A number of people pray for KCWC year-round. Each month, when the steering committee meets, a one-hour prayer session precedes the business meeting. Whether you are a past conferee or a potential future attendee, please include KCWC in your prayers.
Why pray for KCWC 2008? It's over and done. True, the actual conference is over, but the people who attended will be applying what they've learned over the next few months. They'll be acting on the inspiration received, and they'll realize the benefit of regularly meeting with other writers and editors to hone their craft. Pray that God will use each and every person who attended KCWC 2008 to accomplish his purpose.
And, please pray for KCWC 2009, for Coordinator Judy Sliger and bloggers Emily Akin and Carlton Hughes. Pray also for our featured speaker, Terry Whalin. Take a few minutes to read Terry's testimony. We'll bring more details about Terry in future blog posts, so be sure to subscribe or check back periodically.
Then, be sure to put June 19-20, 2009, on your calendar, and include attending KCWC in your plans for next year.
Showing posts with label KY Christian Writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KY Christian Writers. Show all posts
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
"Troublemakers" at KCWC 2008
The following article by Vanessa Cain, KCWC 2008 first-time attendee, was first published in the State Gazette, a newspaper based in Dyersburg, Tennessee. We have permission to reprint it here since it is not accessible in the paper's online archive. Cain is a reporter for that paper, and she writes a regular column entitled "Raising Cains," which has recently become a blog on the paper's Web site.
It's a little longer than some of our former posts, but I think you will enjoy her story.
The presenter stood in front of the room, very comfortably making small talk and setting his pupils at ease. Standing behind the podium, he explained that his lesson would be centered around the pop culture of comic books. No, this was not a stuffy individual at all. His gaze traveled around the room, welcoming each student and pausing as his eyes rested on me and one of my dearest friends, Melissa.
“Oh, no,” he groaned. “It’s the troublemakers.”
No, this is not a flashback from my days in elementary school. Not even a glimpse at the giggling adolescent who whispered her way through high school geometry. No, this happened to two women hovering close to that 40-year mark, just this month. The location? The Kentucky Christian Writer’s Conference.
Now, it’s one thing to be called a troublemaker when you are a kid in school. And I will admit that it is a little bit more disheartening to be called one at grown-up at a conference filled with confident professionals…but… in a Sunday school classroom of a beautiful church? Well, it just sort of makes you take a good look at yourself.
The presenter was H. Michael Brewer, a published author and Presbyterian minister from the greater Cincinnati area. Mr. Brewer was either lucky enough or unlucky enough to be seated at our dinner table the night before. He was very pleasant company and seemed amused with the giddiness that seemed to be leaking out of us on our first trip to pursue our interest in Christian writing--and well--to just get away on a girls’ weekend with a pool.
From the moment we began to plan this trip, Melissa and I were sure that we would only attend the Kentucky Christian Writer’s Conference if it was something the Lord really wanted us to do. We were sure of that because we were confident it would take Divine Intervention to get us there.
In spite of being the age I have already mentioned (and never will again…), and being successful working mothers, writers and, in Melissa’s case-an editor-in our own little parts of the world, my friend and I had already confessed to each other that we were not very seasoned travelers. We both have a tendency to get lost in unfamiliar places. In fact, we booked the conference, and even our motel room, without a clear idea of exactly where Elizabethtown is located or how many hours it would take to drive there. We also used the weekend as a chance to catch up, so sleep didn’t fit into our schedule.
Intimidated by the thought of being around real-life editors and writers who had “made it,” I was see-sawing between the excitement of getting to know other writers who share my dream of seeing their name printed on the cover of a book and the nerves of meeting someone who might actually help me get there.
Remember, I mentioned nerves before…so I was sure I would come back from Kentucky with a horror story of spilling my Diet Dr. Pepper on the keynote speaker or tripping in some way and sending a contributing editor sprawling off the stage. So, as we approached the dinner table and another writer said, “Come sit with us! Are you somebody?” I felt an immediate kinship and relaxed.
Melissa recognized Rev. Brewer’s name from the brochure, but didn’t let me in on the information. She knew I didn’t know who I was talking to and said later that I was making a better impression being myself than getting all nervous and quiet. (Not to mention, she probably wanted to save the nice man of God from wearing whatever I was drinking.)
