BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE

Chicken Little and Space Photos

Photo by Robert Harrison

Robert Harrison of England is an innovator. He also appears to be one of those people who doesn’t know that he can’t do what he does. He has an interest in photography: the kind of photography that delivers pictures taken from 20 miles up.

So, is he an astronaut? High-flying test pilot? Nope. He’s a guy with a used digital camera bought on eBay for under one hundred dollars, a weather balloon, some duct tape, and a pretty good imagination. NASA drops a cool $450 million each time they send up the Shuttle; Harrison spends just $750.

Imagine sitting around the table with Mr. Harrison and he says, “You know, I think I’d like to take pictures of the Earth from the edge of space, and I think I can do it for less than one hundred dollars.” Who could blame the scoffers? Yet, he does just that.

Harrison’s achievements have caught the attention of the news media and NASA. His photos are stunning in beauty and clarity.

Using a box lined with duct tape, some insulation to protect the camera from the cold of the stratosphere, a small GPS beacon, Harrison sends his homemade contraption spaceward then tracks its signal as it returns to Earth. He then downloads the digital images taken from the border of space (the balloon lifts the device four miles higher than spy planes reach). The balloon he uses starts off three feet in diameter but in the thinning air grows to fifty-feet across, then rips. His camera descends to earth by parachute.

It seems an impossible thing to do so cheaply, yet Harrison made it work impressing the world in the process.

I love people like Harrison. They’re “why not” attitude is an inspiration especially when it is so easy to dismiss our own ideas as those of a crank. We writers can be our own worst enemies. To be a writer is to put oneself on the edge of ridicule. I can’t speak for every writer but I have a chorus of naysayers living in my head. I think of an idea and a moment later snickers, chortles, and the occasional guffaw echo in my skull. Reason upon reason why my idea won’t work follow.

Sometimes I listen to them. At times I think Chicken Little lives in my brain.

People like Harrison seem immune to the fear of failure. In their world, failure carries no shame. Better to try and fail than to not try at all.

The same holds true with writing. Almost every writer has experienced some failure. An article didn’t sell; the novel never came together; the screenplay was sent back—twenty times; people said negative things about the work. So what?

Sure it stings. Sometimes a kick to the gut would be less painful. Again, so what? What would’ve happened if Harrison’s dream of sending a camera twenty miles high and doing so on a shoestring hadn’t worked? At least he could look at the smashed remains of his camera and say, “Eh, I tried.”

Courage isn’t doing something you know you can achieve; it’s going forward knowing you might fail.

To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt: “The critic doesn’t count, but the doer of the deed does. And if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. His place shall never be with the cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

--Alton “if I only had some duct tape” Gansky

 

 

First Lines

 

While working on his MFA in creative writing, my son Aaron told me about a paper he had written dealing with the best first lines in novels. He referred me to this site (pdf file). The list is compiled by the editors of American Book Review. Of course such things are subjective and as soon as someone compiles a list there will be those who will say they overlooked better lines in better novels.

The list impressed me with how varied first lines can be. Some are short like Melville's "Call me Ishmael," in MOBY DICK or INVISIBLE MAN author Ralph Ellison's, "I am an invisible man." Some are much longer such as Charles Dickens' A TALE OF TWO CITIES, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

Mark Twain sets the tone and establishes a character in ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in his very first line: "You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter." (He also manages to advertise his previous book.)

First lines are an art form. Unfortunately too many writers want to scratch down a few lines so they can get to the "good stuff." This is a mistake. First lines, whether in fiction or nonfiction, set the tone for the entire work. Many writers will spend more time on page one than any other page of their work.

Consider this first line from Jack Cavanaugh's THE GUARDIANS: "Death had no good reason being out on a night like this." Succinct, engaging, a tad startling, and pointed. Who doesn't want to read the second line?

First lines in nonfiction can be just as engaging. Philip Yancey in THE JESUS I NEVER KNEW starts Chapter One this way: "I first got acquainted with Jesus when I was a child singing "Jesus Loves Me" in Sunday school, addressing bedtime prayers to ‘Dear Lord Jesus,’ watching the Bible Club teachers move cutout figures across the flannel graph board. I associated Jesus with Kool-Aid and sugar cookies and gold stars for good attendance."

