Virtual SF Conventions and Online Summits for Indie Speculative Fiction Authors

by | Culture, Digital Marketing

Culture

Portals in the Pixel-Dark: A Guide to Virtual Conventions, Hybrid Events, and Online Summits for the Indie Speculative Fiction Author

DIAMOND RATING KEY

◆◆◆  Fully Online — entirely virtual; no travel required to speak or attend

◆◆  Hybrid — Strong Online Track — in-person event with a dedicated full online stream; remote panelists actively recruited

◆  Hybrid — Limited Online — primarily in-person; online ticket or streaming exists but virtual speaking slots are limited or not guaranteed

 

The convention circuit hums and crackles like a dying star — fluorescent-lit hotel corridors, the perfumed press of a thousand fellow believers clutching paperbacks like talismans. But scattered across the shimmering lattice of the internet, another kind of gathering breathes and pulses, one that requires no airline ticket, no lanyard, no lukewarm coffee from a hospitality table. Virtual conferences and online summits have quietly constructed a second world for speculative fiction authors — a world wide open to the indie author willing to knock on the right digital door.

What follows is a comprehensive survey of the most active and accessible events for indie speculative fiction authors: conventions, summits, and broader publishing conferences. Events are clearly marked for their online or hybrid nature using the diamond system above, and the final section addresses a broader category of virtual opportunities that fall outside the convention model entirely — but are no less relevant for the author seeking a platform.

 

PART ONE: FULLY ONLINE EVENTS  ◆◆◆

1. Flights of Foundry

◆◆◆  FULLY ONLINE — panels span global time zones around the clock; no travel required

What It Is

Organized by DreamFoundry, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Flights of Foundry is the gold standard of fully virtual speculative fiction conventions. Born online, it has never aspired to exist anywhere else — and all the richer for it. Panels run around the clock spanning every time zone, covering writing craft, podcasting, anthology editing, speculative poetry, costuming, genre business, and marketing. There are Guests of Honor, readings, workshops, vendor halls, and a Discord that hums with hallway-conversation energy. Sessions are recorded, livestreamed, and select panels are uploaded permanently to DreamFoundry’s YouTube channel.

Indie Author Friendliness

Among the most genuinely indie-welcoming events in the speculative fiction space. Published indie authors have served as panelists, workshop leaders, and featured guests. Its free-to-attend model widens the reach of every author who appears.

How to Get Involved

Monitor DreamFoundry’s website and social channels for calls for programming submissions — typically open months before the annual event. Panelist applications are open to published authors in SF, fantasy, horror, and adjacent genres.

Links

 

2. WorldShift: The Speculative Fiction Writers’ Summit

◆◆◆  FULLY ONLINE — free, globally accessible, pre-recorded with rolling 24-hour access

What It Is

WorldShift is a free, four-day online summit built specifically for writers of speculative fiction — science fiction, fantasy, horror, dystopian, magical realism, and everything bleeding between those borders. Produced by Many Worlds Writing and run most recently across four days in August 2025, the summit drew more than thirty speakers covering craft, mindset, publishing strategy, and the interior life of writing the impossible. Its speakers spanned editors, published authors, writing instructors, and working professionals across the speculative fiction ecosystem.

The Model

Attendance is free with twenty-four-hour rolling access to each session as it releases. A paid All Access Pass provides lifetime access to all recordings plus speaker bonuses — and speakers typically receive a small affiliate commission from pass sales, incentivizing enthusiastic promotion that expands reach for every voice in the lineup.

How to Get Involved

WorldShift actively recruits speakers for future iterations. Watch the Many Worlds Writing website and mailing list for calls for speakers. Published indie authors with expertise in craft, worldbuilding, or the speculative fiction publishing landscape are natural candidates.

Links

 

3. SelfPubCon — The Self-Publishing Advice Conference (ALLi)

◆◆◆  FULLY ONLINE — free, runs twice yearly, actively seeks speakers from across the globe

What It Is

SelfPubCon is the official online conference of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), one of the most respected and ethically rigorous indie author advocacy organizations in the world. It runs twice annually — spring and autumn — as a free, 24-hour global event with sessions covering publishing innovation, book marketing and discoverability, author business models, translation rights, and the ever-shifting tools of the indie author trade. Founded in 2013 as IndieReCon and taken over by ALLi in 2015, SelfPubCon has grown to draw combined audiences exceeding 100,000 across its two annual events.

