Est. 1935
Chapter Meeting Presentations
Anna Bessesen (they/them)
Blue Quill, SLCWG, Romance
Anna is an author, poet, and lifelong learner. They are a computer science teacher by day, a writer by night, and queer all the time. When they aren't writing short stories or doing blackout poetry, they are trying to finish the manuscript that is currently plaguing their life. Originally from Denver, they now live in Salt Lake City, even though the mountains here are inferior. The proximity makes up for it. You can find them online at https://twitter.com/WriterHLVoss.
Classes:
Writing with Tarot
Writing with Tarot is a course for writers of any level that would benefit from strategies to get to know characters, generate prompts, and delve deeper into their plots. It covers a variety of ways in which to use Tarot to enhance their writing.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
Between Ogden and Provo
David Rodeback
Good AF Writers (American Fork)
David Rodeback lived for years in Colorado, Idaho, and New York on his way to American Fork, Utah. By day he is Chief Marketing Technology Officer at a Utah manufacturing firm. By night (and on the best weekends) he writes fiction. He published two collections of short fiction in 2023 and plans to send a novel into the world in 2024. His academic background is in Russian language and literature, political science, and political thought. He has taught writing, Russian language, and Russian literature at Cornell University, Brigham Young University, and elsewhere.
Classes:
Giving Useful Critiques and Being a Good Beta Reader
How to give and take good critiques: what to look for and how; how to be candid and helpful without being combative; do's and don't's for receiving critiques.
My Self-Publishing Journey So Far
I've self-published two collections of short fiction so far. Discussion of costs, tools, options, challenges, from the initial self-publishing decision to self-publish to marketing.
Bringing Sentences and Paragraphs to Life
This hands-on workshop features tools and techniques for making bad sentences good and making good sentences sing – to increase the energy and power of your prose, control pacing, and avoid bumping the reader out of the story.
It’s (Almost) All in the Voices
One key thing that draws readers into a book – and then to an author – is voice. The author’s and narrator’s voices, which may not be the same, and the characters’ voices, whether they narrate or not, are especially important in character-driven stories. This session will examine voice in fiction and suggest ways to differentiate character voices, tailor voices to the audience (including MG and YA), keep the authorial voice distinctive, and maintain it all through an entire novel.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
Anywhere
Inna Valerie Lyon
Blue Quill, Infinite Monkeys
Inna Valerie Lyon is a Russian bumpkin raised on a steady diet of cabbage and potatoes peppered with the required reading of Chekhov and Dostoevsky.
During the day, Inna works as an accountant and specializes in producing colorful aging reports and cute collection letters.
At night, she writes stories about life, miracles, and cats.
Inna is a member of the League of Utah Writers, the Infinite Monkeys, and currently serves as president of the Blue Quill chapter. She is an award-winning writer in different genres. She writes in both languages, English and Russian.
Inna lives in Utah with a big and happy family.
Classes:
Writer’s Block Myth
The presentation aims to inspire writers to overcome their most significant obstacle: writer’s block. This class offers a few tricks and techniques to help you find your creative flow and carve out time to be the writer you aspire to be.
Daily Habits of Famous Authors
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write. Simple like that.” - Stephen King. This class will explore the writing habits of five famous authors: Ernest Hemingway, J.K. Rowling, Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Anton Chekhov. Discover the secrets they can offer to enhance your writing habits and routines.
Exploring the “Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron
Julia Cameron’s book “The Artists' Way,” has inspired millions worldwide to embark on a spiritual journey to higher creativity. The program is a 12-week course designed to unblock your creativity and help you achieve artistic potential. Key components of the program include morning pages, artists dates, and weekly tasks. The class will be available in 2025.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
It depends on my work schedule.
Johnny Worthen
Infinite Monkeys
JOHNNY WORTHEN is an award-winning, multiple-genre, tie-dye-wearing author, voyager, and damn fine human being! Trained in stand-up comedy, literary criticism and cultural studies, he writes upmarket fiction, long and short, indie and traditional, mentors others where he can, and teaches creative writing at the University of Utah. He is a founding member of the Utah chapter of the HWA, a full member of SFWA, RMFW, Pikes Peak Writers, and a lifetime member of the League of Utah Writers. He gets around.
