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BIGGER VENUE.
MORE AUTHORS.

SAME TABC MAGIC!

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TEEN TICKET DETAILS

$159

INCLUDED WITH THE TEEN TICKET:

  • Friday & Saturday filled with amazing programming and an expo hall to explore

  • Priority seating at keynotes

  • Access to Teen and General Programming

  • Breakout classes and panels taught by bestselling authors

  • Exclusive teen signing at the end of each day

BONUS OPTIONS:

  • Masterclass add-ons

  • Agent/Editor pitch sessions

  • Teen Readers' Choice Awards Gala

  • First Chapter Contest Entry

DISCOUNTED!

TEEN PROGRAM

FRIDAY TEEN SCHEDULE

9 AM - StoryCon Kick Off and Neal Shusterman Keynote
10 AM - Breakout #1
11 AM - Breakout #2
12 PM - Brandon Mull Keynote
1 PM - Breakout #3
2 PM - Breakout #4
3 PM - Breakout #5
4 PM - Marissa Meyer Keynote
6:30 PM  - VIP Reception & Gala (this is an optional ticket add-on)

SATURDAY TEEN SCHEDULE

9 AM - Dhonielle Clayton Keynote
10 AM - Breakout #6
11 AM - Breakout #7
12 PM - Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham Keynote
1 PM - Breakout #8
2 PM - Breakout #9
3 PM - Laini Taylor Keynote
4 PM - Breakout #10
5 PM - Breakout #11
6 PM- Closing & Jeff Kinney Keynote 

MAIN STAGE

Teen pass holders get priority seating at all keynotes held on our StoryCon MainStage!

Presents

Narratives in Motion

The Power of Storytelling through Performance.

 

Featuring four renowned visual and musical performers and their storytelling journey.

More info coming soon.

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NEAL SHUSTERMAN
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Keynote Address

Friday, Feb 21 @ 9:00 am

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MARISSA MEYER
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Keynote Address

Friday, Feb 21 @ 4:15 pm

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LAINI TAYLOR
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Keynote Address

Saturday, Feb 22 @ 3:00 pm

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TEDxSALTLAKECITY
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Exclusive Salon Event

Friday, Feb 21 @ 10:15 am

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DHONIELLE CLAYTON
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Keynote Address

Saturday, Feb 22 @ 9:00 am

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HALE CENTRE THEATRE
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Main Stage Event

Saturday, Feb 22 @ 4:15 pm

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BRANDON MULL
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Keynote Address

Friday, Feb 21 @ 12:00 pm

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SHANNON HALE & LEUYEN PHAM
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Keynote Address

Saturday, Feb 22 @ 12:00 pm

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JEFF KINNEY
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Keynote Address

Saturday, Feb 22 @ 6:00 pm

BREAKOUT
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

BREAKOUT #1

Friday  10:00 am-10:50 am

PANEL: Middle Grade Mischief

Shannon Hale, Chad Morris, Mike Thayer, and Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Crafting comedy for kids.

255 A (General Track)

PANEL: From Sketch to Story

LeUyen Pham, Jess Smart Smiley, and Dustin Hansen

How illustrators bring stories to life.

255 B

Writing Emotion

Rosalyn Eaves

Most of us are drawn to stories because of the emotions they inspire in us–fear, joy, love, hope. But creating that emotion in stories can be hard. Most writers know that it’s better to show emotion than tell readers what the characters feel–but sometimes not even showing the emotion works to help readers feel what the characters are feeling. In this workshop, we talk about five related strategies (known in academic terms as the objective correlative) for adding emotional depth to stories.

255 C

BREAKOUT #2  

Friday 11:00 am-11:50 am

PANEL: Red Pen Ready

Megan Clements, Kaylynn Flanders, Kim Christensen, Amy White

Turning your rough draft into a masterpiece.

255 A (General Track)

PANEL: Wizards, Jedis, and Hobbits

Rosalyn Eves, Tom Durham, Kathryn Purdie, Shelly Brown, Jeff Wheeler

Storytelling secrets from iconic book and movie series.