Though not genre-specific, SelfPubCon is deeply relevant to any indie author — including speculative fiction writers — who wants to speak on the business, craft, and strategy of independent publishing. Its speaker roster consistently features working authors, publishing entrepreneurs, and genre specialists.

Why It Matters for Speculative Fiction Indie Authors

SelfPubCon’s audience is global and vast. Speaking at SelfPubCon positions you not merely as an author but as a credible voice in the indie publishing conversation — which is particularly useful when building a speaker profile for conventions, podcasts, and media outreach. ALLi’s reach into UK, Australian, European, and American indie publishing communities is unmatched in the space.

How to Get Involved

SelfPubCon explicitly advertises that it is looking for speakers, sponsors, and volunteers. Proposals from indie authors with expertise in publishing tools, genre marketing, rights management, or craft are welcome.

Links

 

PART TWO: HYBRID EVENTS — STRONG ONLINE TRACK  ◆◆

The events in this section are primarily in-person gatherings, but each operates a meaningful, dedicated online stream — and both actively recruit virtual panelists alongside their in-person participants. Authors outside their host regions can realistically speak at these events without traveling.

4. Octocon — Ireland’s National Science Fiction Convention

◆◆  HYBRID — STRONG ONLINE TRACK — full online programme both days; remote panelists actively recruited via open application

What It Is

Octocon is Ireland’s National Science Fiction Convention, running both in-person and online — both full days — each October. It has operated as a proper hybrid convention since 2022, using OBS for streaming and Zoom for live panel participation. For 2026 it returns to the Clayton Hotel Cork City, October 3–4, with its online programme running in parallel throughout.

Octocon draws an international audience to its online stream and has featured Guests of Honor from across the English-speaking world, including authors from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The 2026 guests include C.E. (Catie) Murphy and Adrian Tchaikovsky — illustrating the caliber of company the convention keeps.

The Critical Detail

Octocon maintains an explicit, publicly accessible programme participant form — filling it in adds you to their programming system, PlanZ, where you can browse programme items and volunteer for any you’re a good fit for. The team may also reach out about specific items. A speaker pass may be offered for those participating in a specific item online without a full membership. This is a transparent, accessible recruitment mechanism.

Links

 

5. StokerCon — Horror Writers Association

◆◆  HYBRID — STRONG ONLINE TRACK — virtual ticket ($75) with livestreamed panels and on-demand content; Pittsburgh, June 2026

What It Is

StokerCon is the annual convention of the Horror Writers Association (HWA), presenting the Bram Stoker Awards and hosting panels, readings, pitch sessions, workshops, and more. The convention is hybrid, with a full virtual track livestreaming panels from multiple rooms and providing on-demand access to previously recorded sessions. StokerCon 10 celebrates its tenth anniversary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 4–7, 2026. Virtual ticket: $75.

Who Speaks

StokerCon’s panelists include Bram Stoker Award nominees and winners, bestselling horror authors, small press editors and publishers, podcasters, librarians, and — critically — debut and indie authors who have proven themselves in the genre. The programming embraces craft panels, representation discussions, marketing roundtables, and genre explorations across the experience spectrum.

How to Get Involved

The HWA coordinates panelist recruitment. Membership in HWA substantially improves visibility with the programming team. Watch the official StokerCon and HWA websites for programming calls, typically announced in the months ahead of the event.

Links

 

PART THREE: HYBRID EVENTS — LIMITED ONLINE  ◆

The events in this section are primarily in-person. An online ticket, livestream, or digital recording archive may exist — but the virtual experience is that of a viewer, not a speaker. Remote panelist slots are limited or not systematically available. These events are included because their programming teams do recruit internationally, their communities extend into digital spaces, and for some — particularly LTUE and Imaginarium — the panelist application process is unusually open and transparent.

6. FantasyCon / British Fantasy Society

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — in-person Glasgow, October 2026; online ticket = recordings only, not live virtual panelist slots. Year-round BFS Zoom events also available.

What It Is

FantasyCon is the annual convention of the British Fantasy Society (BFS), presenting the British Fantasy Awards. In 2026 it takes place in Glasgow, October 9–11. Online tickets provide access to recordings of a portion of the panels, interviews, and readings — but the online ticket is a viewer experience, not a virtual panelist slot. The convention maintains an active participation form for those who would like to get involved in programming, and its track record includes panelists drawn from across the English-speaking world.

