Browsed by Category: WordSowers Events & Happenings
Have you ever attended a writer’s conference? You probably expect to get things out of the guest speakers and special sessions, but what about the other authors? There are a number of items you could easily receive simply by networking with other authors. Here are just a few:
Ideas
Authors are brimming with ideas at all times. Now, you aren’t going to go around grabbing other people’s ideas, but one author’s ideas could easily spark something in you. You might bounce something off another author only to have them come up with a perfect solution for your quandary. There are ideas everywhere, just waiting for you to have them!
Inspiration
Talking to authors who are “getting it done” can really inspire you to get back on your projects yourself. You might be inspired to write something new, pick up something old, or persevere until you get that one item you really felt drawn to out into the published world. Inspiration hits when authors are together!
Resources
Do you need help editing? Don’t know where to go in order to have a book cover created? There are authors out there that have the answers and the resources YOU need. All you have to do is find the right fellow author and you can walk away with a wealth of information and connections to the resources you need.
These are just a few of the items you can get from networking with other authors. Conferences are great because speakers give you a lot of intriguing information. But the other authors attending can give you just as much!
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Author/Editor Lee Warren shares, “Why Genre Matters.”
Readers have certain expectations when they buy books.
Romance readers expect a HEA (happily ever after).
Readers of women’s fiction expect strong female protagonists.
Memoir readers expect the author to be vulnerable, while devotional or how-to book readers expect insight.
If you don’t meet genre/reader expectations, your manuscript will be met with resistance. Join us to learn more about genres so you can determine which ones to target with your own writing, and, ultimately, satisfy your readers.
Today, I would like to introduce you to another one of our workshop leaders, Nancy Kay Grace.
Nancy is the author of the award winning devotional, The Grace Impact. She has been published in several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, devotional compilations (including Abba’s Promise), and magazines. Currently Nancy has an article in the Spring 2017 issue of Just Between Us magazine. She lives in Springdale, AR with her husband Rick, who is senior pastor at SpringCreek Fellowship. They have 2 grown children and 5 grandchildren.
What would you like conference attendees to know about you? Maybe something that would help them feel comfortable approaching you. I have been discouraged in my writing journey, thinking I misunderstood what God wanted me to write. Plans changed by things outside my control. I’ve had to learn to trust God with my next step. God uses everything in our lives which us material for writing. His timing is far better than I could have planned.
What do you see as the greatest take away from your workshop and why// Who will get the most out of your workshop? My workshop is “The Potter’s Hand and the Writer,” which will offer inspiration and encouragement for the writer’s journey. If you are discouraged about the writing/ publishing process, this workshop will offer you hope is press on.
If you could share only one piece of information/tip/encouragement with a writer, what would it be? It’s easy to be overwhelmed with all that is involved in the writing journey. One tip I would share is to do the next step. Even if it’s one small thing, move forward toward your goal. Each person’s journey and timeline is unique.
The Grace Impact
Through the Bible we see how God lavishes His grace on us. In all things at all times, His grace covers every detail of life, not just the good things, but the difficult, sad, and complicated things. That knowledge can give us the ability to walk confidently through life knowing our heavenly Father is with us every step of the way. As we grow in understanding grace, we are called to be grace-givers.
The Grace Impact has been awarded the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book of the Year Award in the Christian Non-fiction category. The book has also a finalist in the daVinci Eye Cover Design and honorable mention in the Spirituality category of the 2016 Eric Hoffer awards. It was also a finalist in the 2016 International Book Awards in the “Religion: Christian Inspirational” category.
Today, we would like to introduce you to conference workshop leader, Nadine Brandes.
Nadine is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. Her debut YA novel, A Time to Die, won the ACFW Carol Award while both it and the sequel finaled for the Christy Award. Nadine’s been known to eat an entire package of Oreos by herself, and watches Fiddler on the Roof at least once a year. She writes about brave living and other worlds soaked in imagination. When she’s not taste-testing a new chai, she and her hubby are rockin’ shalom, dorkiness, and board games with college students in the midwest.
Connect with Nadine: Website Facebook Twitter.
