NOTE: ALL TIMES BELOW ARE IN CHICAGO CENTRAL TIME. Please visit sfwa.org/events to see the events in your local time as well.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Workshop 1-1 – The Art of the Query

With Tamika Thompson.
Have you just built your own little fictional world, and now you’re ready to send it out into the world? Renowned horror and suspense author Tamika Thompson (The Curse of Hester Gardens) walks you through the ins and outs of preparing your query letter in this interactive workshop that’s perfect for new and seasoned authors alike who are seeking representation for their work.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 1-1 – Contracts Line by Line

With Michael Capobianco and E.D.E. Bell.
The devil’s in the details, and that’s especially true when you’re about to sign a contract with your publisher. SFWA contracts expert Michael “Capo” Capobianco walks you through what a good contract should look like, pitfalls to be wary of, and when you should push back before signing away the rights to your story. Don’t let the contract process break you.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 1-2 – Historical Perspective: The Evolving World in SFF, with SFWA Grand Master Joe Haldeman

With Joe Haldeman, Jonathan Brazee, and Dean Wells.
SFF has changed greatly since its golden years, and continues to evolve and incorporate new elements, even as some things that used to be pure sci-fi have now become part of our day-to-day reality. Join Grand Master Joe Haldeman (The Forever War) as he and the panel trace the historical changes over time to this grand experiment in world building, and the panel considers what might be next.

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, SFWA Kaffeeklatches

Get professional develpoment advice from leaders in the science fiction and fantasy literary landscape over your favorite cup of coffee.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Workshop 1-2 – Incorporating Neurodiversity Into Your Characters and Worldbuilding

With Denise Beucler.
Are you a neurodivergent author who wants to see more characters like yourself in SFF? Or a writer who simply wants to be more inclusive in their character choices, but doesn’t know how to go about it? Author D.M. Beucler (Memory and Magic) will walk you through the ins and outs of building realistic neurodivergent characters who are respectful to the community, while avoiding potential pitfalls.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 1-3 – Speculative Poetry: Building the Poem’s World

With E.D.E. Bell, Nico Martinez Nocito, and Angela Liu.
Have you always wanted to try your hand at speculative poetry, but didn’t know where to begin? Join host E.D.E. Bell (Lord’s Dome) and two 2026 Nebula Finalists as they walk you through how to create compelling spec fic worlds through the lens of poetry.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 1-4 – GAMES: How To Engage and Motivate Your Players Through Worldbuilding and Story

With Greg Kasavin and Anthony Eichenlaub.
Are your game writing efforts falling flat? Join Nebula Finalist Greg Kasavin (Hades II) and this panel of experienced game creators and gamers show you how to build the world behind the game, giving your creation a lush, deep background that will provide a more satisfying gaming experience for your players.

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM, Meet & Greets for both panels and workshops. Visit their tables to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Workshop 1-3 – The Business of Writing: Marketing, Promotion and Crowd-funding

With Cecilia Tan, K.M. Herkes, and Greg Kasavin.
Most writers hate marketing – we’d much rather spend our time writing than walking over the red-hot coals of the promotional algorithm. But it doesn’t have to be painful! Cecilia Tan (The Siren and the Sword) leads a panel of seasoned writers who will walk you though some effective ways to get the word out about your book without running yourself into the ground.

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Panel 1-5 – Building Emotional Resonance with Hard Science and Facts

With William Ledbetter, T.K. Rex, Alexis Westmore, and Alex Kingsley.
For many spec fic writers, connecting with readers on an emotional level is a challenge. We’re caught up in the whiz-bang story lines of our fiction, and often don’t give enough thought to the emotional resonance our work could have with our readers/ But what if you could use hard science and facts to create that connection with your readers? Our panel of experienced SFF authors explores how.

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Panel 1-6 – Ask the SFWA Board

With the SFWA Board.
SFWA doesn’t run itself. In addition to the hardworking staff and amazing team of volunteers, there’s also a Board of Directors, authors who dedicate their own time and energy to answering the Big Picture questions. “What is SFWA for?” “How can we help our members?” and “Where do we go from here?” Do you have a question for the board? Come to this back-and-forth session and let them know what you’re wondering – and hoping for.