The BFS Online Events Programme

Distinct from FantasyCon itself, the BFS runs many online events via Zoom throughout the year, inviting anyone to participate or view. These year-round online panels and discussions are a lower-barrier entry point for an author wanting to develop a relationship with the BFS community before pursuing FantasyCon itself.

How to Get Involved

Complete the programming participation form (link below) to express interest in appearing at FantasyCon 2026. For BFS year-round online events, monitor the BFS events calendar for open calls.

Links

 

7. LTUE — Life, the Universe, and Everything

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — in-person Utah, February each year; select sessions livestreamed; open panelist application portal is its key asset

What It Is

LTUE is an annual three-day symposium in Utah, deeply committed to craft, community, and the professional development of speculative fiction authors. It records and livestreams select sessions and runs a year-round YouTube channel — Books, the Universe, and Everything — with monthly programming. Its community extends beyond the February symposium into an ongoing online presence.

The Open Panelist Portal

LTUE maintains an explicit, publicly accessible application portal for authors and creators who wish to serve as panelists or presenters. This transparency is rare and valuable. Published indie authors in science fiction and fantasy — particularly those with expertise in craft, genre history, publishing strategy, or niche subgenres — are encouraged to apply.

Links

 

8. Imaginarium Convention

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — in-person Louisville, Kentucky, July 2026; no virtual attendance track, but the most deliberately indie-author-welcoming genre convention in the English-speaking world

What It Is

Imaginarium Convention, in its thirteenth year in Louisville, Kentucky (July 17–19, 2026), is by design and philosophy the most deeply indie-author-friendly convention in the speculative fiction, horror, and fantasy space. It actively recruits indie authors, self-published novelists, small press poets, podcasters, screenwriters, and creative professionals of every kind — with over 135 panels and workshops on its 2026 roster.

Its range of speculative programming is remarkable: hopepunk, grimdark, steampunk worldbuilding, paranormal romance, science fiction through the ages, psychological realism in fiction, magazine and periodical markets, and far more. Its mission — to foster and inspire imagination, one creative at a time — is practiced, not merely proclaimed.

Note on Online Participation

Imaginarium is an in-person event and does not currently operate a virtual attendance track. However, panelists receive individual guest pages with online visibility, and the convention’s promotional reach extends substantially into digital spaces. Authors traveling from outside Louisville typically find accommodation and attendance costs manageable relative to the exposure offered.

How to Get Involved

Imaginarium accepts panelist applications from indie authors year-round, announcing Official Panelists on a rolling basis.

Links

 

9. Boskone — New England Science Fiction Association

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — in-person Boston, February each year; online attendance options exist; virtual panelist access limited

What It Is

Boskone is the longest-running science fiction and fantasy convention in New England, operated by the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA). It runs each February in Boston and has expanded to include online attendance options, making its programming accessible to genre authors worldwide. Boskone has historically welcomed authors from across the publishing spectrum, including indie and small press voices, particularly as panelists in craft, genre criticism, and emerging publishing discussions.

Links

 

10. Worldcon — The World Science Fiction Convention

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — travels globally each year; virtual programming expanded significantly in recent years; authors can serve in virtual rooms

What It Is

Worldcon is the oldest and most internationally celebrated science fiction convention on the planet, home to the Hugo Awards and a tradition of literary programming spanning eighty years. It travels the globe each year and has significantly expanded its virtual programming, making it possible for authors to serve as virtual panelists without traveling to the host city. The convention’s sheer scale — hundreds of hours of programming — creates a vast appetite for panelist voices across specialties.

How to Get Involved

Worldcon programming teams accept panelist applications via their website in the months leading up to each convention. Expressing interest early, having a published book to reference, and identifying specific areas of expertise all improve the likelihood of placement.

Links

 

11. World Fantasy Convention

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — travels globally each year; select events livestreamed; primarily an in-person professional gathering

What It Is

The World Fantasy Convention (WFC) is an annual gathering celebrating fantasy and horror that travels the globe each year, welcoming authors, editors, artists, poets, publishers, agents, critics, reviewers, bloggers, academics, script and games writers, podcasters, and readers. Several key events are typically livestreamed on the WFC’s YouTube channel, and the convention increasingly embraces digital participation at the margins of its programming. The 2025 convention in Brighton featured 85 panel discussions with over 300 participants.

