Faculty are available for free one-on-one 15-minute appointments! Be sure to complete and return your Appointment Request form that you will receive as soon as all the bios and editorial needs are added to this website. For your appointments to be booked in the order that you registered, your form must be received by April 15. That means early registrants do NOT need to rush. It is wise to wait until all the editorial needs are posted. All appointment requests must be received by April 30.
For more information on editorial needs, be sure to check the 2019 Christian Writer’s Market Guide available at a discount through our Write His Answer Bookstore. To help you prepare, I encourage you to also check out the other titles in our writers' bookstore. There is no shipping charge for orders over $35, and all the books are discounted. Book sales help us meet conference expenses.
Helpful Editorial Needs Chart
to discover names of all the editors interested
in what you are writing.
Then for more specific info, click the ink with their bios below.
Click here for PDF
Click here for PDF
Click here for PDF
Book Editors
Debbie Maxwell Allen
Project Manager
Good Catch Publishing
Scrivener Expert
Author, Freelance Editor
Debbie works as a freelance editor, as well as a project manager for Good Catch Publishing. She writes young adult historical fantasy in the Rocky Mountains. Debbie also loves to revolutionize other writers’ lives with the wonders of Scrivener. The rest of the time, she keeps tabs on her husband, five children, two cats, and one new grandchild. She blogs about free resources for writers at https://writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com.
Learning Lab – Scrivener from 0 to 60: Get up and running – and writing – with Scrivener TODAY
(Wednesday, E1, 1:00 – 4:00)
Scrivener writing software: everyone says they love it, but what writer has time to learn something new? And most writers using Scrivener miss out on some of the program’s best elements. This workshop will help you start, literally, at zero, and get up and running right away. Even long-time users will learn to take advantage of features they didn’t know were there. Learn to navigate stunning elements to make writing – and research – faster and more efficient, no matter what genre. This workshop is for both fiction and nonfiction writers. Bring your computer with Scrivener already downloaded (you can try it free for 30 days).
Early Bird Workshop – Practical Productivity: 10 Ways to Write More, Write Better, and Quash Your Inner Editor (Wednesday, E16, 4:45 – 5:45)
If the lure of laundry pulls you from your writing, if the fear of the blank page keeps you from your writing chair, if the siren song of social media spirits you away down the visual rabbit hole, this class is for you. We'll figure out your reasons for distraction and how to address each one. Before long, your words on the page will become an unstoppable snowball!
Nightowl Critique Group with Scoti Domeij (Thursday 9:30 pm)
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Newsflash! - Formatting your book for print used to be one of two things: mind-bogglingly complex or astronomically expensive. For a busy (and cash-strapped) indie author trying to earn income, neither is acceptable. But now there’s Vellum - easy-to-use (really!) software that formats your book in both print and ebook files for all platforms in a matter of minutes, giving you professional results for a reasonable cost. Email Barb Haley (haleybarb@yahoo.com) if you’re interested in meeting with Debbie to learn how Vellum can help you. You can download the program (free to try) at www.vellum.pub. It’s a Mac program, but Debbie can show you how PC users can take advantage of the software as well.
Susan Baganz
Acquisitions Editor
Pelican Book Group
(White Rose Publishing, Harborlight Books, Watershed Books, |
Pure Amore, and Prism Book Group)
Author
www.susanbaganz.com
Susan chases after three Hobbits, and is a native of Wisconsin. She is an Acquisitions Editor with Prism Book Group specializing in bringing great romance novels and novellas to publication. Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical worldview. She also speaks, teaches, and encourages others to follow God in being all He has created them to be. With her seminary degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and years serving in church ministry, she understands the complexities and pain of life as well as its craziness. She serves behind-the-scenes in various capacities at her church as well as serving on the board of her local American Christian Fiction Writer’s (ACFW) chapter. Her favorite pastimes are lazy . . . snuggling with her dog while reading a good book, or sitting with a friend chatting over a cup of spiced chai latte.
Early Bird Workshop – The Heart of a Writer (Wednesday, E17, 4:45 – 5:45)
How can we nurture our relationship with God as we write? The importance of accountability for the quality of our writing and especially for our faith walk.
