It’s time to take your writing career to the next level! Join hundreds of other authors at unique workshops and panels in writing, marketing, and business practices. The INKERS CON curriculum is designed to bring your career to the next tier—whether you’re an aspiring, newly published, or advanced author. Explore the newest concepts in publishing, network with peers, and meet with industry and retail leaders to improve your sales, quality, inspiration, and productivity.
INKERS CON has both online and in-person access! After attending the Dallas, Texas conference on June 7-9th, attendees will also be able to attend the digital version of the conference at no additional cost, which includes professional recordings of all presentations. This online access (which releases on July 20, 2024) will give you the ability to rewatch events as well as catch up on any that you miss.
We are currently in Early Registration saving you $100!
June 7-9, 2024
- Three intensive days designed to propel your career, sales, and earnings to the next level. Includes 20 classes on marketing, advertising, business, and craft/writing.
- Learn from industry experts and bestselling authors on a variety of unique topics, all designed to help you reach the next level in your career.
- Presentations are professionally recorded, so attendees can relax and design their own conference itinerary while not stressing out over missing any classes.
- High-quality video recordings of every presentation are included with the conference registration, plus dozens of other online events during our digital release on July 20th - August 2nd.
- Meet and greets and other networking opportunities will allow for friendship and business relationship growth between author attendees.
- Enjoy six years of access to the 2024 presentation videos and conference content.
- Three evening parties will provide opportunities for even the meekest of attendees to meet and network with other authors.
- A delicious buffet lunch on Saturday and Sunday allows for attendee interaction and relaxation between classes.
- Canceled tickets will receive a 100% refund until May 1, 2024, and will be non-refundable after that.
Inkers Con 2024 Class Line-up
MARKETING CLASSES
Building Superfans
by Angel Lawson and Kristen Oliphant
A bestselling author isn't just born, but created from a strong fanbase of loyal and passionate readers. This class will look at ways authors can take a page from brands like Taylor Swift or the Savannah Bananas to cultivate the kind of rabid fandom that will continually grow and support a long-term author career. Bestselling authors Angel Lawson (dark reverse harems) and Emma St. Clair (closed door rom-coms) will discuss practical ways that authors can build a fandom, no matter the genre.
The 3 R's of Authorial Evolution
by Daniela Romero
As the saying goes, change is the only constant. But how do you navigate this change in a world where staying relevant is crucial? The answer lies in the 3 Rs. Rebranding, Relaunching, and remaining Relevant. Taking cues from giants like Apple, Lego, and Nora Roberts, this workshop offers insights into refining your author brand, reintroducing your work, and consistently resonating with your audience. Together, we'll learn how to keep the flame of relevance burning bright in an ever-changing bookish world.
Data-Driven Cover Design
by Laura Hildago
Your book's cover could mean the difference between standing out in a crowded market or disappearing into it. In this class, a professional cover designer will discuss the evolution of book marketing and how to design a cover that is an intelligent combination of design and marketing. She'll share case studies and real-life examples to illustrate how data-driven design decisions can lead to better book sales.
Maximizing Your Marketing with Emails
by Terezia Barna
Create a strong connection with your readers with consistent and sales-generating emails. In this class, you’ll brainstorm your way to a content calendar, learn how to sell books without being salesy, and unlock tricks to higher delivery rates.
The Hidden Six Figure Author: Building a Sustainable Indie Career
by Melissa Miller
There is a recipe to building a sustainable indie career - you just have to figure out your unique ingredients, time tables, and process. Learn savvy strategies and how to forge your own path from a bestselling author who has earned a six-figure net income for over a decade.
Opening the Bestseller's Vault of Secrets
Six bestselling authors will take our main stage and share their biggest tips, mistakes to avoid, and their journey to superstar success - plus answer our attendees' most burning questions in the areas of marketing, business, advertising, and craft.
Brandcraft: An Author's Guide to Building an Enduring Brand
by Orlando Sanchez
Who are you? From understanding your unique voice to connecting with your target audience, this presentation is designed to delve into the intricacies of crafting a distinct author identity, and how to elevate your authorship into a recognizable and resonant brand. (virtual presentation)
From Pen to Platform: Building Your Author Brand on Social Media
by Xio Axelrod
Learn how to start from scratch and build a brand and an audience through social media. Xio Axelrod caught the attention of readers and major publishers before she published her first novel - all through her branding. Find out how you can use your storytelling skills and creativity to create pre-buzz, boost sales, and create a fandom of loyal and enthusiastic readers.