I don’t know. Is it better to be a quiet and shy writer or a troublemaker? To tell you the truth, I’m leaning toward troublemaker. By being ourselves, we were able to make connections at this conference…to say, “This is me. This is what I want. And I am somebody—even if those publishers don’t quite know it yet.” By being real, I think we were also able to invite others to open up, as well-or at least feel better about themselves by looking down at our lack of composure. Hey! Whatever it takes to build somebody up!
In sessions scheduled for the next day, “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and You” and “What Superman and Batman Taught Me About Writing,” Rev. Brewer found a way to use his personal interests to further our quest to be published and, in fact, to further the kingdom of God. With the hook, “capes optional” appearing on the brochure, Melissa and I were especially interested in how Rev. Brewer planned to combine comic book trivia with the Divine truth of the Gospel and how Christian writers can apply both to their writing careers.
Well, he did a great job. Melissa and I were both entertained, inspired and even convicted in the session. In the lesson, I learned to not let fear of rejection or lack of imagination stop me from writing or pursuing my writing career; to create a world and play within it; find my own Fortress of Solitude; show up for life; write, write, write; use truth in my writing; find a good team; never give up and…to keep my cape handy.
Another lesson I learned at the conference is to stay on the lookout for troublemakers. They may turn out to be your biggest fans.
Vanessa Cain is a reporter for the Dyersburg (TN) State Gazette. She and her husband, Larry, live in Halls, TN, with their two sons, Brent, 18, and Brad, 16, where they are awaiting a registered letter requesting that Vanessa not return to the beautiful Bluegrass State.
It's a little longer than some of our former posts, but I think you will enjoy her story.
The presenter stood in front of the room, very comfortably making small talk and setting his pupils at ease. Standing behind the podium, he explained that his lesson would be centered around the pop culture of comic books. No, this was not a stuffy individual at all. His gaze traveled around the room, welcoming each student and pausing as his eyes rested on me and one of my dearest friends, Melissa.
“Oh, no,” he groaned. “It’s the troublemakers.”
No, this is not a flashback from my days in elementary school. Not even a glimpse at the giggling adolescent who whispered her way through high school geometry. No, this happened to two women hovering close to that 40-year mark, just this month. The location? The Kentucky Christian Writer’s Conference.
Now, it’s one thing to be called a troublemaker when you are a kid in school. And I will admit that it is a little bit more disheartening to be called one at grown-up at a conference filled with confident professionals…but… in a Sunday school classroom of a beautiful church? Well, it just sort of makes you take a good look at yourself.
The presenter was H. Michael Brewer, a published author and Presbyterian minister from the greater Cincinnati area. Mr. Brewer was either lucky enough or unlucky enough to be seated at our dinner table the night before. He was very pleasant company and seemed amused with the giddiness that seemed to be leaking out of us on our first trip to pursue our interest in Christian writing--and well--to just get away on a girls’ weekend with a pool.
From the moment we began to plan this trip, Melissa and I were sure that we would only attend the Kentucky Christian Writer’s Conference if it was something the Lord really wanted us to do. We were sure of that because we were confident it would take Divine Intervention to get us there.
In spite of being the age I have already mentioned (and never will again…), and being successful working mothers, writers and, in Melissa’s case-an editor-in our own little parts of the world, my friend and I had already confessed to each other that we were not very seasoned travelers. We both have a tendency to get lost in unfamiliar places. In fact, we booked the conference, and even our motel room, without a clear idea of exactly where Elizabethtown is located or how many hours it would take to drive there. We also used the weekend as a chance to catch up, so sleep didn’t fit into our schedule.
Intimidated by the thought of being around real-life editors and writers who had “made it,” I was see-sawing between the excitement of getting to know other writers who share my dream of seeing their name printed on the cover of a book and the nerves of meeting someone who might actually help me get there.
Remember, I mentioned nerves before…so I was sure I would come back from Kentucky with a horror story of spilling my Diet Dr. Pepper on the keynote speaker or tripping in some way and sending a contributing editor sprawling off the stage. So, as we approached the dinner table and another writer said, “Come sit with us! Are you somebody?” I felt an immediate kinship and relaxed.
Melissa recognized Rev. Brewer’s name from the brochure, but didn’t let me in on the information. She knew I didn’t know who I was talking to and said later that I was making a better impression being myself than getting all nervous and quiet. (Not to mention, she probably wanted to save the nice man of God from wearing whatever I was drinking.)
