2023 Thursday Deep-Dive Workshops

Connection Is Key: An Artist’s Guide To Successful Performances

Allie Gardner

Intended Audience: This workshop is for active performing/recording artists—or those who want to start. Key supporters (moms/managers) are also welcome to attend.

In this workshop, participants will learn vital techniques for captivating vocals in recording and live settings, master skills to overcome performance anxiety and develop “effortless” onstage charisma, learn to genuinely  connect with an audience and change passive listeners to active superfans and be prepared to make a lasting impact with your art.

During the workshop, you will 

• Develop healthy, effective vocal technique for delivering sparkling vocals for performances and recording sessions. 
• Overcome performance anxiety by learning the top 7 mindfulness techniques (that actually work) that you can apply before, during, and after a performance to demolish jitters, develop pre- and post-performance rituals, and be empowered to perform with connection and confidence. 
• Develop you audience connection strategy and receive immediately applicable action items to transform your following from passive listener to active audience and superfan. 
• Harness creativity in all steps of the production-launch-nurture process (not just the music!) 
• Develop your impact-centered mission statement to foster connection in every aspect of your career.

Pre-work:

Participants should do a simple audit of their music career efforts and come with the answers to the following questions.

1. How do you  feel about your voice? What do you like about it? What do you wish you could do differently? What do you most often feel about your unique voice?
2. What current attitude do you have towards performing live? (example: performing live is ______.) What physiological sensations do you feel before, during and after performance? Do you engage in post-performance self-bashing or comparison? Who do you most often compare yourself to and why? What do you currently do to prepare yourself for performing?  Repeat the same questions for livestream performances, video recordings, and recording sessions. Note the differences if they exist between performance mediums. 
3. Participants will identify their current follower/fan  demographics. Who likes or listens to your music? (if you have not yet begun sharing your music with the world—who do you THINK will like your music?) If you have access to Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok insight analytics and can get detailed reports, please do so. 
4. Participants will ponder their current work process from song idea to song release. What is working? What do you feel could be improved in your process? What roadblocks are keeping you from releasing music as you’d like? 
5. Participants will ponder what their overarching goal, dream or objective is. Why are you creating music? Why are you trying to get it out into the world? What is the finish-line “I’ve made it!” marker for you?

Bio: Allie Gardner is an internationally touring contemporary Christian artist who has fostered an international community of 40,000+ superfans who are constantly anxious for the next release. She is also an IVTOM certified vocal coach, a music career strategist, a session musician, and a serial entrepreneur always seeking to make a lasting impact on those she teaches, performs for, or serves in any capacity. Her enthusiasm is contagious and her engaging,  information-packed workshop will leave you laughing, crying, vigorously scribbling down notes and empowered to change the whole world with your art. 

Professional Editing: Expanding and Refining Copyediting and Substantive Editing Skills

Suzy Bills

Target Audience: Editors (early intermediate); authors who want to improve their self-editing skills

In this hands-on workshop, participants will refine their copyediting and substantive editing skills. They’ll review essential aspects of usage and Chicago style, learn strategies for addressing tricky substantive editing principles (e.g., cohesion and coherence), and apply editing principles in a variety of practice exercises. Participants will receive immediate feedback on their work and will have the opportunity to get answers to their toughest editing questions.

In this workshop, you will:

• Increase your understanding and ability to apply essential copyediting principles, including regarding diction, punctuation, nominalizations, parallelism, and misplaced modifiers
• Gain skills in formatting in-text citations
• Learn easy-to-apply strategies for increasing the flow between sentences and paragraphs
• Work individually and in small groups to complete multiple practice exercises and then receive feedback
• Receive answers to tricky editing questions
• Learn about resources participants can use to continue refining your editing skills

Pre-work: Participants should have a basic understanding of The Chicago Manual of Style and copyediting principles.