Johnny's best-selling CORONAM trilogy is an epic science fiction tale in the vein of Frank Herbert’s DUNE. It is available now from Flame Tree Press.
Johnny’s best-selling comedy mystery series, featuring TONY FLANER, slacker detective, is available from Rough Edges Press. Check out the newest adventure, THE DEAL which, like all of Johnny’s titles is available wherever better books are sold. And the internet.
His website www.johnnyworthen.com where you can sign up for his seldom used mailing list and be rewarded with a free Tony Flaner novella.
Classes:
Writing Young Adult
Investigate what makes fiction young adult and also what makes great young adult fiction. From gatekeepers to theme, taboos and responsibilities, it’s a time of change and we must embrace it. A class for writers and fans of the genre.
A Study in Mystery
Look behind the curtain of the formulaic, but eternally popular genre: the Mystery Story. Learn about the constructions, tropes, types and methods that make modern crime fiction and the everlasting whodunit. We’ll talk story and clues, herrings that are red, interviews, sleuthing, gimmicks and codas. Something to excite your little grey cells.
There are no rules; here are ten.
Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing have inspired authors for years. Leonard’s rules, like his style, are simple, direct and effective. We’ll talk about each of them, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, why they’re used and how and when to break them, all in the pursuit of the invisible author.
A Novel in 90 days – Fake it Till you Make It
A confidence building exercise in discipline and creativity. Using focused self-delusion and the magick of positive thinking we discipline ourselves into a routine to encompass an entire project from inception to rough draft. The class is meant to inspire a writer to overcome their greatest obstacle - a completed book. The course offers concrete advice from tools to times, inspiration, pre-writing tactics and thematic considerations. Think like an author, act like an author. Be an author.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
Ask me - depends on my schedule and mood.
Katie Chambers
Utah Freelance Editors and will join one of the Cache County writing groups
Katie Chambers, a developmental editor, copy editor, and owner of Beacon Point LLC, helps indie authors shape powerful fiction and nonfiction. With a background in teaching middle and high school English and formal public speaking training, Katie brings clarity, enthusiasm, and a teacher’s heart to every presentation. She loves editing and running her business. Still, teaching is at her core, so give her a mic and a room of writers, and she's right at home. She’s passionate about helping authors strengthen their writing and better understand the editing process.
Classes:
Beneath the Surface: Deepening Character Interiority
Strong plots may drive a story forward, but it’s the interiority—a character’s inner thoughts, emotions, and perspective—that makes readers care. In this session, we’ll explore how to bring characters to life by going beyond what they do and say to reveal how they think and feel. We’ll discuss how to:
Define interiority and understand its role in immersive storytelling
Eliminate filter words and choose vocabulary that aligns with the character’s unique worldview
Use action beats that reflect emotion through personalized, character-specific behavior
Craft believable internal narratives using internal monologue and free indirect speech
Make thoughts and emotions feel realistic even when they contradict a character’s words or actions
Whether you’re writing a first draft or revising for emotional depth, this session will equip you with tools to make your characters feel fully human: messy, complex, and utterly compelling.
Beauty of Beats and Free Indirect Speech
If you're ready to deepen your character work, strengthen your prose, and create more immersive scenes, action beats and free indirect speech (FIS) are two tools every fiction writer should master.
In this session, you’ll learn what these techniques are, when to use them, and the common pitfalls to avoid. We’ll explore how action beats and FIS can help you:
Show, not tell
Manipulate narrative distance
Deepen interiority
Enrich characterization
Add variety to sentence structure
Build and release tension
We’ll walk through clear examples, including before-and-after passages, to help you apply these tools with confidence. Whether you’re writing your first novel or revising your tenth, this session will elevate your craft and enhance your storytelling.
What past attendees are saying:
"Katie is an excellent and engaging speaker. Loved her handouts, and the material was enlightening. I learned so much from this session."
"Katie is an engaging and dynamic speaker. The content was very helpful—particularly the FIS. I was able to apply it immediately to a chapter I’m editing in my book."
What to Expect from the Editing Process
If you’re unsure what to expect or didn’t even realize there was something to prepare for, this session is for you.
Many authors assume editing is a simple handoff: find an editor, send the manuscript, done. But the editing stage has its own learning curve, and without a clear understanding of the process, it can quickly become overwhelming.