Workshop – Using Your Past in Your Fiction (Friday, 4C)
Looks at how we can and do use our past experiences, pain, and unresolved emotional issues in our writing to provide healing and hope as well as a cathartic outlet.
Workshop – The Heartbeat of Inspirational Romance (Saturday, 5C)
What constitutes an inspirational romance, and how far can a Christian writer realistically go with the romance between a man and a woman?
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Marlene Bagnull 
Conference Director
Publisher, Editor
Ampelos Press
Author, Speaker
www.writehisanswer.com
Marlene is the director of the Colorado and the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference and the publisher/editor of Ampelos Press, a small subsidy house that helps Christians self-publish affordably yet professionally. She has over 1,000 sales to Christian periodicals and is the author of five books including Write His Answer - A Bible Study for Christian Writers (in print for 27 years). She is also the compiler/editor of four other books. She recently republished the first book she wrote, #MyFamilyToo – How Our Family Coped with Childhood Sexual Abuse. Lynne Babbitt added “A Counselor’s Perspective” to the back of the book.
Editorial Needs – Ampelos Press publishes only one or two titles a year. I am especially interested in helping authors self-publish books about missions and the needs of children such as The Place of the Mourning Doves - Reaching Out to Romanian Orphans and Benard's Vision - The Quest of a Kenyan Pastor. I will also consider issues fiction.
Click here for areas of expertise for one-on-one appointments. I also welcome the opportunity to pray for you.
Ingrid Beck
Senior Editor
Waterbrook & Multmonah
A Division of Penguin/Random House
Ingrid has more than seventeen years of diverse publishing experience. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Kansas State University, she got her start in publishing at River Oak Books in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and went on to work for David C Cook and Moody Publishers. In her current role at Waterbrook and Multnomah, Ingrid acquires and edits a diverse list of nonfiction books including memoir, Christian living, and self-help. She loves collaborating with authors to help them refine their message and reach their intended audience. A passionate and voracious reader, Ingrid strives to keep up with the latest buzz-worthy reads in both fiction and nonfiction. When she’s not reading or editing, Ingrid enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains of Colorado and spending time with her extended family, especially her ten nieces and nephews.
Click here for editorial needs.
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Michelle Booth
Acquisitions Editor
Marketing Coach
EABooks Publishing
Ghostwriter
Michelle has more than 20 years of experience helping clients tell their stories. In addition to her writing, editing, and proofreading expertise, she has proven skills in formulating and executing marketing communication plans; creating and implementing PR campaigns; planning advertising campaigns; and orchestrating special events and industry trade shows for domestic and international companies. Michelle is one of EABooks' Marketing Coaches and she is also a much sought after ghostwriter. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa; she is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and the Florida Authors & Publishers Association.
Click here for editorial needs.
Karen Linamen Bouchard
Acquisitions Editor
Illumify Media Global
Editor, Power for Living
Best-selling Author, National Speaker
Karen is a bestselling author, national speaker, editor of David C Cook’s Power for Living magazine, and Acquisitions Editor with Illumify Media, a publishing company currently contracting 20-30 titles annually. She also provides one-on-one coaching to writers—published and not published—of all genres who want to polish their craft, publish their books, or grow their platforms. Karen has more than 30 years’ experience in writing and publishing, having written hundreds of magazine articles and authored fifteen books of her own under the name “Karen Linamen.” Her books include the bestselling Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt, The Chocolate Diaries, Sometimes I Wake Up Grumpy (And Sometimes I Let Him Sleep), and many more.
Continuing Session – Your Nonfiction Book: From Good to Great with Michael J. Klassen
If you want to transform lives with your nonfiction book, there are steps you need to take long before you type your opening sentence—and steps you need to continue taking after your book hits the shelves. Michael and Karen break it all down and share practical strategies you can follow at every stage.
You’ll learn how to find your nonfiction sweet spot, how to identify specific words and phrases that will resonate with your audience, how to craft a riveting book proposal, and how to begin TODAY building or growing your author platform.
