FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Whether you're looking to connect with small presses, gain insights into the writing and publishing process, or simply be inspired, there will be something for everyone.
The full schedule will include daily morning and afternoon break times.
OPEN ACCESS 2025
October 31st to November 1st
Schedule & Program Course Descriptions
Session One – Friday 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Writers on the Fringe – A Writers Panel
A 90-minute panel featuring various writers, including those who create short stories, novels, poetry, spoken word, songwriting, and children's books. Hear about their writing journeys and learn their hot tips for the writing process. Q&A session to follow.
Panelists:
Etaf Rum – Novelist
shirlette ammons – Poet, Musician, TV and Film Producer
David Dickson – Short Story, Poetry
Tony Robles – Poetry, Children’s Books
T. Rafael Cimino – Screenwriter, Producer, Co-Founder of Akula Literary Partners
Facilitator:
Patty Thompson – Redhawk Publications, Hickory, NC
Session Two – Friday 10:45 am – 12:15 pm
From Book to Screen
The purpose of this 90-minute seminar is to teach you HOW to choose the key building blocks of your story/book to build a screenplay. You will need to bring two things if you’d like to focus on the building blocks in your book.
1) A logline. This is an example of a logline from THE VERDICT:
A Boston lawyer takes his face out of his shot glass for one last shot at redemption, taking on a medical negligence case against a powerful attorney.
2) A brief summary of your story. An example of a summary from THE VERDICT:
A once promising alcoholic lawyer, Frank Galvin, takes on an easy money-making case tossed his way by his legal assistant. Galvin intends to settle out of court, but a strange thing happens: (buoyed by a star witness) he experiences an attack of conscience and decides to take on the toughest lawyer in town.
Presenter:
Laura Hart McKinny, Professor of Screenwriting, UNCSA – School of Filmmaking
Session Three – Friday 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
Cut it! Cut it! Cut it! – Editing with Purpose
This 90-minute self-editing workshop will teach aspiring writers practical techniques to enhance their prose and hone their manuscripts. We’ll discuss clarity, voice, pacing, word choice, and mechanics. Participants will learn to identify common writing errors and apply revision strategies to improve their drafts before submission or publication.
Presenter:
Rhonda Browning White – Published Author, Editor, Ghost Writer, Instructor
Session Four – Friday 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Copyright & IP – A Primer and Deep Dive
Protecting your work is an international concern. This session will cover various literary rights and how to secure them from the myths of Copyright law to AI, and how advances in technology might threaten your work.
Presenter:
T. Rafael Cimino – Screenwriter, Producer, Co-Founder of Akula Literary Partners
Session Five – Saturday 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Presses of North Carolina: Small but Mighty – A Panel Discussion
In this session, small publishers from across North Carolina will discuss what they seek in submissions, including clear query letters, polished manuscripts, and thoughtful marketing plans. Attendees will gain insight into each press’s unique submission guidelines and learn tips for standing out in today’s competitive publishing world.
Panelists:
Jayne Royal – Regal House Publishing, Raleigh, NC
Kevin Morgan Watson – Press 53, Winston-Salem, NC
Andrew Mack – Loblolly Press, Asheville, NC
Patty Thompson – Redhawk Publications, Hickory, NC
Facilitator:
Dawn Reshen Doty – For Beginners Publishing, Danbury, CT
Session Six – Saturday 10:45 am – 12:15 pm
Won’t You Buy My Book? Pretty Please?! – Marketing Your Writing
In this 90-minute session, Lauren Harr of Gold Leaf Literary Services will guide you through publicity and marketing essentials, what you can DIY, and how to decide if you need to hire a publicist. Beginning with your goal for your work, what success looks like to you individually, and where your strengths and contacts lie, you will work through a pre-publication plan to set you up for as much ease and enjoyment when your book comes out as possible! Bring your creativity and your questions.
Presenter:
Lauren Harr – Gold Leaf Literary Services, Asheville, NC
Session Seven – Saturday 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
How to Pitch Effectively and Succinctly
Presenting your concept, whether film, TV, or print, to a potential buyer or producer is half the battle. This session covers the do’s and don’ts of pitching for success.
Presenter:
T. Rafael Cimino – Akula Literary Partners
Session Eight – Saturday 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Pitch Sessions
Enter the real world of pitching by presenting your project to real-world producers and publishers in a scalable, gradable pitch session in front of industry professionals.
Pitch Coordinators:
T. Rafael Cimino – Akula Literary Partners
Patricia Thompson – Redhawk Publications
Dawn Reshen-Doty – For Beginners LLC