Bio: Suzy Bills is an editor, author, and faculty member in the editing and publishing program at BYU. She has owned a writing and editing business since 2006, working with clients to publish everything from books to dissertations to technical manuals. She loves sharing her skills with others, whether through teaching, helping authors get their thoughts on paper, or fine-tuning their writing. Her book The Freelance Editor’s Handbook was published in 2021.

“My Characters Are Acting Up!”—Using Theater Tools to Write Captivating Characters

Gale Sears

Target Audience: Fiction writers: novels, memoir, YA, middle-grade, chapter, and children’s picture books.

By utilizing theater techniques used by actors to build characters, writers will learn how to create fictional characters who will jump off the page and into the minds and hearts of their readers.

In this workshop, you will:

• Review the basics of creating a story: setting, time, plot, theme, and character, with an emphasis on character
• Create mind maps with character-centered plots
• Use writing prompts that deal with character
• Discover the actors’ use of character bios to flesh out a character
• Learn to go beyond character descriptions such as beautiful or handsome by expanding competence with adjectives
• Develop the ability to show, not tell
• Participate in theater games that demonstrate variety and depth in character building
• Participate in writing exercises that identify a character’s motivation
• Leave the workshop with a protagonist and an antagonist that will wow your readers

Pre-work: Come with 2 to 4 characters from one of your book concepts—preferably one protagonist and one antagonist.

Bio: Gale Sears is an award-winning author, who spent thirty-five years as an actress, playwright, and director in theater. She graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in theater and playwriting, and the University of Minnesota with a master’s degree in theater arts. She taught acting classes at college and university level and has been an acting coach.

Power Storytelling Techniques to Captivate Readers: The Hero’s Journey, Writing Juicy, and the Three-Act Play

Bridget Cook-Burch

Magic for both fiction and nonfiction—this remarkable technique will make your storytelling stronger, your narrative more compelling, and your personal growth go off the charts!

Intended Audience: Fiction and nonfiction authors who have a “Mighty Message”—something they are so passionate about writing that they can’t sleep at night, but haven’t gotten it onto the page as big as their passion declares is possible.

Participants will learn clear, effective ways to use three powerful storytelling techniques. Building upon one another, these remarkable techniques will make your storytelling stronger, make your narrative more compelling, and take your personal growth off the charts! Bestselling author and mentor Bridget Cook-Burch offers concise and inspirational guidance using real-world fiction and nonfiction examples as she works hands-on with participants to incorporate deep conflicts, dark-night-of-the-soul drama, and climaxes that will have your readers singing!

In this workshop, you will:

• Gain the confidence to write a book that entertains, educates, motivates, and inspires.
• Learn techniques used to write the most epic stories of all time; learn to understand the power of your own story naturally and organically; and learn how to become leaders in your profession and be passionate enough to create movements rather than readers.
• Discover how to write with both left brain and right brain for “master brain” outlining and writing for a powerful and impactful book—particularly useful in nonfiction for compelling memoir, autobiographies, narrative nonfiction, DIY, and self-help books, as well as creating robust fiction, regardless of genre.
• Explore the twelve steps of the hero’s journey that are laid out as easy, understandable pieces of the story (no matter who the character is), cutting months or even years off the writing process by seeing the patterns for what they are.
• Recognize where you are on your own hero’s journey—how to use the dark nights to turn a mess into your message, misery into your ministry and career path—and, in fiction, use proven methods to bring incredible reader satisfaction by creating very saleable content.

Pre-work:

1. Come ready to learn and open to new possibilities in your life and career as an author. 
2. Have a rudimentary one-page outline of your book, if possible. If you don’t, you’ll still be inspired with your own truth by the end of the class. 
3. Bring scratch paper, pens, and two colors of markers

Bio: New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Bridget Cook-Burch loves to guide writers to completing manuscripts and becoming published authors and leaders, as the world of writing can be crazy and overwhelming. As a transformational speaker, writing mentor, and leader of writing retreats in Utah and Ireland, her clients call her “the Book Whisperer.” Bridget’s books have been showcased on Oprah, Dateline, GMA, the Today Show, and People Magazine. In knowing how profoundly storytelling affects quality of life, Bridget’s challenge to you is to believe in the power of your story to change the world. Learn more about her at YourInspiredStory.com.