In this session, you'll learn:
The four levels of editing and how they differ
What to expect from your editor at each stage
Why editing costs what it does and what you're really paying for
The basic structure of the editing process from start to finish
Understanding how editing works will make your publishing journey smoother, more productive, and far less stressful. And once you've tackled this first curve, you’ll have a publishing professional in your corner who can guide you—or connect you with vetted experts—through the rest of your journey.
Make Your Nonfiction Book A Page-Turner
Too many nonfiction books are technically sound, but painfully dull. Don’t add to the pile. If you’re writing a self-help book, how-to guide, religious text, or other instructional nonfiction, your message matters—but how you deliver it matters just as much.
In this session, you’ll learn how to make your nonfiction book more reader-friendly and engaging by:
Sharing personal stories that build connection and credibility
Avoiding an overly academic tone that can push readers away
Speaking directly to the reader to draw them in
Using a strong “why”—both yours and your reader’s—as the heartbeat of your book
You’ll see before-and-after examples that demonstrate how simple shifts in tone and structure can transform your writing. Whether you're drafting your first nonfiction manuscript or revising a complete draft, these techniques will help you create a book that resonates and that readers actually finish.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
I'm available to travel throughout Utah, though I prefer not to travel east of Wasatch County—including Daggett, Duchesne, Uintah, Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan, Wayne, Garfield, and Kane.
Rachael Bush
Blue Quill
Rachael Bush published her fourth book, Love on Location, with The Wild Rose Press in 2018 under her pen name, September Roberts. As September, she writes romance that's smoking hot and always happy ever after. As Rachael, she writes the Botany for Everyone series, because everyone should know the basics of botany. You can find out more at botanyforeveryone.com. When she's not writing, she volunteers as the President of the League of Utah Writers, serves as the Blue Quill chapter president, and builds the app for their conferences. For nerdy science and art, follow Rachael on Instagram @botanyforeveryone
Classes:
Illustrating and Publishing Your Book
We all have a story to tell and a unique style of creating art. Why not combine them? In this session, I'll talk about how to organize ideas, research your subject, and turn your idea into a finished project you can publish. Whether you're writing and illustrating a children's book, a textbook, or a comic, the creative process is the same. I'll share my experience so you don't have to learn the hard way.
How to work with an editor
Working with an editor is a long and slow process. Whether you've just signed with a publisher or you're submitting to an anthology, this presentation will show you what to expect from your editor, the differences between the types of editors, and will remind you to be patient and professional through it all.
Scientists are Readers Too
In this session, you'll find out just how picky scientists are and how one wrong word can turn them away from your book forever. We'll go over how to do your research, how to find a scientist to check your details, and how to make your story as realistic as possible.
Intimacy Consent and Sex in Fiction
Are you interested in writing better romantic relationships? In this session, you will learn why love, intimacy, and consent go hand in hand to build healthier, happier characters your readers will care about. People think romance and sex go together. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. In this session, you'll learn what's at the heart of a romance. We'll touch on age levels, romance subgenres, and heat levels. Then we'll discuss what makes a good sex scene and how to write one.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
Weber/Davis/Box Elder counties
Bryan Young
Salt City Genre Writers
Bryan Young (he/they) works across many different media. His work as a writer and producer has been called "filmmaking gold" by The New York Times. He's also published comic books with Slave Labor Graphics and Image Comics. He's been a regular contributor for the Huffington Post, StarWars.com, Star Wars Insider magazine, SYFY, /Film, and was the founder and editor in chief of the geek news and review site Big Shiny Robot! In 2014, he wrote the critically acclaimed history book, A Children’s Illustrated History of Presidential Assassination. He co-authored Robotech: The Macross Saga RPG has written two books in the BattleTech Universe: Honor's Gauntlet and A Question of Survival. His latest book, The Big Bang Theory Book of Lists is a #1 Bestseller on Amazon. His work has won two Diamond Quill awards and in 2023 he was named Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers. He teaches writing for Writer’s Digest, Script Magazine, and at the University of Utah. Follow him across social media @swankmotron or visit swankmotron.com.
Classes:
Building Tension
Building tension in stories can be a difficult balance between competing drives in your story. How do you know when a surprise will be more effective for the audience than the slow burn of suspense? How do you accomplish them? This class will walk you through that process.