What would you like conference attendees to know about you? Maybe something that would help them feel comfortable approaching you. That I love meeting new people and I’m just like any other writer there—I get nervous and, depending on the day, I can be ridiculously shy. I’m terrible with names. I’m a tea drinker (just come up to me and say “TEA!” and I will hug you. 😉 ) I have trouble finding a writing rhythm and I almost always loathe my first drafts.
You are my people—fellow writers and lovers of Christ! Come say hello, even if I’m in conversation or being an awkward wallflower. 😉
What do you see as the greatest take away from your workshop/who will get the most out of it? This workshop will leave attendees with a full and well-rounded understanding of the YA genre—from readers to writers to publishing to marketing.
This workshop is for anyone who wants to understand the YA genre and market. Being aware of the “hot markets” is key to getting our books out there! And YA is one we need to watch because these readers are shaping the reaing community of the future. I think that writers interested in reaching teens, young adults, or adults who read YA literature (which is the majority of readers in the YA genre) will get the most out of this workshop.
If you could share only one piece of information/tip/encouragement with a writer, what would it be? Frankly, it wouldn’t have anything to do with the actual writing craft. It would be this: Immerse yourself in Christ. Perhaps that sounds cliche, but I have to remind myself daily. Write with Him as your reward—not as though a published book or a contract or 100 five-star reviews are your rewards. Because He is the one who will use your writing to reach (and change) the world. Pray over your writing constantly. Draw inspiration from His word. I could go on and on. 🙂
Nadine will also be available to for paid critiques.
Click image to purchase a paid critique.
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Check out her books!
Book 1 – A Time to Die
How would you live if you knew the day you’d die? Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government’s crooked justice system. But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall — her people’s death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out.
Book 2 – A Time to Speak
How do you live after you planned to die? Parvin Blackwater should have died in her brother’s place. She didn’t. Now she’s the only one who can protect her village, but no one wants to listen. When the Council starts forcing “new and improved” Clocks on the public, those who refuse are declared Radicals and exiled. Having been across the Wall once, Parvin is the only one who can save them. But instead of going through the Wall, she’s packed into a boxcar, loaded on a cargo ship, and forced out to sea. How will she lead when facing the unknown? Worse yet, why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?
Book 3 – A Time to Rise
What more can you sacrifice than your life? Parvin Blackwater is dead. At least…that’s what the Council—and the world—thinks. But her sacrifice tore down part of the Wall long enough to stir up hope and rebellion in the people. Now she will rise again. Strong, free, and fearless. Parvin and Solomon must uncover the mysterious clues that Jude left behind in order to destroy the projected Wall once and for all. Meanwhile, the Council schemes to new levels of technology in its attempts to keep the people contained. Can a one-handed Radical and a scarred ex-Enforcer really bring shalom to the world? This is the concluding book in the Out of Time Series.
If you would like to purchase a copy of her books, visit her books page on her website.
Today, we would like to introduce you to conference workshop leader, Ben Wolf, founder of Splickety Publishing Group (SPG). He will be teaching three workshops at our 5th annual Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference, April 28-29, 2017.
Ben says his writing career started in the 7th grade after he saw the movie Congo on TV. It was so bad that he wrote a parody of it set in Australia and featured murderous kangaroos instead of gorillas. You don’t want to miss his workshops. The Wordsowers Christian Writers (WCW) Leadership Team had the opportunity to interview Ben and share a bit with you about this award-winning author on the Splicity—fast—writing track.
Ben founded Splickety Publishing Group (SPG) to meet the needs of busy folks like him: people who appreciate great fiction but lack the time to read. SPG offers three quarterly flash fiction magazines: Splickety (multi-genre), Havok (speculative), and Splickety Love (romance).
What piece of advice helped you or made a difference in your writing? I’ve always been a fan of Mickey Spillane’s quote, “The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book.”
A quote I saw recently said every story is built with the use of the same alphabet—26 letters? How do you glean ideas for a new story line, something different? My ideas come from a bunch of random sources. It could be anything from a dream or a daydream to an observation to a mashup of ideas or concepts that wouldn’t ordinarily go together without serious thought and creativity. It has been a ton of fun to play with my ideas and craft something new and weird and exciting.