Magazine articles can garner the same kind of attention. In the September 2008 issue of Scientific American, editor-in-chief John Rennie kick starts his editorial with this two line beginning: "Once upon a time and ethicist had a brilliant idea of for a prison. Today we all live in it."

Take a look at your work in progress. Read it aloud a few times. Does it grip the attention? Does it grabs the reader by the lapels and pull him into the work? Does it screamed, "If you think this is great, then keep reading." If not, then rework it. Don't be afraid to try extremes, remember you can always delete the lines. Don't settle on the first thing that comes to mind. Try several approaches to see what fits.

Take some time to pull books from your shelves and read the first two lines of the first chapter. Do they grab you? If not ask why not. If they do, then ask why it works. Be analytical. Learn from the thousands of writers out there.

Another reason to focus on first lines is the power they have to sway an editor. Acquisitions editors spend much of their time reading the first pages of manuscript submitted to them for publication. To be frank, they're looking for reasons to reject the work while hoping to find a diamond in all the dirt. If your first lines don't have an impact on mind and heart, then it's very likely your work will be rejected. But if you can seize their attention, lasso their hearts, fire up their imaginations, then you have traveled 100 miles closer to publication.

Do you have some favorite first lines, perhaps from a novel, an article, devotion, or a nonfiction book? If so, then share them with us. I know I would love to read them and I'm certain the readers of this blog would enjoy them as well.

Alton Gansky

Creating WOW Fiction by Jack Cavanaugh

 
[Jack Cavanaugh is a multi-award winning novelist and master craftsman. He is also a keen observer of the publishing industry. Recently, he posted the following on his blog site. I want to share it with you. --Alton Gansky]

When Michael Hyatt speaks, authors listen. 

At least this author does. 

After all, Hyatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the United States. Impressive.

Earlier this week Hyatt tweeted a link to a blog he wrote, “Creating Wow Product Experiences.” (Read it here.) Since I’m always looking for ways to craft better stories, I wondered if his list could be adapted to writing fiction. 

The first thing I realized is that the items seemed to fall into two categories: things a writer can do, and things a reader experiences. It’s communication 101, really. There’s a sender and there’s a receiver. Writers tell stories, readers respond to them. The magic happens when a writer intentionally sets out to evoke a specific response from his readers which results in an unforgettable journey. 

(Could a writer coerce reader response? I suppose. Concentration camp reading groups. Bribes tucked in the pages—half now, half when you post a five-star review on Amazon. Banks of solicitors making literary phone threats, I’ll give you thirty seconds to convince me you liked Jack’s latest novel, or else…. Hmm. A topic for another blog?)

Back to Hyatt’s list—

Having divided the list into two categories, I wondered if the lists matched up. That’s when I noticed a seeds and fruit pattern. It took some tweaking, but I came up with five seeds a writer can plant and the accompanying fruit that will produce a WOW experience for the reader—

1.    Surprise — Transcendence 

Exceed the reader’s expectations. What makes your story different, better than all the other stories on the bookshelves? A unique style? A shocking plot twist? An unforgettable cast of characters? Fresh insight into the human condition? The same old story told the same old way isn’t going to do it. A surprising read creates a sense of awe and wonder. 

2.    Anticipation — Presence 

Crank up the anticipation. It creates a sensation of timelessness in the reader’s mind that the present moment is all that exists. This is escapism at its finest, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes moments of fantasy are all that’s keeping us sane. Who would scorn a POW for imaginative escapes from his cage and his captors? Former POWs told of playing invisible pianos, and of imaginary walks on the beach with their wife and children. Reading to escape the stresses of life can be a life saver. 

3.    Revelation — Clarity 

Strengthen the theme. Readers try on characters in a story the same way they try on clothes in a department store. As the life lessons of the story unfold for the characters, the reader suddenly “gets it.” Life is simplified.

4.    Resonance — Viral

Touch the heart deeply. When you do, it creates in the reader a craving  to share the emotion/moment/insight with someone. That’s how word of mouth—viral marketing—gets started. 

5.    Universality — Privilege

When the writer crafts stories that transcend time, culture and ethnicity, readers from all walks of life gravitate together in a shared experience forming a community, a privileged society with code words and signs. An example of this is college students who read The Lord of the Rings, or trekkies and the Star Trek phenomenon. May their kind live long and prosper for this is viral marketing in full bloom. 

