Keynote Speaker

Moriah Richard

Moriah Richard

Writing Mistakes Writers Make

Everyone makes mistakes—even writers—but that's OK, because each mistake is a great learning opportunity. After working with over 100 debut authors and interviewing more, Moriah Richard has identified six of the biggest mistakes that writers often make—like not
understanding the importance of setting realistic goals, writing for popular trends, and trying to control everything in the writing and editing process—and in this discussion, will teach you how to avoid them.

World-Building

When writers hear “world-building,” they often think of high fantasy or sci-fi novels, à la Game of Thrones or Star Trek. But every writer engages with world-building basics whether they’re drafting their memoir, writing a contemporary romance, or putting together a poetry chapbook.

In this discussion, Moriah Richard will outline the parts of world-building that all writers need to be aware of, share some of the biggest dos and don’ts, and lead an exercise that will help you think more deeply about the world-building in your latest work.

Bio

Since obtaining her MFA in fiction, Moriah Richard has worked with over 100 authors to help them achieve their publication dreams. As the managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine, she spearheads the world-building column Building Better Worlds. She also runs the Flash Fiction February Challenge on the WD blog, encouraging writers to pen one microstory a day over the course of the month and share their work with other participants.

Moriah is an award-winning editor. She won a 2023 Eddie Award from Folio for Building Better Worlds column, as well as the 2024 Inspirational Women in Literature award from the And I Thought Ladies organization.

As a reader, Moriah is most interested in horror, fantasy, and romance, although she will read just about anything with a great hook. Beyond the page, she enjoys cooking, World of Warcraft, and playing with her newborn and golden retriever.