Book Marketing for Authors: How to Publicize, Promote, and Launch Your Publication

Scott T. E. Jackson

Intended Audience: Authors with completed manuscripts (though all are welcome)

Back by popular demand, Scott is excited to help make marketing accessible to authors of any experience. This workshop will drill deep, build up, and prepare you with marketing strategies, tools, and a flexible framework to connect your work with more readers—no matter your abilities or constraints.

In our time together, participants will:

• Train their marketing minds with a brief marking boot camp
• Glean marketing insights and best practices from the publishing industry as a whole 
• Learn free and paid marketing tools 
• Discuss the ethics, challenges, and benefits of AI supported efforts
• Collaborate with other authors in market planning and creating marketing creative (i.e., posts, ads, etc.) 
• Receive real-time in-person feedback on their marketing ideas/efforts

Pre-Work: If you haven’t before, please download and fill out the business model canvas; this is a simple yet incredibly powerful tool. This year’s workshop will not be focusing on it directly, but it will immeasurably enhance your experience.

Also, watch for a survey from Scott several weeks before the workshop—by responding, you are seeding the presentation with answers to your marketing questions!

Bio: Scott T. E. Jackson is an author and marketing professional. Scott currently manages digital advertising efforts and spend at Revity, a marketing agency in American Fork, and was previously an account executive at Cedar Fort Publishing & Media for over four years. Scott graduated magna cum laude in marketing from BYU’s Marriott School of Business. Scott is passionate about writing and has published and self-published titles in fiction and creative nonfiction. He lives in Springville, Utah, with his wife and two children.

Use Short-Form Videos to Attract Loyal Fans!

Austin Falter

Intended Audience: Personal Brands! Authors, artists, singers, and soloprenuers who want to crack the code for social media growth

How can you use short video posts to lead people from viewer, to follower, to fan and customer? In this workshop, you’ll learn how with one film day a month, you can knock out an entire month’s worth of value-filled content to grow your social media following!

In our time together, participants will:

• Participate in a live demonstration (ideas, script, film, edit, post)
• Create a 30-day video marketing plan (with deadlines!)
• Create 30 video ideas/hooks.
• Create a software and tools list (to automate parts of the process)
• Learn the best way to take people from a view to a conversion
• Draft and receive feedback on your own social media ideas
• Gain access to free content idea guides and downloadable film checklists

Pre-Work: Rule #1 of Marketing: Know your audience. I want you to have an idea of EXACTLY who you want to reach before you walk in the door. Have one persona in mind, think of what they struggle with, what they love, and what they relate to. Know your audience. That’s it! 
OPTIONAL PREP:
If you want specific film, audio, or lighting gear recommendations, bring a photo or video of your usual film space and make a list of the gear you already have! 

Bio: Austin Falter is the owner of Falter Media, a TEDx speaker, and yes, a “TikToker.” His agency is responsible for hundreds of millions of organic video views on social media. His superpower (besides karaoke) is helping brands build systems to efficiently batch their social media videos into one film day!

Getting Published: How to Find the Right Agent, Attract the Right Publisher, or Cost-Effectively Self-Publish Your Book

Sabine Berlin and Lindsay Flanagan of Eschler Editing

Intended Audience: Fiction and nonfiction writers who are ready to start exploring publishing paths.

Learn the path to publishing from senior editors at Eschler Editing! We’ll guide you through key points of manuscript creation and the must-dos to see your book find its way into the world.

