Class Descriptions

Tyson Abaroa How To Make Your Story An Onion-With Layers

So, you have a sound plot and developed characters? You’re almost there with your story. Make it deeper with more literary devices. Come study the from the best storytellers that layer their stories with a richness that you might have missed.

Anika Arrington YA by the Brain

In a follow up to her Mighty Middle Grades class Anika will take you through the developing adolescent brain and how it relates to the themes, goals, and motivations of your teenage protagonists. Hook your YA audience by hijacking their neurology no matter your genre. Find out why some books might hit hot and fast then fade into obscurity and others gather an audience for decades.

Raneé Clark The Power of Outlining: Using Pacing to Step Your Writing Up to the Next Level

Whether you spend the first few weeks on a new project detailing every chapter or thrive on the thrill of discovery writing, you can make outlining work for you. In this class, you’ll learn how to use outlining at any point in the writing

Raneé Clark Live Editing Presentation with Raneé S. Clark

Have you ever wondered what goes through your editors head when they work on your story? Are you new to writing and want a jump start on how to make your work shine? Come and watch a freelance editor edit the first pages of a manuscript. You’ll get insight into what editors look at and how they suggest improvements in issues such as character development, plot pacing, story style, and even grammar and punctuation.

Danyelle Ferguson Love, Luggage, & Lies: How Emotional Baggage Fuels Character Growth

A great love story needs more than swoony glances and epic kisses—it needs emotional baggage! In this class, we’ll unpack your characters’ past wounds, explore how trauma shapes their relationships, and discuss how to build a baggage arc that fuels their growth. You’ll leave with fresh insights, practical resources, and a carry-on full of conflict to throw at your MCs!

Danyelle Ferguson Brand It, Post It, Love It: Easy Canva Graphics for Authors

Let’s make your author brand shine! In this hands-on Canva session, you’ll learn how to create eye-catching, on-brand social media graphics that help you market your books with confidence. Easy, fun, and perfect for busy authors.

Dennis Gaunt Kill Your Darlings, Save Your Story

Well, it happened. What was supposed to be a tight 90k book has ballooned into a 150k behemoth. And yes, I know every word NEEDS to be in there. But hear me out: what if they don't? In this class, we will discuss how to identify which parts of your story are truly doing their jobs, and which parts are simply loitering. We will learn how to keep our story focused on its primary goal. And we will be bold and fearless in cutting out the parts that are holding the story back. Because, to paraphrase Nephi: "It is better that one darling should perish, than a manuscript should dwindle and perish in purple prose."

Lori (Lorin) Grace 10 (Mostly Easy) ways to level up your Indie Author game

Take your indie author business from amateur to professional with a few simple tweaks some of which will only take you a few minutes to do. We know everyone judges a book by its cover, make your personal author presentation shine.

Jessica Guernsey Short Story by the Numbers: Structure as Easy as 1, 2, 3

Writing short stories is a different beast than writing novels, but can be as satisfying as painting by numbers. If you can get the right word count. But how do you cram an entire world into only a few thousand words? How do you make sure your characters have believable stakes and arcs with such a limited space? Learn how to craft a short story by the numbers, when to increase tension, and at what point to add in angst as you keep your story under the word count limit.

Serene Heiner Build It, Rule It, Wreck It: A Writer’s Guide to Worldbuilding and Domination

"Creating a new world is all fun and games until the magic doesn’t make sense, the government system implodes, and your realm has six suns for no reason. In this class, we’ll learn to craft settings that are both fascinating and functional while tackling common world-building mistakes. WARNING: Side effects of attending may include developing an existential god complex.

Serene Heiner Gram Like a Pro: A Beginner’s Guide to Not Looking Clueless on Instagram

So, you want to market your books on Instagram—but the thought of learning yet another thing makes you want to scream! You can’t even remember where you put your keys last. Don’t worry, I’ve got you! In this class, we’ll break down Instagram step by step—no stress, no tech jargon, and no judgment if your first post is accidentally a close-up of your thumb. By the end, you’ll know how Instagram works and how to make it work for you!

