In this practical, no-nonsense session, crime writers learn how to identify and connect with the readers who are already primed to love their work. Rather than trying to appeal to “everyone,” we will focus on understanding the specific tastes, expectations, and emotional drivers of different crime fiction audiences.  

Using real examples, participants explore how tone, stakes, character focus, and story style shape reader experience—and why mismatching these elements can lead to missed connections and poor reviews. Through guided exercises, writers will define their ideal reader, uncover what those readers truly want (and don’t want), and learn how to position their work so the right audience recognises it instantly. 

This session is designed to help writers sharpen their voice, strengthen their storytelling choices, and market their work with clarity and confidence. 

Cat Connor is a New Zealand crime thriller author known for fast-paced, high-stakes stories and sharp, character-driven plots. She is the author of the FBI-Byte series and the Veronica Tracey Spy/PI series, both featuring complex investigations and dangerous adversaries.  

She also teaches and speaks about writing, offering candid, practical advice with a healthy dose of humour.  

When she’s not writing, she’s usually fuelled by coffee and surrounded by her three very spoilt cats. 

This workshop will look at books for children and teens (young adults) and the range of audiences you need to consider. We’ll cover ages and formats, word lengths, illustrations and covers, as well as who actually buys these books. Who are the “gatekeepers”? What are you competing against? How will you write and sell without first knowing the answers to who, what and why? Come prepared to draft an initial publishing plan. 

Sherryl Clark has written and published more than 70 books for young readers of all ages, from picture books and readers through to chapter books, novels and verse novels. Her books have won many Notable awards, as well as the Australian Prime Minister’s Award for Children’s Books and the NSW Premier’s Award. Her most recent verse novel, “The Only Branch on the Family Tree”, won a Storylines NZ Notable award. 

Photo Credit: The Northern Advocate 

Know your market – and you shall sell! In this workshop, Joshua T. Calvert shows you how to analyze your target audience with simple, and repeatable means and how to effectively set the basis for successful releases and marketing that leads to sales. 

Joshua T. Calvert is a USA Today bestselling author from Germany, published in 8 languages and residing in New Zealand. He publishes his works both as an indie and with traditional publishers such as Tor Books and Penguin. His copies have sold 2.5 million times. He has won the most prestigious German-language Fantasy & Science Fiction Award “Seraph” in 2022. 

Fee: NZSA Members – $25. (Non-members – $50) – sign up now

You’ve written the book; now, how do you find the readers who’ll love it? 

For independent authors, connecting the right book with the right reader is a craft, and the good news is that romance readers are among the most loyal and vocal communities in publishing. If you know how to find them, they will find you back. 

In this practical, hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the full range of audience-finding strategies available to indie romance authors, before diving deep into the most effective starting point: comparative author (comp author) analysis. 

You’ll learn how to identify your true comp authors and use their data on Amazon, social media, and reader communities to create a detailed picture of your ideal reader: where they spend their time, what language they use, and how to reach them. Whether you write contemporary romance, paranormal, historical, or romantic suspense, you’ll leave with clarity about your audience and practical next steps you can implement immediately. 

The session includes a short presentation, four guided exercises you’ll complete during the workshop, and time for questions and open discussion. 

Cat Sirota moved to Middle Earth (known informally as New Zealand) at the age of twelve. The moody, romantic landscape inspired her passion for fantasy novels and would go on to shape her own fiction writing, setting the scene for lush worldbuilding, dark characters, and satisfying plot twists. 

Every morning, at 5 a.m., long before her rambunctious household has risen, Cat pours a cup of coffee and gets to work. When she isn’t writing and editing, she’s lost in the stories of her favorite authors like LJ Andrews Penn Cole, and Jennifer L. Armentrout. For Cat, only one thing trumps the magical alchemy of reading, and that is crafting new portals of escapism in her own stories. 

If you’d like to escape with Cat and hear about exclusive up-and-coming adventures, characters, and treats, join her newsletter via her website or her readers group on Facebook. Otherwise, follow her on Instagram or TikTok for general fun and shenanigans. 

Fee: NZSA Members – $35. (Non-members – $75) – sign up now