2026 Program

Take inspiration from our line-up of leading names in Australian and International genre fiction, across a spectacular weekend of panels, workshops and special events.

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DAY ONE PROGRAM

SATURDAY 21 FEB

STRAND 1 | TALBOT THEATRE

Key

STRAND 2 | STUDIO 2

STRAND 3 | STUDIO 3

8:30

FIRST WORD + KEYNOTE: INKLING

LORI-JAY ELLIS

SCOTT WILSON

PROF. BELNE + TRANSLATOR

8:30 – 10:00

  • The bright spark of an idea. An image brought to life on the page. A story transformed.

    Professor belne will share her journey and experience from manga artist to professor at Kaishi Professional University.

    With an introduction by Queensland Writers Centre CEO and genre freak Lori-Jay Ellis, and a First Nations response from Scott Wilson, the creative lead at Indigiverse Comics.

10:10

INKLING EVOLUTION: FROM FAN FICTION TO ORIGINAL WORLDS

PANEL

LAUREN ELISE DANIELS

CALE DIETRICH

EUGEN BACON

QUEENIE CHAN

10:10 – 11:10

  • You cut your teeth on writing ships, rewrites, and alternate universes that hit harder than canon ever did. You played in the sandbox of fanfiction and sharpened your craft, but now it’s time to turn it into something original. Real talk from writers who’ve made the journey without the gatekeeping.

TRANSFORMING CONCEPTS ACROSS MEDIUMS

PANEL

SANDRA MAKARESZ

NICK REES

MICHAEL ROBOTHAM

CHRISTOF BOGACS

10:10 – 11:10

  • Stories don’t just have to live in books…they can take on a life of their own. Is your novel begging to be translated or turned it into a graphic novel or animated or even adapted to screen? Gather ‘round and learn from their tips, tricks and mistakes.

MANGA MASTERY

WORKSHOP

PROF. BELNE + TRANSLATOR

10:10 – 12:10

  • With a growing market-share and shelf space in your local bookshop, graphic novels are capturing audiences with their layered storytelling and complex characters. These are not your kids’ picture books! From character design and panel layouts to worldbuilding and dialogue, our expert will spill the ink on the intricacies of visual storytelling.

11:20

INK & PIXELS: WHEN WORDS MEET DIGITAL WORLDS

PANEL

RICHARD YAXLEY

MARISA PINTADO

CHRISTOF BOGACS

NICK REES

11:20 – 12:20

  • Illustrations are more than pretty pictures. They can enhance a story or even tell a story on their own. In this session, explore the intersection of written storytelling and digital art. Learn how text and image can work together to give your stories visual life.

INKLINGS TOOLBOX: MASTERING GENRE TROPES

SEMINAR

CODY HARGREAVES

11:20 – 12:20

  • As a great rock band once said, ‘You give tropes a bad name’ but are tropes really a dirty word? Some people might see them as a crutch or a formula, but the truth is, readers love tropes, and they love it even more when those tropes are subverted in exciting ways.

12:30

CHATTERBOX SESSIONS

SPECIAL EVENT

These inclusive forums will give you the chance to deep-dive in your genre niche of choice.

13:30

KYLIE SCOTT IN CONVERSATION

IN CONVERSATION

LORI-JAY ELLIS

KYLIE SCOTT

13:30 – 14:30

  • Join QWC CEO Lori-Jay Ellis in conversation with Australian romance legend Kylie Scott. Her ride has been wild. From country florist to book adaptation with Passionflix. This is one for every writer aspiring to success, not just romance writers. If you want to sell books and have your work adapted for the screen - come and listen to Kylie’s story. 

INKING THE DEAL: PITCHING YOUR PROJECT

IN CONVERSATION

TRENT JAMIESON

MARISA PINTADO

13:30 – 14:30

  • The End has been inked on the page, now what? You want to pitch to a publisher or agent but don’t know where to start? What are publishers looking for in a pitch? What turns them off? Hear from a professional in the field and put your best foot forward.

MANGA MANIFESTATIONS: BRINGING INK TO LIFE

WORKSHOP

QUEENIE CHAN

13:30 – 15:30

  • Manga’s popularity is growing larger, becoming a dominant force in western publishing. In this workshop, Queenie Chan will look back over the last 20 years at what it’s like to be a manga-style writer and artist outside Japan, and why the future is bright for western manga creators.

14:40

FROM IDENTITY TO INK: AUTHENTICITY AND THE AUTHOR VOICE

GENEVE FLYNN

EUGEN BACON

CALE DIETRICH

SCOTT WILSON

14:40 – 15:40

  • This panel brings together creators and writers who are redefining narrative boundaries and championing diverse voices. We’ll discuss how stories rooted in cultures can challenge dominant narratives, foster empathy, and reflect the layered identities of global communities.

THE INK’S JOURNEY: NAVIGATING THE PUBLISHING LANDSCAPE

PANEL

TRENT JAMIESON

MARISA PINTADO

MICHAEL ROBOTHAM

CHRISTOF BOGACS

KYLIE CHAN

14:40 – 15:40

  • The publishing landscape can be rocky and unfamiliar terrain with hidden pitfalls for the uninitiated. But it needn’t be a descent into the depths. Learn from those in the business and avoid the fireswamp and R.O.U.S.’s as you embark on your publishing quest.

15:50

DIGITAL INK: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PUBLISHING

PANEL

RICHARD YAXLEY

TERRY PHILLIPS

KYLIE CHAN

JEMMA POLLARI

15:50 – 16:50

  • With the rise of the digital age, there is now more to storytelling than marking your page with ink. More tools and techniques are available to the writer than ever before, but how to keep up with all the new fandangled gadgetry?