Of course, there is a risk in planting. Not all seed bears fruit. But then, no one ever harvested a crop that was never planted. And readers can't experience WOW moments of transcendent escapism if we don't write them.

--Jack Cavanaugh

www.jcwordforge.com 

 
[Jack Cavanaugh is a multi-award winning novelist and master craftsman. He is also a keen observer of the publishing industry. Recently, he posted the following on his blog site. I want to share it with you. --Alton Gansky]

When Michael Hyatt speaks, authors listen. 

At least this author does. 

After all, Hyatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the seventh largest trade book publishing company in the United States. Impressive.

(Could a writer coerce reader response? I suppose. Concentration camp reading groups. Bribes tucked in the pages—half now, half when you post a five-star review on Amazon. Banks of solicitors making literary phone threats, I’ll give you thirty seconds to convince me you liked Jack’s latest novel, or else…. Hmm. A topic for another blog?)

Back to Hyatt’s list—

Having divided the list into two categories, I wondered if the lists matched up. That’s when I noticed a seeds and fruit pattern. It took some tweaking, but I came up with five seeds a writer can plant and the accompanying fruit that will produce a WOW experience for the reader—

1.    Surprise — Transcendence 

Some of This; Some of That

 
Some of this . . .

I'm just back from a few days in Canada where I taught a fiction track and keynoted three times. It was my first time in Canada, and I enjoyed every moment of it. (Well, except the flight up, but that's a different blog post.) I was well treated, well fed, and got to spend time with published and about to be published authors. In one of my keynotes I said this: "About the only thing that will get me on a these days is a chance to spend time with other writers." I meant it. There is something about being with other word-jockeys.

About 50 folks came to study and share; to fellowship and dream; to encourage and be encouraged. Writers share a bond that is impossible to describe. Our work is cranked out in long, lonely hours. People who don't write think we're weird. (I'm not saying they're wrong, just making note of it.) Some time ago, my son Aaron was required to teach a class on writing to fulfill graduation requirements to graduate with an MFA in creative writing. He invited his proud father and mother to attend. He did a great job. One thing I noticed while sitting in the large classroom filled with other MFA graduate students. I didn't know one of them, but I felt comfortable among them.

That's the thing about writing conferences: It's not all about learning (important as that is), pitching, or networking. It's about the writer's soul--the need to awash in creativity and be reminded that we are not alone.

We have conferees who attend for no other reason than to share ideas with other writers. I often hear from our faculty that one reason they travel so far, put their own work on hold, is the boost they get in their own creativity.

When you come to Blue Ridge, you will encounter people who, no matter how different in other areas of their life, share the same restless drive to write. Have you registered yet? If not, let me encourage you to do so as soon as you're able. Yes, I'm the director and it's my job to encourage registration, but that isn't what motivates me today--it's the joy of spending the weekend hanging with other writers and not seeing my competition, but members of ever-growing family called Writers.

. . . Some of that: A Couple of Updates

I've added a new page to this site where you can download a pdf file of the 2010 schedule. NOTE: If you've ever prepared a schedule (especially one that has about 115 classes, 40 faculty, a large handful of keynotes, entertainment, worship, and other such things), then you know that changes are bound to occur. I will do my best to keep things up to date.

Speaking of up to date, I have updated the faculty page as well. In most cases I've marked the places with [Update].

Alton Gansky

Faculty Friday: Jonathan Clements, Founder Wheelhouse Literary Group

[Jonathan has been attending BRMCWC and helping attendees for several years. This year, not only is he meeting with conferees, he's teaching. He has a great sense of humor and has made a great name for himself as a literary agent. --Al Gansky]

Jonathan Clements has worked in the entertainment industry for over 15 years, calling Nashville home for the full term. Although he has an extensive background in the music business, including artist management, development and career consulting, he found his true calling in 2005, beginning working with authors as a literary agent.

Jonathan founded Wheelhouse Literary Group in January 2010, after running The Nashville Group’s literary and licensing division for five years, helping writers communicate their souls and passions to the masses. He loves coffee, music, (this is beginning to sound like an online dating bio), and the ever elusive well-crafted sentence. Therefore, you may just find him at the nearest trendy coffee shop, multitasking on his laptop, conducting client meetings, reading manuscripts, and well … grooving to the latest tune. 