When beginning a new novel, how do you piece together your protagonist—find a photo, have a file on hand filled with ideas, or do you fill out a form with all the details? I’m actually really bad at this. Usually I’m a plot first guy, so my characters have to get developed later on. I take notes on the basics (hair color, eye color, height, weight, build, personality traits), but in general I try to let the characters reveal who they are to me as I write the story.
Do you have any amusing story that happened to you while marketing your books? Nothing too unusual has happened to me while marketing my work… yet. This is quite peripheral, but I met Jeff Goldblum at the Oregon Christian Writers Conference a couple of years ago. He was filming an episode for Portlandia, and he proceeded to serenade me in the hotel lobby with piano jazz tunes. It was surreal and amazing. I had books to sell at the conference. Does that count?
~ ~ ~
Ben has written six action/adventure novels (five of which are good) and has multiple other projects in the works. His first novel, Blood for Blood won the 2015 Cascade Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel and has been characterized as “bold…with nonstop tension” and “hard to put down.” It examines the question of whether or not God can redeem anyone—even a vampire. His debut children’s book, I’d Punch a Lion in His Eye for You, is a 2016 Cascade Award finalist and is beloved by children nationwide.
In addition to his writing career, Ben offers a variety of professional services to aspiring writers including: Editing and Proofreading, Ghostwriting, Strategic Novel Planning, Coaching, and Marketing/Branding Consulting, Public Speaking and Teaching on Writing, Publishing, and Flash Fiction, One-on-One Mentoring and Encouragement.
For more information about his writing and his professional services, please visit his website, www.benwolf.com. You can also friend Ben Wolf on Facebook and follow him on Twitter (@1BenWolf).
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Ben will also be available for paid critiques at the conference.
Today, Janet Sobczyk joins us again and shares her anticipation for this year’s writers conference!
It’s been almost a year since my first Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference. I’ve made great strides (okay, baby steps) with my writing. It feels terrific!
Right away I joined Wordsowers and began to attend their monthly meetings at the Swanson Library in Omaha. I can’t always make it (the last Thursday of each month, 6:00 to 7:45) but when I do, I leave inspired and happy.
At the meetings I heard about the critique group that meets once a month. I’ve only been able to go once so far, but in that session I learned so much! They showed me how to format manuscripts to be taken seriously by editors. They showed me how awesome it feels to be surrounded by successful people who want to help you succeed.
I’ve used what I learned at the conference to submit poetry and articles to magazines, with a few successes. It’s nice to have some of the poems in my binder collection be seen by readers beyond my own family.
I’ve discovered how to be patient through the long wait for responses to submissions. A writer just keeps working and submitting. “You can’t sell what you don’t submit” is true! And rejection letters truly are just one submission closer to success.
Now I have new ideas and questions (and business cards!) to take to the 2017 Conference. I can’t wait to hear the new speakers and meet more writers. I know the 2017 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference will inspire me to take the next steps in my writing.
If you have signed up for our conference, what are you most looking forward to?
Look for more next week from Janet about her first conference experience.
Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.
When you read your manuscript, you read what you think you wrote, not what’s actually there. It’s nearly impossible to read your own work! What if you could have a professional writer read it and tell you what they thought? They might have just the right suggestions to make it really shine! Oh, but that would be expensive. That would clean you out, right? Wrong!
When you attend the Wordsowers Christian Writer’s Conference, you get a workshop leader manuscript critique for $25! There are so many things you get from that, like…
One-on-one guidance: You get to meet with the writing professional who reviewed your work. They will tell you what they think face to face. Don’t worry, they’ll be kind! They’ll point out ways to make your work better. They might show you something you hadn’t seen before. In the end, your writing will be better for it.
Help with errors: Every writer makes errors, but it’s hard to see where you’ve gone wrong. The workshop leader will spot things that got past you, spell check, and the friends you’ve had read it. When you correct errors, your work is much more ready for editors and agents.
