5 Events No Author Should Miss At This Year’s Phoenix Comicon

This year from May 25^th to May 28^th (Thursday through Sunday), writers, readers, and comic book fans alike will come out in droves for one of Arizona’s largest events of the year: Phoenix Comicon. This annual event in the heart of downtown Phoenix has garnered so much attention that last year, an estimated 106,000 people showed up to attend the author panels, see their favorite actors and performers for photo shoots and signings, and to shop from hundreds of small businesses and artists who specialize in comic book fare, steampunk gadgets, one-of-a-kind paintings, and so much more. Midnight Publishing’s staff is beyond excited for this event every year because as editors and writers ourselves, we idolize the New York Times’ bestselling authors who attend and offer guests priceless advice on anything from the current publishing industry’s landscape to their own secret writing tips. We wanted to share with our fellow authors the five events you simply cannot miss at Phoenix Comicon, especially if you’re currently working on your own manuscript and need some inspiration:

1. Option My Book!

Friday May 26, 2017 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

This is a new panel that will have attending authors sharing their experiences and interactions with Hollywood regarding the film and TV rights to their books. A very informative class if you’ve wondered about what it might be like to see your books translated on screen, you’ll get to hear from the likes of V.E. Schwab, Pierce Brown, Wesley Chu, and more.

2. Writing Workshop: Sizzling Dialogue with Tom Leveen

Friday May 26, 2017 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

One of the most popular classes in the entire Phoenix Comicon lineup, this workshop is taught by Arizona’s very own Tom Leveen. An author of seven award-winning novels so far, Leveen works with students on topics such as utilizing the white space of the page, harnessing punctuation, and exploring unique ways of crafting dialogue in this hour-long class. Be sure to come early, it fills up quickly! Purchase your $10 pass here.

3. Drinks with Authors and Creators

Friday May 26, 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

One of the best opportunities to meet and chat with some of the attending authors is during this event, which is being held in North120CD and is guaranteed to be a memorable time! Drink a few glasses of wine and talk writing with the best, while also having the opportunity to enter a raffle and get prizes! Tickets are an additional $10 and can be purchased through the Phoenix Comicon site here.

4. “Would You Rather?” with Sam Sykes

Thursday May 25, 2017 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

All right, all right…this isn’t really the panel for learning much. However, it is one of the attendees’ favorites at Comicon every year, as author Sam Sykes asks his fellow writers embarrassing questions that normally result in even more embarrassing answers. For a hilarious time with some of your author heroes, you must attend this panel.

5. Deleted Scenes

Saturday May 27, 2017 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This panel will focus on the self-editing process and how the authors in attendance know when to “kill a darling” or not (thankfully, there are editors like us here at Midnight Publishing to help with that!). Bestsellers like Myke Cole and Katie Salidas will share their experiences with “deleted” scenes from their work, and what they wish they might’ve kept or gotten rid of over the years. An informative class for any writer who struggles with deleting those extraneous words!

Although this post detailed our top workshops and panels for the year, we didn’t even scratch the surface regarding author signings and other events! Huge names like Diana Gabaldon, Pierce Brown, and Suzanne Young will be signing books throughout the event, as well as dozens of other amazing authors with their books available for purchase and a personalized signing. Buy your tickets for Phoenix Comicon here, and be sure to stay hydrated throughout the event as the temperatures usually reach triple digits by the end of May!

Midnight Publishing is an editing and writing company based in Phoenix, Arizona that helps clients all over the world to perfect their manuscripts and make their book dreams come true! Contact us today to discuss your manuscript needs and we’ll devise the perfect editing plan to get you to publication. See you at Phoenix Comicon 2017!