You’ll also learn how to organize content in your how-to, self-help, or inspirational book, and how to follow a fool-proof complication/resolution formula if you are writing a true story. We’ll even talk about the three unbreakable rules of writing a powerful memoir.
We’ll work through a few game-changing worksheets and exercises, and there will be time for questions. And if you’re working on a manuscript, bring it! We want to make sure you get exactly what you need out of these sessions to take your nonfiction book from good to great!
Workshop – How to Add More Humor to Your Writing (Thursday, 1B)
You don’t have to be a stand-up comic to win with humor. Whatever you are writing—fiction, nonfiction, how-to articles, blog posts, stand-up comedy, sermons or speeches—humor keeps readers engaged and on your side. The author of a dozen humorous, inspirational books for women, Karen has also written a humor column for Women of Faith and was named “The queen of good humor and common sense” by The Literary Guild. Join her as she shares inside secrets to delighting your reader with humor, regardless of your style or genre.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Scoti Domeij
Acquisitions Editor, Blackside Publishing
Director, Springs Writers
Author
Scoti has held various responsibilities with 10 traditional publishers including author; editor; senior research assistant; copywriter; marketing director; and production, art, and design coordinator. As Director of Springs Writers, which offers monthly conference-quality workshops and bi-annual writing boot camps, Scoti’s passion is to help writers hone their skills, pursue their passion, and publish the story God embedded in their hearts.
She has published over 400 articles in such diverse periodicals as The New York Times, Southwest Art, School Daze, Sam Journal, Contemporary Christian Music, Focus on the Family magazine and other parenting magazines. She contributed to Violence of Action: The Untold Stories of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the War on Terror (Blackside Concepts), Love is a Verb and Heaven Touching Earth (Bethany House), Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press), Extraordinary Answers to Prayer: In Times of Change (Guideposts), and The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure (Revell). She authored Bible Heroes (Rainbow Publishers) and co-authored Wrong Way, Jonah (Harvest House Publishers) with Kay Arthur.
Scoti is the proud Gold Star mother of Army Ranger Sgt. First Class Kristoffer Domeij, KIA October 22, 2011, in Afghanistan on his 14th deployment, the most deployed soldier in American history to be killed in action. As a result of her loss, God opened the door for Scoti to become the Acquisitions Editor for Blackside Publishing. In her role as an editor and a contributing writer for Havok Journal, an online Huff-post-style journal targeted to and written by military personnel and veterans, Scoti opens conversations on subjects-you’re-not-supposed-to-talk-about.
Clinic – Build a Book Promotional Power Pack
Many authors frantically try to create last-minute marketing materials after their book launches. Discover the marketing pieces you need to harness the power of your book launch, respond immediately to unexpected requests for interviews or other promotional opportunities, and to promote your book throughout the year. Click here for more information and the needed application.
Nightowl Critique Group with Debbie Maxwell Allen (Wednesday, 9:30 pm)
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Michael J. Klassen
President
Illumify Media Global
Author, Ghostwriter
Book Coach
Michael is a bestselling, award-winning ghostwriter, author, freelance writer, book coach, and publisher. He has worked on projects with authors as varied as former president Jimmy Carter (Lessons From Life Bible), Michael John Cusick (Surfing For God), and Rafael Cruz (A Time For Action). He has also served as the theological reviewer for over 30 study Bibles and worked on over 70 traditionally published works. His published works have sold millions of copies and can be found in nearly every Christian bookstore in America.
Continuing Session – Your Nonfiction Book: From Good to Great with Karen Linamen Bouchard
If you want to transform lives with your nonfiction book, there are steps you need to take long before you type your opening sentence—and steps you need to continue taking after your book hits the shelves. Michael and Karen break it all down and share practical strategies you can follow at every stage.
You’ll learn how to find your nonfiction sweet spot, how to identify specific words and phrases that will resonate with your audience, how to craft a riveting book proposal, and how to begin TODAY building or growing your author platform.
You’ll also learn how to organize content in your how-to, self-help, or inspirational book, and how to follow a fool-proof complication/resolution formula if you are writing a true story. We’ll even talk about the three unbreakable rules of writing a powerful memoir.