I don’t know. Is it better to be a quiet and shy writer or a troublemaker? To tell you the truth, I’m leaning toward troublemaker. By being ourselves, we were able to make connections at this conference…to say, “This is me. This is what I want. And I am somebody—even if those publishers don’t quite know it yet.” By being real, I think we were also able to invite others to open up, as well-or at least feel better about themselves by looking down at our lack of composure. Hey! Whatever it takes to build somebody up!
In sessions scheduled for the next day, “Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and You” and “What Superman and Batman Taught Me About Writing,” Rev. Brewer found a way to use his personal interests to further our quest to be published and, in fact, to further the kingdom of God. With the hook, “capes optional” appearing on the brochure, Melissa and I were especially interested in how Rev. Brewer planned to combine comic book trivia with the Divine truth of the Gospel and how Christian writers can apply both to their writing careers.
Well, he did a great job. Melissa and I were both entertained, inspired and even convicted in the session. In the lesson, I learned to not let fear of rejection or lack of imagination stop me from writing or pursuing my writing career; to create a world and play within it; find my own Fortress of Solitude; show up for life; write, write, write; use truth in my writing; find a good team; never give up and…to keep my cape handy.
Another lesson I learned at the conference is to stay on the lookout for troublemakers. They may turn out to be your biggest fans.
Vanessa Cain is a reporter for the Dyersburg (TN) State Gazette. She and her husband, Larry, live in Halls, TN, with their two sons, Brent, 18, and Brad, 16, where they are awaiting a registered letter requesting that Vanessa not return to the beautiful Bluegrass State.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Post-Conference Encouragement
Now that we're all back home and wondering what to do with what we learned at conference, please remember, it's not all about what you learned. Some of your benefit from attending KCWC this year will come from the people you met.
Follow up by writing notes to faculty, committee members, and other writers you came in contact with. Some of the people you met this year might be your link to getting your work published.
Remember Carlton Hughes, the master of ceremonies? He shares his KCWC "success" story below. Read every word. It is a wonderful story.
Simple Little Encouragements
by Carlton W. Hughes
Coming in to the 2006 Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, I knew very little about the keynote speaker, Sandra Aldrich. I was new to Christian writing and new to KCWC, as it was only my second year at the event.
Imagine my surprise when Sandra opened her first keynote address with the words “I’m proud to be a Kentucky woman from Harlan County.”
I scanned the room and realized I was the only attendee from Harlan County—maybe the only one from Southeastern Kentucky, period. During the first break I gathered up the courage to introduce myself to Sandra, telling her that I now live in her beloved mountain county. She was gracious and talked to me quite a while, and, throughout the day, we chatted during the breaks. I even won a prize drawing and was selected to eat lunch with her. The next morning at the hotel, Sandra wanted to meet my family.
God birthed a special friendship that weekend at KCWC. Sandra and I went on to become “email buddies,” with her constant encouragement and her trademark “hugs across the miles” closings. I soon learned that encouragement is written into Sandra’s DNA; she not only prays for my writing but for my family and their concerns as well. I remember a particularly rough morning when I had decided to quit, to give up writing altogether. I checked my email, and, sure enough, there was a message from Sandra with the encouragement I needed to keep going. We have even exchanged Christmas cards and reading material through snail mail.
In Summer 2007, shortly after my third KCWC, Sandra sent me an email about a book that two of her colleagues from the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild were compiling. They were looking for essays about the power of our words, and Sandra STRONGLY encouraged me to submit something, even though I only had about a week or so until the deadline and had no idea about what to write.
I prayed, and the Lord brought a story to mind. I wrote it, polished it, and sent it off right before the deadline. Imagine my excitement when I got the notification a few weeks later that my essay had been accepted for publication in the Honor Books/David C. Cook release Simple Little Words: What You Say Can Change a Life.
The book was released in April 2008, and it has been a thrill ride ever since. I still can’t believe that this “country boy” from Eastern Kentucky is in a book alongside Jerry Jenkins, Karen Kingsbury, Truett Cathy, and so many other notable writers; there is no doubt that God used KCWC and Sandra Aldrich to make it happen.