Upon successful completion of the four-hour workshop, you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of hitting the correct target audience, including placing your manuscript in the right genre and ensuring it’s within accepted word count 
• Find beta readers and developmental editors 
• Write queries, synopses, book proposals, and back cover copy, which will then be workshopped in class 
• Study the different publishing paths (traditional and self-publishing, including a discussion on small versus big presses and hybrid publishing) 
• Identify the need for literary agents for traditional paths and professional editors and designers for self-publishing 
• Give an overview of the book distribution and book marketing process

Pre-Work: Please write a query, synopsis, or back cover copy to workshop in class!

Bio:

Sabine Berlin is a senior editor at Eschler Editing, where she has worked for over twelve years to help writers bring their stories to life. She is the co-publisher of Mad Cat, the young adult imprint of Roan and Weatherford publishing. Sabine has also successfully self-published (Oh My Oppa!) and traditionally published (And the Sky Full of Stars). 

Lindsay Flanagan is a senior editor at Eschler Editing and the co-publisher of Mad Cat, the young adult imprint of Roan and Weatherford publishing. She is an award-winning editor and author and has worked in the publishing industry for a decade, editing for traditional publishers and working at literary agencies. Her debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, the first of six books in the Laéth RealmAdventures series, was published in August 2023, and the second, Little Red Wraith, came out in August 2024. The third installment, AnnaGrey and the Red Fox Girls, will hit bookshelves in April 2025.

How to Thrive as a Freelance Editor: Strategies for Efficiency, Project Management, and Attracting Clients

Liz Kazandzhy

Intended Audience: Editors, from beginner to advanced

A career as a freelance editor is often flexible and highly fulfilling, but it also presents its own challenges. For example, how do you find new clients and manage projects? How do you hone your craft and maximize your productivity? And for beginners, how do you even start out as a freelance editor? All these questions and more will be answered in this workshop through in-depth instruction, hands-on exercises, and plenty of time for questions and answers.

During the four-hour workshop, you will:

• Discover resources and technology tools that will help sharpen your editing skills
• Find ways to optimize your editing workflow
• Complete helpful worksheets, exercises, and quizzes
• Discover how to grow your client base as a new or experienced editor, including through the popular online platform Upwork
• Learn how to improve communication with clients
• Get answers to your questions about editing and freelancing

Pre-Work: Participants should have a basic understanding of The Chicago Manual of Style and copyediting principles.

Bio:

Liz Kazandzhy has worked as a freelance editor since 2019. She began her editing career specializing in academic and nonfiction work on the website Upwork, where she was consistently among the top 3% of freelancers on the platform. Later she landed her dream job with Cedar Fort Publishing & Media doing line editing and interior layouts for Latter-day Saint nonfiction. She is the author of several books, including The Holy Ghost from A to Z and Ask, Seek, Find: 1,000 Questions to Deepen Your Scripture Study.

Cracking the Code of Great Writing: Powerful Techniques to Master Your Writing on a Line Level

Kathryn Purdie

Intended Audience: Fiction writers, Intermediate to Advanced

What sets apart a wonderful book from a mediocre one is the quality of writing within it. In this workshop, you’ll learn to identify pitfalls in your prose, as well as techniques on how to make it shine, which involve deep point of view, character connection, powerful prose, enhancing voice, invoking emotions, hooking your reader, creating resonance, and making and delivering promises to your reader. Additionally, you’ll have time to revise your own writing.

During the four-hour workshop, you will:

• Learn how to write in deep point of view for the most gripping character connection.
• Learn the recipe for creating a character’s voice.
• Learn how to avoid “author intrusion” in fiction.
• Learn the importance of endings on a sentence level, paragraph level, chapter level, and story level.
• Learn techniques for writing every kind of ending.
• Learn how to pack the most impact into your prose.
• Level up your writing during workshop revision sessions.
• Have the opportunity to share some of your revisions and receive feedback.

Pre-Work: Bring at least 1–2 chapters of your own writing already drafted to revise during the workshop.