We’ll work through a few game-changing worksheets and exercises, and there will be time for questions. And if you’re working on a manuscript, bring it! We want to make sure you get exactly what you need out of these sessions to take your nonfiction book from good to great!
Workshop – How to Handle the Word of Truth (Friday, 3A)
God’s Word changes lives. Knowing how to rightly handle the Word of Truth enables you to change lives without being misguided, mistaken, or manipulative. Michael will help you steer clear of common word study mistakes, interpretation errors, and logical fallacies. He’ll also explain the differences in Bible translations and review software and websites that will help you dig deeper into God’s Word. The good news is, you don’t need to be a seminary graduate to incorporate God’s life-changing word into your writing!
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Cindy Lambert
Executive Editor-at-Large
Revell and Baker Books
Author, Collaborative Writer
| Newsflash: Cindy writes: I am so honored that my book with Abby Johnson, UNPLANNED, (Tyndale and FOTF and Ignatius Press), is being released March 29 as a major motion picture! Watch the trailer. Please pray with me that it will save many lives, as the book has already done. Will you help me get the word out by sharing the trailer? Thank you! Abortion Movie ‘Unplanned’ To Hit The Big Screen. Watch The Stirring Trailer https://dailycaller.com/2019/01/31/abortion-movie-unplanned-trailer/ |
Cindy began her career as owner of an award-winning independent Christian bookstore, then expanded into leadership roles in distribution, consumer research, editorial, and publishing at Ingram, Simon & Schuster, and Zondervan, where she served as vice president and associate publisher of trade books. She currently serves Baker Publishing Group as executive editor-at-large for Revell and Baker Books. She is also a collaborative writer, and has co-authored eight books including the bestseller UnPlanned with Abby Johnson (Tyndale, Focus on the Family, and Ignatius Press) and The Voice with Sandi Patty (Zondervan). She and her husband, Dave, have six children and nine grandchildren and enjoy launching their kayaks off their pier in front of their log home in Michigan.
Early Bird Workshop – Balancing Privacy & Relationships When Writing Real Life Events (Wednesday, E6, 1:00 – 2:00)
We all applaud honestly and transparency in powerful writing, but how do we write of the events in our lives without violating the privacy and trust of others who have played some part in our life stories? Is it possible to find the freedom to tell the truth without destroying relationships, hurting people in our lives, or putting others at risk of public exposure? Yes, it can be done! Discover the defining boundaries, guiding principles, and tested techniques used by successful authors so that your writing can be authentic without damaging the reputations or privacy of the people God has woven into your life story.
Early Bird Workshop – Crafting a Winning Nonfiction Book Proposal (Wednesday, E15, 4:45 – 5:45)
A winning book proposal is a tool that entices seven audiences (author, agent, editor, pub board, marketing, creative, and sales) to grasp a contagious vision for a book, and then equips them to successfully play their parts in placing the book into the hands of its ideal readership. (Prerequisite for those accepted for Cindy’s clinic.)
Clinic – Nonfiction Book Proposals
Cindy will lead a group of six authors in critiquing one another’s proposals, then spend the conference improving and fine-tuning them. She will also have a one-on-one 30-minute appointment with each participant. Click here for more information and needed application.
Click here for editorial needs.
Catherine Lawton 
Co-owner, Editor-in-Chief
Cladach Publishing
Author
As co-owner and editor-in-chief of Cladach Publishing for 20 years, Catherine has had a hand in the production and promotion of all Cladach titles. Cladach is pronounced: Kla’ dak ~ This Scottish Gaelic word means “shore” as in “seashore.” “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore” (John 21:4). The Lord sends us forth on life’s sea to venture for Him, then welcomes us to the safety of His shore; and always He is with us.
Since she was a toddler scribbling in the margins of her preacher-father’s theology books, Cathy has enjoyed producing written expression. This desire was encouraged when she had a poem published in a national periodical at the age of twelve. Cathy has authored many articles, poems, and five books including her collection of poetry written throughout her life, Remembering Softly: A Life in Poems. Her writing has appeared in a variety of periodicals.
