FRIDAY, MAY 17
8:30 a.m. Registration Opens. Overlake Christian Church, 9900 Willow Road NE, Redmond, WA 98052.
9:30 --- 10:30 a.m. Welcome. Announcements. Orientation. How to make the most of editor/agent appointments. Learn how to talk to editors and agents, what to avoid, and what will make you and your idea stand out. Intro with Dennis Brooke; session led by Jim Rubart. Come with your questions and learn how to shine!
10:30 Break
11:00 a.m. --- 12:10 p.m. and 1:30 --- 4 p.m. Group Editorial Appointments (Friday only). Appointments with editorial representatives Adams, Florea, Van Diest, and Whalin. Editorial appointment requests made when you register online. Priority given based on registration date so register early. See conference information on the website for specifics about what each editor or agent wants to see.
11:00 a.m. --- 12:10 p.m. and 1:30 --- 4 p.m. Ask the Experts. Informal roundtable discussion groups on topics of broad interest. Join with other writers and knowledgeable facilitators for a free and open discussion:
11:00 a.m. --- 12:10 p.m. and 1:30 --- 4 p.m. Critique Sessions (Friday only). 15-minute critique session with a published author or critique group leader. Bring a query letter, a chapter, or article. Sign up on-site.
12:10 --- 1:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
4:15 --- 5:30 p.m. Elective Workshops Session #1
Three Methods for Powerful Storytelling / Dennis Brooke
Stories aren’t just for fun--they’re serious tools for writers and speakers who want to change the world. In this session you’ll learn three storytelling methods to make your novel, speech, or non-fiction work an agent of influence.
Publishing in Your Own Backyard / Diane Wright
In the quest to get published, don't forget those local bylines and how key they are to a career. We'll discuss oft-overlooked resources, how to find publications, and how to contact editors. If you choose, bring an article that inspired you and practice "selling" it to the class. We'll have handouts and a guest speaker.
Start Your Writing Engines / Gigi Murfitt
Get your writing juices flowing in this interactive workshop. Start that book or article with writing prompts and help from fellow workshop attendees. Join Gigi Murfitt as she encourages you to simply sit down and write.
How to Wow an Agent (Author’s View) / Melissa Norris / Janalyn Voigt
Develop a list of prospective agents. Learn how to present yourself to agents on that list both online and in person. Discover how to attract agents through use of social media the right way, and what you’ll need in order to submit your work to them.
Strategies for Beginning the Writing Journey / Diana Savage
What you need to know about turning your writing talent and desire into a marketable skill. Included: proven strategies for identifying the right publishers, capturing the attention of agents and editors, and becoming a money-making writer.
Begin and End with a Bang / Jesse Florea
Studies show you have 15 seconds to grab a reader’s attention. (Maybe even less for a busy editor.) An intriguing lead could be the difference between publication and rejection. We’ll look at different types of leads and help you stop your story at the right place. Note: All attendees are encouraged to bring a first page from a manuscript they’ve written that will be read anonymously and critiqued during the session.
6:00 p.m. Dinner (included with registration)
6 --- 8 p.m. An Evening with Jane Kirkpatrick: “Finding Home.” Whether a native North Westerner or a transplant like author Jane Kirkpatrick, the place you call home shapes the writer you are and will become. Through four special words, Jane will share insights about finding home as the child of a dairyman in Wisconsin to a "homesteader" on a remote ranch in Eastern Oregon to small acreage outside Bend, Oregon, and how what we know first stays with us to help inspire our greatest work. The evening includes music, banquet, introduction of workshop presenters, book signing for Jane and all authors with books on consignment in the Conference Bookstore, and delicious desserts.
TICKETS: FREE with each paid Writers Renewal registration; guests, $10, dessert only, $22 with dinner.
SATURDAY, MAY 18
8:00 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast
8:30 --- 9:00 a.m. Welcome. Singing. Devotions. Announcements.
9:15 --- 10:30 a.m. Elective Workshops Session #2
Putting Duct Tape on the Harpies / Jane Kirkpatrick
Nothing keeps writers from pursuing their goals like harpies who sit behind us saying "Who told you that could write?" or "What makes you think your book will get published?" Jane offers a practical way of silencing those negative voices exchanging their demeaning words for inspiring ones to keep us moving forward toward our writing goals.
A View from the Inside of Publishing / David Van Diest
Let’s practice thinking like a publisher. Too often writers approach their proposal and dialogue with publishers from their individual perspectives. David will help you “sit in the chair” of the publishing board so you will approach those encounters more effectively.
How to Wow an Agent (Agent’s View) / Kimberly Shumate
Avoid making mistakes that could cost you representation. This workshop covers submission etiquette, queries and cover letters, sample material, and also the fatal mistakes that you may not be aware of such as editor pet peeves, clichés, title fatigue, and more. You will walk away with the granddaddy of all cheat sheets to help you get noticed for all the right reasons.