Bio:

Kathryn Purdie is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Bone Crier’s Moon duology, The Forest Grimm duology, and the Burning Glass series. Kathryn has taught writing classes at Storymakers, Futurescapes, Writing and Illustrating for Young Children (WIFYR), Sundance Workshops, FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, and Teen Author Boot Camp, and she was a keynote speaker for Writing for Charity, Young Authors Academy, and the BYU–Idaho College of Language and Letters.

Building and Marketing a Music Business

Daniel Blomberg and Douglas Pew

Intended Audience: Early- to mid-career musicians and music students (intermediate to advanced music skills; beginning to intermediate business/marketing skills)

Successful music businesses are built with robust, predictable and sequential tools—and you can learn how to do it! Come learn the integrity-filled, non-smarmy, non-icky way to take your ideal fans from viewers and listeners all the way to repeat customers.

During the workshop, participants will: 

• Choose 1 of 6 ways to build a successful music business in today’s business environment.
• Receive diagrams of the marketing funnels associated with each of the 6 basic music business models 
• Learn general writing formulas to turn browsers into buyers in a nice, non-pushy way—so you don’t feel like you’re selling your soul to the online marketing bros.
• Receive persuasive writing formulas and specific templates for each of the 6 business models.
• Write a complete funnel’s worth of marketing messaging from start to finish, with Daniel and Doug watching over your shoulder to help at every stage of the process:
  • YouTube description box
  • Opt-in page
  • Thank you/Download email
  • Thank you/Download page
  • Email nurture sequence
  • Sales page
  • Order page
  • Thank-you page

Pre-work:

• Come armed with stories from your life that you can use to gain and keep people’s interest and attention.
• Come with an idea or two about something you can give to your ideal client/prospect for free, so they can receive value, come to trust you, and gain an interest in your other offerings. Example: a piece of sheet music or an instruction video.
• We will take care of the rest.

Bio: Daniel Blomberg built a six-figure music production company in just over three years with his wife and business partner, Kathryn, making mainly religious music in a place where musicians are often viewed as “a dime a dozen” commodity. Blomberg Music Productions works with professionals and hobbyists alike, including several of Utah’s household music names, to help flood the earth with God’s music.

Bio: Dr. Douglas Pew is an award-winning composer of classical music. He is also a sought-after marketer and online business coach, who’s helped his clients make millions selling their expertise in the form of digital courses, memberships, masterminds, and coaching programs.

Doug and the Blombergs co-own and operate Christian Music Business Academy, a venture designed to help Christian musicians turn their craft into impact and income.

Then Sings My Soul: Brainstorming, Writing, Recording, and Sharing Inspirational Lyrics and Melodies

Michael D. Young

Target Audience: Composers, lyricists, poets, musicians

Craft your own inspirational masterpiece by focusing on the fundamentals of great songwriting while receiving feedback along every step of the process. Learn how to take your song through every step in its life cycle from brainstorming to distribution in a supportive environment that will help you stretch your songwriting skills.

In this workshop, you will:

• Create a brainstorming mind map to develop a song topic
• Learn and practice the fundamentals of meter and rhyme for song lyrics  
• Develop a first draft of your song lyrics 
• Give and receive feedback on your song lyrics
• Revise and create new iterations of your lyrics
• Learn and practice the fundamentals of creating a melody 
• Transcribe your melody with your lyrics using music notation software 
• Share a version of your work with the class and discuss your process
• Learn and practice the fundamentals of digital recording
• Discuss and identify possible outlets to publish/distribute your music

Pre-work: Brainstorm possible song topics.

Bio: Michael D. Young is a current member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and a former member of the Bells on Temple Square. He is a private voice teacher and the author of over forty books, including An Advent Carols Countdown, which delves into the stories behind beloved Christmas carols. He compiled an independent hymnbook called As Saints We Sing, and in collaboration with over seventy composers, submitted over 100 texts to the new hymnbook and Children’s Songbook for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Fiction Writing (with a Fantasy Emphasis)

Kathryn Purdie

Note: This workshop was originally being taught by Brandon Mull, but he had to cancel due to an unforeseen conflict.