She enjoys blogging, prayer ministry, and outdoor activities. She and her husband, Larry, live in Colorado.
Marlene notes: I encourage you to subscribe to Cathy’s blog, “The View from This Publisher’s Shore,” at http://cladach.com/blog.
Early Bird Workshop – Your Senior Years: The Write Time (Wednesday, E8, 1:00 – 2:00)
Seniors have depth of experience and perspective. This is a great time of life and a great time in history, as opportunities abound to use your gifts and callings. Finish well and leave legacies and examples for upcoming generations to follow.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Edwina Perkins
Managing Editor
Harambee Press
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Award-winning Writer
Edwina is an award-winning writer, experienced teacher, speaker, and freelance editor and writer. She served on the Word Weavers Orlando Leadership Team and now is a part of the Word Weavers International Advisory Committee. She worked as a content editor with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and is currently the Managing Editor for Harambee Press—LPC’s ethnic voices imprint which seeks to publish ethnic writers. She is also a contributing writer to Guideposts. Edwina is a wife, mother of four adult children, grandmother of two, and owner of a 16-year-old bichon poodle mix who believes the world revolves around him. Sometimes it does.
Workshop – Does My Writing Offend You? (Thursday, 1E)
The number of books about ethnic characters has risen over the last few years. From 10% in 2013, more than a quarter of young adult and children’s books featured characters of color in 2016. Sensitivity readers are not the police of free speech or intend-to-be censors. They are readers who review manuscripts for issues of bias, issues of representation, cultural inaccuracies, and insensitive language, Will your work pass their scrutiny?
Workshop – Develop Your Writer's Voice (Friday, 4B)
Voice is style, plus theme, plus personal observations, plus passion, plus belief, plus desire. Voice is bleeding onto the page, and it can be a powerful, frightening, naked experience. In this session, we will address techniques to help you develop your writer’s voice.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
JP Robinson
CEO, Logos Publications
Author, Teacher, Historian
Inspirational Speaker
jprobinsonbooks.com
Author, teacher, historian, and international speaker, JP began writing as a teen for the Times Beacon Records newspaper in New York and won local recognition for his literary works. His historical fiction novels are high-adrenaline plots laced with unexpected twists. He is CEO of Logos Publications.
Workshop – Resurrect the Past (Thursday, 1C)
The art of researching and writing historical fiction, memoirs, or biographies including tough questions such as what to include and exclude when writing about the past.
Workshop – 3-D Characters (Saturday, 6C)
Five key strategies to make our characters walk off the page.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Linda Evans Shepherd 
Author, Speaker - www.sheppro.com
Publisher, Leading Hearts Magazine
President, Right to the Heart Ministries
Publisher, Arise Daily, a daily e-devotional
Founder & Director, Advanced Writers & Speakers Assc. (AWSA)
Linda is a nationally known Christian speaker and an award-winning, best-selling author of over 30 books. Her online and speaking ministries have seen well over 350,000 people come to Christ and are seen by over 90,000 people daily. In addition to writing and speaking, Linda is president of a large Christian ministry, Right to the Heart, and also ministers to the top 500 Christian women authors and speakers in the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) that she founded and directs. She’s the publisher of the EPA Award Winning magazine, Leading Hearts, and the publisher of the all new Arise Daily e-devotional.
Continuing Session – Reaching the World with Your Message
If you want to answer God’s call to share your message, life story, or ministry topic, Linda will show you her insider tips to help you identify your message, build your brand, then find the best ways to share it. She will give you the scoop about book writing, articles, speaking, publishing, interviewing, social media, and if you need to create a non-profit ministry. She’ll share the secrets she’s discovered as an author, book and magazine publisher, conference organizer, screenwriter, TV host, social media influencer, and non-profit head. Consider new ideas, and discover how to take the next step in becoming an influencer.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Andrea Lyn Sims Ph.D.
Publisher, 3rd Chapter Press
First Page Press
TerraCotta Publishing
Author, Educator
www.andrealynsims.com
Newsflash: See Andrea’s post, “Identify Theft of Another Kind,” on my http://writehisanswer.blog.
