This July, we’re bringing together eight creators in fiction and comics to offer aspiring writers and artists a one-of-a-kind learning experience that will challenge and inspire you to create with courage!

Our virtual series will feature eight 2-hour workshops, which will run weekly on Wednesdays from 7-9 pm and Sundays from 1-3 pm ET throughout July. Our amazing lineup of instructors includes award-winning writers Leslye Penelope, Rodney Barnes, Vashti Harrison, and Zig Zag Claybourne, and groundbreaking comic creators, Karla Medrano, Tim Fielder, T.J. Sterling, and Alitha Martinez. Please see below for the full workshop schedule.

Summer Creators Workshop Series - July 2023 Schedule + Workshop Description

Wed. July 5th, 7-9 PM ET: Rodney Barnes: Diversity & Horror In Comics -  Join acclaimed television and graphic novel writer/producer Rodney Barnes as he cuts to the bone of horror storytelling. Explore the genre's foundation, including the principles of fear and the structure and rhythm of horror tales.

Sun. July 9th, 1-3 PM ET: Vashti Harrison: Techniques for Visual Storytelling (Plus, giveaway of 10 copies of Vashti's NYT bestseller, BIG!) - Vashti Harrison is the creator behind some of the most iconic children’s books of our time including the Little Leaders and Dreamers series, Sulwe, and Hair Love. Join acclaimed illustrator and NYT Bestselling author, Vashti Harrison, as she takes you through the process and techniques she uses to create stories that capture your heart and your imagination.

Wed. July 12, 7-9 PM ET: Tim Fielder: AFROFUTURISM: Traditional Art To AI Art - As the creator of Infinitum and Matty’s Rocket, illustrator, animator, concept artist, and graphic novelist, Tim Fielder is a multi-hyphenated talent. He is also a deeply committed Afrofuturist who is well known for utilizing constantly evolving tools to create Afrofuturist imagery. Join Mr. Fielder’s workshop as he demonstrates how artists can merge traditional/digital illustration techniques with AI imaging tools to take their work to the next level.

Sun. July 16, 1-3 PM ET: Leslye Penelope: Building A World Around Your Characters & Plot - Every story takes place in a unique world that can either enhance or detract from the narrative. In this workshop with award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author, Leslye Penelope, you'll learn how to construct a vivid, coherent environment that is linked to your characters and plot. You'll discover how to build an immersive, dynamic setting that leaves a lasting impression on readers and amplifies character development and plot progression. By the end of this workshop, you'll have techniques to breathe life into your story and create a setting that is as captivating and complex as your protagonists.

Wed. July 19, 7-9 PM ET: Karla "Moon" Medrano: How to Create Multi-Dimensional Characters that Drive Plot - In this workshop conducted by Karla “Moon” Medrano, acclaimed writer and creator of Luna, which won the 2022 Indie Comic Dispatch Award for Series with the Most Potential, you’ll learn how to create a multi-dimensional character that will help drive your narrative plot. Whether you are in comics or fiction, this workshop is perfect to help elevate your character development. You’ll learn essential elements of every main character, how to use starting points to create a backstory, how to use your characters to express thematic values, and how to tie it all together to drive your narrative plot.

Sun. July 23, 1-3 PM ET: Zig Zag Claybourne: Happily Foiled Again: Using Intentional Roadblocks As Guidance - In this workshop, acclaimed author and publisher Zig Zag Claybourne will guide you through the process of consciously flipping, subverting, or tweaking your tropes to keep surprise and joy in your writing. From huge plot tropes (the loner finds an orphan) to small, subtle habits (do the protags truly need to kiss?), let's discuss how a change here or reroute there can steer your writing toward a happy place rather than asking your manuscript "Are we there yet?"

Wed. July 26, 7-9 PM ET: T.J. Sterling: Creating Your Own Comics: The Science of World Building - In this workshop, Okemus, Shattered Visions, and Joystick Angels comic creator T. J. Sterling will guide you through his process for creating unforgettable worlds within the specific needs and constraints of the comic book medium.

Sun. July 30, 1-3 PM ET: Alitha Martinez: The Human Mask: Techniques for Drawing Characters with Expression & Depth - In this workshop, acclaimed illustrator of Nubia, Black Panther, Moon Girl, Spiderman, and Protectors of Wakanda, and comic book legend, Alitha Martinez breaks down the approach and techniques she uses to tell a story using the “mask” of your character's face. Don’t miss learning this unique and thought-provoking approach to visual storytelling.

Tickets are $25 per workshop or $125 for an ALL-ACCESS PASS to each workshop (that's like getting 3 workshops for free)!