WFC is primarily a professional in-person gathering. Its online footprint is real but supplementary. For an indie author whose work sits firmly in fantasy or horror with some professional visibility, it is worth monitoring — and the streaming record of past panels provides a searchable public legacy.

Links

 

PART FOUR: BROADER ONLINE EVENTS RELEVANT TO INDIE SPECULATIVE AUTHORS  ◆◆◆

The events below are not SF/horror/fantasy conventions per se — but they are online, actively seek speakers, reach large audiences of indie authors, and offer meaningful platform-building opportunities that feed directly into your overall speaking profile. Appearing at these events positions you credibly in the broader indie author ecosystem, builds relationships that cross genres, and generates the kind of searchable online record that convention programmers notice.

12. Author Nation — The Largest Indie Author Conference

◆  HYBRID — LIMITED ONLINE — in-person Las Vegas, November each year; digital ticket ($199) provides lifetime access to 90+ session recordings and live virtual Q&A. Not a virtual speaking slot.

What It Is

Author Nation (formerly 20Books Vegas) is the largest indie author conference in the world, drawing over 1,400 attendees to Las Vegas each November with 222+ speakers and 260+ sessions across five days. It is primarily in-person, but a digital ticket option provides lifetime access to recordings of 90+ sessions plus live virtual Q&A access. Speakers are drawn from the indie author community across all genres, and science fiction and fantasy are well represented in the lineup.

Relevance to Speculative Fiction Indie Authors

Appearing as a speaker at Author Nation establishes extraordinary credibility in the indie author business community — a community that includes the readers, reviewers, and fellow authors whose word-of-mouth reaches speculative fiction audiences. The session library is vast and the audience is global. Speaker applications, when open, are competitive but not impenetrable for published authors with a clear area of expertise.

Links

 

13. Women in Publishing Summit

◆◆◆  FULLY ONLINE — entirely virtual, March each year; open to women and nonbinary authors across genres; actively seeks speakers

What It Is

The Women in Publishing Summit is a free, fully online annual summit held each March, focused on women and nonbinary authors navigating self-publishing, platform building, and marketing. It features a strong community atmosphere and implementation-oriented sessions, and has previously hosted speculative fiction-focused events through its platform. Its speaker application is open and actively solicited.

Relevance to Speculative Fiction Indie Authors

For any author who identifies as a woman or nonbinary person, the Women in Publishing Summit offers a meaningful platform with a genuinely supportive community ethos. Speculative fiction authors are well represented in its attendee and speaker community, and appearing here builds relationships that feed into broader genre visibility.

Links

 

Navigating the Landscape: A Word on Strategy

The distinction between fully online and hybrid matters enormously when planning an approach. Fully online events — Flights of Foundry, WorldShift, SelfPubCon — are the most accessible entry points because they require no travel budget, no hotel logistics, no geography. They are the doors you can knock on from anywhere on earth at ten o’clock on a Tuesday night.

For the hybrid events with strong online tracks — Octocon and StokerCon in particular — the virtual panelist path is well-established. Apply to their programme participation systems early, have your speaker sheet and bio ready, and be clear about your availability to participate online.

For the hybrid events with limited online access — FantasyCon, LTUE, Imaginarium, Boskone, Worldcon, World Fantasy Convention, and Author Nation — the primary opportunity may still be worth the investment if travel is feasible. But their digital presence — streaming records, YouTube archives, and online communities — means the visibility from an appearance extends well beyond the room.

The smartest approach is to pursue all three tiers simultaneously: start with the fully online genre events to build a convention-speaking record, speak at the broader online publishing summits to build credibility as an indie author voice, and monitor the hybrid genre events for the right season to invest in in-person presence.

The pixel-dark is full of portals. Step through the ones that are already open — then watch the others swing wide on their own.

 

Sources Cited:

Flights of Foundry / DreamFoundry:

 

WorldShift: Speculative Fiction Writers’ Summit:

 

SelfPubCon / Alliance of Independent Authors:

 

Octocon:

 

StokerCon / Horror Writers Association:

 

FantasyCon / British Fantasy Society:

 

LTUE — Life, the Universe, and Everything:

 

Imaginarium Convention:

 

Boskone:

 

Worldcon / Locus Conventions Directory:

 

World Fantasy Convention:

 

Author Nation:

 

Women in Publishing Summit: