NINC 2020 Full Workshop Schedule

Updated 9/20/20

Wednesday At a Glance

2-6:30 PM: Registration Open (Lobby)

5-6:00 PM: VIP Guest Reception (South Lawn)

6:30-7:00 PM: NINC 2020 Orientation for ALL attendees (Tarpon Key)

7:00 PM: Welcome Reception (Courtyard)

8:15-10 PM: NINC After Dark - Genre Roundtables (Courtyard)

Wednesday, 6:30 - 7:00 PM

All Attendees Orientation
Location: Tarpon Key

Wednesday, 7:00 PM

Welcome Reception
Location: Courtyard

Join us for networking and heavy appetizers.

Sponsored by BookBub

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Wednesday, 8:15 - 10:00 PM

NINC After Dark

Come to the courtyard to exchange ideas over a cocktail (or two)!

(formerly Night Owls and Night Club)

Location: Courtyard
Bar Open: 8:15-10pm

Network with authors who write in the same genre as you.

Thursday at a Glance

10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

12:00-1:30 PM: Lunch

1:30-5:30 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

7:00-10:00 PM: NINC After Dark (Courtyard)

Thursday, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Sponsor Workshop: Vellum (Presented Virtually)

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What’s New in Vellum
Speaker: Brad West

Hear about new features introduced in Vellum! Learn how to create internal links to direct readers through your ebook, how to credit chapter authors in an anthology, and how to take artwork to the edge of the page. We’ll discuss how Vellum will adapt to coming changes on the Mac, and will include time for Q & A.

Thursday, 10:00 AM – Noon

The Psychology of Fandom: 2-Hour Masterclass (Presented Virtually)
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Barnes

Building a strong fanbase is an important element of a successful author career. In this special Master Class Session, Dr. Jennifer Barnes, one of the world's leading experts on the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination, will offer a 360-view of how writers can use the psychology of fandom to write fandom-enabling books, attract and energize fans, and cultivate a creative culture around their works.

Thursday, Noon - 1:30 PM

Lunch Sponsored by Kobo Writing Life

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Thursday, 1:30 - 2:30 PM

Market, Data, and Trends Update (Presented Virtually)
Does the book market need a vaccine or not?
Speaker: Alex Newton, K-lytics

Imagine you could cut through the results of hundreds of thousands of books to see what is happening in the market and what marketing strategies seem to work better than others. This session explores how the 2020 pandemic has impacted book markets, its various genres, and what authors and publishers can learn from it. Alex will also provide an update on longer-term market developments and trend spotting. Don't worry if you are not a numbers person. Alex has a unique talent to convey seemingly complex matters in an easy-to-understand and fun manner that lets you walk home with actionable insights.

Sponsor Workshop: Amazon KDP (Presented Virtually)

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Expand your Readership with Kindle Direct Publishing
Speaker: Tricia Gallagher 

During this presentation, a member of the Kindle Direct Publishing team will discuss best practices on how to identify categories and keywords to increase traffic and use metadata to create a strong detail page that impacts conversion to sales.

Thursday, 3:00 - 4:00 PM

Decoding the Secrets of a Bestseller
Speaker: Alessandra Torre

A bestseller isn’t born, it’s carefully created through sharp plotting, strong and varied characters, perfect pacing and intelligent edits. In this live event, New York Times bestselling author and Authors AI president Alessandra Torre will dissect 4 blockbuster novels and reveal the common elements that made them successful - and how you can find and cultivate those same traits in your next book.

Sponsor Workshop: Kobo (Presented Virtually)

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Thursday, 4:30 - 5:30 PM

Book Brush Tutorial: Popular Features & Hidden Gems
Speaker: Corey Alderin

Whether you have never used Book Brush or have been a user for many years, you can learn something from this workshop. We will cover how to best use the most popular features and some "hidden gem" features that you can use to start creating more unique and attention-grabbing images. We will also cover the newest features and answer questions from the audience. Bring your laptop and walk away with a graphic you can use!

Sponsor Workshop: D2D (Presented Virtually)

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Self-Publishing: The Evolution will be Digital
Speaker: Kevin Tumlinson

The industry-leading team from Draft2Digital looks back at the impact 2020 has had on self-publishing, and offers some strategies for authors to seize new opportunities emerging from the evolution of the industry.

Thursday, 7:00 - 10:00 PM
NINC After Dark

Come to the courtyard to exchange ideas over a cocktail (or two)!

