3rd Annual Upper Peninsula Writer's Symposium

Ticket includes keynote speaker address by renowned author Karen Dionne, three of the six informative breakout sessions, catered lunch and refreshments. PICK YOUR BREAKOUT SESSIONS Please choose one blue, one teal and one orange session from each of the add-ons to reserve your seat. If you do not choose your add-ons in advance, you will be assigned a breakout session based on availability. Keynote Address by author Karen Dionne

BREAKOUT SESSION 1 - Option 1 The Infinite Possibilities of Narrative Presenter: Joseph D. Haske 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM This session will include a writing exercise and a philosophical discussion that addresses potential writing strategies. From the inception of a project to the revisionary stages, an author must remain open to every opportunity for improvement. This workshop/discussion will enable writers to consider multiple approaches to plot, subplot, character development, and many other aspects of narrative conception.

BREAKOUT SESSION 1 - Option 2 Finding Your Voice Through Poetry Presenter: Ellen Lord 10:10 AM - 11:00 AM In this interactive workshop, poet Ellen Lord will guide participants through the creative process of writing poetry inspired by themes from Vigil. Attendees will explore imagery, emotion, rhythm, and personal storytelling while learning practical techniques for crafting meaningful poems. In a time when many seek connection, reflection, and healing, poetry offers a powerful way to process experiences and express authentic thoughts and feelings. Whether you are new to poetry or already writing, this session will encourage you to discover and strengthen your unique voice.

BREAKOUT SESSION 2 - Option 2 Break Through the Familiar: New Approaches to Image, Tone, and Subject Matter Presenter: Daniel Mendoza 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM Learn how to move beyond clichés and your own predictable writing patterns. Through generative exercises and guided shifts in perspective, workshop participants will explore how to disrupt their common writing habits and approach their poetry with greater flexibility and surprise. Ideal for poets looking for tools to keep their writing dynamic and engaging.

BREAKOUT SESSION 2 - Option 2 Success Signals for Writers: Know Your Writing-Style Color and Make It Help You Write Better Presenter: Julie Covert 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM An interactive presentation to identify your writing and communication style so you can make your time at the keyboard more productive. Do you get frustrated when can’t write as easily as you’d like? Does something hold you back, that you can’t put your finger on? Come learn what your Writing-Style Color is. When you can identify your style then you can learn how to make it work to your advantage, minimize its weaknesses, and incorporate wearing a different color hat to get you out of the jam jar, resuscitate your muse, and get your writing back on track. Take the quiz in advance at hjwords.com/resources then come learn about your writing-style color. The Success Signals for Writers quiz will also be available at the symposium.

BREAKOUT SESSION 3 - Option 1 Designing Book Covers That Work: Understanding Your Genre and Avoiding Common Mistakes Presenter: Daniel Mendoza 12:50 - 2:00 PM An interactive presentation to identify your writing and communication style so you can make your time at the keyboard more productive. Do you get frustrated when can’t write as easily as you’d like? Does something hold you back, that you can’t put your finger on? Come learn what your Writing-Style Color is. When you can identify your style then you can learn how to make it work to your advantage, minimize its weaknesses, and incorporate wearing a different color hat to get you out of the jam jar, resuscitate your muse, and get your writing back on track. Take the quiz in advance at hjwords.com/resources then come learn about your writing-style color. The Success Signals for Writers quiz will also be available at the symposium.

BREAKOUT SESSION 3 - Option 2 Place-Based Writing: Using Landscape and Memory to Shape Story Presenter: Helen Raica-Klotz 12:50 - 2:00 PM This breakout session explores how landscape, memory, and lived experience can deepen and shape compelling storytelling. Participants will learn techniques for using setting as more than background—transforming place into a living part of narrative and character development. Through guided prompts and discussion, writers will discover how personal memories, sensory details, and emotional connections to place can inspire authentic and powerful writing. Whether crafting fiction, memoir, or poetry, this session will help writers create stories grounded in atmosphere, meaning, and a strong sense of place.