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Volunteer Reception

Friday, June 5

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM, (Sunrise Virtual) Panel 2-1 – Tools to Build Your Comic and Graphic Novel Worlds

With Will McDermott, Marie Vibbert, Kit Anderson, and Stewart Baker.
Are you an aspiring comic book or game creator? Or maybe you have a little experience under your belt but could use some advice on how to do it better? Join our panel with gamer and author Will McDermott (Threshold) and author Marie Vibbert (Multitude) for a hands-on panel to get you started or help you improve your workflow.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Workshop 2-2 – Prose to Panel: How to Adapt Your Story to Graphic Novel

With Jessica Maison.
Have you ever wanted to see your stories come to life in an illustrated format? Join Nebula Finalist Jessica Maison (Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters) as she shows you how to adapt and build upon your story ideas to create a graphic novel that will show off the true potential of your SFF ideas.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Panel 2-3 – The Business of Writing: Developing Writing Revenue Beyond Publishing

With Steven Barnes, Joe Haldeman, Daryl Gregory, Anthea Sharp, and L.P. Kindred.
You’ve written the book. You’ve gotten it published and the royalties (however big or small) are finally rolling in. How else can you monetize your writing skills? Join SF Grand Masters Steven Barnes (Dream Park), Joe Haldeman (The Forever War) and Nebula Finalist Daryl Gregory (When We Were Real) to discover more ways to earn money from you writing skills.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Panel 2-4 – Diverse Sexuality in Worldbuilding for Speculative Romance

With Cecilia Tan, Somto Ihezue, Alexis Westmore, and Jennifer R. Povey.
Human sexuality is a rich and varied thing, and yet many SFF tales stick to its most vanilla varieties. Join award-winning author Cecilia Tan (The Siren and the Sword) and her esteemed panel as they navigate the rich and layered textures of sexual expression, helping you to give your world building the extra depth and variation that will keep readers coming back for more.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, (Virtual) Panel 2-5 – State of the MG/YA SFF Market

With Rosalind Casey, Rachel Wilson, Sara Megibow, and Sharyn November.
What’s going on in the middle grade and young adult markets for SFF literature? Our experienced author and agent panel will explore where these two markets have been, the state of play today, and where they might be headed in the near future.

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Workshop 2-1 – Ending The World: How to Wrap Things Up

With Mary Robinette Kowal.
It had to happen some day, and it’s falling on your watch. The world’s about to end, and you have to write it. Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Mary Robinette Kowal (Lady Astronaut) talks about the end of the world, and how to wrap up all of your loose ends when it’s your turn to write it.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 2-6 – Horror Writing as An Act of Resistance

With Tamika Thompson, Tananarive Due, and J.R. Dawson.
It’s a dark time we’re living through. What if Horror writing offered a way through the darkness? Our all-star panel talks about Horror as a means of resistance in a challenging world.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 2-7 – Writing Outsiders: Crafting Characters in Worlds They Don’t Belong

With Ben Francisco, Michael Solis, Donna Barbara, Charlie Jane Anders, and Gabrielle Byrne.
It’s a classic trope – the Fish Out of Water – think Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land. The outsider offers writers a way to shine a light on the delights and absurdities of the observed culture. Our panel of experienced authors breaks down the trope, discussing the outsider’s journey and the way this perspective can help you break down your story and open up your world building.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, (Virtual) Panel 2-8 – How to Get Your Next Big Break As A Speculative Fiction Author

With Wole Talabi, Stewart Baker, Marie Vibbert, David Anaxagoras, and Joyce Reynolds-Ward.
Authors are always looking for the next mountain to climb, a way to break out of the rut they’re in and level up. Successful authors are joined by Nebula finalists share their own struggles and successes, and discusses how to break old patterns and build yourself a bigger career as an SFF writer.

