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&Each class is 75-minutes, followed by a 15-minute break. Workshop sessions are divided into five tracks: Beginner, Advanced, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Special. On Friday we have a High School track for high school students only. Friday Schedule 8:30 a.m. Registration - Continental Breakfast - Networking 9:00 a.m. Welcome & Announcements Frank Ball 9:30 a.m. Keynote Who’s Your Boss? DiAnn Mills 10:30 a.m. Fiction Five Fatal Flaws of Fiction – The competition is tough. Don’t let these five weaknesses mark you as a newbie and set you up for a knee-jerk rejection from the editor! Vonda Skelton Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Proposals that Grab Attention – Mary takes writers through an actual proposal that sold, highlighting every element: overview, about the book, the market, competition, promotion, about the author, chapter summaries, and sample chapters. Mary shares everything a writer needs to know to demystify the nonfiction proposal. Mary DeMuth Beginner Nuts & Bolts for Rank Beginners – An informative session designed for beginners on the pathway to publishing. Learn how to prepare a professional submission, the best way to approach the marketplace, and insights on how to create priorities for your writing goals. Bring all your “I was afraid to ask, but I need to know” questions. Britta Coleman Advanced How to Podcast Your Book onto the Best Seller List – Your enemy as authors is not piracy. It's obscurity. In this class you will learn how authors like Scott Siglar turned his stories into podcasts and then into best selling books. Learn what a podcast is and what it takes to start your own. Creating your own podcast is easier than you might think. Thomas Umstattd Special Humor on the High Wire: Writing Funny with a Safety Net – Writing humor is a balancing act, but anyone can do it. This session will weave a safety net of simple rules and structures that will help you add smiles or chuckles to any genre of writing. Join us for an interactive class packed with strategies such as the take-off, triples, the eyebrow effect, exaggeration, twisted clichés, and more. You will immediately try your hand at some of the strategies you've just learned. Whether you already write humor or think you can't, you will benefit from following in the footsteps of successful humorists. Step onto the high wire! LaWanda Bailey High School Creating a Scene – Want to get an editor's attention? Learn to really make a scene--in your story that is. Discover techniques to strengthen your story, one scene at a time. Tim Shoemaker 11:45 p.m. Lunch 12:45 p.m. Fiction Making the Perfect Pitch – Your pitch is the best of the best of your writing. It’s your one chance to dazzle an editor or agent. If you were an Olympic skater, it would be your triple axle on the ice, your one shot at the gold. The perfect pitch is a few sentences, short paragraphs---think movie trailer---that describe your article, story or idea. Your pitch becomes your one-page query letter. Whether it’s nonfiction, fiction, a thriller, chiller or cozy romance, it’s the pitch and nothing but…that gets the editor’s attention. So come and join us as we bone up on our “pitchcraft.” Jan Coleman Non-Fiction The Non-Fiction Book: From Concept to Contract – You’ve got the idea. Now what? Here’s how to move your idea from the brain to the bookshelf. Vonda Skelton Beginner So You Think You Have a Book Inside You? – How to go from dream to finished book. There are many Christians who catch themselves saying: “One day I’m going to write a book about this!” or “God told me I had a book inside me.” And yet they don’t follow through with their vision--due to fear, lack of know-how, or merely life itself. You can change that today! Come hear author and writers’ coach Victorya Rogers reveal the clear, easy-to-follow secrets of how you can turn your dream of writing into a real-life finished book! If you're ready to kick your book publishing dream into reality, yet haven't found the time to write your book, let Victorya walk you through the entire start-to-finish process of completing and publishing the book you have inside! She covers how to start, which book to write FIRST, planning out your writing process, writing the table of contents, putting together your full book proposal, even details such of chapter length and expected word count. Victorya also covers the various options of HOW to publish your book after it’s been written, via a mainstream publisher, Christian publisher, self-publisher, ebook, kindle and more. If there’s a book inside you, don’t miss this class! It’s time for your book NOW! Victorya Rogers Advanced E-Publishing and POD: Field of Dreams or Minefield? – With the publishing industry so tight right now, should authors consider self-publishing through e-books and print-on-demand technology? This workshop gives a brief history of e-publishing/POD and covers the pros and cons of this new technology. Jim Pence Special Building Your Platform with Social Media – Social media can turn your book idea into a best seller. It can also be a colossal waste of time. In this class you will learn the advantages and disadvantages of each of the major social media platforms (blogs, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn etc). Learn how to pick the right blend for your book and which sites to avoid altogether. Thomas Umstattd High School