The WriterCon Newsletter (March 2026)

Hey Friends! I hope your new year is off to a fantastic start. Mine is, although it’s so busy at this point I wake up each morning and can’t decide which of several pressing matters I need to deal with first. Just to be clear, my neex book, The Superman Wars is 100% finished and “in the bag” as they say. I’ve seen the final digital proofs from the publisher and I think it looks terrific.

Other than that, life at home is much the same. Harry is in Thailand and photographer Ralph is planning a trip to Indonesia. Lara is working on a new book. (How much mileage can I get out of the fact that my wife shares the same name as Superman’s Kryptonian mother?) In March we’re off for the WriterCon Cruise, but until then, I’m going to stay home. Bustopher (my cat) is okay with that. He finds it very inconvenient when I go places and he doesn’t have a lap to sleep on.

Time is running short to register for the WriterCon Cruise. Registration cuts off in mid-February, so this is the last time I will be encouraging you to join us in the newsletter! Take the plunge!

Lara and I will both be teaching, as will Betsey Kulakowski and one of the best agents in the business, Katharine Sands, who has sold many books for many people (including two books for me). Katharine has committed to not only speak but to meet individually with anyone in our group who wants to do so. Katharine wrote the article on Getting an Agent in the last newsletter. I’m also happy to talk to anyone who wants to chat. Our group will have dinner together each night, so by the end of the trip you should have a new support group!

We’ll also have onboard classes and small or private meetings with attendees for a total of over 20 hours of instruction—but only while the boat is at sea. I know when we’re in port you’ll want to get off and look around. But when we’re on the water, we’ll be doing everything we can to make your writing dreams a reality.

Click here to see the entire itinerary. Then register and come join us!

AND DON’T FORGET:

WRITERCON RETREAT July 15-19, 2026

We’re returning to Canebrake Resort for a five-day writing retreat next year. The Retreat gives us more time to work on your individual manuscript in a workshop setting. Hoping for some feedback on your work-in-progress? This is where you get it. Plus you’re in one of the most gorgeous, inspirational settings on earth. Click here for more details.

WRITERCON CONFERENCE Sept 4-7, 2026

And of course, the annual conference will return. This is the Big WriterCon event. Last year we had almost 300 people attending. This year I expect even more. More than 60 speakers. More than 100 breakout sessions. And superstars presenters covering every aspect of writing. Here are a few of the headliners:

This is one of the biggest and (imho) best conferences in the country, and definitely the warmest, friendliest conference working hard to give you what you need to catapult your career. Click here for more information.

I’ve mentioned Betsey Kulakowski’s work before, but she’s got a new novel out now, The Sultan’s Stone, the eighth book in her smash Veritas Codex series. This time out, Dr. Lauren Grayson has to tackle a new threat—and actual Old World god—who unfortunately has a deep grudge match against her, just as she’s trying to work out some major issues about her life and her…well, I’ll just say heritage. It’s a terrific book, but she has taken time out from her busy writing schedule to share her thoughts about Creating Mythology.

My final class for an Emergency Management degree was World Mythology. It seemed an odd fit, but for a writer, it was nothing short of pure gold. Writers often confuse worldbuilding with mythology. Worldbuilding defines how the world functions—its geography, politics, economics, and culture. Mythology, on the other hand, shapes how people within that world view origin, gods, fate, and morality.

In The Veritas Codex, mythology drives the plot and the narrative. I started with existing myths, blurring lines between textbook lore and story, merging them into a new mythos that was unique to my own world. Several timeless themes helped me craft this compelling mythology:

1. Courage/Fear – just as in the real world, your characters will face adversity and will need courage to overcome the challenges they have to face. There is also an interesting dichotomy between courage and fear that can cause your protagonists (and even your antagonists) to hesitate. Fear tests the soul, while courage restores balance. Heroes rise by facing fear, proving worth and aligning with the deeper truths of the world.

2. Nature/Balance – nature and balance represent sacred forces, guiding creation, decay, and renewal. Disrupting them brings chaos; honoring them sustains harmony and balance.

3. Duty/Honor – Duty and honor anchor characters to their purpose and legacy. They uphold order, demand sacrifice and often clash with personal desires. This shapes your heroes who serve something greater than themselves.

4. Fate/Free Will – Fate and free will define the tension between destiny and choice. Myths explore whether a person’s path is pre-ordained or forged. The heroes challenge limits to claim agency or fulfil a foretold prophesy. The interplay between choice and chance often play heavily in my books. I often rewrite scenes where a choice must be made, just to see what it might look like if they go left or right. I find it makes my characters more realistic when they make bad choices, especially when it goes against what Fate has set up for them.

5. Hope/Despair – hope and despair are opposites that fuel transformation. Despair tests endurance; hope ignites action. These are very real feelings that everyone can relate to. Your readers should relate to what your protagonist, as well as your antagonists hope to achieve, and their despair when they do not. Together hope and despair shape the emotional arc, revealing what’s worth fighting for.

6. Love/Sacrifice – the antagonist will always try to strike the protagonist where they are the weakest. Love and sacrifice are intertwined forces in myth. True love demands selflessness; sacrifice gives love its power. Together, they reveal the heart’s ability to heal, protect, and even transform in loss. I’m sure I am not the first author who’s had to go cry in the shower when a character sacrifices everything for the people they love. Hey, no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.

