Virtual Master Classes at HNS2025
Virtual classes are available for anyone who would like to attend. Conference registration is not required. They will be offered live and will be recorded for on-demand viewing though the end of 2025. All times listed are PACIFIC TIME.
Looking for In-Person Master Classes? Click here.
Sunday, June 22
8:00-11:00 am
Unlocking Paid Advertising for Authors
Instructor: Aimee Ravichandran
Length: 3 hours
Price: $85
Are you ready to bridge the gap between in-person book sales and reaching readers online? Join us for an in-depth dive into the ever-changing and often confusing world of paid advertising on Google, Facebook, and Amazon. This master class is designed to simplify the process, equip you with the tools to succeed, and make the journey smooth and stress-free.
Topics will include:
- Ad Setup & Strategy: Learn how to set up effective ad campaigns on Google, Facebook, and Amazon with ease, so you can focus on what you do best—writing.
- Keyword Mastery: Harness the power of Publisher Rocket to uncover trending keywords and find the right audience for your genre.
- Targeting with Precision: Discover how to identify and target readers who are actively searching for books like yours.
- Automation Advantage: Shift the heavy lifting of promoting your book to automated ads that work for you around the clock.
- Practical Implementation: Gain actionable insights and tips to seamlessly transition from selling at events to scaling your book sales online.
Navigating the world of paid advertising doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and guidance, you can leverage ads to expand your reach, grow your readership, and increase sales—all while saving time and effort. Take the plunge and make paid ads work for you. Let the computers handle the heavy lifting, and watch your books reach readers worldwide!
Aimee grew up in San Antonio, Texas, where she attended UTSA and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. During that time, she began working with Houston-based Sandy Lawrence, former CEO of Perceptive Public Relations, where she began to learn the ins and outs of social media and book marketing. Over her 12 years in the industry, she has helped create over 150 bestselling Amazon authors and was named one of the Top 10 Innovative Women Changing the Face of Business in 2022. You can also find Aimee in CIO Today as one of the 10 Most Promising Female CEOs to watch out for in 2022. Aimee was awarded the Influential Businesswoman Award in 2022 for Best Business Social Media Marketing Owner (Southern USA) by Acquisition International, Social Media Marketing Specialist of the Year from Corporate LiveWire’s Global Awards for 2022/2023, and Most Influential Digital Marketing Business Leader USA in 2024 by Influential Businesswoman Awards.
12:00-2:00 pm
Strategizing and Organizing Research
Instructor: Eliza Knight
Price: $60
Called the Queen of Spreadsheets, join Eliza Knight for this workshop on strategizing and organizing your research. Historical novels can span weeks to decades, and it’s important to have a good system in place for not only organizing your research, but also a strategy of what to tackle first, and what exactly is not important to discover and understand about your topic, but for your story. Leave this workshop with a plan and the tools necessary to keep your research for your novel in order.
Topics will include:
- Historical timelines
- How to keep track of historical events/details
- Where to start – and where to end
- Structuring spreadsheets and organizing notes
- Strategizing your research and making a plan
- Necessary tools for historical novelists
Eliza (E.) Knight is an award-winning, USA Today and internationally bestselling traditionally and self-published author of over eighty titles. In 2013, she was named Romance Writers of America’s PRO Mentor of the Year, and in 2017 she was accepted into RWA’s Honor Roll for selling over 100,000 copies of her self-published title The Highlander’s Reward. Eliza is contracted with William Morrow, Sourcebooks, and Lake Union Publishing. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Novelists Inc., Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Tall Poppy Writers. She is an International Tutor for Jericho Writers’ Ultimate Novel Writing Course and continues to mentor and coach writers one-on-one throughout the year.
3:00-5:00 pm
Query Ready!
Instructor: Olivia Hawker
Price: $60
A hands-on workshop that will walk participants through the process of creating an irresistible query letter, a great synopsis, and polished opening pages. Participants will complete the class with a query that’s ready to send to agents and editors, plus the skills necessary to create a great synopsis and revise their opening pages to make them as effective as possible. Requirement: A completed manuscript that’s ready for the query process.
Topics will include:
- Crafting a query with a powerful hook
- Maximizing your bio
- Understanding and identifying comps
- Distilling an entire plot into a tight synopsis
- Evaluating your opening pages for hook, pacing, and voice
- How to improve weak opening pages.
Olivia Hawker is the pen name of Libbie Grant, an American author living in British Columbia, Canada. She specializes in historical fiction tailored for book clubs, as well as solo readers who enjoy thought-provoking novels with complex characters and rich emotional landscapes. Currently, Olivia Hawker's books are available exclusively from Lake Union Publishing. Among her three pen names, Libbie has hit the Washington Post and Amazon Top 100 of the Year bestseller lists and has been a finalist for the Washington State Book Award, the Willa Literary Award for Historical Fiction, and the Audie Award for outstanding audiobooks.
