of all ages and stages! Come learn about three different poetry forms (the Monosyllabic, the Etheree, and the Dizain) that take the use of syllables to a whole new level. Then, write your own!

Unique Poetry: Presenter – Lee Pennington. Presented by award winning and Pulitzer Prize nominated author, poet, playwright, filmmaker Lee Pennington. Discover how to become totally aware of one’s environment to become a successful poet.

Using Email Marketing to Convert Casual Acquaintances into Superfans: Presenters -Marilyn Barr & S. Cinders. We live in the rise and fall of social media platforms. An author can spend years cultivating a following only to wake up one morning and find it gone. Email marketing gives authors control over their follower list, but what if you put starting a newsletter at the bottom of your to-do list? How can an author attract readers interested in purchasing their books instead of just freebie seekers? Automations and reader magnets sound more like engineering topics than writing, so what are they? Once an author has that shining list of subscribers, how do they maintain readers’ interest let alone motivate them to click on the links within the letter? Experts in book marketing recommend newsletter swaps as their number one marketing tool, but how do authors plan those? In this workshop, we will shine a light on the black box of email marketing and give authors the tools to build their army of superfans. It doesn’t have to be a painful chore on a long-list of must-dos.

Weaving Multiple Narratives Into One Great Story: Presenter – Michael Knost. In this two-hour workshop, we will learn the intricacies of crafting multiple (seemingly standalone) story threads into one novel. We will focus on a subtype of parallel narrative called Fractured Tandem where, step by step, the connections of outwardly independent stories are revealed in your novel.

We will learn how to:

Best weave these stories into one epic tale.
How and when to transition to and from one another.
How to make each thread not only relevant to the whole, but also to each and every other thread.

The West Memphis Three Case: A Case Study in Wrongful Convictions: Presenter – Dan Stidham. A seminar regarding the West Memphis Three Murder Case, Wrongful Convictions and Criminal Justice Reform.

Writing the Real West Versus the Hollywood West: Presenter – Johnny D. Boggs. It’s not that any Western writer wouldn’t want to have a novel or short story compared to a classic movie. Who wouldn’t want to be likened to Red River, High Noon, or The Wild Bunch? And writers can learn a lot from studying scripts from a masters like Burt Kennedy (7 Men from Now) and William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). But when putting together Western prose, writers might consider moving away from Hollywood influences and think more about the real, gritty American frontier that was often far removed from white hats, black hats and saloon gals with hearts of gold. Johnny D. Boggs, a nine-time Spur Award winner and recipient of the Western Writers of America’s Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement, discusses the grit and grime of the Old West that usually do not make it into a movie script while pointing out that writers can also learn a few tricks by watching Westerns, and studying screenplays, the good, the bad, and the so-so.

Content Creation, Social Media, and Podcasting Workshops

Gaming Workshops

coming soon

Filmmaking and Screenwriting Workshops

coming soon

Miscellaneous Workshops

A Journey From Concept to Live Performance: Presenter – Terry Chambers. Representing historical figures through performance art:

Step 1: Research and Select Your Topic

Step 2: Outline Your Script

Step 3: Write the Script

Step 4: Rehearse and Refine with props and costuming

Step 5: Perform and Reflect

Create Your One-Person Show: A Step-by-Step Guide: Presenter – Terry Chambers. Ever wondered what it takes to create a one-person show but you’re unsure where to start? Join performance artist Terry Chambers for this one-hour workshop designed to give you a sneak peek into the exciting world of solo performance. This session, open to creatives of all levels, is perfect for beginners too. No prior experience is required—just a curiosity and a desire to learn!

Discover a hands-on method for shaping your concept and bringing it to life on stage. You’ll learn how to choose a topic, build a compelling story, and even tackle the basics of staging and costume design, as well as explore the budgeting and marketing aspects of the production side of the business.
Chambers, a seasoned storyteller and entrepreneur, will help you gain real insights with creative tips in a relaxed, no-pressure environment. This is your chance to get a taste of what it takes to create something truly unique. Come for the inspiration, stay for the practical advice, and leave with the confidence to explore your own creative potential. Sign up now and see where your imagination can take you!