Intended Audience: Beginner and intermediate fiction writers, especially fantasy writers.

Attendees will learn principles of creating stories, including building engaging characters, writing effective scenes, and reaching a satisfying conclusion. The writing of all fiction uses similar principles, but there will be an emphasis on fantasy, especially in the worldbuilding discussion.

Bio:

Kathryn Purdie is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Bone Crier’s Moon duology, The Forest Grimm, and the Burning Glass trilogy. Kathryn is a trained classical actress who studied at the Oxford School of Drama and has taught writing classes at Storymakers, Teen Author Boot Camp, Futurescapes, Writing and Illustrating for Young Children (WIFYR), FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, and Sundance Workshops, and has been a keynote speaker for Writing for Charity, Young Authors Academy, and the BYU Idaho College of Language and Letters. You can find more information about her at kathrynpurdie.com.

Getting Published: How to Find the Right Agent, Attract the Right Publisher, or Cost-Effectively Self-Publish Your Book

Sabine Berlin and Lindsay Flanagan

Intended Audience: Writers looking to publish books

This course will dive into the details of publishing your book through either traditional or self-publishing paths. It will go over how to make sure your book is ready to publish, deciding between traditional and self-publishing paths, having a plan A and plan B for your publishing goals, and the steps required for the different publishing paths: agent shopping, query writing, and pitching or working with your self-publishing support team on covers, copy, galley proofs, distribution, publishing, and the book launch.

During the workshop, you will:

• Identify the steps to ensuring your book is ready to publish
• Discuss the pros and cons of both traditional and self-publishing
• Identify red flags in the industry
• Draft and receive feedback on a query letter (traditional) or back-cover blurb (self)
• Receive a publishing schedule you can fill out for your project
• Analyze the cost differences between traditional and self-publishing
• Review the steps and strategies for effective self-publishing
• Discuss the basic foundations of book marketing 
• Be directed to in-depth resources and support

Pre-work: Participants should have a 1–2 page synopsis of their book (and an annotated table of contents if nonfiction—making it clear what is covered in each chapter). This will help them when writing their query/blurbs. They should also have the names of 2–3 comparable book titles/authors that their book could sit by on a bookstore or library shelf—titles that would attract the same type of readers their books are aiming to reach.

Bio: Sabine Berlin is a professional editor with over ten years of editing experience helping clients prepare their books for traditional and self-publishing. She is the author of two fiction books: Oh My Oppa! (self-published), and And the Sky Full of Stars (traditionally published). Sabine attended Orson Scott Card’s Literary Boot Camp, gaining a deep appreciation of editing and writing. She has degrees in editing and document design, history, and higher education leadership. She works at a local university where she works as a director of curriculum, accreditation, and assessment. She has taught at several writing conferences over the years, including Write Here in Ephraim, Fyrecon, LDSPMA, League of Utah Writers’ Pre-Quill Conference, and Kanab Writers Conference.

Bio: Lindsay Flanagan is an author, editor, photographer, and mom. She writes young adult and middle grade fantasy and is a senior editor at Eschler Editing. She has also edited for traditional publishers and assisted literary agents. Her debut novel, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was released in August from Young Dragons Press. Her poetry, prose, and short fiction has been featured in several literary magazines, and her writing, editing, publishing, and social media advice has been published on various industry blogs. Her second creative love is photography, and her preferred subject is the majestic mountains of Utah, where she was born and raised and still makes her home with her husband, two daughters, a kitty cat, three dogs, and sometimes a horse.

Social Media Marketing Strategies That Sell More, Build Automated Campaigns, and Attract Raving Fans

Trina Boice

Intended Audience: Fiction & non-fiction authors, musicians, singers, artists, and filmmakers who often feel overwhelmed with all of the marketing tasks and strategies that they hear they’re supposed to be doing to be successful.