I have learned that we don’t need to attend a conference like KCWC expecting to be published on the spot (as I thought my first year!). We need to come expecting God to place people in our lives to encourage us along this writing journey. I can’t count the special friendships that God has given me through KCWC. Even the presenters/editors who have “made it” and have been published several times over are nice, down-to-earth people who truly want to help others.
The next time you get discouraged in your writing, remember that God can do the impossible, in His will and in His time. He might even use a wonderful little Christian Writers conference in Elizabethtown, Kentucky to make it happen.
Follow up by writing notes to faculty, committee members, and other writers you came in contact with. Some of the people you met this year might be your link to getting your work published.
Remember Carlton Hughes, the master of ceremonies? He shares his KCWC "success" story below. Read every word. It is a wonderful story.
Simple Little Encouragements
by Carlton W. Hughes
Coming in to the 2006 Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, I knew very little about the keynote speaker, Sandra Aldrich. I was new to Christian writing and new to KCWC, as it was only my second year at the event.
Imagine my surprise when Sandra opened her first keynote address with the words “I’m proud to be a Kentucky woman from Harlan County.”
I scanned the room and realized I was the only attendee from Harlan County—maybe the only one from Southeastern Kentucky, period. During the first break I gathered up the courage to introduce myself to Sandra, telling her that I now live in her beloved mountain county. She was gracious and talked to me quite a while, and, throughout the day, we chatted during the breaks. I even won a prize drawing and was selected to eat lunch with her. The next morning at the hotel, Sandra wanted to meet my family.
God birthed a special friendship that weekend at KCWC. Sandra and I went on to become “email buddies,” with her constant encouragement and her trademark “hugs across the miles” closings. I soon learned that encouragement is written into Sandra’s DNA; she not only prays for my writing but for my family and their concerns as well. I remember a particularly rough morning when I had decided to quit, to give up writing altogether. I checked my email, and, sure enough, there was a message from Sandra with the encouragement I needed to keep going. We have even exchanged Christmas cards and reading material through snail mail.
In Summer 2007, shortly after my third KCWC, Sandra sent me an email about a book that two of her colleagues from the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild were compiling. They were looking for essays about the power of our words, and Sandra STRONGLY encouraged me to submit something, even though I only had about a week or so until the deadline and had no idea about what to write.
I prayed, and the Lord brought a story to mind. I wrote it, polished it, and sent it off right before the deadline. Imagine my excitement when I got the notification a few weeks later that my essay had been accepted for publication in the Honor Books/David C. Cook release Simple Little Words: What You Say Can Change a Life.
The book was released in April 2008, and it has been a thrill ride ever since. I still can’t believe that this “country boy” from Eastern Kentucky is in a book alongside Jerry Jenkins, Karen Kingsbury, Truett Cathy, and so many other notable writers; there is no doubt that God used KCWC and Sandra Aldrich to make it happen.
I have learned that we don’t need to attend a conference like KCWC expecting to be published on the spot (as I thought my first year!). We need to come expecting God to place people in our lives to encourage us along this writing journey. I can’t count the special friendships that God has given me through KCWC. Even the presenters/editors who have “made it” and have been published several times over are nice, down-to-earth people who truly want to help others.
The next time you get discouraged in your writing, remember that God can do the impossible, in His will and in His time. He might even use a wonderful little Christian Writers conference in Elizabethtown, Kentucky to make it happen.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
2008 Faculty Buzz
We've got a great faculty lined up for 2008! Because of limited space in our print brochure, we weren't able to tell you everything we wanted to tell about faculty members, so we'll be posting additional details on the blog over the next couple of weeks.
We've already posted details about our featured speaker, Karen Moore Artl, and musician, Lynne Drysdale Patterson. Today, we feature Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress (http://www.writingforhim.com/). She will be teaching workshop sessions entitled "Selling What You Write Again and Again" and "When Your Writing Leads to Speaking." Details on all workshops is found at http://www.kychristianwriters.com/BrochureSchedule.dsp.
About Lettie:
She has contributed to seven books, in addition to authoring a book called Lessons, Laughter, and Tough Love for our local school system. She has also written for numerous Christian periodicals, including HomeLife, ParentLife, Living with Teenagers, Journey, Discipleship Journal, Mature Living, and Christian Parenting Today. Several of her published articles have won awards at the Lifeway Writers Workshops and the Southern Christian Writers Conference.
