What is DreamCasters?
DreamCasters is a DreamForge discussion group devoted to helping our members improve their writing and storytelling through discussion and sharing expertise.
Monthly DreamCaster membership is through Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DreamForgePress. Supporters at $3/month and above can participate in monthly DreamCaster meetings, take part in DreamCaster writing challenges, and learn from DreamCaster guest speakers.
Annual Memberships are available through our website.
DreamCasters
Check our News Page. Each Meeting is Announced in a blog post, on Patreon, and through a newsletter.
DreamCasters Discussion Group
Our goal is to form a community. We want more than other online “resources.” There are many resources out there. But we want this to be about “people as resources.”
We welcome writers of all levels that love speculative fiction or readers who are interesting in writing and storytelling. We want to improve everyone’s writing and storytelling through discussion and sharing expertise. And we want to increase everyone’s successes through awareness and sharing information about the business of writing.
We use Zoom for our meetings. All sessions are recorded, but only for the DreamCasters that can't make the meeting. We generally allow time before and after the recorded sessions for chatting and questions that fall outside the topic.
General Structure
Generally a 60-70 minute session
- Intro, DreamForge News 5 min
- Guest or topic 40 min
- Current Writing Challenge
- Giveaways!
- Story Prompts
- What's Up Next Month?
By Fiona Jayde Media
by Frank Schurter
Guests
- Authors
- Editors from other publications
- Business oriented guests
- Science/technology guests
If the Q&A keeps going, can move it to discord or bring the author back for another session.
Our guests have included: Mary Robinette Kowal (author and coach), Bruce McAllister (author and coach), Jane Lindskold (author), John Goodwin (Galaxy Press and Writers of the Future), Mark Gallacher (author), Marie Vibbert (author), Justine Norton-Kertson (Solarpunk Magazine) Emily Mah Tippets (Self Publishing and Ebooks), Crystal Crawford (Kindle Vela), Donald Firesmtih (Realism in Science Fiction), Wulf Moon (Importance of Story Structure), Angela Yuriko-Smith (Writing Press Releases), Sci-Fi Saturday night (Engaging Readers and Having Fun), Paul Delinger (author) and Mikel Wisler (The Neuroscience of Story.)
Times
One Session/Month to start. We do have some interest in a second time slot that would work better for members across the world.
Currently we're working meeting on Sundays at 1PM EST.
We make recordings available for those that cannot attend..
Limit the Number of Attendees
- We reserve the right to limit the number of DreamCaster slots available, depending on how well meetings are going and if we are meeting our objectives with the number of attendees we have.
Discord
One Discord group/channel that could help people in different time zones converse. I think most of these would be open to anyone who participates in any of the DreamForge Webinars (not just the Dreamers Discussion Group.)
- DreamCasters Discussion – Limited solely to the DreamCaster Group participants
- DreamCasters Ideas & Suggestions – Limited solely to the DreamCaster Group participants
- Business of Writing – Any DreamForge Webinar Participant
- Critiques – Any DreamForge Webinar Participant
- Research/expertise questions – Any DreamForge Webinar Participant
Funding & Benefits
Funding – Membership Fee
- Patreon Members – $3 (DreamCasters) and up
https://www.patreon.com/DreamForgePress - Annual Members - $36/year
Sign up through our website.
We pledge simply that your monetary support buys stories, and occasionally illustrations. We’re volunteers helping writers, who in turn help other writers, improve their craft and achieve publication.
Benefits
- Session recordings (unedited) will be available through Patreon (So if you’re interested in a topic, but not able to attend you can still see the video.)
- Advance notice of submission periods. First in line for story reviews during submission periods.
- Membership to the restricted Discord groups
- Discount code for DreamForge Webinars.
- Discount code for DreamForge merchandise.
- Writing games and contests just for DreamCasters.
- We’ll have a giveaway at every DreamCasters Webinar. (It could be a story review, a one-on-one with Scot, free merch, or anything else we come up with.)
By John Blumen
By Jane Noel
By Quinzell Kills
By Rose Catherine Khan
Ideas
Writing Topic Ideas
- Converting a short story to a novel (or novella)
- Moving from short stories to novels (or novellas)
- Optimism vs Utopia
- World building in short fiction
- Making your story stand out
- Creating inclusive stories and characters
- How do you know how long a story should be
- Using tropes and turning them upside down
- Researching
- The appeal of anti-heroes
- Tricks to avoid infodumps
- Getting started when you’re blocked
- Race and class in speculative fiction
- How much science do you need in your SF?
- Comparisons of methods like Save the Cat, Story grid, etc. Peoples thoughts and experiences.
Business of Writing Topics
- Submissions
- How to you keep track of your submissions
- Where do you look for submissions
- How do you decide what story to send to a market
- Technology and tools
- Websites you should know about
- Software like Scrivner and others
- Self publishing
- Self promotion and marketing
- WordPress and Websites
- Newsletters and a mailing list
- Networking
- Podcasting
- Getting an Agent – are they necessary, how do you go about it
- Making a living
- Understanding contracts
- SFWA
- Working with Editors – when to say no
- Latest market trends in SF
Some of the business topics may be one quick concept that could fit into a quick 15 minute discussion. Others may be a guest with a Q&A or a topic with a breakout.
By John Blumen
by Mark Zingarelli
Join the DreamForge Adventure!
At DreamForge Magazine, we welcome readers with a passion for positive fantasy and science fiction. Here you will find stories where characters endure, overcome, and embrace that spirit of wonder and discovery through which sentient beings invest the universe with meaning and purpose.
Our DreamCasters Discussion Group is waiting for your support and engagement. Support us on Patreon Today! https://www.patreon.com/DreamForgePress