Monday, June 23
12:00-2:00 pm
Building Believable Worlds: From Research to Resonance
Instructor: Jessica Berg
Price: $60
Every historical fiction writer knows that world-building is more than facts and dates—it’s about crafting an environment so vivid, readers feel they’re living it alongside your characters. In this master class, you’ll uncover how to transform research into rich, emotionally resonant settings that enhance your story rather than weigh it down.
Key takeaways:
- How to conduct focused, story-driven research without falling into rabbit holes
- The secrets to weaving sensory details into your setting to draw readers in immediately
- Strategies for identifying the most impactful aspects of geography, culture, and politics for your narrative
- A foolproof system for organizing and integrating research seamlessly into your story
During this session, you’ll brainstorm and workshop details from your own story to create a setting blueprint tailored to your narrative. Through real-time exercises and analyses of scenes from bestselling historical novels, you’ll practice turning raw historical data into an immersive world that enhances your plot and characters. By the end of this session, you’ll have a customized research-and-world-building plan for your story and the tools to create a setting readers won’t want to leave.
Jessica Berg is a literary agent and author passionate about nurturing unique voices in publishing. As an agent with Rosecliff Literary, she focuses on character-driven stories and high-stakes narratives, helping authors navigate the industry. Her own fiction explores identity, trauma, and relationships. A multi-nominated writer with an MFA from Spalding University, Berg is a member of the AALA and EFA. She also provides developmental feedback for Writer’s Digest, Uncharted Magazine, and Fractured Lit. She is represented by Amy Collins of Talcott Notch.
3:00-5:00 pm
Visual Impact: How Canva Can Transform Your Writing Career
Instructor: Sarah Penner
Price: $60
Level up your book marketing! This masterclass will explore harnessing the power of Canva to enhance your writing career. We’ll cover the benefits of using this web-based platform to create eye-catching graphics for social media marketing, build engaging websites, craft visually appealing newsletters, and more. Whether you’re looking to boost your author brand or elevate your promotional materials, this session will provide practical tips and strategies to help you make a lasting impact with your visual content. Learn how to leverage Canva's user-friendly tools to stand out and connect with your readers.
Sarah Penner is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of three historical novels, all featuring mystery, magic, and misbehaved women. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and her debut, THE LOST APOTHECARY, has sold over one million copies worldwide. Sarah spent thirteen years in corporate finance and now writes full-time. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, yoga, and cooking. She also sits on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter. Sarah and her husband, Marc, live in Florida.
Tuesday, June 24
12:00-2:00 pm
Your Author Brand: A Step-by-Step Guide to Identifying, Creating, and Launching Your Unique Author Brand
Instructor: Dana Kaye
Price: $60
A memorable and favorable author brand is the foundation for all successful writing careers. Do you know yours?
It starts with a solid answer to the question, “What do you write?” Whether you’re a debut or multi-published author, it’s imperative that you can clearly convey who you are and what you write. This two-hour virtual workshop leads participants through the process of identifying, creating, and beginning to establish their unique author brands. This includes finding the common denominator in their writing, identifying areas of their personal lives that enhance their author brand, and creating a tagline and short brand summary to use on their website and social media platforms. Participants will have the opportunity to workshop their taglines and ask questions in this interactive workshop.
Dana Kaye is the founder of Kaye Publicity, a literary public relations agency. Known for her innovative ideas and knowledge of current trends, she’s a frequently sought out speaker and media source. She was profiled in Crain’s Chicago Business for her success in launching a business during a recession, was a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree, and has been interviewed by dozens of media outlets on the topics of book publicity, online marketing, and the future of publishing. She is also the author of Your Book, Your Brand: The Step-By-Step Guide to Launching Your Book and Boosting Your Sales.
3:00-6:00 pm
Writing Your Way with Scrivener
Instructor: Gwen Hernandez
Price: $85
Scrivener is excellent writing software for both plotters and seat-of-the-pants writers. Want to find out what makes it so popular, or learn some new tricks? The author of Scrivener For Dummies will walk you through the must-know fundamentals and some of her favorite features. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
- Create a new project
- Organize your manuscript
- Import your existing work, notes, and pictures
- Add comments and notes exactly where you need them
- Create a storyboard
- Find anything in your project
- Backup your work safely
- Export to a Word document or EPUB
Gwen Hernandez, the author of Scrivener for Dummies, helps writers all over the world master Scrivener through online courses, in-person workshops, and private training. When she's not using Scrivener to write romantic suspense while surrounded by houseplants, this lifelong nomad likes to travel, read, run along the beach, practice tree pose, and explore her current home of Southern California.