Jonathan prefers not to "drop names", but has worked with some of the more influential types within the entertainment and publishing worlds through the years. Always willing to listen to a pitch, or read a manuscript, you won't meet a more approachable agent. Just don't forget the coffee.

Jonathan's classes:

Getting a Bigger Picture: Writing with More in Mind (Workshop)
All writing has a purpose. Some write to inform, to inspire, to entertain, or to motivate. Christian writing has a deeper purpose and a wider scope. Literary agent Jonathan Clements shows the power of “Big Picture” writing.

The Care and Feeding of Your Agent (Workshop)
Literary agents are valuable partners in the literary business, providing guidance, sharing wisdom, and using their experience and connections to help writers achieve their goals. Such relationships require professionalism and wisdom. Jonathan Clements reveals the behind-the-scenes workings of writers and agents.

Keynote Speakers

2011 Speakers Coming Soon

The Tail, er Tale of the Three-Legged Dog

 

Lessons come in the strangest places and at the oddest times. Today, I slipped out of the office early to get a haircut and buy one of those gooey-frosty-juice-things with names like “Mellon Madness” that are supposed to be good for me. The haircut went fine with no ears injured and the juice was everything I hoped it would be. As I drove through the parking lot, my mind on the day’s work and a straw of tasty juice permanently glued to my lips, I had to slow for a dog trotting over the asphalt—a dog with three legs.

Now, I’ve seen three-legged dogs before. I even tell a joke about a three-legged pig (don’t worry, I’ll spare you), but the image of the dog stuck with me through the day. First, the dog appeared as happy as any I’ve seen. He didn’t mope across the macadam, he moved with brisk motion as if he were late for an appointment (maybe he was out for a haircut too).

Second, he trotted as if he had all four legs, apparently unperturbed by the missing limb. Whatever cost him his leg hadn’t taken his doggy-zeal for life.

Last, he used what he had and used it well.

“If only…” Have you ever heard the phrase? “If only I had more time. If only I were younger. If only I hadn’t wasted my youth. If only I had chosen a better college (or any college.) Many people utter this phrase, allowing it to become their mantra of failure. Budding writers say, “If only I had more time.” Hesitant entrepreneurs mumble, “If only I had started sooner.”

“If only…if only…if only….”

And what does the three legged dog do? He keeps moving as if nothing was missing.

That is a wise dog. Good boy.

AG

 

Meet Michelle Medlock Adams--Freelancer

Michelle Medlock Adams is an Indiana University Journalism School graduate, an award-winning newspaper and magazine writer and the author of 43 books, earning first-place merits from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association to name a few. Michelle’s Christian Living book, “Living the Love Chapter” earned her the title of “Writer of the Year” at the 2001 Write-to-Publish Conference in Wheaton, Illinois. And, her picture book, “Conversations On the Ark” earned her the “Barnes & Noble Texas Author of the Month” honor in May 2003. This year, Michelle’s two latest children’s books, “Hooray for Easter!” and “Counting Cows” will be released by Ideals Children’s Books. When not working on her own assignments, Michelle ghostwrites books, articles and web copy for some of today’s most effective and popular ministers. She is also a much sought after teacher at writers’ conferences and universities around the nation, and she loves speaking to women’s groups, youth groups, and congregations, encouraging others to follow after God and discover their destiny in Him. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two teenage daughters, Abby and Ally, and three miniature long-haired dachshunds. The Adams family resides in Bedford, IN., where they cheer on the Bedford North Lawrence Stars, the Indiana University Hoosiers and the Indiaapolis Colts with great enthusiasm.www.michellemedlockadams.com

From Rejection to Publication. (Workshop)
After being in this business for more than 18 years, Michelle has enough rejection letters to wallpaper most of her home. But, that's all a part of the process. In this session, she encourages writers to keep on keeping on by helping them "read between the lines" of their rejection letters; use the letters to their advantage; and finally, turn that rejection slip into a contract.

Making It as a Magazine Writer. (Workshop)
When the well runs dry, how can writers generate articles that will sell? How can they tap into new markets? How can they re-market what they've already written? Those are just some of the questions she addresses in this practical session.

Children's Writing 101. (Workshop)
As the author of 28 children's books that are already in bookstores and several more that will be released next year, Michelle shares some tips that have taken her out of the slush pile and into the editors' hands.