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Workshop 2-2 – Showcase: Speculative Short Plays Stage Reading (same room as presentation)

With Alex Kingsley, Mary Robinette Kowal, Russell Davis, Jordan Kurella, Curtis Chen, and David D. Levine
Speculative Fiction isn’t confined to just books anymore – was it ever? Come listen to a staged reading, by a batch of sci-fi luminaries, of a group of short spec fic plays.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 2-9 – Why Speculative Poetry Matters

With Casey Aimer, Angela Liu, Nico Martinez Nocito, and Jennifer Hudak.
More and more SFF authors are turning to poetry as a way to express themselves and to build new worlds. Four of our 2026 Nebula Finalists in poetry come together to talk about the genre, and to share their insights and methods for crafting spec fic poems.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 2-10 – The Business of Writing: Grant Writing for Speculative Fiction Authors

With Philip Janowski, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Angeli Primlani, Connor Nevitt, and Kate Ristau.
Want to follow your dream and just write? The folks at the Speculative Literature Foundation (SLF) have cooked up a hands-on informational panel on applying for (and scoring!) grants that let authors and other creatives focus on what’s the most important – actually creating!

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, (Virtual) Panel 2-11 – Indie Writers: Creating Worlds that Capture Audiences

With Vanessa Ricci-Thode, Joan Marie Verba, Alexis Westmore, and Mike Verant.
Indie authors answer to no one but their own writer imaginations. Our panel of seasoned indies will show you how to take advantage of that independence to build worlds and craft stories that will transfix audiences and carry them into places that trad publishing doesn’t dare to go.

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM, Special Presentation from our 42nd Grand Master N. K. Jemisin – Worldbuilding Crash Course: Creating Compelling Characters with N. K. Jemisin

Join 2026 Grand Master N. K. Jemisin (Broken Earth) as she shares her secrets to creating amazing characters in your speculative fiction. SFF is more than just laser beams and warp drives. It’s the human element that keeps readers coming back again and again to today’s best works of sci-fi and fantasy. Learn how to craft compelling characters from this acknowledged master of the genre. Followed by a half-hour meet and greet.

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Nebula Finalist Reception

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Nebula Finalists and VIP Autographing

10:00 PM – 11:00 PM, After Dark (Virtual) Panel 2-12 – Social Media for Writers

With Marie Vibbert.
Our last event of the night is an online affair, where our panelists will guide you through the challenging but potentially rewarding world of social media for writers. Find out which platforms work best for authors today, and the tips and tricks to getting the most out of them for you and your books.

Saturday, June 6

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM, (Sunrise Virtual) Panel 3-1 – Dreaming Together: Worldbuilding as a Larger Practice

With Wole Talabi, Eugen Bacon, and Jennifer Brozek.
You don’t have to do it alone. 2026 Nebula Finalist Wole Talabi (Descent) leads a stellar panel to discuss building worlds with others for group projects – how does it work? How do you make sure your own ideas get heard? How should group world building be structured to reduce friction and encourage shared creativity?

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Panel 3-2 – Writing with Disability and/or Neurodiversity

With Jason Sanford, Ben Francisco, and Cameron Roberson.
Many people in the world are disabled or neurodivergent, yet they rarely show up in our storytelling. Our panel will discuss disability and neurodivergence, and how writers can be more inclusive in their world building by adding these characters to their work. Along the way, they will share tips for crafting disabled and neurodivergent characters with respect, making them whole, fascinating people and not flat stereotypes.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Panel 3-3 – Game Writing: Building Authentic and Diverse Worlds

With J.S. Dewes and Greg Kasavin.
Writing a novel and writing for a game both involve crafting detailed worlds that your audience will love, but the similarities end there. Our panel, including Nebula Finalist Greg Kasavin (Hades II), will discuss how game writing differs from other narrative storytelling forms, and how to pack the most punch into a game’s limited prose.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Workshop 3-1 – The Business of Writing: How To Be Successful on Kickstarter

With Anthea Sharp.
Curious about how Kickstarter can boost your income and help you find new readers? Bestselling fantasy author and Kickstarter expert Anthea Sharp will walk you through the secrets of successful crowdfunding. Even if you’re traditionally published, you can find ways to harness the power of Kickstarter to grow your readership and your revenue!