Encouragement: The workshop leaders have been in your seat. It’s taken all of them time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears to become professional writers. They know what it’s like to be starting out. Hearing from them, including where they’ve been and what they’ve been through, can help you realize that your dream can be reached as well. You’ll leave the session with ideas for your piece and excitement for your writing future.
Submit something you’re really excited about, then sit down for a one-on-one and find out how to make it better! $25 is a small price to pay for one critique. You get so much more than red ink on a page! Click HERE for details. Order and send in your manuscript asap to make the most of this opportunity!
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Meet Brooke Williams, one of our conference workshop leaders. We asked her a few questions so you could get to know her ahead of time.
What would you like conference attendees to know about you? Maybe something that would help them feel comfortable approaching you.
I’m a stereotypical writer…an introvert at heart. The fact that I survived in radio is amazing to me today. If I can do it you can and I’ll show you how! I’m primarily a stay at home mom to two young girls. Ask to see pictures. I’ll drag them out! Haha. When my youngest naps…I write! I’m primarily a freelance writer but I dabble in the author world when I can. I find it a great escape to everyday life and stress!
Feel free to contact me anytime! I write romantic comedy to give you some laughs. My next release Called “The Leftover” drops in September and I’m super excited about it! Check out my website. You can also contact me on Twitter and Facebook.
What do you see as the greatest take away/who will get the most out of your workshop?
I’m presenting the workshop on how to get and give radio and tv interviews. If you want to promote your book, your devotional, a certain topic you cover or whatever, you might want media attention. How do you get it?! I spent over a decade in the radio industry so I have lots of tips on how to get the interviews and then how to conduct them so you don’t feel like you made a mistake getting it in the first place. I also spent five months on the local news so I picked up some helpful tricks there as well. Mostly what not to do. Haha. I’ll pass them along to you! As writers we can love what we do passionately but unless we get it out there for others, it stays in a box. It’s fun to hear about ways to get the word out!
If you could share only one piece of information/tip/encouragement with a writer, what would it be?
Don’t give up on your dreams! Write first and foremost because you love it. Then don’t stop until you reach your goals. No…don’t even stop then! If you stop trying you’ll for sure never reach those goals right?! Don’t let anything deter you. Got it?
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Today, new Wordsower, Janet Sobczyk shares about her experience meeting with speakers.
At the 2016 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference I met three of the speakers. Each made a lasting impression.
First, Lee Warren at his book table. He’s a journalist, author, editor, and member of Wordsowers Christian Writers. I attended his workshop, and purchased his instructional materials for writers. But the time spent at his table wasn’t about his experiences. He asked about my projects and advised what to do next. He suggested I sign up for a one-on-one session with the keynote speaker, which I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing. He told me exactly how to prepare for that meeting. So I did!
The keynote speaker was Troy Griepentrog, a senior associate editor for Focus on the Family. I approached the meeting just the way Lee directed me, and we had a wonderful conversation. He assured me there is a need for articles about the topics I suggested. He encouraged me to send a query email, and promised to forward it to the proper editor.
The third speaker I met was Sally Jadlow, a published author and poet who teaches creative writing. She edited (and praised!) a poem I brought, and asked what other writing I’ve done. I admitted I’ve only had a few published articles, but two poems and a creative non-fiction piece had won writing contests. She exclaimed, “You’re an award-winning writer! You need to say that whenever you write a bio for submissions.”
I walked away from each meeting with more confidence and knowledge. Thank you, Wordsowers Christian Writers, for inviting such awesome speakers!
What apprehensions (or advice) do you have about meeting with conference speakers?
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Next week, Janet shares about her anticipation for this year’s conference.
Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.
This year we welcome Susan King back to our conference. She will be presenting two workshops. Style: The Key to Excellence in Writing and Turning Personal Experience into a Devotional Message
Susan and husband, Joe, have three grown children and two young grandchildren. While Joe and their children are whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River, Susan can be found with her daughter-in-law and the grandchildren at a children’s museum or aquarium.