255 B

Body Language, Lies, and Spies

Tiana Smith

Sure, you can tell readers your character is lying. But wouldn’t it be better if you show readers instead? Learn the universal body language behaviors and facial cues we all demonstrate when under stress, acting deceitfully, or are comfortable with our surroundings. Using the CIA's proven methodology for detecting lies, this class will analyze verbal behaviors, body language, facial expressions and more to help your characters act in a way that is believable and true to their inner motivations so you can hint at double crossings, epic twists, and delight your readers — all without "telling" them what's really going on. By the time this class is over, you may even become a human lie detector yourself.

255 C

BREAKOUT #3

Friday 1:00 pm-1:50 pm

PANEL: Fear Factor

CR Langille, J Scott Savage, Sasha Peyton Smith, Janet Sumner Johnson

Creating horror that haunts.

255 B

Magic, Magic Everywhere

Allison Anderson

Does your character have magic hair that glows when she sings, or does he have to attend a private school to study every spell he uses? There are different kinds of magic and so many wonderful ways you can use it to add that extra sparkle to a story. In this class, we will talk about the rules of magic, different systems, and how to create worlds revolving around it.

255 C

PANEL: Social Media Savvy

Jolie Taylor, Shanti Hershenson, Z. S. Diamanti, Serene Heiner, Robyn Schneider

Turning posts into readers.

255 A (General Track)

BREAKOUT #4

Friday 2:00 pm-2:50 pm

The Hero's Journey

Mike Thayer

"What stands in your way is not what holds you back." Learn from fantasy author Mike Thayer how to harness the power of the Hero’s Journey to make your fictional characters more memorable and your real life more meaningful. Entertaining, educational, and inspirational!

255 C

Bootcamp for Parents with Nerd Kids

Tom Durham

If your kid is a nerd, and you're not, you need this class. What's a D20? How do you get a victory royale? Who's the cabbage man? Why did Dumbledore die? Your kids know. And if you did... you could have so many more amazing NON-CRINGE conversations with them! :) From the basics of how to read to your kids to how to get them to want to play with you... after this class you'll be a much nerdier---and cooler---parent.

255 A (General Track)

PANEL: Crash Course in Romance

Emily Cox, Nicole Allen, Kasie West, Tiana Smith

All things swoony and lovey.

255 B

BREAKOUT #5

Friday 3:00 pm-3:50 pm

PANEL: Sanderson's Success

Frank Cole, Christopher Paolini, Heidi Voss, Dax Levine, Jessica Day George

Breaking down the magic of Brandon Sanderson's stories.

255 A (General Track)

PANEL: Tension Tactics

Haley Bono, Tiffany Rosenhan, Bree Despain, Nova McBee

How to make your readers sweat.

255 B

The Bones of the Story

Ayana Gray

Building a basic story structure that allows you to tell any story, regardless of genre, in a compelling way.

255 C

BREAKOUT #6

Saturday 10:00 am-10:50 am

DUNGEON TRACK: Arium

Will Munn and Co.

Build your own worlds with Arium Workshop!

255 D

PANEL: Fairytales with a Twist

Sara Ella, Shannon Hale, Julie Wright

Giving old tales a new spin.

355 F

PANEL: From Scratch to Spectacular: Immersive Worlds

Ayana Gray, Jeff Wheeler, Christopher Paolini, Kaela Rivera

Creating immersive worlds.

355 E

PANEL: Agents & Editors Unplugged

Chris Schoebinger, Suzie Townsend, Amy Jameson, Elesa Hagberg

Top literary editors and agents discuss the current publishing world and getting your writings to the right place at the right time.

255 A (General Track)

Writing for Broadway: A Conversation

TBA

Description Coming Soon

355 D

Telling Stories from Multiple POVs

Robyn Schneider

How to write stories with more than one narrator or major character.

355 C

1st Draft Done . . . Now What?

Megan Clements

You’ve probably heard this a million times—get the book done. Write that first draft. And you’ve followed that advice. Now you have a huge dumpster fire in your hands.
Join Waypoint Authors Senior Editor Megan Clements as we, first and foremost, celebrate the creation of a first draft. After that, we’ll go to work on using five editorial checkpoints that will help you make sense of your initial draft so you can uncover its potential. You’ll leave with the tools to create a solid revision plan that will move you toward a finished manuscript you can be proud to put into the hands of readers.

255 C

Tips and Techniques for Horror or Spooky Stories

Josh Roberts

Description Coming Soon

355 B

Protagonists and Antagonists

Jessica Day George

Who are your main characters? The hero, the villain, the best friend, the love interest? I mean, who are they REALLY? And why are they the perfect people to act out your story? Should you have an illiterate farm boy be the Chosen One Bringing Peace to the Kingdom, or would the spoiled princess actually be a better fit? And who is their opposite, their villain? Jessica Day George will guide you through mapping out three-dimensional characters and placing them in the right story!

355 A

BREAKOUT #7

Saturday 11:00 am-11:50 am

PANEL: The Write Balance

Faralee Pozo, Kaylynn Flanders, Kathryn Purdie,
Erin Stewart

Where mental health and the creative expression meet.

255 A (General Track)

7-Headed World-Building Monster

Caitlin Sangster

Have you ever come up with a cool idea for a world you are brainstorming only to have it bring up six extra problems you now have to fix, and now somehow there's a complicated economic system that hinges on ten different types of dragon scale? Or maybe you're the opposite: you don't like world building. You just want there to be dragons, and the science of flying and fire breathing and riding giant beasts is the worst and you just want to play with your characters. We'll chat about a few strategies that can help us make our worlds feel deep and new while also serving the type of story you want to tell.

255 C

DUNGEON TRACK: Arium

Will Munn and Co.

Build your own worlds with Arium Workshop!

255 D

The Disney Formula

Sara Ella

Have you ever wondered why the waterworks appear at the end of films like Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid? Or perhaps you've asked what in the world caused you to care so much about a clownfish! Time and time again, Disney stories make their way into our hearts, impacting us long after we leave the theatre. How do they make that magic succeed? What can we learn from Disney's techniques that will help our own novels shine? In this class, we'll explore the "Disney formula," why it works, and how you can sprinkle a little Pixie Dust into your writing.

355 A

Improv for Writers

Scott Mooney

Class Description Coming Soon

355 B

How to Write a Fight Scene

Jo Schaffer Layton

Every book needs tension, and that often comes in the form of an “action” or “fight” scene. Whether you’re looking to create a Tolkien-type epic battle or have two characters in a spat, learn how to make your next fight scene one that readers will hold their breath through!

355 C

DIalogue

Heather Clark

Class Description Coming Soon

355 D

PANEL: Storytelling Without Borders

Robyn Schneider, Emily Huey, Veeda Bybee, Moses Utomi, Yamilla Mendez

Embracing diversity in fiction.

355 E

PANEL: Verse Ventures

Jolie Taylor, Leigh Statham, Katie, Jarvis Shomler, Faralee Pozo

Adventures in crafting poetry.

355 F

BREAKOUT #8

Saturday 1:00 pm-1:50 pm

PANEL: From Fact to Fiction

Jennifer A Nielsen, Emily Huey, Rosalyn Eves, Jo Schaffer Layton, Libba Bray

Turning historical events into riveting reads.

255 A (General Track)

Teen Dungeon Track

More information coming!

255 B

Writing Emotion without Cringe

Erin Stewart

Nothing turns a reader off faster than cliché or overdone emotion. So how do you beef up all the feels in your novel without falling headfirst into cheeseball territory? In this class, Erin will discuss how to go deeper with your characters’ emotions while staying authentic and relatable. We’ll examine backstory wounds, psychological needs and how to use non-verbal cues to relay emotion without getting too cringey.

255 C

Write a Book in 30 Days

Julie Wright

From organization to time to finding your groove, this class will give you 30 tips and tricks to successfully write a book in a month.

355 A

Suspense, Tension, & Mystery

Nova Mcbee

A great novel doesn’t need to be fast paced, but it does need to be laced with mystery, tension, suspense and unanswered questions to drive the plot forward. Learn specific techniques on how to craft these elements into your story.

355 B

Screenwriting

Tom Durham

Class Descriptions Coming Soon

355 C

Hale Centre Theatre

More information coming soon

355 D

PANEL: Welcome to the Apocalypse

Margaret Peterson Haddix, Neal Shusterman, Marissa Meyer, Caitlin Sangster

Writing dystopia that doesn't suck.

355 E

PANEL: Monsters and Myths: Creating Creatures

Tyler Whitesides, Frank Cole, Scott Mooney, Jessica Day George

Crafting compelling creatures.

355 F

BREAKOUT #9

Saturday 2:00 pm-2:50 pm

Teen Dungeon Track

More information coming!

255 B

PANEL: Wands, Spells, and System Fails

Rena Barron, Sasha Peyton Smith, Brandon Mull, Ayana Gray

Making magic that works.

355 F

Hale Center Theater

Details to come

355 D

It's a Love Story: Baby, Just Say 'YES!'

Kasie West

Kasie West is the queen of the wholesome YA romance. Come get some tips from her on how to make your romance give your readers all the feels.

355 C

CPR for Your Medical Trauma

A.J. Stevens

Covers basic trauma, defines types of trauma and basic treatment. Discusses tips for creating accurate trauma with corresponding effects to characters and story. Goes over common mistakes and how to avoid them.

355 B

Intersects of World-Building and Plotting

Jennifer Nielsen

Building a believable world is vital to any story we write, in any genre. Choices we make will influence and sometimes define the way a plot unfolds. This class will focus on the key elements of any world that is built.

355 A

The Happy Writer!

Marissa Meyer

Class Description Coming Soon

255 C

PANEL: The Query Quest

Yamille Mendez, Nova McBee, Lindsey Flanagan, Amy Jameson

Turning rejections into requests.

255 A (General Track)

BREAKOUT #10

Saturday 3:00 pm-3:50 pm

Teen Dungeon Track

More information soon!

255 B

PANEL: The Plot Thickens

Allison Anderson, Lindsay Flanagan, Amy White, Josh Roberts

Crafting stories with solid structure.

355 F

Poetry Slam

Leigh Statham

Bring your original poetry to perform or come watch others!

355 E

Have Fun Storming the Castle

Renae Kingsley

Have you ever wanted to pursue a creative dream and felt it was impossibly daunting? Using iconic characters from the cult classic movie, The Princess Bride, this engaging workshop will help you learn various techniques to overcome creative blocks and gain confidence in your skills. Learn how to develop your artistic voice no matter what form of expression your creativity takes.

355 C

Write For Life

Kim Christensen

Brené Brown says we move what we're learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands. Research shows that writing through our experiences and emotions is one of the most effective ways to process them. While therapy has its place, journaling is something everyone can (and should) access anytime, for free. Even just a few minutes of journaling has been shown to decrease your heart rate and ease anxiety. In this class, we’ll explore the science behind expressive writing and how to get the most out of it for ourselves and our loved ones.

355 D

Breathing

Naomi Watkins

Ever feel like writing is just... blah? Like it's all about rules and boring essays? Well, guess what? Writing is WAY more than that! It's about expressing your unique voice, your feelings, your ideas - and it all starts with your body. In this workshop, we're ditching the old-school way of thinking about writing. We'll explore how to:
•Unleash your creativity through movement, breathing, and even a little bit of imagination.
•Break through writer's block with cool techniques that tap into your body's wisdom.
•Find your flow and write with confidence, even when it feels tough.
•Create a safe space where your words matter and your voice is heard.
Get ready to discover a whole new way to write – one that's fun, empowering, and totally you.

355 B

Voice: Sprinkling with Flavor

Janet Sumner Johnson

Writers are often encouraged to ‘find your voice.’ But what does that even mean? And how is that different than you simply writing your book? This class will answer those questions. We’ll discuss what voice means (and what it doesn’t), and how to make not only your writing distinct, but your characters as well. From spicing up your word choices, to adding unique sensory details, to using imagery to bring your story to life, this class will help you find your voice, and take your writing to the next level.

355 A

After the Idea, What's Next?

Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Stories usually begin in one of three main places: with a character, with a plot idea, or with a cool fact/event. In this workshop, we discuss how to grow a seed of an idea into a fully blooming story!

255 C

PANEL: DIY Dream

Aaron N. Hall, Heidi Voss, Z. S. Diamanti, Robin King

How to self-publish like a pro.

255 A (General Track)

BREAKOUT #11

Saturday 4:00 pm-4:50 pm

Teen Dungeon Track

More information soon!

255 B

What I Wish I'd Known as a Teen Writer

Chloe Christenson, Christopher Paolini, McKenzie Wagner

Teens and experienced authors discuss what teens might need to understand about the publishing world.

355 F

Grassroots Shakespeare

Performance Details to Come

355 D

I Love that I Suck

Elesa Hagberg

Learn how to silence your inner critic, cultivate resilience, and find joy in the process of writing, no matter where you are on your path. Sometimes we DO suck. And not only is that okay, its amazing.

355 C

Make 'Em Laugh

Aaron N. Hall

Writing comedy can be a challenge, so how can you make sure jokes are landing and funny bones are being tickled? Aaron N. Hall, author of giggle-worthy sci-fi and fantasy like My Name is Hammerfist and The Legend of Uh, teaches you different forms of comedy and how you can use them to elevate your writing. Prepare to make your readers hehe and haha and lol with these helpful tips.

355 B

Publishing Pitfalls

Kasie West, Sara B Larson, & TBD

What to do and what to dodge.

255 A (General Track)

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MASTERCLASSES

Calling all creators! If you want to take a deeper dive into the craft of writing, these masterclasses are for you and can be added on to any General, Teen, or Educator ticket at StoryCon. 

Space is very limited! Register now!

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AGENT/EDITOR PITCH SESSIONS

 Want to pitch your book to a professional literary agent or editor? Polish up that pitch and bring it to StoryCon! 

Space is very limited! Register now!

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ATTEND THE AWARDS GALA

The Operation Literacy Awards Gala includes a VIP reception, a semi-formal dinner, a silent auction featuring products from generous local businesses, and a program held in conjunction with StoryCon at the Salt Palace on February 21, 2025. This year's theme is Once Upon a Time.

The evening program includes:

  • Teen Readers' Choice Awards: The only national book award for professional authors decided by teens! 

  • Book Hero Awards: Recognizing individuals, educators, and organizations in our community who are making strides to elevate children's literacy.

  • Recognition of the teens published in Operation Literacy's annual Short Story Anthology and Poetry Collection. Both bodies of work are published in partnership with Owl Hollow Press.

ADD-ON EXPERIENCES

JOIN OUR TEEN
CREATIVE COMMUNITIES

CONTESTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Image by JESHOOTS.COM

You won't believe the amazing publishing and writing contest opportunities available here at TABC! Sharpen that pen! You have some writing to do!

JOIN THE DISCORD

Image by Alexander Shatov

Having trouble joining? Email contact@operationliteracy.org for help.

TEEN READERS' CHOICE AWARDS

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The only national book award decided by teens! Vote now for your favorite books of 2022-2023!

TEEN POET SOCIETY

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Join our national teen poets society with quarterly poetry submissions and reading events and an annual Teen Poet Society.

PLAN YOUR EPIC WEEKEND

You have your tickets, you've snagged your add-on experiences, now you're ready to plan for an epic StoryCon weekend!

Order books through our exclusive book seller and gain priority access to StoryCon signing lines!

Book your discounted hotel with one of our hotel partners across the street from the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Explore the growing list of sponsors and exhibitors coming to our StoryCon Exhibit Hall.

Tell the world you're coming to StoryCon using the hashtag #StoryCon! We repost!

Check out StoryCon's writing contests and publishing opportunities.

If you're a teen, vote for your favorite books in the Teen Readers' Choice Awards!

TESTIMONIALS

“TABC changed the trajectory of my life. It taught me who I

am and what I can become.”

Alayna Beck, TABC Graduate

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