New and experienced writers will be spiritually renewed as they sharpen their word- smithing skills and learn about Christian publishing at this annual conference.
- 5 Continuing Classes
- 45 workshops
- Editorial Appointments
- Professional Critiques
Our faculty will include Bonnie Calhoun, Joanna Echols, Linda Glaz, Bob Hostetler, Marsha Hubler, Donna and Conrad Krieger, Larry Leech, Linda Bonney Olin, Gloria Penwell, Major Allen Satterlee, Cindy Sproles and Carol Wedeven.
Continuing Classes
Learn the Lingo - Cindy Sproles
Learn the basics of manuscript prep and the lingo that goes with it in today’s publishing world.
- Say What? POW, GWS, MOO, RUE, and many more terms.
- They Told Me to What? Bios, business cards, one-sheets, and etiquette for appointments.
- Come Again? Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing. Hard decisions in a tough market.
- Do what? Building a platform and advancing sales through social media and speaking.
Cindy serves as Executive Editor of ChristianDevotions.us, a daily devotional website where many authors are published for the first time. She is also an Acquisitions Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and a contributing writer for CBN.com. Cindy has written one book and co-authored another. Her work has been published in several compilations and syndicated newspapers. She enjoys teaching, speaking, and directing Writers ADVANCE! Boot Camp.
The Well-Rounded Writer - Bob Hostetler
Getting published is one thing. Becoming a well-rounded writer is another. Preserve your sanity as you develop—or revive—your writing as you engage in hands-on sessions that will equip you with better business practices, improved craftsmanship, a heightened awareness of your writing as meaningful ministry, and even a refreshing rediscovery of the joys of writing for fun.
Bob Hostetler, author of 32 books, is also an editor, pastor, and speaker. His award-winning books, including Falling in Love with God and Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (co-authored with Josh McDowell) have sold over three million copies. Bob has won two Gold Medallion Awards, four Ohio Associated Press awards, and an Amy Foundation Award. He is the founding pastor of Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, Ohio. He and his wife Robin have two grown children and four grandchildren.
G.R.E.A.T. Writing - Larry J. Leech II
In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discuss the key elements of G.R.E.A.T writing: Grammar, Red flags, Extra words, Adjectives and Adverbs, and Tricky words. We’ll also look at where to find ideas, how to stay motivated, writing first pages, creating tension, and taking an idea and shaping it into a book or turning it into a story, blog, or article. Both fiction and nonfiction writers are encouraged to bring a work-in-progress for fine tuning.
Larry spent nearly two decades writing, editing, and managing news and sports departments at various newspapers. He served as editor of Christian Retailing magazine for five years. With more than 2,300 articles published, Larry moved into freelance book editing and writing in 2004. He has ghostwritten over a dozen books, edited over 150 manuscripts, and served as the first president of Word Weavers International. Larry enjoys sharing his love of words with aspiring writers as a conference speaker, writing coach, and mentor and will evaluate manuscripts as a representative for HigherLife Publishing & Marketing.
Your Best Fiction Workshop - Marsha Hubler
Working on juvenile fiction? Romance? Fantasy? Short stories? Join this work-in-progress class to learn how to create eye-catching fiction to hook readers, flesh out characters, and develop a story arc with a satisfying resolution sparked by interesting narrative and dialogue. Learn differences in subgenres and which is best for your style of writing. Register for MCWC by June 28 and request guidelines for submitting a sample of your work beforehand. Improve it during the week to prepare it for publication. (Class size limited.)
Marsha is the author of the best-selling juvenile fiction Keystone Stables Series, The Loves of Snyder County Amish/Mennonite Series, and The Snyder County Quilting Bee Short Story Series. She has a master’s degree in education, over 40 years experience with children of all ages, and lives in Amish/Mennonite country in central Pennsylvania.
Hey! What's the Big Idea? - Torry Martin
Brainstorm. Find the BIG IDEA that will satisfy your audience. Discover the power of storytelling. Develop original but believable characters and dialogue. Look at format, story, structure, character, and dialogue for comedy sketches for stage or screen. Examine the art and craft of screenwriting. Compare screenplays with novels. Learn what’s involved in collaborative writing, marketing, and promoting yourself and your projects.
Torry is an award-winning actor, screenwriter, comedian and author. In addition to penning humor columns for a variety of national print and online publications, he writes for Adventures in Odyssey where he created the popular character of Wooton Bassett. Torry has co-written six full feature length scripts and is in demand as a speaker, performer, and instructor at writing and filmmaking conferences.
Professional Critiques
This is a great opportunity to have your work evaluated by a published professional. You will receive a written evaluation of your manuscript plus a 30-minute private appointment to talk about ways to improve and/or market your piece.
Bob Hostetler
Nonfiction books: Proposal plus 10 pages.
Fiction books: Synopsis plus 10 pages.
Poetry: Maximum of 3 poems with no more than 40 lines per poem.
Marsha Hubler
YA, Romance, and Fantasy books: Synopsis plus 10 pages.
Short stories: 10 pages.
Larry Leech
Nonfiction books: Proposal plus10 pages.
Nonfiction articles: Up to 2500 words.
Torry Martin
Drama sketches: Up to 12 pages.
Humor articles: Up to 1500 words.
Screenplays: Synopsis plus 10 pages.
Press Kits.
Cindy Sproles
Devotions: Up to three with a maximum of 400 words each.
Inspirational articles: Up to 2500 words.
Carol Wedeven
Picture books, stories, or articles for children: Up to 1500 words.