Characters: You Must Know Them to Love Them – How well do you know the main character in your story? How about your secondary characters? Participants in this interactive class will learn about different types of characters as well as how to get to know their characters well enough to plot the story. Mona Hodgson 2:15 p.m. Fiction Draw Readers into Your Story with Word Pictures – Discover how the use of figurative language and imagery can deepen your characterization and story world, add layers to the plot, and heighten tension. This workshop will include a look at the literary colors available to us in metaphor, simile, personification, and sense appeal. Mona Hodgson Non-Fiction Grab Your Reader by the Throat: Attention-Getting Openers – The beginning of your story---your lead---is the most important words you’ll ever write. Today’s fickle reader is a browser; you must grab him at the get-go, get her involved and guessing what’s coming next. It’s either lead or lose. And you have only a few sentences to get the job done. Years as a journalist trained Jan to write effective leads. In this workshop she shares her top ten leads, ways to open your article and story so your reader is hooked and stays till “the end.” Jan Coleman Beginner Develop Your Vision Plan – Whether your goal is to write a blog for your church or to publish the next great American novel, being able to articulate your vision can bring you closer to achieving your dream. Learn how to translate the desires of your heart into a written plan that can guide you toward success. Allison Bottke Advanced Building Your Speaking Platform – Move beyond where you are today... to being taken more seriously by publishers and event planners. In this session, we'll explore areas that will help you build and strengthen your speaking platform. You'll learn the importance of prayer as the foundation of your speaking ministry and business; how to put passion and power in your message and ministry; where to find places of preparation and professional development; why it's important to have a plan for your business and how it will benefit you achieve your goals; and where you can promote your speaking ministry in your community and beyond. Karen Power Special Ten Secrets for a Better Blog – There is a big difference between a good blog and a great blog. Many authors' blogs go unread because they don't know the little things that make blogs great. In this class you will learn how to use your blog to build a platform, establish your expertise and change the world. If you have ever wanted a better blog this class is for you. Thomas Umstattd High School Solving Fiction Writing Problems – Viewpoint inconsistencies confuse readers. Show-don't-tell problems weaken your fiction as well. Tim won't just tell you how to strengthen your writing in these areas . . . he'll show you! Students will leave with the highly-coveted "Super-ocular POV Finder". Tim Shoemaker 3:45 p.m. Fiction Putting Words in Their Mouths – Talk may be cheap, but poor dialogue will cost you. The words you put into the mouths of your fiction characters are critical. Learn insights to “heave-ho” the “ho-hum” dialogue. Tim Shoemaker Non-Fiction Write from Your Life – Your own story must be the simplest to write. After all, it’s your story, right? No researching, no interviewing, just calling up all those fascinating facts stored in your memory waiting for your creative call. Sadly, most personal stories have no publishing potential. Sure, it’s an inspiring message, but the reader isn’t engaged, she can’t identify. The story reads like a diary and lacks the dramatic flair to make it compelling from beginning to end. Join Jan as she takes you through the steps of crafting your story into an inspiring page-turner. Jan Coleman Beginner Refine the Writing, Transform the Sentences – No one can write a perfect manuscript in the first draft. This session will show you common problems that plague many writers, and you will see how to rewrite those problem sentences into strong, clean writing. Steve Miller Advanced Commercial Freelancing – If you've been writing for any time at all, you've probably already learned that it's nearly impossible to make a living writing articles and books. However, it is possible to make a very nice living as a commercial freelancer. In this workshop, James H. Pence explains what is involved in becoming a FLCW (Freelance Commercial Writer) and shows you the resources that will help you on your way to becoming a full-time freelance writer. Jim Pence Special How to Write More & Work Less – Are you having trouble finding time to write? In this class you will learn how to be more productive online so that you have dramatically more time to write. Thomas Umstattd High School Plot: Story Building Blocks for Fiction Writers – A solid story contains a beginning, a middle, and an ending. How will you know if your story has all the necessary components? This popular workshop provides you with the building materials you need to lay the foundation for a strong story that will attract readers. Mona Hodgson 5:30 p.m. Dinner 6:30 p.m. Presentation of Awards Frank Ball 7:00 p.m. Keynote New Writers Bloopers Vonda Skelton 7:45 p.m. Dismiss Saturday Schedule 8:30 a.m. Registration - Continental Breakfast - Networking 9:00 a.m. Welcome & Announcements Frank Ball 9:30 a.m. Keynote The Subversive Act of Writing the Truth Mary DeMuth 10:30 a.m. Fiction Fleshing Out Fabulous Fiction – In