Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week2025

Writers’ Workshop—Writers Complete 24-Hour Challenge and Explore Paths to Publishing Success

Contributed by Leah Ning

Today’s writing workshop began with a round of applause for the writers who had completed their twenty-four-hour stories. All arrived looking tired but satisfied after tackling such a daunting challenge. One writer even produced an incredible 11,000-word story! To randomly choose stories for workshopping, Coordinating Judge Jody Lynn Nye and Judge Tim Powers printed all the stories and threw them down the stairs to see which one flew the farthest.

Tim and Jody then spoke about editing, presenting your work to the public, and how to navigate relationships with publishers and editors. They also discussed the differences between traditional, indie, and self-publishing, highlighting the pros and cons of each, including what makes a compelling book cover. The writers also learned how to give and receive critiques effectively.

A Visit with Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Judge Mark Leslie Lefebvre then joined the workshop to speak about self-publishing. He shared his personal journey into the field, how he made it work for him, and how it compares to traditional publishing. He went on to outline the fundamentals of self-publishing, including where to publish and what steps are necessary to create and promote a professional-quality book.

A Visit with Todd McCaffrey

Next, the writers heard from Judge Todd McCaffrey, who discussed marketing through newsletters and the importance of writing for yourself rather than others. He covered the concept of the author as a brand, how to grow a fan base, and strategies for direct sales. He also talked about coauthoring and the potential roles AI could play in the industry. Todd then opened the floor for questions, addressing topics such as big vs. small press, the impact of social media on an author’s career, and how traditional publishers view series versus standalone novels.

Later, the illustrators and writers gathered in the theater, where John Goodwin spoke about preparing their speeches for the upcoming gala and answered related questions.

Tour of the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition

After a dinner break, the writers were shuttled to the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition. There, they watched videos about Hubbard and explored exhibits detailing many facets of his life. Following the visit, the writers returned to the hotel, where they read the two randomly selected twenty-four-hour stories to be workshopped tomorrow.

Illustrators’ Workshop—Guest Instructors from Across the Business

Contributed by Martin L. Shoemaker and Kary English

Day two opened with sketching based on the photos from the night before. Instructors Echo and Lazarus Chernik circulated among the illustrators, answering questions, reviewing portfolios, and sharing lessons from their careers.

A Visit from Ciruelo Cabral

The highlight of the morning was a Zoom conference with renowned dragon artist and Contest judge Ciruelo Cabral, joining from Barcelona, Spain. A traditional artist who works in oil on canvas, gouache, and inks, Ciruelo became a professional illustrator at age 18 and continued for 25 years. Today, he focuses on exhibitions, conventions, and creating personal works. His most recent projects have transitioned from canvas to a harder medium—actual rocks. Ciruelo spoke about studying the rocks until he could see figures emerging from within. “I wanted to see what the rock itself was showing me,” Ciruelo said.

A Visit from Joe Spencer and Tamra Meskimen

After lunch, sculptor and illustrator Joe Spencer joined actress Tamra Meskimen to speak to the artists about using art to communicate. Their reference text was Art by L. Ron Hubbard, in which he wrote, “Art is a word which summarizes the quality of communication.” The sooner you know what you want to communicate, the pair advised, the more focused you can be in your technical execution.

The illustrators finished this session with a sketching exercise and readings on how to communicate through their art.

Live Figure Drawing Studio

The illustrators put their new skills to immediate use when professional models arrived, clad in steampunk style with boots and goggles. The models struck poses on stage for the artists to sketch and photograph.

A Visit from Dan dos Santos

After the extensive life drawing sessions, Dan dos Santos joined the illustrators via Zoom. After touching on his education and background, dos Santos walked the winners through his creative process, using videos from a Marvel project as examples. He emphasized the importance of developing a reliable, repeatable process—and then sticking to it. Dos Santos rounded out his talk with tips on lighting and reference, showing how he sets up scenes using tiny artist mannequins, similar to action figures. “Lighting,” dos Santos said, “is everything.”

John Goodwin on Acceptance Speeches

In the final session before dinner, John Goodwin advised the winners on giving their acceptance speeches at Thursday’s Gala. He discussed speech etiquette and how to be comfortable and natural in front of a grand audience.

A Visit from Irvin Rodriguez

After dinner, Irvin Rodriguez joined the workshop to talk about his career since winning the Illustrators of the Future grand prize in Volume 27. Rodriguez, who has worked on several high-profile comic franchises and video games, stressed the importance of story and narrative in illustration. He also urged the winners to develop healthy work habits and to continue doing personal work alongside commercial projects. In art, “your mark-making is your handwriting,” Rodriguez said.