What you’ll learn in this workshop:

• Define your ICA (Ideal Customer Avatar) because it determines how, what, where, and when you market everything!
• Learn how to create a marketing funnel
• Develop a lead magnet that can be offered in your marketing funnel
• Create a social media content calendar
• Analyze the launch formula and identify where you currently are
• Learn about the strengths & weaknesses of social media platforms
• Understand why building an email list is crucial to sales and success
• Design a Media Kit and learn how to use it to get speaking gigs to promote your work
• Conquer changing algorithms in Amazon, Facebook, and YouTube
• Learn why you should consider offering a podcast, online course, or service
• Discover what tasks you can outsource to a Virtual Assistant for only $3.50/hour

Pre-work: Authors and other creatives will usually have a website, blog, or social media account to start with. If you don’t have any of that, it’s okay because you’ll learn where to put your efforts for the best results.

Bio: Dr. Trina Boice is a #1 bestselling author of 31 books and an author coach who helps writers become bestselling authors with strategic marketing at FromBooks2Business.com. She has 11 online courses, 4 YouTube channels, and a daily podcast. She currently teaches online for BYU-Idaho and Arizona College of Nursing. She loves film and writes movie reviews at MovieReviewMom.com.

Unleash the Video Potential of Your Smartphone: How to Plan, Film, and Edit Book Trailers, Short Films, and More with Only Your Phone

Brian Howard

Intended Audience: Authors, musicians, and other content creators who want to learn how to share their story and market their content with video.

This workshop equips you with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience to create compelling short-form and medium-length videos using your smartphone and affordable video editing apps. In just four hours, you’ll learn everything you need to take your creative marketing to the next level, reaching a wider audience and boosting your visibility and impact. 

What you’ll learn in this workshop:

• Learn the process of pre-production planning for video projects
• Develop a two-column video script for marketing videos
• Learn the basics of shooting quality video with a smartphone
• Learn the basics of audio and lighting to look and sound great on camera
• Identify low- and no-cost software and resources to create video on a budget
• Learn simple but effective video editing techniques 
• Shoot and edit a video bio
• Edit a promotional trailer for your book or message

Pre-work:

• Bring a smartphone
• Download the video app CapCut on your phone
• Bring an outline or a completed short bio and related photos we can use for your video bio
• Bring a blurb for one of your books or a book or project you are working on. We’ll use the blurb to create a video trailer.

Bio: Brian Howard teaches social and digital media, content marketing, video journalism, and mass media courses at BYU–Idaho. He is the host and executive producer of Latter-day Profiles on BYUtv. His side business, Shoebox Story, produces videos for local businesses, online news outlets, live events, and personal history videos to preserve family memories.

Self-Publishing Step-by-Step: How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Physical and Digital Publication Like a Pro

Debbie Rasmussen

Intended Audience: Anyone interested in self-publishing a book.

The goal for this workshop is for you to walk away with the knowledge and tools to self-publish your manuscript. We will briefly discuss the necessary steps that you should take to get a manuscript ready to self-publish, including cover creation, content and copy editing, and interior design. Then we will go through the self-publishing process step-by-step.

Questions are welcome throughout rather than saving them for a Q&A at the end (we can have that, too!). We will have hands-on experiences as well.

What you’ll learn in this workshop:

• Decide a course of action.
• Prepare a manuscript for publishing.
• Understand the step-by-step process and financial costs.
• Learn to navigate Ingram Sparks. (We will discuss Amazon.)
• Create a plan for each step of the process.
• Choose publishing formats.
• Gain an understanding of ISBN, LCCN, and your copyright page.
• Create a product that does not look self-published.
• Start now—right where you are.

Pre-work: Devices such as iPads and laptops are helpful but not required. Phones are a little harder to work from. 

Bring something to take notes, a manuscript if you have one, and all of your questions.