(formerly Night Owls and Night Club)

Location: Courtyard
Bar Open: 7-10pm
Roundtable Discussions: 7:30 - 9pm

• Building a Brand
• Creating and Launching a New Genre
• Teasers and Promo Graphics
• Choose Your Own Topic: General Discussion of Marketing or Craft

Sponsored by Vellum

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Friday at a Glance

10:00 AM-12:30 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

12:30-2:00 PM: Lunch

2:00-5:00 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

7:00-10:00 PM: NINC After Dark (Courtyard)

Friday, 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Advanced Email Marketing

Speaker: Alessandra Torre

Make your emails work harder and smarter. This advanced workshop will teach how to increase open rates, clicks, conversions, and book sales.

Sponsor Workshop: LaLa Projects (Presented Virtually)

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Optimizing your author website for search engines and users (Presented Virtually)

Speaker: Debra Lanning, LaLa Projects

In this presentation, Optimizing your author website for search engines and users, Debra Lanning, founder and creative director of LaLa Projects will review a few professional author websites that she has had the privilege of working on.

She will share fundamental SEO terms, what they mean, how they were applied to client websites, and how they can be applied to your website.  She will also touch on the concept of schema markup and how it is applied to websites.  Lastly, she will discuss a strategic approach to page building, review more website terms, and look at some real life examples of how this is achieved.

This will be a great workshop for authors looking for ways to improve their website.

What’s the difference between a book that sells 3000 copies in one day (and none for the rest of the month), and a book that sells 100 copies a day for a month? Hint: the answer involves Amazon’s ABSR, its structure and the popularity effect of sales. Dave Chesson will discuss this phenomenon to help authors understand what it means and how to make it happen for their books.

Friday, 12:30 - 2:00 PM

Lunch Sponsored by Draft2Digital (D2D)

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Friday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

How to Launch a Bestseller (Presented Virtually)

Speaker: Skye Warren

Are your new releases reaching more readers than your last one? Visibility and marketing in the book world are constantly evolving. Find out what’s working now to make the most of your time and money. This workshop includes specific launch strategies for a real book release including advertising, packaging, and viral marketing strategies to make a book launch bigger. This workshop is designed for authors with an established platform who are looking to grow in 2021.

Sponsor Workshop: BookBub (Presented Virtually)

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Friday, 3:30 – 4:30 PM

Stuck, Blocked, and Burned Out: A Writer's Guide to 2020 (Presented Virtually)

Speaker: Becca Syme

Writing less than you had planned in 2020? Wondering why the words aren't coming? Stuck or stalled in big decisions right now? You need to come to this hour-long workshop on the impact of stress on the writer's brain. Success coach and author Becca Syme will tackle the difference between blocks and burnout, the influence of stress and struggle on the writing psyche, and how to get things done when it feels like you just can't.

Sponsor Workshop: Amazon (Presented Virtually)

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Amazon Advertising For Authors
Speaker: Eli Brewer

During this presentation, a member of the Amazon Advertising publishing team will delve into the advertising products that authors can leverage to expand their readership on Amazon. By correctly utilizing Sponsored Ads or Managed Display products, participants will leave with a better understanding of how Amazon Advertising operates.

Friday, 7:00 - 10:00 pm
NINC After Dark

Come to the courtyard to exchange ideas over a cocktail (or two)!

(formerly Night Owls and Night Club)

Location: Courtyard
Bar Open: 7-10pm
Roundtable Discussions: 7:30 - 9pm

• The Business of Authoring
• Newsletters (content and innovations)
• Research
• Choose Your Own Topic: General Discussion of Marketing or Craft

Saturday at a Glance

10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

12:00-2:00 PM: Lunch on your own

2:00-3:00 PM: Workshops (Tarpon, Sawyer and Long)

3:30 - 4:00 PM: Annual General Meeting (NINC Members Only)

7:00-9:00 PM: Beachside Blowout Buffet

Saturday, 10:00 – Noon

Success Metrics and the Elusive Why: 2-Hour Masterclass (Presented Virtually)

Speaker: Becca Syme

There is more than one path to success, and knowing which path you should take is the question we’re all asking. In this presentation, success coach and author Becca Syme will unpack common success metrics for authors based on real results of real successful authors. {This is a two-hour long session with one five-minute break.}

Saturday, 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Mastering Amazon's A9 Algorithm and Your Book's Rankings in the Market

Speaker: Dave Chesson

Ever wonder why Amazon shows someone else's book over yours in the search results? Or why you can't seem to be found for a keyword you've targeted? In this session, we'll take a deep dive into Amazon's A9 algorithm, how it functions, and how you can make simple changes to control your book's discoverability...and no, this isn't about keyword stuffing or hacking the system.

Saturday, 3:30 – 4:30 PM

Annual General Meeting (NINC Members Only)

Saturday, 7:00 PM - Beachside Blowout Buffet (You don’t want to miss it!)

Location: Breckenridge Deck North