Media Kit
This book dragon levels up craft and creativity using brain science hacks to show determined science-fiction and fantasy authors how to enchant readers.
Gina Kammer, Owner
Inky Bookwyrm, LLC
DBA: Inky Bookwyrm Press
author • editor • book coach
About Gina Kammer, The Inky Bookwyrm
Short Bio
Gina Kammer is an author, editor, and book coach specializing in science fiction and fantasy. She loves exploring creativity using brain science hacks to show authors how to enchant their readers with story. Join her at inkybookwyrm.com
Longer Bio
Gina Kammer grew up in Narnia and Middle-earth, often writing and illustrating her own stories. She studied English at Bethany Lutheran College and took writing and theater courses in London. After she earned her M.A. in literature at the University of South Dakota, she became an editor at Capstone Publishers. Now she’s an author, editor, and book coach specializing in science fiction and fantasy. She also teaches writing courses at inkybookwyrm.com. When not writing or coaching authors, she reads science fiction, fantasy, and medieval literature. Her other interests include tea, traveling, oil painting, archery, and snuggling with her grumpy bunny. She lives among piles of books in Minnesota with her husband and daughter.
About Inky Bookwyrm Press
Inky Bookwyrm Press was founded by Gina Kammer in 2019. Initially, Gina Kammer offered writing and editing services for authors and publishers. As authors began to seek more ongoing mentorship, Gina drew from her teaching experience as a college writing instructor and developed a private coaching option. Since then, the business has expanded into group coaching through the Enchant Your Readers program. The program combines step-by-step course material and individualized coaching on live calls to take authors from idea to solid draft. Authors seeking traditional publishing benefit from the Querying Course to prepare materials and develop a strategy for reaching out to agents. With the help of additional team partners, self-publishing authors can also polish their manuscripts for publication through copy edits and proofreads. Inky Bookwyrm Press publishes the Story Grimoire for novel planning, the Drafting Log for tracking data in the writing phase, the Story Decoder for manuscript revision, and the Scene Spellbook Outline for both detailed and overview looks at story structure. These publications are exclusively accessible to coaching clients. Learn more at inkybookwyrm.com
Enchant Your Readers Program
In the Enchant Your Readers program, book coach Gina Kammer walks science fiction and fantasy authors through each step of the novel-writing process. The program combines the craft instruction, insights of a developmental editor and publishing professional, and individualized live coaching so that writers know exactly which next steps to take on their journeys to publication. From a robust planning workbook to help writers figure out where their stories are going to drafting strategies and data tracking, Enchant Your Readers provides full support. When the story is on the page, writers learn how to strike a balance between starting over and correcting grammar to give their manuscripts the content reinforcements for a truly enchanting reader experience. Through a tried-and-true method for self-assessment to practicing effective critique partnering — and knowing what to do with the feedback they receive — writers don’t have to stay lost in the weeds. In this program, writers will know what their readers need (and when!) to maintain their story spell. Learn more at enchantyourreaders.com
What Authors Say about the Enchant Your Readers Program
“In the year and a half up to this point, I have worked on things like character backstory and deep outlining but always more in an intuitive yet very unorganized approach. Let me tell you, putting structure to the process helped me IMMENSELY. There were a lot of things about my character's story that just weren't totally fitting....like maybe I could have told the story that way and it still would have been enjoyable for people to read, but it was not as satisfying as I thought it deserved. I was able to really hone in on the whys beneath my character's story, and that caused some things to change. I am so thankful Gina had me do these exercises because they are serious game changers."
“Before working with Gina, I felt that I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going with my novel. I had vague ideas but no clue how to structure it into a proper story. After being coached, I actually have an outline! I have never had an outline before! I feel that this story will be stronger for it. I have a greater understanding of story structure and the need for an overarching theme to guide my characters through their story. What I most enjoyed were our coaching sessions! So many times, I would be at a loss for what to do, but when we talked through it on the Zoom calls, bricks just fell into place. Gina is fun, easy to work worth, and knowledgeable. She challenged me in areas I didn't realize I needed to be challenged in, and I appreciated her worldview and perspective."