How to Leverage Book Signing Events to Make Money, Build a Network, and Turn Readers into Superfans
by Kaydence Snow
Learn how to turn book signings into revenue streams, networking hubs, and fan-engagement platforms. From securing coveted spots to mastering pre-order strategies, and much more, this session is full of practical, actionable information for both new authors and seasoned pros.
The “Direct” Path From Followers to Buyers. Why your readers WANT to buy directly from you and how you can encourage them!
by Chelsea Bennett
Struggling with the idea of getting your readers to buy direct from you? In this class, you’ll learn you how to shift reader mindsets, build connections, incentivize, and retrain your buyers to shop direct. You’ll learn why your readers WANT to buy directly from you and how you can encourage them!
BUSINESS CLASSES
The Secrets of Selling Books on Amazon
by Penny Sansevieri
Discover hidden sales opportunities through Amazon’s metadata, keywords, editorial reviews, author videos, and their powerful backend systems. Bring your pen and paper - you'll leave this presentation with an action list of ways to boost your sales on the world's biggest book retailer.
The Path to a Million Book Sales
by Lee Savino
A bestselling author will share her strategies to move the sales needle and how she grew her business to reach a seven-figure annual income. Along the way, she'll reveal her best insights into marketing, co-writing, selling direct, and more.
Planning For Author Success
by Sarra Cannon
Achieving success doesn't mean you have to work non-stop. In this presentation, learn how to create a work plan that allows you to focus your time and energy where it matters most - creating success.
Writers' Antidote To Being Overwhelmed
by Becca Syme
Feelings of being overwhelmed can choke off creative pathways, slow down progress, and often bring your career to a grinding halt. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In this workshop you’ll learn the core source of being overwhelmed, things that trigger it, and how you can orient your life to avoid it.
Mastering Direct Sales on Shopify
by Pierre Jeanty
Dive into the world of direct sales and learn how to leverage Shopify to sell your books independently. This class is designed to introduce you to the benefits of selling directly to your audience, teaching you how to enhance your Facebook advertising, gain direct customer insights, and enjoy the financial benefits of immediate sales without the wait for royalties.
ADVERTISING CLASSES
How To Reach More Readers And Sell More Books With Facebook Ads In 2024
by Mathew J. Holmes
Ready to harness the true power of Facebook Ads? Tried it all before, but nothing has worked? Struggling to scale profitably? In this class, discover a simple, scalable and profitable Facebook Ads strategy that takes 1-2 hours per week to manage, whether you’re selling on retailers, such as Amazon, or selling direct on your own store.
A Better Approach to AMS ads
by Quinn Ward
AMS Ads can be a difficult nut to crack… unless you know what to avoid and what to capitalize on. In this class, an ads expert will go through the 5 Do’s that you should implement in your AMS ads and the 5 Don’ts that could tank your ads’ chance of success.
A Crash Course in Online Ads for Authors
by Laurie Cooper
Advertising your books doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. In this class, learn how to strategically schedule ads online, build your network of contacts, and affordably promote your books through online advertising. (virtual presentation)
CRAFT CLASSES
Tackling the Tropes of Your Genre
by Dawn Alexander and Jessica Snyder
Hook readers and escalate your storytelling skills with a trope-based story blueprint. This class will define what tropes are (and aren't) and their uses in a novel. Attendees will learn how to deconstruct the framework, expectations and implications of a trope, and how to seamlessly integrate tropes across genres.
Between Pantsing & Outlines: The Skeleton Draft
by Steff Green
Do you love pantsing but want the speed and organization of outlining? If so, meet the skeleton draft! In this class, discover a unique technique a bestselling author uses to streamline her writing process, create engaging characters and plots readers love – without sacrificing the surprises, twists, and creativity that make pantsing so much fun.
Creating a Series Addiction
by Kristen Oliphant
Writing in a series is one of the fastest avenues to great profit, but only if you can hook the readers and keep them reading through the books. In this class, learn how to increase readthrough by writing addiction-worthy series and fully optimizing your books for maximum readthrough.
The Secrets of Successful World Building
by Giana Darling
A bestselling author will teach how to create suspense and anticipation in your series' first book. She'll also share marketing tips to generate hype, how to create vivid secondary characters, and ways to keep readers begging for more.