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, (Virtual) Panel 3-4 – Nebula Best Poem Nominees in Conversation

With Brian U. Garrison, Nico Martinez Nocito, Casey Aimer, Jennifer Hudak, and Angela Liu.
If you love poetry and you adore speculative fiction, you won’t want to miss this panel including some of the best up and coming SFF poets! Four 2026 Nebula Finalists will meet to discuss the state of spec fic poetry today, and to compare and contrast their own styles and methods for writing it.

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Workshop 3-2 – The Business of Writing: Speculative Screenwriting

With Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes.
SFF power couple Tananarive Due (2026 Nebula Toastmaster) and Grand Master Steven Barnes host this hands-on workshop, walking attendees through the basics of screenwriting, from choosing a story structure to writing a script that’s both engaging and will work well for producers and actors alike.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 3-5 – Speculative Scriptwriting for Plays, Comics, and Audiodramas

With Angeli Primlani, Alex Kingsley, Jessica Maison, and Daryl Gregory.
Scriptwriting takes many forms. Our panel, including three 2026 Nebula finalists, will discuss a number of them, including the difference between writing a script for a platy, a comic book, and an audiodrama.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Panel 3-6 – How Important Is Plot, Really?

With Jennifer Hudak, Beth Cato, Priya J. Sridhar, Alex Jennings, and Jaye Viner.
We love our plots in SFF, the bigger the better. But is plot everything? 2026 Nebula Finalist Jennifer Hudak (The World to Come) leads the discussion about plot and its outsized importance in our minds, and which other elements of your story may be just as important, if not more.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, (Virtual) Panel 3-7 – From Indie to Nebula Finalist

With Vanessa Ricci-Thode, K.A. Mielke, Jonathan Brazee, and Bert-Oliver Boehmer.
Most major genre awards, including the Nebulas and the Hugos, usually go to authors who have traditionally published their works with one of the larger publishing houses. But that’s starting to change, as indie authors figure out how to break their way into the awards scene. Our panel tells you how they did it, and how you can too.

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM – Affinity Groups Summit

Members of SFWA’s various affinity groups who are attending Nebula Con 2026 are invited to meet at lunchtime for our first ever Affinity Groups Summit – where we will discuss intersectionality, identity, and how we can all work together across our groups to accomplish great things.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Workshop 3-3 – Editing and Publishing Your Work

With Annalee Newitz and Diana M. Pho.
Not sure how to get your work edited, let alone published? Our experienced panel has your back. Learn the ins and outs of editing – what’s a developmental edit? What about a sensitivity read? Alpha and beta readers? And the steps to take to finally see your work in print.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 3-8 – Your “First” Paragraph: How to Start Your NEXT Story

With Sue Burke, Jason Sanford, Cody Sisco, and Jordan Kurella.
So you just finished the last book, and you’re not sure where to go next? Writing the first paragraph can set the tone for the whole project. Our panel discusses how to pick yourself up again after completing he gargantuan task of writing a novel, and how to prepare yourself to plunge back into the choppy waters of writing once again.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Panel 3-9 – Worldbuilding in General Short Fiction and Middle Grade Fiction: How Is It Different?

With Michelle Knudsen, T.K. Rex, Rosemary Claire Smith, Gabrielle Byrne, Jaye Viner, and P.A. Cornell.
Writing SFF in its more abbreviated forms – short fiction and middle grade fiction – requires a different approach from writing an expansive novel. 2026 Nebula Finalist Michelle Knudsen (Into the Wild Magic) leads an all-star panel discussing writing short form spec fic – and how to wring the most world building out of a limited set of words.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, (Virtual) Panel 3-10 – Deconstructing Classic Mythology to Build New Worlds

With John Wiswell, Ayana Gray, Wole Talabi, and C.J. Lavigne.
Ever feel like a minotaur trapped in the labyrinth when writing a new book? What if you could take all that mythological energy and use it to write something fresh and new? 2026 Nebula Finalists John Wiswell (Wearing the Lion) and Wole Talabi (Descent) join other decorated authors to discuss using classic mythology to build new SFF worlds.