Andrea is a thoughtful woman—refined in the fires of life, impassioned with the love of discovery, and devoted to Jesus, her family, and her profession. She is a line-blurrer, and her soft-edged thinking leads her to explore ordinary topics in unordinary ways. As an avid reader and researcher, she seeks to pair universal principles with particular cases to better express her thoughts on topics such as education, art, writing, and the Christian experience. One of her writing goals comes from a quote: “The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar and familiar things new.” She is the author of The Impostor Affect: A Closer Look by a Classic Case (currently being used as a text for university level classes) and the editor of The New Testament: Amplified and Unfolded (both for sale at the conference).
Workshop – The Imposter Phenomenon (Friday, 4A)
The “Imposter Phenomenon” is defined as the inability of high achieving people to internalize their successes or to believe that they are capable of or responsible for their accomplishments. Imposters feel like frauds—plain and simple. Learn from a “recovering imposter” how to overcome unwarranted fears and insecurities in order to flourish.
Click here for editorial needs.
Bill Watkins
Senior Editor
BroadStreet Publishing Group
President, Literary Solutions
Author
Bill is is the president of Literary Solutions and senior editor at BroadStreet Publishing Group. He is an award-winning author with 7 published books and about 150 other kinds of writing, including essays, articles, dictionary entries, booklets, pamphlets, study guides, book reviews, and opinion pieces.
In his editing work, which has often included book acquisitions, he has worked with Thomas Nelson, Marvel, Bethany House, Baker Books, Chalice Press, Moody Press, NavPress, Broadman & Holman, Authentic, Servant, and the American Center for Law and Justice.
Bill loves to teach and mentor aspiring writers, and he has worked with hundreds of writers, helping a large number of them find publishing homes for their manuscripts. In his 35-plus years in publishing, he has worked with such authors as Mike Huckabee (the former governor of Arkansas), William Bennett (the former US Secretary of Education), Charles R. Swindoll, Josh McDowell, Norman L. Geisler, Leslie Vernick, Paula Rinehart, William Lane Craig, J. P. Moreland, Dallas Willard, Peter Kreeft, Gary Habermas, Cecil Murphey, Jo Kadlecek, and George Grant.
Bill is married and has 7 adult children and 6 grandchildren. He enjoys reading, movies, deep conversations, dating his wife, playing with his grandkids, and teaching every chance he gets.
Workshop – Myths that Hold Writers Back (Thursday, 2A)
Some shoulds and should nots and that’s-the-way-it-is declarations are at best half-truths far too many writers obey to their detriment. We’ll expose several of these myths so you can write more freely and get published more frequently.
Workshop – Answering Christianity’s Critics (Friday, 4G)
Antagonism toward the Christian faith and believers is at a new high in American culture. Find out how you can answer Christianity’s critics and win their respect while building the confidence of believers.
Nightowl – Go Ahead and Ask (Thursday, 9:30 pm)
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
W. Terry Whalin 
Acquisitions Editor
Morgan James Publishing
Author
www.terrywhalin.com
http://thewritinglife.ws
Terry understands both sides of the editorial desk – as an editor and a writer. He worked as a magazine editor and his work has appeared in more than 50 publications. Terry is an Acquisitions Editor at Morgan James Publishing. A former literary agent, Terry has acquired books at two other publishing houses and been in publishing over 25 years. He has written more than 60 books through traditional publishers in a wide range of topics from children’s books to biographies to co-authored books. Several of Terry’s books have sold over 100,000 copies. Terry’s recent book, Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, Insider Secrets to Skyrocket Your Success, is packed with insight. Also Terry has an innovative online training course to help authors effectively connect with literary agents and editors called Write A Book Proposal. Terry is a popular speaker and teacher at numerous writers’ conferences and an active member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
Continuing Session – You CAN Build Your Platform!
Session 1 – Your Author’s Calling and Why Build a Platform? If not you, who will do it? Realities and myths of today’s publishing world mixed with practical application. This information is for every author, even introverts, whether you publish traditionally or independently.