Creating Conflict With Your Characters
by TM Holladay
Multi-point character relationships are a gold mine for creating the best kind of story tension and conflict. In this class, learn how to audit your plot through a lens of the various character relationships involved and how they can interconnect for better storytelling.
Dynamic Openings for the Win
by Annabeth Albert
A fresh take on opening chapter(s) for all genre fiction writers—not just those meet cutes, but also spooky first impressions and horrific sightings! Packed with tips and tricks on backstory, saggy openings, POVs, and memorable character intros. You'll leave the class with more confidence in your openings and the skills to woo more one-click readers.
“When I signed up for Inkers Con I was at the point in my career where I was seriously thinking of just throwing in the towel. I wasn't seeing sales, had no motivation, and wasn't motivated to be consistent, or even to write half the time. But then, on the advice of a friend, I signed up for Mini-Con and then after that signed up for Inkers Con. I went in with what I hope was an open mind and wow! After going through the classes, the roundtables, and connecting with the authors involved my mind was blown. So much information and I went through it methodically - took notes and have gone back numerous times and implemented some of what I'm learning and I have to say - I wish I'd attended it back in 2019. What I learned empowered me enough to tear my author career to the ground and start rebuilding it. Focusing on one lane, building my brand, and really applying myself to my business. In doing so, I've seen a steady rise in sales across all platforms and have actually made back the cost of the conference and then some. If you haven't attended yet - do so. It’s a game changer and a career builder."
Patrica Bates, author
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Attendee Reviews
“Inkers Con is a life and career changing experience! Whether you’re a new or seasoned author, there’s something new to learn.”
Author Kate Hawthorne
“Inkers Con took everything you know about conferences and made it better. It was exhilarating, incredible, and knowledgeable!”
Author Nicky F. Grant
“Inkers Con is where you go wanting to grow and learn as an author and walk away inspired from the knowledge you have gained.”
Author Jane Ashley Converse
“I left this conference energized and inspired! From the smart speakers discussing marketing to the well-organized schedule focused on craft and book sales, InkersCon was the best writer’s conference I’ve been to.”
Author Tamara Lush
Complete Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
- 10 – 4 p.m. Attendee led roundtables
- 4-7 p.m. Registration in the hotel lobby. Swing by and grab your attendee bag and t-shirt, and meet our welcome crew!
- 5-7 p.m. Welcome Reception. We’ll be mingling on the outside fire pit deck with appetizers and drinks! Stop in and bring some of your paperbacks – we’ll have a blind book swap station where you can sign and wrap your babies and then trade them with other author attendees.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
- 8:15 – 5:30 p.m. Presentations and food! We’ll have morning sessions and afternoon sessions, with a nice break in between with a hot buffet lunch. Sit inside or out, there’s a lot of room to unwind and enjoy the delicious food and dessert.
- 5:30-7 p.m. Let’s have a cocktail and celebrate! We’re returning to the fire pits for a mingle-fest. Drop your raffle tickets into the prize jars – you might get lucky and win!
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
- 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Presentations and food! We’ll have morning sessions and afternoon sessions, with a nice break in between with a hot buffet lunch.
- 5-6 p.m. Closing Reception. Trade contact information with your fellow authors, enjoy closing remarks from our conference team, and enjoy a parting cocktail. With a ton of restaurants just across the boardwalk, you might want to walk over as a group and enjoy dinner before you hit the road or retire to your room.
Anonymous Responses from our Attendee Exit Survey
I loved how willing the speakers were to chat with you one on one, so incredibly generous with their time. Everything ran so smoothly, I was blown away! I enjoyed the variety of panels and liked that I didn’t have to worry about the ones I had to miss because I knew I’d have access to them later.
Loved having lunch provided. It allowed for more social interaction between attendees. Loved the location, the variety of classes, the parties. I think it was put together extremely well.
I thought everything was done with excellence. All of the workshops I attended were well-done. The information was relative and helpful. There was such a nice flow to the entire weekend. I loved the openness of the hotel, also. It was easy to get around. There were great restaurants within walking distance. It was one of the best conferences I’ve attended.