If This Is What Being a Writer Is, I'd Rather Have Chocolate! (Workshop)
If you're feeling discouraged and confused, wondering if God can ever use your writing skills for Him, join Michelle Medlock Adams for this session. The life of a writer isn't always an easy one, but it is definitely worth it! If you need to be reminded that God uses imperfect people (even writers with lots of rejection slips and no best-selling books), join her for this inspirational session. This session is guaranteed to put the pep back in your step! (And, she will have chocolate for all who attend!) 

10 Tips to Double Your Freelance Income. (Workshop)
When Michelle quit her 9-to-5 magazine writing job in 2000 and entered the world of full-time freelance writing, she learned (through trial and error) how to earn consistent cash. Come to this session and discover how to double your fun and finances as a freelance writer! This is always a writers' conference favorite!

The Query Clinic (Workshop)

Come to this 75-minute session for some quick query letter tips and some hands-on query letter editing. We'll go over the basics of a query letter and then dissect several actual query letters that have been submitted to magazine editors I know. Should be fun! Come to this workshop and learn to craft your own killer query!

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

 
by Eva Marie Everson
 

Remember the song by Elton John and KiKi Dee? The year was 1976 and people dressed funny. Well, okay. Elton dressed funny and Ki Ki wore pink overalls. 

The point is, no one likes their heart broken, do they? And no one likes to hear that there is something wrong with their baby. Yet, week after week and month after month we writers drag ourselves to our respective critique groups saying, “I want you to read this and tell me what I can do to make it better.”

Often translated: Tell me that you love it. Don’t break my heart on this one. I’ve worked so hard … so long … read all the right books … self-edited my little heart out. 

Anyone who has been a part of a critique group for any period of time knows the personalities who make them. We get the “God told me to write this and not allow anyone to change a word” folks. We hear the “I hope you like it; my mother said it was wonderful” lines. Rarely do our ears behold, “Rip it to shreds. Make it better. Heck, make it the best!”

The Background Story

In 1997 I was invited to a new writers group starting at the church I attended. Five hopefuls (including myself) showed up. We developed a system which allowed two people per month to be critiqued. But when our group grew, that system stopped working. 

One Saturday, a newcomer walked into our midst. Bryan Davis. (Yeah,that one.) He watched how we did things and then suggested something he called “cold critique.” What was that, we wondered. Bryan explained that anyone who wanted to bring a piece (up to a certain number of words), could. There should be enough copies for everyone. The person to the right of the critique-ee would read. The person to the left would start the critique. At first I thought, “I’m not sure if this will work.” But within an hour, Bryan had us all convinced.

Since that time, Word Weavers (the name of our group) has grown enormously … and not just in numbers. A great many of our members are published and multi-published. Why? Because we’ve learned not only the art of critique, but the value of it as well. 

Mentoring & Me

For years now I’ve been teaching first one thing and then another at writers conferences. A few times I’ve been asked to teach on subjects I had no idea about. So I learned and then I taught. But two years ago I was asked to lead a workshop on something I know a lot about: the art and value of on-the-spot critique. 

We call them “mentoring sessions” and for the conferee they are of great worth. Below are the top five reasons you should consider one:

1. A sense of “team” is established. Suddenly (and we try not to use the word “suddenly”) this is no longer just your piece but rather the piece of the group. Now there are others in our court who commit to praying for us as we write and re-write, as we submit and submit again. And again. They are there for us when things look bleak and they’ll party – even with miles and miles of distance – when we get the news we’ve been waiting for.
   
2. The areas we knew were weak are exposed and by that revealing, they are strengthened. Most of us don’t go to Bally’s or Curves because we’re firm but because our muscles need some attention. They are our weak points. In a mentoring workshop, we openly ask others to show us those places that need strengthening. Do we use certain words repeatedly (my editor tells me I use “a bit” in excess. Now I know to look for it.)? What about the overuse of adverbs and adjectives? Those pesky clichés? What if we are writing in passive voice and just don’t realize it? Do we have all the elements of dialogue – tags, quotation marks, etc. – correct? Are we staying within the rules of grammar? Or, at the very least, do we know the rules enough to know why we’ve broken them?
   
3. We find what does work. We learn our areas of strength and can then build upon it. These may be areas we didn’t even realize were our finer moments.
   
4. Our readers are important. Those sitting around the table – including the director – are essentially our readers. Getting the work past an editor and then the publishing board is one thing, but if your potential readers don’t get your work, you’ll be a one hit wonder.
   