Exposition: The Art of Restraint
Including exposition in your story is one of the most difficult balancing acts a writer can make. How much is too much? How much is too little? Bryan Young walks you through strategies to keep exposition to a minimum and helps you find ways to layer it in naturally, making your story or script better and more readable.
The Shapes of Stories
Stories all have their own definite shapes and paces, this class will talk to you about different structures for stories and how to think about them in different ways to help you craft the best story you can.
Watching Movies to Make You a Better Writer
We all watch movies, but decoding, analyzing, and understanding movies can help us become better storytellers, no matter what medium we tell our stories in. In this class, Bryan Young will show you techniques used in the cinema and how you can adapt them to your writing style to make it more effective and keep you learning for your entire life.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
It depends on the day. Please ask.
Emily Karmazin
None
Emily Karmazin, an avid reader and traveler, currently resides amidst the breathtaking Wasatch Mountains of Utah with her husband and their dog, Lilo. Her passion for writing blossomed at an early age, penning her first book, a captivating "Little House on the Prairie" fan fiction, in the third grade. Emily's interests span a fascinating spectrum, encompassing true crime, literature, the pursuit of knowledge, hiking, the peculiar and the ordinary, and the art of baking. She holds a master's degree in education and is a published author of two novels and an entrepreneur.
Classes:
Plugging the Leaks: Avoiding Plot Holes with Chekhov's Gun
Is your story riddled with inconsistencies that just don't add up? Fear not! This workshop will help you identify and fix those pesky plot holes that can sabotage your narrative. Learn to spot the common pitfalls, master the art of seamless storytelling, and keep your readers hooked from beginning to end.
Sensory Safari: Unveiling the World Through Your Characters' Eyes (Best in person)
Want to transport your readers to another world? In this immersive workshop, we'll embark on a "Sensory Safari" to explore the power of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch in your writing. Learn how to craft vivid descriptions that will make your fictional world come alive and leave a lasting impression on your readers.
Conquering the Blank Page: Reigniting Your Writing Motivation
Feeling stuck staring at a blank page? This workshop ignites your writing spark! Uncover the hidden causes of writer's block and discover powerful strategies to overcome resistance. Learn from successful authors' battles and craft a personalized "motivation toolkit" to keep you writing. Leave with actionable steps, a supportive community, and the tools to finally conquer writer's block and write with passion!
Beyond the Expected: Subverting Tropes and Clichés in Your Writing
Tired of predictable plots and stereotypical characters? This workshop will teach you how to break free from tired tropes and clichés to create truly original stories. Learn how to subvert expectations, surprise your readers, and breathe fresh life into your writing.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
All of Utah, Colorado west of Denver, Las Vegas area
Jayrod P. Garrett
Salt Lake Genre Writers, Infinite Monkeys
Jayrod P. Garrett believes in working towards a world where all of us can feel we belong. They are a storytelling educator with a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Nevada, Reno. As a child, they came to Utah on a three-week vacation that became more than forty years. During that time, they transitioned from being a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints into a nonbinary, Black, atheist, U.S. Veteran with PTSD and ADHD. Currently they are a ghostwriter with Super Huemann Creative, an educator for RISE Virtual Academy where they teach Black students about Black history, a storyteller with the Nubian Storytellers of Utah Leadership, a Game Master running role playing games at Salt Lake City's Legendarium, and the Belonging Coordinator of Superstars Writing Seminars. They live in northern Utah with their spouse and three children. You can find more on their stories, poetry, and where they are teaching at jayrodpgarrett.com.
Classes:
Flow 101: How to Play When We Write
Writing should be an improvisational act that we enjoy, but often we get mired in not knowing what to write or how to write it and we freeze ending up writing nothing at all. But that’s not how it has to be. Writing should also be play. In our class, we’ll explore the basics of flow and play, how an understanding of improv supports it, and finally experiment with playful writing.
Celebration versus Appropriation
When writing fiction, that includes characters from cultures you don’t belong to, it is important to do the least harm possible. We’ve all heard “Do your research” but what do you do when the research doesn’t help you understand how to honor these cultures and characters? In this class, we will explain why not all stories are ours to tell, how to celebrate diversity in fiction, and how you can support #OwnVoices with your words.
