1:00 - 1:30 Make the Most of CCWC - Eric Sprinkle - FREE!
First time at the CCWC? Congratulations! Or maybe you’ve not been with us for a while? We’re glad you’re back! If you feel a little overwhelmed, please know that you’re going to feel much more comfortable and knowledgeable over the next few days. But why wait to be a Writer’s Conference expert until the day before you go home?
Why not be confident and fully prepared for this amazing event from Day 1?
Eric Sprinkle, a six-year “veteran,” will give you a detailed overview and share all the tips and tricks to help you navigate the three big areas you’ll encounter while here – Networking, Craft-Sharpening, and Potentially Selling your Work.
1:45 - 4:45 Learning Labs
$40; only coming Wednesday, $65
Add 5:00 - 6:00 workshop – $15; only coming Wednesday – $20
LL1
Developing Your Nonfiction Book – Bill Watkins
In this hands-on three-hour lab you will learn the six most important questions to ask in developing a nonfiction book and get the help you need to answer those questions. We’ll work on your book’s focus, table of contents, and first chapter to help ensure that your book will reach its intended audience with the message you wish to present. Limit 6. No later than April 15 email your book’s focus (50 to 100 words), table of contents, and first chapter in ONE MS Word file or RTF to Barb Haley (haleybarb@yahoo.com) to be considered for this lab.
LL2
Fiction Writer's Toolbox – Susan Baganz Lodwick
Part I: Before You Write - What do you need to know before you start your story? I'll share things I learned that I didn't know when I started writing to help you make that first draft the best possible! We'll talk about essentials for success, genre, word count, point-of-view, tense, pansting vs plotting, story structure/plot, developing characters, backstory, inciting incidents, and more!
Part II: As You Write - When you sit down to write, what are some things you need to consider as you work your way through your story? Topics we'll discuss include: writer's block, dialogue, show vs tell, strong verbs, starts and finishes to chapters, and more!
Part III: After You Write - That first draft is finished, but it's a mistake to think it's ready to be published. The hard work has just begun! But if you do it well, you'll have a marketable manuscript. How do you edit and revise weasel words, overused words, and adverbs? You’ll discover the value of making mistakes.
Wednesday
Build Up Your Author Platform with Social Media – Dianne E. Butts
Techniques to make every post more effective toward your goal of selling books. Build your Facebook Author page and employ secret techniques I’ve learned for getting exponentially more page and post views. Learn SEO-friendly ways to maximize every blog post. Build a blog, website, newsletter, and landing page.
LL4
Write Fast – Linda Evans Shepherd
After writing 36 books, Linda has learned a few secrets about how to write fast, and she wants to share them with you. From picking your topics, research, and prep, Linda will help you put everything into place, so you can flow with creativity and write page after page as you race to meet your looming deadlines. One focus of Linda’s Write Fast class with be figuring out what to write so you can put your knowledge and heart onto paper. Another focus will be Linda's secrets for how to put your book together, as well as some hard-learned writing tips. Finally, Linda will show you how to polish your book until it shines.
LL5
Writer, Thou Art Loosed! – Beatrice Bruno
Have you not yet published your first book? Or, have you published your first book but you still doubt the gifting God has placed on the inside of you to write more books? Beatrice Bruno, The Write Drill Sergeant for YOU, is here to help you be loosed from those infirmities that would hold you in bondage so you can complete God’s mandate for your life. Through interactive exercises, timed writings, and perspective illustrations and exercises, Beatrice will lead you on a 3-hour Phased Writing Experience to show you how to embrace the Writer-You and move forward to accomplish great writing exploits for the Lord. In this Mini-Bootcamp experience, you will write, laugh, cry, and expand as you sit in a writing atmosphere created for you to receive, believe, and trust God for the writing anointing that is yours! Click here for pre-class writing assignment.
Wednesday Early Bird Workshops
1 - $25, 2 - $40, 3 - $55
Only coming Wednesday 1 - $35, 2 - $60, 3 - $85
1:45 - 2:45
E1
The Emotionally Fit Writer – Jendayi “J” Harris
The Emotionally Fit Writer workshop will help writers understand the power of emotions for insight into their lives as well as provide a powerful "workout" to exercise their emotional bodies. ”J” will offer much needed tools in an interactive style to have fun as you mature into a confident and successful Kingdom author.
E2
Motivated Characters – Darcie Gudger
Characters shouldn't be doing things because you, the author, need to move the plot along. Rather, they need to be propelled by strong motivation in order to be believable. Come learn how to craft authentic motivation into your cast of characters.
E3
Rock Your Reader Magnet: Build Your Fan Base the Easy Way – Debbie Maxwell Allen
Most authors know that growing your fan base with a free giveaway makes great sense. But what do you offer? This workshop offers a slew of enticing options (for both fiction and nonfiction authors) for items that will have readers jumping on to your newsletter list. We’ll cover what to offer, easy ways to format your giveaway, and how to deliver your freebie. Your list will grow in no time, and that means a built-in audience to buy your books.
