Missoula's Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention

Sometimes fanfiction is so baffling, so embarrassing, so badly written and ill-conceived that it becomes a work of unintentionally comic genius. Join us for an hour of reading hilariously awful fanfiction.

This is an interactive workshop where Frog, Esther, and the audience take a novel idea and convert it into something that makes sense on paper. Participants will plan a scifi/fantasy novel with the authors-from finding an opening hook, to pushing through the muddy middle, to delivering that final climatic punch.

A new trend is starting to make its way into popular entertainment today. From escape rooms to pseudo LARP's and even more thematic tabletop games, immersion has become a driving factor in entertainment. Come hear some experts discuss how this applies to the gaming we do on a daily basis, what we see as the trends rise and fall, and where Immersive Storytelling is heading next!

What are tropes, how are they used, and how can we use them effectively as story-telling tools without falling back on the same old cliches?

Let's discuss dialogue. No, this is not a snappy description.

What gamemaster hasn’t had the urge to just tinker with a game system just a little bit? What player hasn’t been delighted, or horrified, by house rules that change the dynamics of a game system? Come talk about game balance, problem solving, problem making, and how to pull it all together when creating a house rule. Bring some examples of the best and worst you’ve seen!

Cosplayers of all skill levels are encouraged to attend this informational panel about MisCon's Costume Contest. We'll review how to enter the contest, what to expect during judging, and how to present your costume to the adoring public. We'll then cover some basic advice for all cosplayers to help make the costume contest and presentation easy and fun.

String theory isn't concerned with strings. Or is it? If you're not sure, come learn just exactly what it is.

Let's discuss ways to organize story ideas. What do writers use? Software like Scrivener, One Note, Google Drive? Post-it notes?

Learn how to grab your reader's attention and draw them in until they can't put down your story.

Who doesn’t want to look like they just stepped out of a gorgeous historical painting? This panel will go over how to do research so you can live your Bridgerton dreams!

With the creation/success of streaming shows like the Mandalorian and Star Wars Visions, we've seen new possibilities open up for story telling in the Star Wars universe. Has streaming been good for SW? How could streaming affect it going forward? Join us and lets discuss it!

The Hero’s Journey is a metaphor for the human experience. In this presentation we will explore each stage of the Hero's Journey and examine its roots in Jungian archetype and the collective unconscious.

There are as many ways to outline a book as there are books, but the structure of stories stays the same. In this panel we’ll cover the basic structure of stories, as well as offer resources to help you learn & perfect your own story’s structure. What are some books out there that will help you learn? What about other resources?

Folks, join in a game of puzzle solving. Puzzle out what 12 items are in 30 minutes. The person (or persons) who get the most answers correct will receive a prize! Simple, right? Maybe.

Many creative people are creative in more than one way, whether it be writing, art, music, drama, or so on. How do you balance your multiple creativities? Which creative process should take priority, or is doing more than one form simply diluting your energies?

The cofounder of Paypal, Tesla and SpaceX has a bigger goal: Elon Musk wants to move Earthlings to a permanent Mars colony before we have time to screw up this planet too badly. And that’s just the first step toward getting us out of the solar system before the sun can go red giant.
Along the way, he’s created the first all-electric car company with actually recognizable cars on the road, solar roofing tiles that cost less than a traditional roof and last twice as l

Food is important in any culture and impacts every character in a good story. Come learn how to elevate your descriptions of food and develop ideas for how to include cuisine in your stories. Let's learn how to make our readers hungry!

Let's examine the carnie life, its roots, why it ended up where it is, and how it has become a part of the zietgiest of our culture. Join in as we dig into "The Carnie Life" and examine where our modern day myths started!

I would have written a description for this panel, but I just couldn't find the words. How do you guys deal with writer's block?

Have you ever played a character in an RPG who looks or acts nothing like you do every other day of the week? In doing so, have you ever found something familiar or true in the character that later, you'd see in yourself? Roleplay and identity are intermingled, and the experiences and stories we weave inform the lives we lead beyond the fourth wall. Come discuss that process with longtime storytellers Shan and Avery, who themselves are trans and have opinions on the subject.

Almost three years of COVID have proven the old adage "Necessity is the Mother of Invention." Numerous online tools to play RPGs are now available, often for free! Brian will use his four years of experience running an online campaign to provide useful tools that will help you create an online game easily and quickly.

MisCon artist John Barba will demonstrate the old art practice of repousee and chasing (beating sheets of metal into shapes and designs).