Lettie also speaks primarily to women, on topics such as discipleship, spiritual growth, prayer, and family living. In 1995 She completed the Christian Leaders and Speakers Seminar (C.L.A.S.S.) developed by Florence Littauer. She has taught classes for beginning writers at Lifeway Christian Resources, Chattanooga Bible Institute, and Cleveland (TN) State College, as well as leading workshops at the Southern Christian Writers Conference.
She is the mother of four sons, ages 15 to 30. Her only daughter, Shela, died in July, 1993, at age 19 following a lifelong battle against a muscle disease. Tom Kirkpatrick, her husband of 29 years, died of cancer November l, 2000. In August, 2003 she remarried a widower, Phillip Burress.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, she has been employed in the past as a counselor with the Department of Human Services. She also served as Director of the Non-credit division of Continuing Education at Cleveland State College.
If you haven't registered for 2008 yet, there's still time to get the 10% discount by registering and paying by April 30th. See registration page at http://www.kychristianwriters.com/RegistrationInformation.dsp.
We've already posted details about our featured speaker, Karen Moore Artl, and musician, Lynne Drysdale Patterson. Today, we feature Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress (http://www.writingforhim.com/). She will be teaching workshop sessions entitled "Selling What You Write Again and Again" and "When Your Writing Leads to Speaking." Details on all workshops is found at http://www.kychristianwriters.com/BrochureSchedule.dsp.
About Lettie:
She has contributed to seven books, in addition to authoring a book called Lessons, Laughter, and Tough Love for our local school system. She has also written for numerous Christian periodicals, including HomeLife, ParentLife, Living with Teenagers, Journey, Discipleship Journal, Mature Living, and Christian Parenting Today. Several of her published articles have won awards at the Lifeway Writers Workshops and the Southern Christian Writers Conference.
Lettie also speaks primarily to women, on topics such as discipleship, spiritual growth, prayer, and family living. In 1995 She completed the Christian Leaders and Speakers Seminar (C.L.A.S.S.) developed by Florence Littauer. She has taught classes for beginning writers at Lifeway Christian Resources, Chattanooga Bible Institute, and Cleveland (TN) State College, as well as leading workshops at the Southern Christian Writers Conference.
She is the mother of four sons, ages 15 to 30. Her only daughter, Shela, died in July, 1993, at age 19 following a lifelong battle against a muscle disease. Tom Kirkpatrick, her husband of 29 years, died of cancer November l, 2000. In August, 2003 she remarried a widower, Phillip Burress.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, she has been employed in the past as a counselor with the Department of Human Services. She also served as Director of the Non-credit division of Continuing Education at Cleveland State College.
If you haven't registered for 2008 yet, there's still time to get the 10% discount by registering and paying by April 30th. See registration page at http://www.kychristianwriters.com/RegistrationInformation.dsp.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Correction on Fairfield Inn Room Dates
If you received the printed brochure in the mail, please be aware that there is a discrepancy in the dates for which Fairfield Inn is offering conference discount.
The dates for conference discount are shown as June 20 and 21. However, since most people will want rooms for June 19 and 20, the change has been made with the hotel. To get the conference rate for June 19 and/or 20, you must call the hotel directly at (270) 769-1440 and mention that you will be attending KY Christian Writers Conference. Make your reservation soon, as the number of discounted rooms is limited.
The dates for conference discount are shown as June 20 and 21. However, since most people will want rooms for June 19 and 20, the change has been made with the hotel. To get the conference rate for June 19 and/or 20, you must call the hotel directly at (270) 769-1440 and mention that you will be attending KY Christian Writers Conference. Make your reservation soon, as the number of discounted rooms is limited.
Monday, March 24, 2008
2008 Brochure Online Now
The full brochure for conference 2008 has been mailed to those who have attended in the past and to those who asked to be on the list. If you did not get a brochure in the mail, you can download the four-page brochure plus the schedule page and the workshop details/bio page here:
http://www.writingontarget.com/links.htm
Most of the same information is on the website at www.kychristianwriters.com. Register online at:
http://www.kychristianwriters.com/RegistrationInformation.dsp
If you have questions, please direct them to info@kychristianwriters.com or webmaster@kychristianwriters.com.
http://www.writingontarget.com/links.htm
Most of the same information is on the website at www.kychristianwriters.com. Register online at:
http://www.kychristianwriters.com/RegistrationInformation.dsp
If you have questions, please direct them to info@kychristianwriters.com or webmaster@kychristianwriters.com.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
KCWC Comment from Past Attendee
Dorothy Purge of Jamaica attended in 2006. She wanted to share this thought with others interested in KCWC.