The Beauty of the Written Word
As fiction writers, we often focus on what the words on the page are doing, how paragraphs are shaped, and even sentence variety. But what if we could examine our prose to have it create even greater effects through understanding poetry? In this class, we will explain a few poetic structures, how they relate to fiction, and how we can blend the usage of poetry into our prose to give it a greater emotional impact.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
I am willing to travel as far north as Logan and travel as far south as American Fork.
Kari Martindale
member of Maryland Writers' Association
Kari Martindale (M.A., Linguistics) is a poet, spoken word artist, and teaching artist who has read at Arts guilds across Maryland and performed at the White House. She has been published in a number of literary journals and anthologies, nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, and received honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and other poetry contests. Kari recently relocated to Alaska but continues to sit on the Board of Maryland Writers’ Association and to support EC Poetry & Prose. She has served on judging panels for Maryland State Arts Council and Poetry Out Loud, as a volunteer judge for slam competitions, and on judging and selection committees for anthologies. Kari is the former co-editor of Pen in Hand. She freelances for the Frederick News Post, is multi-lingual, and has visited all 50 States and over 40 countries.
Classes:
“Prose to Poetry” (varying lengths: 50 minutes for abridged version, 2.5 – 3 hours for full workshop)
You have a favorite piece of writing that you love but it never really went anywhere. Or something you published and love so much that you’d like to see it in a fresh, new way. What can you do to give it new life? In this fully interactive workshop, you’ll turn a piece of prose into a poetry draft.
“Poetry 101: an Interactive Intro” (varying lengths from 1.5 – 3 hours)
In this interactive workshop, we’ll chat about poetry and Kari will introduce some forms and poetic devices that you’ll try out. She’ll play excerpts of familiar poems and read excerpts of her own poetry to illustrate these poetic devices and how to play with sound. You’ll apply these techniques to a few of the forms that she introduces and walk away with not only some knowledge, but the start of several poems!
“What is Ekphrasis?” (varying lengths, from one 2-3 hour workshop to multiple 2-hour sessions)
Ekphrastic poetry is inspired by Visual Art: paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc. Many galleries feature ekphrastic readings, which Kari has participated in across Maryland. Learn how to pair your words with visual art and leave this workshop having created a poem!
“Find Your Advocate Voice” (varying lengths, from 1 – 2.5 hours)
Through readings of Kari’s poetry and group discussion, gain inspiration for finding your own voice to advocate for marginalized groups.
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
virtual only
Kyro Dean
Good American Fork Writers
Kyro Dean is the owner and Acquiring Editor for Eight Moons Publishing. She has published 8 novels, including the Rogue Royals steampunk series and the fantasy romance Fires of Qaf. She also owns and runs the Writing Resource blog, VanillaGrass.com. She loves presenting at conferences and helping authors get their books into the world.
Classes:
The Crowdfunding Craze: Is it for you?
Heard about an author's wild success on a crowdfunding site like Kickstarter but not sure where to start or if it's for you? This class goes over how to know if you and your books will do well on Kickstarter and the steps you need to take to be successful.
They're Interrupting Me Again! How to Write Multiple POVs
Writing a novel with multiple points of view can be a tricky balancing act. In this class, we'll go over a few techniques to help you strike the right balance between characters, move the pacing along, and make sure the right person is talking at the right time!
One Bridge at a Time
Feeling overwhelmed with the thousands of things authors HAVE to do to be successful? Burnout is real, and this class goes over the one thing you DO have to have and how to manage all the rest without going crazy!
The Sales Funnel for Authors
Marketing is often seen as dirty work for authors. Our books are so good they'll sell themselves, right? Unfortunately, time and again the numbers say otherwise. Understanding the age-old "marketing funnel" that businesses use is a great step toward selling your books the right way--it's even more effective with some author-specific tweeks!
Willing to teach online?
Yes
Willing to travel to:
Yes
Sara Fitzgerald
Herriman
About the Author
Sara Fitzgerald was named Writer of the Year by the League of Utah Writers in 2006. She is an award-winning and multi-published author.
She is an artist who loves to paint with splashes of color and magic. She is the Utah Art Alliance 2023 Connect Winner.
Classes:
You Have Something To Share
You are unique and your life matters, in this fun interactive workshop you will learn how to incorporate your life and experiences into your writing and art.
The Basics of Writing A Romance Novel
Learn the basics of writing a romance novel.