“I'm working on an off-world sci-fi epic, and I found that my biggest problem was getting the reader to engage with the characters. Now I'm doing edits solely to address this problem, and it's really refreshing! After doing a deep dive with Gina and her modules, I realized the importance of making a former secondary character's voice heard — I drastically changed the narrative of my book to reflect the POVs of two characters. Gina is excellent at getting you and your story where it needs to go. I'm still reeling from that one sesh when I FINALLY realized my character's true internal conflict and how it shapes the story.”
Images
Author, editor, and book coach Gina Kammer in her home library.
Gina Kammer
Author, editor, and book coach Gina Kammer dresses as a book dragon for events.
Inky Bookwyrm, LLC logo (created by Gina Kammer)
Author, editor, and book coach Gina Kammer sets up her table at Deep Valley Book Festival in Mankato, Minn. (2023)
Author Gina Kammer tells a young reader about the Curious about Mythical Creatures series at the Twin Cities Book Festival (2023).
Gina Kammer's titles in the You Choose: Ancient Norse Myths series
Gina Kammer's International School of Dragon Training series
Gina Kammer's titles in the You Choose: Ancient Norse Myths series
Gina Kammer's Mind Drifter science fiction series
Gina Kammer's titles in the Tale Vs. Truth series
Gina Kammer's Curious about Mythical Creatures series
Want to set up an interview or request more information?
Contact Gina Kammer for guest speaking opportunities, presentations, workshops, or webinars. Topics may include the 3 Keys to Enchant Readers, Irresistible Opening Lines, Story Structure and Brain Science, and Christian Sci-Fi & Fantasy for a Secular Market.
The 3 Keys to Enchant Readers for Meaningful Impact
Learn how to have a lasting impact on readers by learning the 3 kEys to Reader Enchantment (not a typo, just a corny mnemonic!). These keys are based in the brain science of how readers experience story and what immerses them page after page.
Through guided steps, attendees will put three of the hardest-hitting exercises for each key into practice. They’ll learn crucial steps in the process to get started…
• setting up the right promises for readers so they know where the story is going (That gets them reading, at least!)
• entertaining readers by knowing how to make those readers care in the first place
• giving readers a deep, vicarious experience in which they're playing out their story's meaningful core
Irresistible Opening Lines for Your Novel
Readers judge a book by its cover—and its opening lines. Once upon a time, it seems readers expected novel openings to be difficult. At least on a subconscious level, they knew they needed to get over the hurdle of the learning curve with each new read, especially in sci-fi and fantasy.
Therefore, authors could get away with openings that didn't immediately pull the reader into anything that mattered. Info-dumps later, readers could finally enjoy the story experience. No longer! Now writers have insights from brain science about what really hooks and connects with readers. In this workshop-styled webinar, attendees will learn...
• where to start their novels to engage readers before they even realize they're hooked
• the specific ingredients for compelling first lines • how to scaffold information in their opening pages for an effortless reader entry
Story Structure and Brain Science
Knowing about story structure archetypes isn’t that important, is it? I mean, writing should be new and fresh, right? Leaving those old archetypes behind! Forging a new path! Taking the road less traveled! The thing is, we’re all wired to experience stories in certain ways. We subconsciously desire to learn from the challenges others face. We want to be immersed in perspectives that will help us understand the world. We want to hope for our own good endings and experience emotions in a safe, controlled way. The stories we want to consume are those that fulfill these desires. So in this presentation, attendees will take a look at...
• what makes story structures fresh and new
•universal story structure archetypes that provide high-level views of how stories provide what readers crave
•how knowledge of archetypes may result in stronger first drafts
Press & Events
Write, Publish, Prosper: The Magazine for Fiction Authors, Issue 01, October, Fall 2024, p. 17 & Issue 02, November, Winter 2024, p. 14
The BookTribe Podcast, season 2: episode 6, “How to Enchant Your Readers with Gina Kammer, October 7, 2024
Arlington Enterprise, November 23, 2023 (p. 7) & November 30, 2023 (p. 3)
ProWritingAid Fantasy Writers' Week, “The 3 Keys to Enchant Readers for Meaningful Impact," April 24, 2024
