“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” – Ray Bradbury

Speculative fiction brings us worlds of wonder, horror, and magic, shaped and honed from the minds of talented writers. But they’re little more than set pieces without an equally well-designed cast. This event focuses on creating characters, crafting complex, believable, relatable characters readers want to go on a journey with. Join us on Saturday 11^th January 2025 for panels, interviews and readings.

Introduction & Welcome (10–10:10am)

Panel 1 (10:10–11:10am): Animals & Environments as Characters. How do you build a character that isn’t human – or humanoid? What if they don’t even have a body? From the literal and abnormally sentient creatures to places that seem to come alive and live in our consciousness, our panel discusses animals and environments as characters. Join moderator Dan Hanly and panellists Mina Ikemoto Ghosh, Dan Hanks, and Joao F. Silva on this romp through the wilderness. Find out more about our panel here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/bfs-online-crafting-characters-animals-environments-as-characters/.

Readings (11:15–11:40am):  Wole Talabi (11:15–11:25am),  Tam O’Malley (11:30–11:40am)

Break (11:40–12:10pm)

Author Interview (12:15–1:15pm): BFS Chair, Shona Kinsella, interviews Nebula and Sturgeon Award winning author R.S.A. Garcia. Find out more about R.S.A. here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/bfs-online-crafting-characters-interview-with-r-s-a-garcia/.

Reading (1:20–1:30pm): Rebecca Gault

Lunch (1:30–2pm)

Reading (2:15–2:25pm): Chrissey Harrison

Panel 2 (2:30–3:30pm): Supporting Cast. You know who your protagonist and antagonist are, but what about the rest? How do you create secondary characters that jump out of the page? And how do they add to the story? Join moderator Chris Hawton as he chats to panellists Lindsey Byrd, Rob Cameron, and David Watkins about crafting a supporting cast that enhances storytelling. Find out more about our panel here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/bfs-online-crafting-characters-supporting-cast/.

Reading (3:35–3:45pm): Renee Edwards

Break (3:45–4pm)

Panel 3 (4–5pm): Heroes & Villains. Stories are driven by conflict, by the battle between good and evil, and fought in the morally grey. How do you strike a balance between your hero and your villain? What makes them perfect adversaries? Join moderator Lauren McMenemy in conversation with Cameron Johnston, Anna Stephens, and Andrea Stewart to discuss crafting leading characters. Find out more about our panel here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/bfs-online-crafting-characters-heroes-and-villains/.

Reading (5:05–5:15pm): Juan Manuel Perez

Open mic (5:20–6pm): A get-together at the end of the day and an opportunity to catch up with all your writing community pals.

Find more information on our fabulous readers and where to buy their books, click here: https://britishfantasysociety.org/bfs-online-crafting-characters-readings/.

Please note: You should receive a confirmation email when you buy your ticket, plus a second email with the Zoom link to join. If you don’t, please contact Pam via email: onlineevents@britishfantasysociety.org