Pre-Event
July 20th - 25th, 2026 *Critique Submission Week*
- Review submission guidelines on our Critiques and Reviews page.
Tues, Aug 4th, 2026
7 pm - 8 pm ET, online
- Practice Makes Pitches with Kelly Dyksterhouse. For all attendees.
Fri, Sept 4th, 2026
- Deadline for workshop attendees to submit marketing plans for Marketing for Traditional Publishing.
Fri, Sept 11th, 2026
- Deadline for intensive attendees to submit scenes for Theatre Camp for Writers.
Sun, Sept 13th, 2026
6 pm - 7:30 pm ET, online
- Prep for Theatre Camp with Chris Tebbetts. For attendees of Chris’s intensive Theatre Camp for Writers.
Event Weekend
Fri, Sept 18th, 2026
1 pm - 5 pm, Classroom space at AB Tech
- Theatre Camp for Writers with Chris Tebbetts
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm, Classroom space at AB Tech
- Marketing for Traditional Publishing with Sally Kim
3 pm - 4:30 pm, Classroom space at AB Tech
- Querying & Query Letter Construction with Sally Kim
Dinner on your own
7 pm - 8:30 pm, Ballroom of the Holiday Inn Asheville Biltmore West
- Ignite the Spark IRL! Open mic night.
Sat, Sept 19th
7:15 am - 8 am, Conference Center of AB Tech
- Attendee registration
- Coffee/tea service
8 am - 8:15 am, Welcome and Introduction
8:15 am - 9 am Opening Keynote with Chris Tebbetts
- Two Truths and a Beautiful Lie: What You Know, What the Story Knows, and What You Make of It All
9:15 am - 10 am Roundtables round 1
10:15 am - 11 am Roundtables round 2
11:15 am - 12 pm Roundtables round 3
12 pm - 3 pm Lunch
- Pick up your preordered box lunch from the front desk or lunch on your own (Looking for a lunch buddy? Meet in the main lobby at noon if you’d like to join up with friends for lunch!)
1 pm - 3 pm Critiques and Reviews
- Check in for your meeting in the lobby of the conference center
3:15 pm - 4 pm Roundtables round 4
4:15 pm - 5 pm Roundtables round 5
5:15 pm - 6 pm Pitch Tables
6 pm - 6:30 pm Awards and Prizes
- Faculty peruse Portfolio Showcase privately
6:30 pm - 8 pm Portfolio Showcase & Reception
- View reception menu on our Resources page
The End - And they all lived happily ever after.