Wow. Just wow. It was such a fantastic experience. Overall, the speakers and attendees were wonderful. There was a great atmosphere of camaraderie. I loved all the extra touches, from the beautiful champagne dinner to the creation studio to snacks in the hallway to the awesome goody bags. Loved the hotel and restaurants nearby. I’m glad there’s a digital version later, as there were times when I wanted to go to two presentations and couldn’t. A couple of sessions I didn’t go to at all but rather used the time to network in the halls.
I loved how approachable all the authors were. Despite the fact that they had presentations to prepare or were writing, they all made time to talk with us, sign books, and take pictures. It was such a comfortable environment and as a new author it can be nerve wracking walking in to something like that but then to have them all be so down to earth made the experience that much better. I loved being able to connect with other writers…it was such a friendly environment that even for someone like myself who tends to be a little shy I felt really comfortable and I left knowing I had really made new friends.
I loved the energy, the inclusiveness, the spirit of everyone. Ohh, and the food was amazingly good. everything I ate was great. Also, and this is not only unique to this conference but probably wasn’t planned – all of the speakers were so accessible. They didn’t sneak off to some private area but sat at the tables and engaged authors, answered questions, told stories, etc. And the most amazing part, and this made me smile ear to ear, was that the other speakers come to other sessions, sat in the front row and took notes. This is a great lesson for authors, that even after you have accumulated a million dollars in royalty, you are still a student and still learning. I’ve never seen this done at any other conference and it brought tears to my eyes.
I loved the opportunity to meet with so many authors at so many different levels of experience. I LOVED the blind book swap. Such an awesome idea. It was so fun getting to learn from authors I admire. Everything felt so positive and encouraging. No one hesitated to share their knowledge or made someone feel “less than” for being new. It was a really amazing experience. The app was awesome and I really loved the venue. I’m really looking forward to the digital ticket as well to catch all the presentations I wasn’t able to attend live.
What a great conference space! There was enough space for break-out conversations and it felt intimate and not overwhelming like some cons can.
Honestly, it was a wealth of knowledge. There wasn’t one thing I didn’t enjoy.
LOCATION
Hilton Plano Granite Park
5805 Granite Parkway, Plano, Texas, 75024
The Hilton was chosen for Inkers Con because of its beautiful design, comfortable areas to relax and plenty of space for great conversations. The Hilton offers:
- An on-site restaurant, bar and morning coffee shop
- Walking distance to Granite Park Boardwalk including five restaurants
Frequently Asked Questions
There are some great conferences out there, but what sets Inkers Con apart is our focus on up-to-date, actionable information. We work with our speakers to share their expertise so that you can immediately implement it in your business. We also provide digital access to all presentations with high-quality video, transcripts, closed captioning, and audio for six years. This digital access also includes our launch weekends (July 20th – Aug 2nd) with online events and networking opportunities.
Everyone joins Inkers Con at a different point in their career. We have new authors who are building their foundation and want the best information right from the start. We also have authors with dozens (the highest we’ve heard so far is 110) of books who are refining their craft and advancing their marketing. It is never too late or too early to join Inkers Con. Plus, with six years of access, you can grow and access the content you need when you’re ready for it.
Great question. Each year we have a new conference with a new agenda and new classes, but that doesn’t mean the old ones lose value. The best reason to join now is that it is time to focus on your business. You’ve probably thought about this for a while, tried a few new strategies with varying success, and looked for guidance. You might have wondered what others are doing to succeed. Now is the time to focus on your business and learn from the top authors and experts.
We focus on adult fiction, and the knowledge shared can be applied to any fiction genre (and even some non-fiction!). Our speakers are superstars and experts across a great mix of romance, fantasy, science-fiction, thriller, and general fiction genres – and our attendees are the same!
Yes, we are happy to offer PayPal options if that is easier for you. Just email Terezia at terezia@inkerscon.com to arrange an invoice.
Yes, you can access all the content from any country you’re in.
Watch from the comfort of home! Log in via any computer, laptop, or smart device with access to the internet.
Live event tickets are fully refundable until May 1, 2024.
We kick off registration Friday at 8 a.m. Friday we have an optional attendee led roundtable session from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join us at our kick-off cocktail party where even the shyest person will meet a friend. Our classes will be held Saturday from 8:15 – 5:30 and Sunday from 9 – 5:00.
You will have full access to all of the classes listed on the conference lineup, plus any recorded roundtables, Q&As, transcripts, and audio files for six years from the date of purchase. You’ll have plenty of time to absorb and implement the awesome information. Plus, you can rewatch them as many times as you want.
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