E4
Devoted to Devotions – Ava Pennington
Writing devotions is a terrific way to minister to others, build a portfolio of publishing credits, AND develop your platform at the same time. Ava has traditionally published 500+ devotions. You’ll learn:
3:00 - 4:00
E5
How to Write Great Marketing Copy – and Get Your Work the Attention it Deserves! – Karen Bouchard
Do you know how to write persuasive copy that will:
From back cover copy to marketing emails, Facebook ads to web copy, you need to be able to write riveting copy that captures the imagination and inspires your reader to action. But writing good marketing copy is a different animal than writing articles or books. Karen Bouchard is a bestselling author and professional copywriter, and in this workshop she’s going to walk you through the best practices of crafting persuasive marketing copy. Whatever your genre or message, knowing how to write great copy can help you WOW editors and grow—and keep—your readership. Come prepared to create, because by the end of the workshop you’ll have written at least the start of actual copy you can use to grow your influence as a writer.
E6
Fiction Moves & Counter Moves – Jori Hanna
Every plot has many moving pieces, and every piece affects all the others. When one piece isn’t pulling its weight, the story suffers. In this class you will learn how your antagonist can help beat writer’s block and create a solid plot that will both intrigue and enthrall readers from start to finish.
E7
What to Do When the Words Are Not There – Roy Hanschke & Robert N. Ruesch
You CAN write! Just because the screen (page) is blank - you are not alone. Each word you write is a success; combined, you have completed a task God has assigned. We will look at what other writers have said about their craft and discuss how to push forward when you feel the weight of writer's "rock." Together we will find ways to accelerate your writer’s walk.
E8
Using Negatve Experiences for Positive Impact – Sherri Langton
Why do bad things happen to good writers? Is it chance, or is there divine design behind them? This class will teach writers that God uses negative things to not only change them but also inspire them to create stories and articles that will bless and encourage readers—and change lives.
5:00 - 6:00
E9
The How-to and Why of Writing Poetry – Catherine Lawton & Angie Bass Williams
Two gifted poets will split this hour workshop. And Wednesday evening you can join them for a night owl poetry reading.
Catherine will address how to improve, market, and publish your poetry. In the process, sharpen your observation skills, deepen your relationship with God, connect with and influence others.
Angie will talk about how poetry packs a powerful punch. Teach the Word, offer hope, and keep the reader engaged by using rhythmic flow and cadence. Convert your poetry into song lyrics or greeting cards.
E10
When God Calls You to Write – Terri Kalfas
Do you have a burning desire to communicate with others through the written word, but you aren’t sure of how or where to begin? Have you begun writing, but now you’re not sure you’re on the right track? Do you sometimes find yourself questioning whether you’re even pursuing the right dream? If so, this workshop’s for you! Come discover the many ways you can step out and follow God’s call in your life. You’ll leave assured He does have a purpose for you and that He will use you to honor Him through your words and commitment to writing.
E11
How to Make a Living as a Freelance Writer – Michael Klassen
The life of a freelance writer is filled with adventure—all too often the scary kind. In this workshop, Mike Klassen will share how to minimize the ups and downs of the freelance writer’s life, especially by applying the Gold Rush Principle and tapping into the Author’s Mindset. Finally, he’ll cover the lo-o-o-ng list of writing careers you can pursue today!
E12
Pitching to Industry Professionals – Linda Glaz
Learn how to write the 20-30 word pitch:
Witness a sample session of an appointment with an agent/editor, and learn the necessary components of an appointment. Join Linda for a Wednesday evening night owl to present your pitch and get feedback.
E13
Solving Plot Problems – Dave Lambert (Open to everyone but a prerequisite for those in Dave’s clinic.)
Every novel is a mystery novel. By that I mean that every reader is reading to find something out—and when they no longer care about that something, they stop reading. The way you keep their interest piqued is by the skillful use of plotting. In this class, we’ll examine many aspects of this all-important fiction technique: Handling suspense; handling conflict, confrontation, and compulsion; foreshadowing; plot structure; the intersection of plot and character; and common mistakes.
E14
Crafting a Winning Nonfiction Book Proposal – Cindy Lambert (Open to everyone but a prerequisite for those in Cindy’s clinic.)
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.
6:00
Check-in (rooms may be available earlier)
Dinner in Aspen Dining Hall (faculty in Pine Room)
7:45
Opening Session
Keynote: Old Paths, Ancient Markers: Guarding the Treasure of the Gospel – Michael Gantt
It wasn’t the messenger the council feared, it was the message; it was the Name. They hoped their threats would frighten the believers into silence, but it only emboldened the disciples. Their prayer was powerful: “Grant unto us boldness to speak the word of God . . .” (Acts 4:29 ESV).
Caesar thought that he might strike fear into the hearts of the disciples, but he learned what so many have learned since then. The true follower of Christ is not discouraged by persecution and threats, but set afire by them. From deep inside a dungeon the victorious cry of Paul rings out even today, “I am bound in chains like a common criminal, but the Word of God is not bound!” (2 Timothy 2:9 ESV).
9:15
Night Owls