"A lengthy golden thread of the heaviest gauge binds together our thoughts as KY Christian writers. Often, we unwind into individual strands but together we are strong, tightly spun and create genuine material from the fabric of our imagination and daily inspiration."
"A lengthy golden thread of the heaviest gauge binds together our thoughts as KY Christian writers. Often, we unwind into individual strands but together we are strong, tightly spun and create genuine material from the fabric of our imagination and daily inspiration."
Thursday, October 18, 2007
More Bios and October Planning
The monthly planning meeting for the KCWC committee is this Saturday. Please be in prayer for the 2008 conference.
We plan to post short bios of our committee members so that KCWC attendees can get to know us. We're just posting a few at a time, so check previous posts for others.
KCWC Secretary Ginger Wilkinson is an executive assistant, writing devotions on the side. She is a former volunteer copy editor for the Baptist Peacemaker.
Margaret Hardesty-Day, a spontaneous writer, shares the gift of her travels with you, people she has met, paths she has traveled and pebbles she encountered. She is self-published and enjoys speaking about her travels. She is described as vibrant and engaging, a free spirit! She is KCWC Historian.
Kate Thomas is an author, speaker, and former teacher. She founded the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference in 1996.Kate has published three books, one of which is in its second printing. She has also published numerous articles, and is presently working on her fourth book. Kate currently serves on the KCWC advisory board.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
More KCWC History
A friend of mine has a country saying that applies here: "If you see a turtle on a fence-post, you know he didn't get there by himself."
We credit Kate Thomas with the founding of KCWC (formerly called Kentucky Christian Writers Seminar). Kate would be the first to say that she had lots of help from a number of people to start the conference and to keep it going.
Constance Darnell, currently an advisory board member, has helped to build the conference, having been the coordinator for two years. She is a freelance writer and author of Songs For Martha (Harmony House Publishers, 2007). Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family's Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines as well as Kentucky Monthly and others. She works for her husband's chiropractic practice in Elizabethtown, KY, as well as providing help with his work as pastor for the Locust Grove Church.
Betty Whitworth is a retired language arts teacher, member of the Breckinridge County Public Library Board, journalist/columnist for THE HERALD NEWS in Hardinsburg, KY, free lance writer, independent editor, Sunday school teacher, Bible teacher, workshop leader, and storyteller. She is also a current advisory board member and former coorindator for KCWC.
The 2008 planning committee meets this coming Saturday, continuing the effort to make the 12th conference the best ever. Please pray for the committee as they plan for 2008, and subscribe to our blog for updates. Also, watch for 2008 details on our website www.kychristianwriters.com.
Emily Akin
2008 Publications Chair
We credit Kate Thomas with the founding of KCWC (formerly called Kentucky Christian Writers Seminar). Kate would be the first to say that she had lots of help from a number of people to start the conference and to keep it going.
Constance Darnell, currently an advisory board member, has helped to build the conference, having been the coordinator for two years. She is a freelance writer and author of Songs For Martha (Harmony House Publishers, 2007). Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family's Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines as well as Kentucky Monthly and others. She works for her husband's chiropractic practice in Elizabethtown, KY, as well as providing help with his work as pastor for the Locust Grove Church.
Betty Whitworth is a retired language arts teacher, member of the Breckinridge County Public Library Board, journalist/columnist for THE HERALD NEWS in Hardinsburg, KY, free lance writer, independent editor, Sunday school teacher, Bible teacher, workshop leader, and storyteller. She is also a current advisory board member and former coorindator for KCWC.
The 2008 planning committee meets this coming Saturday, continuing the effort to make the 12th conference the best ever. Please pray for the committee as they plan for 2008, and subscribe to our blog for updates. Also, watch for 2008 details on our website www.kychristianwriters.com.