FROM SCRIBBLE TO SCREEN: ANIMATING YOUR INKLING

PANEL

SANDRA MAKARESZ

SCOTT WILSON

NICK REES

DOUGLAS WATKIN

15:50 – 16:50

  • From imagination to sketch to motion, animation is where art and story collide — frame by frame. Bring your writing  to life and explore how characters, world building and emotion come together to tell unforgettable visual stories.

17:00

AUREALIS AWARDS

Australia's premier speculative fiction awards have joined forces with GenreCon; the Aurealis Awards have a new home. Join us for a night of celebration as the winners of the Awards are announced. The proceedings will be hosted by award-winning speculative fiction author and GenreCon alum Eugen Bacon.

Bookings are available separately but included free for GenreCon ticketholders. Book your place here.

DAY TWO PROGRAM

SUNDAY 22 FEB

STREAM 1

Key

STREAM 2

STREAM 3

9:00

INK SPILL AI: HOW TO TAME THE UNTAMEABLE

PANEL

ALI.K. MULFORD

CALE DIETRICH

LAUREL COHN

9:00 – 10:00

  • Is AI taking over the world or can it be tamed as a tool for creatives? Is it possible to use AI ethically? What does it mean for our future? This timely conversation will explore how LLMs (large language models) and human writers interact and what this means for creatives.

INKLING ANATOMY: WORLD BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP

SEMINAR

SCOTT WILSON

9:00 – 10:00

  • Creating immersive and believable worlds is a major ingredient in storytelling. With his experience in blending deep cultural lore with modern superhero stories, Scott bridges the gap between comics, speculative fiction and cultural storytelling to offer fresh insights on character driven world building in genre storytelling.

10:10

THE INK’S EDIT: WHEN AM I DONE? NAVIGATING THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE

SEMINAR

LAUREL COHN

10:10 – 11:10

  • To give your manuscript the greatest chance of success, you need to develop it to the highest possible standard. The manuscript development phase can be challenging and frustrating, but as a writer, you can’t avoid it. This seminar offers guidance on navigating the practicalities and the challenging inner terrain of manuscript development.

IDEA INKUBATOR: DEVELOPING YOUR CORE INKLING

PANEL

PAUL WILLIAMS

PROF. BELNE

TERRY PHILLIPS

MICHAEL ROBOTHAM

10:10 – 11:10

  • Every great story begins with a spark of an idea, but how do you develop that inkling into a finished novel? Hear how the experts clarify and refine a story idea, ensuring it’s focused, emotionally resonant, and ready to support a full narrative. 

INKLINGS OF A STORY: EXPLORING EASTERN AND WESTERN NARRATIVE WORLDS

WORKSHOP

LAUREN ELISE DANIELS

GENEVE FLYNN

10:10 – 12:10

  • What do you do when the well-used Western narrative structure doesn’t quite fit? Have you ever read or watched an Asian narrative and wondered why it feels unpredictable yet satisfying? Explore the differences between Eastern and Western storytelling conventions, such as story structure, character focus, and narrative goal, and expand your writing toolbox. 

10:10

TRUST YOUR INKLING: BECOMING THE WRITER YOU INTENDED TO BE

SEMINAR

RICHARD YAXLEY

11:20 – 12:20

  • Has your writing career taken a different path to what you intended? Or maybe you’re ready to take the leap into a new genre, but don’t know how to navigate the shift. This session is about learning to trust your inner voice and follow it to become the writer you intended to be.

DREAMS IN INK: READING SALON

READING SALON

MADELEINE DALE

EUGEN BACON

TRENT JAMIESON

PAMELA JEFFS

11:20 – 12:20

  • Swirls of ink on a page come to life through the spoken word. Experience the magic of oral storytelling as our presenters read their work aloud. Hear the stories in the voices of their creators, adding new depth and resonance to the ink on the page.

12:30

THE SHREADER

SPECIAL EVENT

14:00

THE INKLING COLLECTIVE: COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

PANEL

GENEVE FLYNN

PROF. BELNE

TERRY PHILLIPS

SCOTT WILSON

14:00 – 15:00

  • Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit. Collaboration might sound like group work from hell, but it doesn’t have to be. Working with a team can expand your horizons and take your story idea to the next level. Learn from the professionals about how to get the best from working collaboratively. 

SCREENING OF LICK

PASSIONFLIX

14:00 – 16:00

THE FIRST INKLING: FINDING FORM IN THE FOG

SEMINAR

MICHELLE BIRRELL

14:00 – 15:00

  • What do you do when you have an inkling of a story but it’s just vibes? Or maybe a character has appeared, but you don’t know what their story is? This is where story plotting can help... even those who hate plotting. Learn how to build a flexible framework to hang your story on.

INKSPIRATION: THE INKWELL OF INSPIRATION

PANEL

PAMELA JEFFS

QUEENIE CHAN

ALI. K. MULFORD

PAUL WILLIAMS

15:10 – 16:10

15:10

  • Sometimes the ideas just won’t spark and staring at a blank page feels like staring into the void. How do you coax the muse out and hack your brain to ignite that spark? Get some tips and tricks from authors who have been there and have found their way out of the dark.

16:20

CLOSING ADDRESS

LORI-JAY ELLIS

16:20 – 17:00

  • Celebrate Inkling and witness the unveiling of GenreCon 2027...