this session, Mary covers the basics of engaging, great fiction. She encourages writers to kill passive voice, head hopping, adverbs, flabby prose, the mundane and a writer’s fear. She asks writers to embrace inside out writing, telling the truth, healing, learning the craft, realizing story is king, understanding plotting method, and making word count goals. Mary DeMuth Non-Fiction Writing the Memoir: A Novelist’s Perspective – Novelist James H. Pence wrote Terry Caffey's memoir, Terror by Night, using many of the same techniques he would use to write a novel. Learn how to jazz up your narrative nonfiction by learning to incorporate a storyteller's techniques. Jim Pence Beginner Solving Point of View Problems – Viewpoint inconsistencies raise editor's eyebrows and confuse readers. Tim will help you identify and fix common viewpoint problems. You’re guaranteed to “get it”. Attendees will leave with a highly-coveted "Super-ocular POV Finder". Tim Shoemaker Advanced Bring Her On and Let Her Scream (Show, Don’t Tell) – Based on Mark Twain’s line, “Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream,” this session will introduce fresh ways to show in writing. Not only will you hear the old lady scream on paper, you will describe a thunderstorm that will cause readers to pull the covers up tighter. Learn to bring life to any place, character, or situation. Eliminate the confusion between a chain of telling sentences and authentic showing. In this interactive session, you will explore when to show, when to tell, and how to know the difference. LaWanda Bailey Special Writing Books for Young Children – Come to this workshop for an overview of how to write and sell board books and picture books. Mona Hodgson 11:45 p.m. Lunch 12:45 p.m. Fiction How to Write a Captivating Story – Frank Ball uses his SCOOP IT UP acronym to define essential elements in the creation of a story that is captivating. After learning his principles, you can write about a trip to the refrigerator and readers will be desperate to find out what happened Frank Ball Non-Fiction Leaving a Legacy for Your Kids or Grandkids – Sometimes the goal of “getting published” may not be realistic or even the best route we can go. We'll look at ways you can make a huge impact on your kids, grandkids and beyond by getting some of the life experiences and lessons you've learned on paper. This can become a powerful tool in their lives to protect them from traps in life and to encourage them to make the right steps. Tim Shoemaker Beginner Writing Mainstream Fiction from a Christian Perspective – Is it possible to write books for the mainstream from a faith-based perspective? How do you balance your worldview with telling a story to a wider audience? What tools do you need to "cross over" and what pitfalls do you need to avoid? Award-winning author Britta Coleman will discuss these questions and more in this workshop designed for fiction writers. Britta Coleman Advanced Re-slant, Re-sell: Spinoffs to Success – You have a winning idea, done your research, primed your writing pump. So get more mileage out of your words. With a bit of rewriting, you can revise and re-aim your article or story for another market. Join Jan as we talk about spinoffs, how to recycle one idea into multiple by-lines. Jan Coleman Special Teaching Children Biblical Truth through Secular Fiction – It may surprise you to know your children’s book can teach Biblical standards, even in public schools. Vonda has spoken to over 20,000 kids—primarily in the public school setting—filling an educational need for teachers, while offering positive, God-honoring books to students. Come and learn how to write books kids want, and give them the message they need. Vonda Skelton 2:15 p.m. Fiction Become a Creative Genius – Most of us followed a traditional learning path in school, restraining our talents, so we still need to learn how to be creative. Made in God’s image, we have tremendous potential for innovation but must find the keys to unlock our individual strengths. Break away from the social paradigms and educational assumptions that have limited your thinking, and discover methods that will make your writing unique and refreshing. Frank Ball Non-Fiction Can Your Testimony Be Your Ministry? – Can your speaking platform become the foundation of your writing career—of your business? Does your story lend itself to an entire ministry? Learn what it takes to share your life journey in a way that will not only change and challenge the lives of others, but also strengthen your writing career. Allison Bottke Beginner The Art of Rewriting – An interactive workshop designed to take your manuscript from mediocre to marvelous. The program will explore writing tools used by bestselling authors, discuss self-editing techniques, help you set realistic goals, and reveal why knowing what a “fish head” is may just pull your manuscript out of the slush pile. Britta Coleman Advanced Pump Up Your Prose – Mary shares 7 simple ways to improve your writing: ▪ Strengthen verbs ▪ Nix negatives ▪ Kill adverbs and adjectives ▪ Avoid clichés ▪ Show, don’t tell ▪ Make it active ▪ Choose the right word Mary DeMuth Special Plays and Sketches: Biblical Truth from the Stage – Each time Jesus told a parable, He was using drama to teach truth. This class will share five components of scripts, helping you how make real truth easy to understand and apply to everyday life. Vonda Skelton 5:00 p.m. Dismiss |
