When Words Collide 2026

***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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People often say, "I know it when I read it", but what is truly the divide between calling a novel literary or commercial fiction? And how can you determine if your manuscript hits one or the other, or falls in
that coveted space, Upmarket? It's far more than plot driven vs. character driven, but we'll analyze what those terms really mean, along with active vs. passive readers, prose differences, thematic
structure, “postcards”, and more. (A basic understanding of plot structure and character arcs is needed for this masterclass.)

***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Have you ever read (or written!) a scene that feels a little flat, and you just can’t seem to put your finger on why? Chances are, the writer hasn’t used the 5 Elements of Writing (Setting, Dialogue, Actions, Reactions, Inner Thoughts) to their full advantage. Writing is the only creative medium that can exploit all of these elements. Learn why an imbalance in these elements makes your writing boring, how to spot problems, and what elements to use, when to make your scenes 3D in your readers’ minds and take your writing to the next level.

***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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When the world sucks, writing is an act of resistance. This masterclass explores how to channel rage and grief into powerful fiction without sacrificing your craft. We’ll talk about play, joy, and creativity-care, and we’ll also dive into the how of writing about the difficult stuff. Perfect for writers who want both escapism from the evils of the world and the tools to shine a spotlight on those evils.

***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***
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Storytelling when applied to film or TV is one of the most exciting mediums to explore. It not only improves a writer’s ability to structure story, but it provides the opportunity to look at the art of story from a visual perspective. This masterclass is an interactive and engaging ‘how-to’ guide for structuring a film script, including plotting, character development, dialogue, and film theory. We’ll analyze existing film scenes and scripts while exploring and establishing the rules of scriptwriting (and also how to break those rules).