How to Hook New Readers with a Novel-Based Workshop

I’ve presented a lot of workshops over the years, mostly based on the nonfiction books I’ve written for writers. I’ve always found it easy to create a workshop based on a nonfiction book. But when it came to fiction, I hit a wall.

Like many authors, I’ve seen how easy it is to fall into one of two traps when presenting a fiction-based event: either we spend the whole time explaining the plot, which leaves attendees lost and often bored, or we talk about ourselves and our writing journey.

This may be all right for loyal readers, but doesn’t help bring in new readers. And that’s what I want to do at my next event.

I have a book signing coming up in about a week for my new release, The Gimirri Invasion. The bookstore supports local authors and ordered a lot of books, so I wanted to expand the event into something that would attract people beyond my existing readership.

But how do you do that with a novel?

That’s when it hit me: the answer isn’t in the plot. It’s in the themes.

Design Your Fiction Workshop by Focusing on Themes

When I say themes, I’m talking about the deeper emotional or psychological undercurrents that drive your story: grief, courage, betrayal, identity, healing, transformation, and more. These are the universal human experiences that readers connect with, often more than the plot itself. They’re what your characters wrestle with and what your story ultimately says about life—and they’re the perfect bridge between fiction and real-world relevance.

When you build a workshop around a strong theme, you’re not just talking about your book—you’re offering insight into something that affects everyone in some way. You give attendees something they can reflect on, learn from, and apply to their own lives. And that’s what makes your workshop not just interesting, but useful, even to people who have never read your work.

Once I understood that, the whole workshop began to take shape.

Workshop #1: When Fiction Reveals the Truth About Grief

One of the workshops I created early on focused on the universal—and often misunderstood—experience of grief.

In The Gimirri Invasion, nearly every main character suffers some form of loss. But instead of centering the workshop on the book itself, I used the story as a mirror to explore how different people respond to grief in real life.

The session was titled When Fiction Reveals the Truth About Grief. The plan was to start with a personal story from my childhood—a memory I didn’t recognize as grief at the time, but which resurfaced later in life. That experience formed the emotional backbone of the session. From there, I was going to introduce characters from the novel and the three “grief patterns” they represented.

Each of these characters would offer a way for attendees to see themselves. Through interactive exercises, I could invite them to reflect on their own losses, map their personal grief timelines, and explore which character mirrored their own coping style.

The workshop was also going to incorporate psychological research and simple healing strategies, so it wasn’t just literary or reflective—it was practical. The hope was that attendees would leave with a better understanding of their own grief patterns and with tools to help process them.

While this workshop had the potential to be powerful, I worried it was risky because my potential audience may think it too somber. So I decided to lead with a different idea for my upcoming event—something that felt a little more energizing in the current climate.

Workshop #2: Finding Courage in Uncertain Times

In The Gimirri Invasion, courage is also at the core of nearly every major character arc. The kingdom is under siege. Old systems are collapsing. And yet, characters must act, often without certainty of the outcome.

As I thought more about it, I realized this paralleled something many of us are facing right now—huge changes around us that are fast-paced and difficult to manage.

I liked this idea, but rather than talk about bravery in big, dramatic terms, I broke it down into four very human, relatable types of courage, each represented by a character in the book:

• Zoe, the Steadfast Flame: Courage rooted in duty and love—doing the “right thing” when everything feels uncertain.
• Elanur, the Open Heart: Courage in connection—choosing to love and nurture again after loss.
• Emir, the Reckoner: Courage born from self-honesty—facing one’s mistakes and choosing redemption.
• Xander, the Quiet Channel: Courage in embracing one’s gifts—especially the ones we’re afraid of—to help where we can.

I set up interactive exercises to help attendees see themselves in these types. We will also explore other characters from popular stories—Katniss, Frodo, Bridget Jones, Oskar Schindler—to show how courage takes many forms.

I’ve included reflection prompts, as well, that ask participants to consider which type of courage they most identify with, and what forces in their own lives have helped bring that courage to the surface.

One of my favorite touches? I bought a collection of miniature fantasy characters that can be used to represent each courage type. I plan to invite attendees to choose the one that feels most like them, giving them something to take home as a reminder of the courage they already have.

Even in the planning stages, this workshop came together with surprising ease. Once I identified the emotional thread, the ideas flowed. And it reminded me: when we ground our events in something that matters—to us and others—we create not just a launch or a signing, but a meaningful experience.

You Can Do This Too

If you’re a novelist, you can create a workshop that engages your audience and gently draws them toward your book. The key is to stop thinking like a promoter and start thinking like a teacher or guide. Ask yourself:

• What emotional journey do your characters go on?
• What theme is woven through your novel that also speaks to real-life struggles?
• How can you build a conversation or experience around that?

Don’t worry if it feels intimidating at first. Once you identify the right theme, the rest comes surprisingly easily. You’ll be focused less on pitching your book, and more on offering value, connection, and insight. The book just becomes a natural extension of that experience.

And the best part? It’s deeply fulfilling. You get to see your fiction live in a new way—resonating with real people, in real time.

Note: Get FREE information to support your writing career when you sign up for Colleen’s newsletter for writers! And read more about The Gimirri Invasion here.

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