25 Marketing Tips So Hot They’ll Scorch Your Keyboard / Jim Rubart
Want marketing theory? Or things you can do immediately to rocket- launch your marketing efforts? During this workshop, marketing guru James L. Rubart, will share the tips (as well as his friend’s tips) that made him a bestselling author.
Editors Read Book Proposals Not Manuscripts / Terry Whalin
How do you write a book proposal? What makes an excellent proposal and what makes a terrible one? How do you determine which publishers are interested in your particular proposal? Terry Whalin has reviewed thousands of proposals from fiction and nonfiction writers. As a former acquisitions editor and former literary agent, he knows exactly what he needs to secure a book contract for the writerundefinedbut often these proposals don’t include the critical elements. This session includes practical how-to information about proposal writing from the editor’s perspective.
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. --- 12 Noon Elective Workshops Session #3
Top 10 Reasons Your Manuscript Was Rejected / Beth Adams
The number one question on the mind of any writer who has ever been rejected (and that includes all of us!) is why? This class will take you inside an editor’s mind and help you understand what you can do to strengthen your proposal.
Poems of Faith and Doubt / Hannah Notess
From the time of the Psalms until today, poets have spoken to, wrestled with, questioned, and argued with God to deepen and revitalize their faith. In this workshop, we'll look at contemporary poems that explore the territory of faith and doubt in innovative ways undefined and we'll try some writing exercises to craft poems of our own.
Writing Historical Fiction: The Making of The Year We Were Famous / Carole Dagg
With news clippings, maps, period postcards, and other regalia that inspired scenes in her book, the author will demonstrate how broadening the scope of research and immersing yourself in character can fill gaps between known facts to create memorable stories.
Public Speaking Start to Finish / Michelle Hollomon / Laura Smith
If you need to enhance your platform with public speaking, then we want to help you! We will cover how to get and prepare for speaking gigs, overcome stage fright, and develop your signature message - - from start to finish.
Success Through Social Media / Melissa Norris / Janalyn Voigt
Learn how to use social media no matter what social platform you choose. Learn who your target audience is, how to reach them via social media, and create and implement a tailor-made social media plan.
The Nuts & Bolts of Screenwriting / Kimberly Shumate
Let’s explore the basics of screenwriting as it follows the Syd Field paradigm. Includes character construction, plot development (set up/conflict/resolution), story pace, plot points, dialogue, continuity, and more.
12 Noon --- 1:00 p.m. – Lunch (included in your registration)
1:00 --- 2:15 p.m. General Session: Reality Panel of Publishing Experts
2:15 p.m. Break
2:30 --- 3:45 p.m. Elective Workshops Session #4
Do’s and Don’ts of Writing for Children / Jesse Florea
By following these do’s and don’ts you’ll have a better chance of writing stories that will catch an editor’s eye and entertain a child. You’ll learn industry trends, audience insights, and more.
Easy Peasy Tools Make Your Writing Life Easier / Gig Murfitt
Need tools to make your writing life easier? Come play with a Dragon (Dragon Naturally Speaking voice-to-text software). Get Smart with your smart phone's tools. Capture it all with the LiveScribe pen. A hands-on workshop you won't want to miss.
Become a Prolific Writer & Write Less / Terry Whalin
Learn the insider secrets of repurposing to broaden your writing world and open new opportunities for ministry and income. Terry Whalin has modeled and will teach the techniques in this workshop. Whether you have never been published or are much published, you need these tools.
How to Write for Chicken Soup Anthologies / Diana Savage
Writers sometimes break into print through book compilations, but what should you consider as your expertise grows? How do compilations help or hinder your writing career? Included: how to find submission opportunities and ways to increase chances of your story’s acceptance.
Character Dynamics: Bring ‘Em to Life / Ocieanna Fleiss
Create characters that feel real and multi-layered so that your novel is your unique story. We’ll also explore character arcs and a few “How I Do It” charts.
Iron Sharpens Iron: How to Find the "Write" Critique Partner / Kat Albrecht / Sarah Moser
As iron sharpens iron, critique partners help us sharpen our words. In this workshop, mystery writers Kat Albrecht and Sarah Moser share how God brought them together and includes tips on how to find God’s perfect critique match for you.
4:00 --- 6:00 p.m. – Sound Off / General Session / The Year Ahead. A time of community sharing and our closing session with Jane Kirkpatrick. She will speak on “Giving Ourselves Credit.” Credit is a banking term gleaned from the first century and it means "to believe." It walks side by side with the word commitment, also an ancient banking term. Jane will explore six ways to believe in our writing passion and our abilities to make meaningful deposits in the writing life.