Emily Akin
2008 Publications Chair
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
KCWC Plans for 2008
At the July meeting, the KCWC committee discussed the evaluations from the 2007 conference. Faculty and conferees alike offered praise for the spiritual atmosphere and for the content. Some said they felt a little rushed. Perhaps that's because the committee wants to pack as much information and encouragement as possible into the two-day conference.
At the August meeting, the committee will be working on next year's schedule. Karen Moore Artl of Thomas Nelson Publishers is the featured speaker. We want to offer workshops for unpublished writers, but we also want to provide continuing education and encouragement for experienced writers. All in two days' time!
Organizing a conference with a committee of volunteers is always a challenge. However, this committee holds a prayer time before each meeting. This week, would you also pray for 2008 planning as the committee makes decisions on scheduling and choosing faculty.
At the August meeting, the committee will be working on next year's schedule. Karen Moore Artl of Thomas Nelson Publishers is the featured speaker. We want to offer workshops for unpublished writers, but we also want to provide continuing education and encouragement for experienced writers. All in two days' time!
Organizing a conference with a committee of volunteers is always a challenge. However, this committee holds a prayer time before each meeting. This week, would you also pray for 2008 planning as the committee makes decisions on scheduling and choosing faculty.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pray for 2008 and Photo
The KCWC committee meets this Saturday, July 21st, in Elizabethtown. Prayer time begins at 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, and the meeting itself begins at 10 a.m. The committee will study the result of the conference evaluations and begin planning for next year. Please pray for the committee as they embark on this new journey.
I'm still sharing pictures from 2007 conference, and here's one of the better ones. The editor panel is always popular with attendees. This year's group included (left to right), Karen Moore Artl, Thomas Nelson; Wanda Griffith, Pathway Press; Nicole Corlew and Jorge Berrios, Upper Room; Jim Watkins, Wesleyan; Jessica Bratcher, Elizabethtown News Enterprise; Anthony and Crystal Obey, GMA Publishers; Gloria Haynes, Redbird Publishing and Plain Flannel Publishing; and Kathy Carlton Willis, Glass Road PR.
I'm still sharing pictures from 2007 conference, and here's one of the better ones. The editor panel is always popular with attendees. This year's group included (left to right), Karen Moore Artl, Thomas Nelson; Wanda Griffith, Pathway Press; Nicole Corlew and Jorge Berrios, Upper Room; Jim Watkins, Wesleyan; Jessica Bratcher, Elizabethtown News Enterprise; Anthony and Crystal Obey, GMA Publishers; Gloria Haynes, Redbird Publishing and Plain Flannel Publishing; and Kathy Carlton Willis, Glass Road PR.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Eleven Years and Counting
Have you met Kate and Joyce? Kate Thomas is KCWC founder. In an earlier post, we mentioned that, about 12 years ago, Kate attended an American Christian Writers Conference while suffering from a back ailment. Joyce Joines went with her and helped her manage to get the most out of the conference in spite of her pain.
Here's Kate looking for her name tag at the 2007 conference in Elizabethtown (11th year). She's been on the conference committee or advisory board every year since conference inception.
And here's Joyce at this year's conference. She's perusing the material on the free resources table. She is modest about her contribution to KCWC. She has served on the committee in the past, and she still attends each year.
If you didn't get to meet them this year, plan to attend the conference next year (June 20-21, 2008) in Elizabethtown. I'm sure they'll both be there.
Here's Kate looking for her name tag at the 2007 conference in Elizabethtown (11th year). She's been on the conference committee or advisory board every year since conference inception.
And here's Joyce at this year's conference. She's perusing the material on the free resources table. She is modest about her contribution to KCWC. She has served on the committee in the past, and she still attends each year. If you didn't get to meet them this year, plan to attend the conference next year (June 20-21, 2008) in Elizabethtown. I'm sure they'll both be there.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
You Are a Giant Killer
"Communicate to change lives."
For me, that was the take-away message of KCWC 2007 conference featured speaker Jim Watkins, seen here convincing us all that we are indeed Giant Killers.
Equipped with our own smooth stones (I accidentally laundered mine), we can go forth to conquer the Giant Publishers with our new-found knowledge of writing and marketing.
I don't know who said this, but I've heard that David saw his confrontation with Goliath differently than most of us. Instead of viewing Goliath as an enemy who was too powerful to beat, he saw him as a target that was too big to miss!
Attitude is everything. Keep trying. You are a Giant Killer!
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