5. We have the opportunity to talk about the market. You know the old adage, “Two heads are better the one,” right? Well, think of what we may glean concerning the current trends, where the market is heading, etc. with nine other people sitting around a table.

Check it Out!

Something I love to do in my mentoring classes is a game whereby I give a list of paired-off sentences. They both look correct, but only one is.We look at chapter outlines, title pages, and opening sentences and paragraphs. We master the art of "first pages" ... not to mention a thousand words to make any editor say, "Yes!" 

It’s fun. Actually, the whole experience is fun … it’s not a heart-breaking experience at all.

I promise.

Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning author of both fiction and nonfiction books. Her book Reflections of God's Holy Land was a finalist for both the ECPA Book of the Year/Inspiration & Gift and Foreword Magazines Book of the Year/Travel Essays. She will lead the nonfiction mentoring clinic. For more information as to what to bring to the workshop, contact Eva Marie @ PenNhnd@aol.com 

To view the press release for Eva's newest book This Fine Life click Download This Fine Life.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend a Writers Conference.

by Edie Melson

 

[Edie Melson shares this post from her blog site  http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/.]

 

This is my 10^th anniversary at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference and I thought I’d share my top ten reasons to attend a writer’s conference.

 

10. Relationships. Writing is all about relationships – your relationship with the reader, with the editor and with other writers.

 

9. Loneliness. Writing is a lonely business. We need time to socialize with others who get this crazy passion we have with words.

 

8. Confirmation. We all face doubts as to whether or not we really are a writer. A conference is the best place to confirm that calling and receive support from our peers.

 

7. Misery loves company. If you have spent any time at all as a writer, you know all about rejection. It helps to hear other people talk about their experiences and realize we all face the same thing.

 

6. The classes. Where else can you spend hours at a stretch learning about all the different aspects of writing?

 

5. Late night brainstorming sessions. Many of us keep odd hours as writers, where else can you find others ready to share a cup of coffee and discuss an idea at 2am?

 

4. Meet your neighbor. Okay, I admit, this one’s personal for me. But I had to go to a writer’s conference to meet my writing buddy Vonda Skelton – who lives less than 3 minutes away!

 

3. Hang out with the stars. We all have writers we admire and a conference where they are on staff is the perfect place to get to know them.

 

2. Sharpen that pitch. If you want to pitch an idea, a conference is the perfect place to try it out on other professionals before you send it to the editor.

 

1. Network, Network, Network. Like I said, writing is all about relationships and its human nature for an editor to prefer someone he’s met to someone he doesn’t know.

 

#

 

Edie Melson is a writer with a passion for life’s stories.  She has 16 years experience as a freelance writer, speaker and editor. She began her formal writing career in the 80’s as a technical writer for Leisure Arts, Inc. After taking time off to raise her family, she moved from this aspect of writing into freelance writing, a perfect fit for someone who loves new challenges. Numerous articles, including those for Focus on the Family and Crosswalk.com, devotions for Inspiredmoms.com and Bible studies have flowed from her pen to her audience. She also has numerous copy writing clients and frequently teaches how to write for the internet with an emphasis on SEO/keyword formatting. Her love of stories has continued to drive her as she tackles the craft of fiction writing.

In 2001 Edie began sharing her knowledge of the writing industry with other writers by starting a local writer’s group The Christian Writer’s Den with colleague, Vonda Skelton. They have also co-directed and taught an annual writer’s retreat since 2002 and are members of a weekly, fiction writers critique group. Edie is currently a member of several professional writing organizations, including The Christian Writer’s View I and ACFW, where she serves as the Editor for the Southeast Zone Newsletter and staff reviewer for Afictionado Magazine.

Married 29 years to husband, Kirk, they have raised three sons.  Their oldest currently serves in the Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal and has just returned from his second tour in Iraq.

Writing for the Web (Workshop)
Writing for the web takes a different set of skills. What works for books and magazines does not always work for the Web. Edie unveils the tips and techniques for writing for the world’s most read medium—the Internet.

Tools of the Trade (Continuing Class)
Ever trade has tools. Writing is no different. In this continuing class, Edie takes us through the basic tools used by every writer. Classes include: 1) Verbs Can Change the World; 2) Terms Every Writer Needs to Understand; 3) Every Writer Needs a Bio.