Session 2 – How to Build a Body of Work as an Author—and Why? This session will emphasize the importance of writing consistency – of creating a “brand” – and how authors can create multiple streams of income and ministry. We will look at the details for launching and/or growing your blog and website along with why every author needs an email list and list building ideas.
Session 3 – Serve Others with Your Content and Build Your Audience. Giveaways, newsletters, repurpose your content, podcasts, endorsements, and more in this practical session.
Session 4 – With 76 million readers on Goodreads, why you need to serve your audience there? This session will give you the details to touch readers on Goodreads.
Session 5 – The value of social media and how not to be a slave to it. To tweet or not? Why Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and others? This practical session will give you the tools you need to effectively use social media as a ministry and marketing tool.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Periodicals & Online Markets
Karen Linamen Bouchard
Acquisitions Editor
Illumify Media Global
Editor, Power for Living
Best-selling Author, National Speaker
See above.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques..
Carrie Dedrick – unable to come
Editor, Crosswalk.com
Debbie Hardy
Representative, ChristianDevotions.us
Author, Speaker
Queen of Resilience
www.debbiehardy.com
Debbie, the Queen of Resilience, didn’t start writing until age 57. Since then, she has published three books; written devotions, blogs, and magazine articles; contributed to anthologies; and been interviewed on radio and TV over 200 times. A Colorado resident and accomplished pianist, Debbie is a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, National Speakers Association of Colorado, and writers groups where she mentors aspiring authors. She speaks at women’s meetings, retreats, and conferences, sharing ideas on how to fight age and become fabulous. Gramma Debbie is proof that you’re never too old to live your dream.
Practical, encouraging, humorous –
Free to be Fabulous gave me hope that the best is yet to be.
This is must reading for every woman who believes the lie
that she is “over the hill” or fears that day is fast approaching.
Marlene Bagnull
Early Bird Workshop – Write Devotionals and Get Published (Wednesday, E7, 1:00 – 2:00)
Learn to write concisely, share your experiences, and, most important, touch hearts and change lives through devotionals.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Kate Jameson
Assistant Editor
Clubhouse Jr.
Stories captured Kate’s interest at a young age and she soon realized she wanted to create her own tales. She loves to explore, both real and imaginary places. Kate recently graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Professional Writing. She enjoys stories in any form: literature, film, theater, art, etc. The most important things to her are her family and her faith.
Workshop – Writing for Focus on the Family (Saturday, 5D)
Focus on the Family has a wide audience and a range of publications to match. Come learn about them and find out which is the best fit for you!
Teens Write – Create Compelling Characters (Saturday)
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Susan King
Associate Editor, The Upper Room
www.upperroom.org
Compiler, Short & Sweet book series
For over 24 years, Associate Editor Susan King has served at The Upper Room, a daily-devotional magazine that reaches millions of readers in more than 100 countries. One of her greatest joys has been representing The Upper Room every year at several of 23 different Christian writers’ conferences in the U.S. and Canada.
Two years ago, she retired from 27 years of teaching English and feature-writing classes—most recently for Lipscomb University but also for Biola University and Abilene Christian University. Formerly, she served as writer, book editor, and radio-program producer/on-air talent for The Institute of Scriptural Psychology; wrote magazine features as a freelance writer; and functioned as a seminar facilitator in leadership and group dynamics. Susan lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband Joe. Their three adult children live in three different states, and she is delighted that one of them still lives nearby—with his wife and Susan and Joe’s two young grandsons.
Continuing Session – Making It Look Easy! Achieving Excellent Style in any Genre
Readers don't care what you write if they can't tolerate how it is written. They'll just stop reading because it’s easier than trying to plow through poorly written material. Do you want to write with such sparkle and verve that you’ll knock the socks off editors? Do you want them to be falling all over themselves to publish your submission and then clamoring for anything you plan to write in the future? In this crash course in the essential elements of good style for any genre, you will come away with concrete tools for self-editing to produce polished works that will please readers and broadcast to editors and publishers that you are a consummate wordsmith.