Tara Holladay Leveraging Character Relationships for Better Story Conflict

Join us in a fun class on using multi-point character relationships to mine story tension and strengthen the emotional turning points in your plot. We’ll discuss well-loved stories like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pride & Prejudice, Outlander, and more as we discover what truly makes their emotional moments so epic. Come ready for both laughs and chills!

DeAnn Huff Website 101: Creating your First Author Website for Free

Authors need a "platform" before they ever publish, which often includes a website. A website can allow an author to reach potential readers and showcase their biography, books, writing samples, and contact information. But a professional website is expensive, and spending the money before you've made a penny can be impossible. Luckily, there are free website builders like Wix, Weebly, and SquareUp that allow a creative to build a personal website for free. Learn how to use the templates to build a free website and begin promoting your creative works.

Rachel Huffmire Show, Tell, and Talk: Mastering Internalization, Exposition & Dialogue

Great stories aren’t just a plot—they’re an experience. The secret to creating immersive fiction? A perfect balance of internalization, dialogue, and exposition. Too much inner monologue, and your pacing drags. Too much dialogue, and readers feel unanchored. Too much exposition, and—well, we're all guilty of skimming walls of text. In this class, we’ll break down how to use each of these storytelling superpowers to keep readers engaged, deepen emotional impact, and build immersive worlds. You’ll learn when to show, when to tell, and when to let your characters do the talking—because when these three elements work together, that’s when the magic happens.

KaTrina Jackson POV: Whose Story is This Anyway?

Authors juggle multiple things when writing—character arcs, plot beats, emotional connection, and let’s not forget the ending. But sometimes the point of view can get muddled in the juggling act. This class will help you set your manuscript apart as we discuss the importance of POV, how to deepen your POV with character emotions, how to manage multiple POVs to engage readers, and how to avoid POV mistakes.

KaTrina Jackson Taking the Leap of Faith--How to Take Your Author Career to the Next Level

How do you know when you’re ready to level up as an author? This class walks you through the steps of knowing the business, knowing your craft, knowing yourself, and knowing your potential and finding the potential to take the leap of faith—even if you don’t know the outcome.

Annette Lyon Heroes, Villains, Foils, and Secondaries: Creating a Strong, Balanced Cast

What would GONE WITH THE WIND be without both Scarlett and Melanie? How about STAR WARS without Vader, Han, or Yoda? HARRY POTTER without Draco, Dobby, and Neville? Every plot succeeds or fails based on its characters, from villain to sidekick to dramatic (yes, dramatic) relief. (Don’t know what that is? Come find out!) We’ll cover how to use foils as one of the best ways to propel the plot and to show, not tell. Learn how to pinpoint the characters your story is missing, when to cut or combine characters, and ultimately, how to create a cast that makes your story impossible for readers to forget.

Annette Lyon Dual Timelines: Keeping Them Straight—and Engrossing

Some of the most popular books right now have dual timelines. If you want to write one, how do you approach the challenge? How can you keep the timelines straight? What kinds of stories benefit from a dual-timeline narrative? What are the pros and cons? We’ll discuss how to create suspense and conflict with this unique storytelling tool.

Lisa Mangum Streamlining Your Prose: How to Cut Your Words but Not Your Story

Is your book too long, but you don’t know what to cut? Fear not! You might not need to cut a scene or a chapter or an entire character arc to get your word count down. It’s possible to cut thousands of words simply by using stronger verbs and nouns, eliminating crutch words and phrases, and avoiding repetition. In this class, editor Lisa Mangum will share the strategies she uses to tighten even the best prose. (“Lisa has a real talent for streamlining language—making it smoother and more elegant.”—#1 New York Times best-selling author Brandon Mull)

Lisa Mangum Setting the Stage on the Page: Making the WHERE Matter

A good story can transport us to another place. A great story can use setting to develop character, advance a plot, and highlight themes. We’ll discuss some basic principles of world-building and then explore ways to help describe a setting without getting bogged down in the details, how to keep track of characters as they move through the geography, and the power that can come when the exterior landscape reflects the internal dynamics of a character.

Brad McBride Open Mic

Part group therapy, part testimony meeting, part Q&A. Come ready to share your questions, answers, experiences, successes, failures, hopes, and dreams - two minutes at a time. Immerse yourself in the ANWA community and feel the love.