7. Truth/Deceit – truth and deceit shape the moral core of myth. Truth reveals, heals, and empowers; deceit corrupts, divides, and obscures. Their tension drives revelation, tests integrity and defines the hero’s path. If you’ve read my book, some truths were never meant to be told, but some truths have to be told. It gives your story depth and makes the myths come alive on the pages. The lies people believe to be truths also play a role in my series.

Once you decide on the themes for your mythos, some key questions to ask yourself:

1. Does your mythos align with the theme in your story?

2. Is there universal applicability?

3. How does the myth affect or transform your protagonist?

So, how do you work your myth into your story? The themes of your mythos should be woven into your narrative and plot naturally through dialogue, character beliefs, symbols, and rituals. Myths can foreshadow events, deepen conflicts, and reveal hidden truths without the dreaded info-dump. Example, if your theme is duty:

Myths should unfold naturally through character beliefs, rituals, dialogue, and discovery. In The Sultan’s Stone, the forthcoming Book 8 of The Veritas Codex Series, Rowan Pierce crosses paths with a PTSD-afflicted Marine. Initially a victim, Rowan recognizes a brother-in-arms. As a soldier, he has a duty to help—not just survive.

Rowan turned, instinctively reaching for the Marine. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t go for the gun. He should have gone for the gun. But he recognized the signs of PTSD. He knew the desperation, and the danger it fueled. A glance passed between Rowan and the clerk, Miss Debi. She nodded and moved slowly. Rowan shifted his focus to the Marine, who suddenly rose. He stepped back and leveled the gun at his face. Rowan saw his finger move to the trigger and tense. “Stay back!”

Rowan lifted his hands again. “Okay. I’ll help you. Just tell me … what’s going on?”

“I’m not crazy!” The man snapped. “Don’t look at me like you think I’m crazy.”

“I didn’t say that,” Rowan said, trying to project a calm that belayed the thrumming of terror in his chest. “You said you need help. I’ll help you. I just need to know what’s going on. What do you need?”

This moment reflects Army Values—loyalty, duty, respect, honor. Rowan’s choice echoes the mythos that shapes Veritas. He could’ve retreated. Instead, duty demanded action. Of course, fans of the series will know, there are other forces at play that come from the mythology I’ve created.

Your mythos should drive the story, and provide a flavor that makes your books unique. Keeping them consistent through the book (or series) requires some careful thought in the beginning, so that your myths stay consistent. That doesn’t mean they have to stay stagnant. Myths, like your character can grow as the universe of your book/series expands.

Having a solid mythology for your book/series adds a rich history, depth, and texture to your fictional world. It shapes the beliefs of your characters and the culture that they live in or were raised in. Additionally, it can drive the plot as well as the conflict. It fuels the narrative and ups the stakes, rooted in the past.

It is a thematic mirror that enriches the readers’ emotional engagement.

A well-crafted mythology adds depth, history, and emotional stakes. It evolves with your world and characters, mirroring their growth. In The Veritas Codex series, mythology frames epic conflict and spiritual reckoning. At its heart, though, it’s a story of a woman and her friends pursuing truth in a world built on lies.

New prize for novels: The Libraro Prize

Hachette UK, Libraro, and LoveReading have partnered to create a £50,000 prize for an English-language fiction author. As if the money weren’t enough, the winner will also receive a book deal with Hachette UK with a £30,000 advance (and yes, this is open to non-UK writers). The competition is open to all entrants age 18 and up, published or unpublished. The deadline is Feb. 15. There is no entry fee.

KPop Comes to Books!

Penguin Random House is working with Netflix to publish titles about KPop Demon Hunters for all ages.

New Nonfiction publisher

Full Set, founded by the former head of Amazon Europe, will target current affairs and business titles. They will also publish a weekly newsletter offering insights into publishing.

New Fiction imprint: Wildthorn Books

Wildthorn Books comes from Tor Publishing Group and will publish “commercial stories that are irresistible, genre-blending and genre-bending.” Categories include women’s fiction, suspense, paranormal mystery, magical realism, and historical fantasy.

New Agents at Martin Literary Management

Charlie Serabian represents genre fiction and nonfiction. He was previously at Global Lion Intellectual Property Management. Jess Taylor represents YA and new adult. She formerly worked for a Virginia publisher.

New Agency: Confluence Literary

Bond Literary Agency and Copps Literary Services merged to form Confluence Literary Agency, founded by Sandra Bond, Elizabeth Copps, and Becky LeJeune. The two new agents are Nicole Payne and Rose Conway.

The WriterCon Facebook Page

For more breaking news from the publishing world, join our Facebook group! Doesn’t cost a thing and guarantees you’ll know about important book news when it breaks. My favorite part of the page, though, is seeing how many WriterCon writers are successfully publishing and marketing their books. Click Here to Join.

We had a fascinating discussion with Heather Snodgrass about the intersection between listening to music and writing, all in the context of her new thriller! Plus we discussed the latest news and got craft tips about “words to avoid” from Marty Ludlum (At First I Was Afraid). Click here to listen.

Till next time, keep writing, and remember—you cannot fail if you refuse to quit.

William Bernhardt

willbern@gmail.com

www.writercon.com