Bio: Debbie Ihler Rasmussen started writing at age ten. Decades and many stories later, it took her two years to figure out the process and she self-published in 2014. In 2018, Richard Paul Evans taught her how to prepare a manuscript that didn’t look self-published. After more extensive research, she has now published eight books and guides authors through the process. She is a freelance ghostwriter and successful content editor for Author Ready. Debbie writes paranormal mystery, is working on two books for a series, and is writing the life story for singer Alan Osmond. 

Don’t Tell Me About Paris . . . Take Me With You: Hooking Your Nonfiction Readers With Sensory & Emotional Depth

Krista M.  Isaacson

Intended Audience:

• Nonfiction writers: memoir, family history, etc. 
• Could also be a helpful crossover class for fiction writers trying to add realism to a character or storyline.

What’s more moving: a friend telling you about their visit to the Eiffel Tower, or seeing it in person? In this interactive workshop, I’ll guide you through nine writing methods that transport readers into the author’s shoes and connect them deeply to a story. We’ll work together with a simple personal memory of your choosing and craft it into a small masterpiece!

What you’ll learn in this workshop:

• Explore a simple personal memory and mine it deeply for details
• Practice writing specifics of the memory using sensory prompts
• Add critical emotional depth to the story
• Analyze and get creative repairing writing elements that distance readers, such as cliché, filter words, telling instead of showing, and more
• Blend everything we’ve learned and write a final masterpiece of a memory
• Be prepared to share!

Pre-work:

• Participants will dive deeply into a personal memory. Come prepared with two or three simple ideas, something you can describe in a single paragraph. For example—scoring the game-winning point or wearing mismatched shoes to an important meeting. All emotions welcome.

• Bring something to write with—laptop, pen & notepad, etc.

Bio: Krista M. Isaacson is a felicitously married mother of six children—including a daughter who has earned her angel wings. She is the award-winning author of Unbearable Burden: One Mother’s Decision to Trust God When He Asked the Impossible, the founder of Reality Writers (an online guild for nonfiction authors), and a believer that everyone has a story worth writing down. Krista’s passion for writing and sharing her testimony of Christ has led to incredible opportunities to speak at various conferences and venues, including BYU Women’s Conference, BYU’s Life After Loss Conference, BYUtv’s Come Follow Up, and on several podcasts and church videos.

How to Stand Out Online in a Noisy World: Creating Your Subscriber-Getting Machine from Start to Finish

Douglas Pew & Daniel Blomberg

Intended Audience: Fiction and nonfiction writers, editors, musicians, and graphic artists with beginning to intermediate business experience

Everyone wants more people to care about their craft, but how do you get people’s attention? How do you keep their attention? How do you help them become subscribers and eventually buyers?

What you’ll learn in this workshop:

• Constructing a valuable piece of content that attracts the attention of your best potential customers or fans
• Writing and launching an online portal to deliver the content piece and build your list of subscribers
• Receiving several professionally written social media post templates you can personalize and use immediately
• Automating the delivery of your content so you can grow your following in your sleep

Pre-work: Any Latter-day Saint creative can benefit from this knowledge. But to really get the most out of this workshop, it would be super helpful if you do some serious thinking about: 

• Who your general audience is, and how you best serve them
• What makes you or your product unique in the marketplace

Bio:

Dr. Douglas Pew is an award-winning composer of classical music. He is also a sought-after marketer and online business coach who has helped his clients make millions selling their expertise in the form of digital courses, memberships, masterminds, and coaching programs. Doug’s music is published by Boosey & Hawkes, Schott Music, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Jackman Music Corporation, and his own publishing house, Blue Shore Music.

Daniel Blomberg built a six-figure music production company in just over three years with his wife and business partner, Kathryn, making mainly religious music, in a place where musicians are often viewed as a “dime-a-dozen” commodity. Blomberg Music Productions works with professionals and hobbyists alike, including several of Utah’s household music names, to help flood the Earth with God’s music.