M.A. Nichols CTRL+Alt+Create: Leveraging AI for Productivity and Creativity

"Think AI is coming for your job? Think again! Artificial intelligence isn’t here to replace authors—it’s here to help. Whether you struggle with writer’s block, need a brainstorming partner, or wish you had a personal assistant to handle the boring stuff, AI can be a powerful tool in your creative arsenal. In this class, we’ll explore what AI can (and can’t) do for authors, from generating ideas and improving productivity to refining prose and managing marketing tasks. You’ll leave with practical tips, real-world applications, and a fresh perspective on how to use AI to enhance—not replace—your unique voice."

Michelle Pennington The Scene Trope Solution

This is the class that helps you answer that all important question: What happens next? Whether you are having writer's block, dealing with a saggy middle, or aren't sure how to wrap things up, scene tropes keep your plot moving from one thrilling moment to the next. Understanding what they are and how to use them creatively allows you to building intimacy between your love interests, increase suspense and tension, and propel the story towards its climactic finish.

Annie Petersen Brainstorming Your Way Through Plot Holes: Strategies for a Cohesive and Engaging Story

Plot holes are the sneaky villains of storytelling—they can derail even the most well-planned narrative. Whether it's a character's sudden, unexplained decision or an unresolved plot thread that leaves readers scratching their heads, plot holes can undermine a story’s integrity. This class will equip novelists with effective strategies to identify, fix, and avoid plot holes in their work. Through guided brainstorming sessions and practical techniques, participants will learn how to smooth out inconsistencies and ensure their plot holds together seamlessly.

Annie Petersen Getting Your Hooks in Early— Why Murdering Someone is Always a Good Choice

When it comes to real life, murdering someone, joining a manhunt, or walking in on people kissing seems like a terrible idea. But when it comes to writing books, any of these options might be the best choice you’ve ever made—at least when it comes to starting your book off on the right foot and keeping your readers wanting more. The beginning of your book must draw readers in and leave them ravenous for your story and your writing. In this class we’ll learn how to get your readers hooked at the beginning so they'll be desperate to go on the incredible journey you’ve created for them.

Kaitlyn Stoic Roll with Advantage: Unique Ways to Create Interesting Characters

Creative writing means creating characters and the better the characters, the better the story! But how do we build all the different interesting characters we need to breathe life into our fictive worlds without getting stuck in a rut? This class will explore an option you may not have tried yet: the Dungeons & Dragons character sheet. As a tabletop role-playing game, D&D is heavily focused on characters and how their personalities, skills, morality, and ambitions shape their decisions. We'll discuss how you can use this sheet and other tabletop RPG resources to inspire and develop unique and interesting characters to fill your stories.

Rebecca Talley Write More, Stress Less: Productivity Hacks for Writers

"Struggling to hit your word count? Stuck in a cycle of procrastination and writer’s block? This class is designed to help you boost your writing productivity with simple techniques. We’ll cover how to set realistic goals, use sprint writing to maximize efficiency, and prevent writer’s block before it starts. Wherever you are in your writing career, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to get words on the page consistently.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to set writing goals that are ambitious and achievable

• The power of sprint writing—and how to make it work for you

• Practical techniques to overcome writer’s block and stay motivated

• How to build a writing routine that fits your lifestyle

This class is perfect for writers who want to increase their output, enjoy the writing process, and finally finish that book!

Jolie Taylor Writing Characters Like You’re the FBI

Attention: this is a federal investigation into nonverbal communication!

Like a well seasoned FBI agent, become fluent in the language of nonverbal communication to enhance your character descriptions and elevate your reader’s experience. Uncover the secrets of body language, decipher the unspoken cues, and master the art of show don’t tell.

When: ANWA 2025, Breakout 3

Where: Command Center- Mesa Doubletree Hilton Hotel

Duration- 0100 hours.

Don’t be late.

Janelle Youngstrom Be Your Own Best Publicist

Using newsletters, networking, brick & mortar stores, bloggers, and social media to get the word out on the street about your book–without breaking the bank or your brain.

Janelle Youngstrom Making Your Newsletter Manageable

Why you need a newsletter, how to make it simple, and/or how to hire it out so you can write novels.