“Whenever I find my writing getting sloppy, I write a devotional for The Upper Room and it tightens it right up,” book author and former editor (The Saturday Evening Post, Guideposts) Hal Hostetler once told me. He claimed that writing devotionals was the best discipline a writer could have. In general, the shorter the piece, the harder it is to write. And publishers expect much from those few words. One of the goals of this class is to produce an excellent devotional to submit to The Upper Room magazine.
Cick here for editorial needs.
Ask Susan for an assignment for the next book in her Short and Sweet book series. Needs fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Sherri Langton
Associate Editor, Bible Advocate
Now What? e-zine
Churchright
Freelance Writer
Sherri has worked over 25 years in Christian publishing. She is an award-winning freelance writer whose work has appeared in Focus on the Family, In Touch, Upper Room, Today’s Christian Woman, Marriage Partnership, Discipleship Journal, Decision, Quiet Hour, and other publications. Sherri also has contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul in Menopause, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Parenthood, My Turn to Care, Teatime Stories for Women, Becoming a Godly Man, Faces of Faith, Hurray God!, and Understanding Depression and Suicide: Hope in the Darkness. She loves talking one-on-one to writers and helping them shape their ideas for print/online.
Early Bird Workshop – The Literature of Personal Disaster (Wednesday, E14, 4:45 – 5:45)
Is a story good just because it relates a horrific event? Why we write about tragedy and how to make it real to the reader as well as redemptive.
Workshop – Not-So-Extreme Makeover (Saturday, 6E)
Have you written an article that can’t seem to make it to publication? Is there something wrong, but you’re not sure what it is? Bring your manuscript to this workshop. We’ll go through a checklist of what an article should contain. You can critique your own work right in class and come away with specifics on how to improve it so it catches an editor’s eye.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Rick Marschall
Editor, Innovative Health Magazine
Author
Monday Morning Ministry Blog
Rick has written 74 books and hundreds of magazine articles. A former Director of Product Development at Youth Specialties and speaker at Youth Worker conferences, he is a former political cartoonist who has spoken at the Library of Congress and on C-SPAN. He currently edits a healthy lifestyle magazine.
Workshop – Speaking Life to a Culture of Death (Friday, 3G)
The foundation of every contemporary crisis is Death: abortion, homosexuality, divorce, abuse, drugs . . . all wage war on procreation , the family. How can we redeem Truth and Life to this generation.
Workshop – Blogs, the Web, and New Media Alternatives (Saturday, 6F)
Alternatives to what? Traditional publishing. Hear from the author of 74 printed books, who nevertheless enthusiastically thrives on blogs, web magazines, and networking to Write His Answer, and even generate income.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Linda Evans Shepherd 
Author, Speaker - www.sheppro.com
Publisher, Leading Hearts Magazine
President, Right to the Heart Ministries
Publisher, Arise Daily, a daily e-devotional
Founder & Director, Advanced Writers & Speakers Assc. (AWSA)
See above.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
Karen Whiting
Representative, The Kid’s Ark
Author
International Speaker
www.karenwhiting.com
Karen has a passion for encouraging and helping writers. She writes to grow tomorrow's families today. She is an international speaker, author of 25 books, more than 700 articles, former television host, and certified writing/marketing coach. When she's not writing, she enjoys adventure including zumba, white water rafting, riding camels, and cycling.
Learning Lab – Practice Your Pitch and Develop a Unique Marketing Plan (Wednesday, E2, 1:00 – 4:00)
Workshop – Creating a Proposal for Royalty or Indie Books (Thursday, 2D)
The proposal shapes the book and marketing; and that makes it a valuable tool even if you go indie. The workshop will cover:
Workshop – Articles: Ideas, Submissions, and Strategies (Friday, 4D)
Whether you are a novice writer or experienced, consider how articles can help you build a platform, become an expert in an area, and bring in cash fairly quickly. The workshop will cover:
Workshop – Heading Home with a Plan (Saturday, 5E)
Don’t leave the conference without a plan or goals. Learn how to continue taking advantage of the conference long after it ends.
Click here for editorial needs and availability for paid critiques.