How did you get into writing/publishing/editing? As an English major in college, of course I was always intending to write “The Great American Novel.” When a stay-at-home mom and pregnant with my third child, I started writing that novel as a catharsis while going through a major crisis with my parents’ marriage. When the crisis abated, my motivation to finish that novel ebbed as well. At the same time, I discovered magazine-feature writing as a way to help bring in money to support our family. A year later, due to rumors that the company my husband was working for was closing down, I sought and secured a position as a writer and editor for a Christian psychological institute and later began teaching English full-time at Biola University. Soon after my husband’s job took us to Nashville (and a teaching position at Lipscomb University), the sale of our house in California fell through and I had to seek a second full-time position—this time as an editorial assistant for The Upper Room. (When I answered the ad, all I knew was that it was a part-time secretarial position at The United Methodist Board of Discipleship.) Before long, I was Assistant Editor and then Associate Editor (all the while continuing to teach full time).
Minoring in magazine production in college, all I really wanted to be was an editor, but I didn’t know how to become one. I knew how to become a college professor (since both my parents were). Yet, for over 20 years now, I have worked as an editor. Long after I had put that dream aside, God gave me the desires of my heart. (See Psalm 37:4.)
What do you see as the greatest take away from your workshop? The motivation and skills to write an excellent devotional and to improve a conferee’s writing in every genre.
Who will get the most out of your workshop? Anyone who wants to write excellently and to reach an audience of millions all over the world.
What book are you currently reading? The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King.
If you could share only one piece of information with a writer, what would it be? While writing and publishing a book sounds very appealing, don’t forget the many advantages to writing for magazines before, during, and after the book writing.
Thank you, Susan.
We look forward to seeing you again at the Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference April 28-29!
To find out more about our conference and to register click HERE.
Today, Janet Sobczyk joins us again to share about her first experience at a Wordsowers Writers Conference.
Wordsowers Writers Conference 2016
The 2016 WCW Conference changed my entire outlook on writing. Over the span of two days last April I was transformed, in my own mind, from “someone who likes to write” into a Writer and a Poet. I grew to understand that’s who I am, even if it’s not what I do full-time.
I was surprised to find that people I met at the conference were actually interested in my ideas and took them seriously. They convinced me to take myself seriously, and to pursue those ideas.
One of the speakers pointed out that many people feel they cannot call themselves writers until they have published a book or are writing full time. But really, it’s not just about being published. It’s about having the interest, ability, ideas, and calling to write. Getting published is the icing on the cake!
The speakers all presented very effectively; it was a joy to learn from them. They also were available not only at their book tables, but for one-on-one sessions with attendees. Agents and editors were available to critique manuscripts (some for a fee, others for free). They told me what next steps I should take toward making my writing marketable.
If you like to write, even if you’re not yet a “published author,” make plans to come. You’ll be glad you did!
What perspectives would you like to change about your writing?
Next week, Janet shares her experience talking with conference speakers.
Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.
Today, new Wordsower, Janet Sobczyk shares her first experience at a Wordsowers Writers Conference.
A close friend of mine heard an ad for the 2016 Wordsowers Writers Conference on KGBI Radio, and texted me about it. I looked into the details, but hesitated. There were two strikes against my going:
It fell on a busy weekend.
It seemed a stretch to my slim budget.
However, my friend insisted that I go. She said it was a God thing, a nudge from the Holy Spirit kind of thing. So I registered and went.
It felt awkward going to a conference without knowing anyone there. But at least I live nearby. I met a writer who drove across 2 states just to attend. She felt uncomfortable at first, too, so we visited and sat together at each meal break (the food was fantastic!)
At every workshop I sat enthralled, but managed to take notes. Each one had such wonderful information and helpful Q&A time. Questions were brought up that I didn’t even know to ask, and I learned from them all.
At the book tables I chatted with published authors. They freely gave advice, encouragement, and solid answers to my writing problems.
The core team of Wordsowers Christian Writers worked tirelessly to make the conference run smoothly. I grew to admire and appreciate their experiences, and their selfless motivation to help other writers.
When I left, I promised myself to return the next year. Well, it is now next year. I am registered and ready to go. Won’t you join me?
What is your biggest obstacle to attending a writers conference?
Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.
Look for more next week from Janet about her first conference experience.
Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.