2:00 PM – 2:30 PM, Meet & Greets for all the panelists. Visit their tables or Zoom rooms to learn more and keep the conversation rolling!

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Nebula Awards Reception

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Nebula Awards Banquet Dinner

8:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Nebula Awards Ceremony

11:00 PM – ?, Karaoke

Sunday, June 7

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, (Sunrise Virtual) Panel 4-1 – Opting In, Opting Out: Making Human Choices About AI in Writing Software

With Ruthanna Emrys, Kenna Alexander, and Luis Enrique Torres.
So-called AI, also referred to as Large Language Models (LLM) or Generative AI, is everywhere. Authors are having to navigate a challenging new landscape, finding their works stolen without permission or payment, and seeing AI being stuffed into almost every piece of software and every aspect of their lives. How do we navigate this new reality? Our panelist take a look at the state of AI today, and what’s yet to come.

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM, East Coast Americas SFWA Meetup

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM, (Virtual) Panel 4-2 – Mysticism and The Supernatural in Science Fiction

With Wole Talabi and Priya J. Sridhar.
Science Fiction is all about the science, right? After seeing the success of sci-fantasy, some writers are challenging this orthodoxy by mixing supernatural elements into their science fiction. 2026 Nebula Finalist Wole Talabi leads a discussion about this emerging mixed-genre field,

10:00 AM – 10:50 AM, European SFWA Meetup

10:00 AM – 10:50 PM, (Virtual) Panel 4-3 – SPECULATIVE POETRY: Current and Forthcoming Trends

With Wendy Van Camp, Mari Ness, and Gwynne Garfinkle.
Where is spec fic poetry headed next? Micro poetry is just one emerging trend our panel of poets will discuss in this intriguing panel.

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM, Middle Americas SFWA Meetup

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM, (Virtual) Panel 4-4 – Worldbuilding When Every Word Counts: Creating Compelling Worlds in Short Fiction

With Rachel Gutin and E.M. Linden.
It’s easy to build an entire world when you have a hundred thousand words to work with. But what about doing it in 5,000? Our panel will tell you how they squeeze the world building juice out of every single word in their own short fiction.

12:00 PM – 12:50 PM, Pacific Coast Americas SFWA Meetup

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM, Affinity Group Meetup

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM, (Virtual) Panel 4-5 – Comics: Worldbuilding without Exposition

With Kit Anderson, Madeleine Holly-Rosing, and Amy Chu.
A picture’s worth a thousand words, right? Well, that’s no truer anywhere than in comic books and graphic novels, where the visuals carry a huge portion of the storytelling burden. Our panelists will discuss how they use the scenery in their graphic works to help create fully-realized worlds.

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM, (Virtual) Panel 4-6 – Professional Indie Publishing

With Bert-Oliver Boehmer, Joan Marie Verba, and Joyce Reynolds-Ward.
Indie authors publish their own works without the need of a traditional publisher. But what if you want to scale up your indie author gig to a professional small press with multiple authors? Our panel will discuss the ins and outs of creating and running a small press, and the pitfalls to avoid.

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM, Affinity Group Meetup – BIPOC/Comunidad Latina

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM, (Virtual) Panel 4-7 – Writing for TV + Film; Basics for Writers

With Cat Girczyc.
So you wanna write a TV series or a movie script? Our panel takes you behind the curtain and shows you how the sausage is made, and gives tips on getting your foot in the door.

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Affinity Group Meetup – LGBTQ+

4:00 PM – 6:30 PM, SFWA Writing Date – Join us for a taste of the weekly SFWA community experience!

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Australian & New Zealand SFWA Meetup

The above schedule is subject to change as we firm up certain event details, and we’ll have more programming news for you in the coming weeks! We can’t wait to see you out, in person or online.

Remember: A virtual ticket to the Nebulas also scores you free virtual attendance to StokerCon, to celebrate our industry peer’s 10th anniversary conference the same weekend. Banquet tickets are also limited seating, so first come first served rules apply. Secure your Nebula tickets today!