My Christian Writers Conferences

Getting Ready for Blue Ridge 2012 - Part 1

by Edie Melson

I know a lot of you are going to be attending writers conferences this year, and we hope to meet many of you face-to-face at Blue Ridge. Because we want you to be prepared we're going to be posting a Getting Ready article every Thursday. In it, we'll share some of the things you may want to prepare before you go. Today I want to highlight one of the first things you'll need--and one of the items many forget.

Business Cards

This basic essential seems to be something a lot of attendees don't realize they'll want to have on hand. Networking is one of the biggest reasons to attend a conference, and it's the easiest to prepare for. If you're just going to meet other writers and professionals the main thing you need is a good business card. Please take note, I said, good, NOT expensive. 

These are the things a good writer’s business card includes:

• Your picture - I know, I hate to have my picture taken and I always hate how it looks. But, in this business you need to be remembered and recognized and your picture is the best and easiest way to do that. If someone has a card with your picture on it, they'll remember who you are months longer than if it's just got your name. Also, it's harder to throw away a card with a picture on it than a card with just text on it.
• The name you use when you write - if you use a pseudonym, be sure it's on the card. Here's an example (I just made up the names - they're not representative of a real person): Susie Stone, writing as Catherine Milo.
• Your email address - this is going to be the main way others will contact you.
• Your website or blog address - never pass up the opportunity to encourage new visitors to your sites. Also, many people will follow up on what you've told them and this will be a way for them to get to know you better.
• Cell phone number - this isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps if your email goes down and someone has a hot lead for you.

Please take note of what is NOT included on a business card now. You do not need your physical address on the card. Actually, it's a liability. It can be dangerous to give out your home address, so if you feel you must include an address, invest in a PO Box. 

It is possible to make your own business cards, using Avery brand sheets that go through your ink jet printer. The trick to successfully printing your own cards is to keep them simple! Another inexpensive way to go is by using VistaPrint. This online company is very reputable and I personally know a lot of writers who get their cards through them. 

This is just a start for the things you'll want to have when you arrive on campus. I'll be continuing this series every Thursday until the conference. If you want more in depth feedback I invite you to join our My CWC Yahoo! Group. This is a moderated group, but only to keep out spammers, everyone else is welcome. The purpose of the Yahoo! Group is to give you a place to network with other writers before and after the conference, as well as ask questions and help you get prepared for Blue Ridge 2012.

Edie Melson is a freelance writer and editor with years of experience in the publishing industry. She’s a prolific writer, and has a popular writing blog, The Write Conversation. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, as well as a popular faculty member at numerous others. She currently has two books available, the best selling eBook, Social Media Marketing for Writers, and her latest project, a devotional for those with family members in the military, Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle.

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

5 Things To Do On Your Birthday

by Alton Gansky

Yesterday was my birthday. My 59th. My last year in the fifties. For most people, a birthday is a time to celebrate. I’ve never been good about celebrating my birthday. As a child, my mother wanted to throw parties each February 27th. Each year, I’d ask her not to. I had other things I wanted to do. I tell you that so you’ll know that I don’t view my birthday as most do.

My birthday is like New Year’s Eve to others. At the beginning of a new year, many people jot down resolutions and goals. I do something similar on my birthday but with some differences. First, I don’t make resolutions. Second, I don’t set goals. Nothing wrong with those activities. I do those things, but just not on my birthday. Instead, I get a tad philosophical about my existence. I do not descend into navel gazing, but I do think about who I am and what I do.

Five things to do on your birthday.

1. Think about where you are. Life is a journey and to have a successful life-trip, I must first understand where I am. It wouldn’t do for a California guy to head west to get to Florida. Where are you in you life?
2. Think about where you’re going. This is your goal. Don’t compare yourself to others. They’ve had to deal with a different set of dynamics than you. You’re not making their trip, you’re making yours. As a writer, most of my thinking has to do with communicating. I have many ideas but they are all tied to writing. Isaac Asimov wrote 500 books or so and enough short stories, articles, letters and the like to fill a good size storage shed. The sci-fi writer received a steady stream of requests for interviews, most of which he declined. He would ask the one making the request, “But when would I write?” He kept three typewriters in his office. If he bogged down on one project, he’d swivel his chair so he could face the second typewriter and start pounding away.
   
   Asimov earned a PhD in biochemistry but spent his life writing. That was what moved him, drove him, got him out of bed in the morning. What moves you along your journey?
   
   LIfe is a journey that has a direction but not a destination. We never arrive at a place where we pump our fist in the air and say, “Whoo hoo! I’ve finally arrived.” This is true for writers. My first goal was to get published and once I reached that objective I realized my journey wasn’t over. I had more writing to do. We writers are meanders, wanders. We don’t have a place in mind, but a process.
3. Count your blessings. Sure life is hard. Sure we get knocked around. You can count on setbacks and heartaches and worries. There are blessings too. Sometimes I think there are stars to remind us that there is no such thing as complete darkness. Remember the good.
4. Be thankful for the difficulties. In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Spock’s half-brother wins followers by taking away their pain and regret. Captain Kirk refuses and states (and I paraphrase), “My pains make me who I am. I don’t want to forget them.” I seldom take life principles from movies, but that stuck with me. When I read the New Testament I am amazed by how much joy Peter and Paul could find in their persecution. They had no love for pain, but they did have a love for Someone who made the pain worthwhile. Draw wisdom and strength from your difficulties.
5. Determine to march ahead. A birthday is just a marker in our meanderings. On my birthday, I like to remind myself that a writer gets to the end of a project by putting one word after another, and I get through life by taking one step at a time.

Once last thing: You don’t have to wait for your birthday to do these things. Today is as good a day as any.

Alton Gansky is a full time writer, director of BRMCWC, and founder of Gansky.Communications. He is the award winning author of 40 books. In addition to his own writing, he consults with publishers and writers. Through Gansky Communications he aids nonprofits, business, publishers, agents, and authors in producing the best in written communications. He has also written scores of videos, radio and television ads and other business productions. Prior to turning to full time writing, he was the senior pastor of a Southern Baptist church. In addition to his writing, he speaks to writers groups and church organizations.

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

7 Ways to Afford the Expense of a Writers Conference

by Alycia Morales

In 2010, I attended my first writers’ conference. When I decided to go, I didn’t count the financial cost. I considered my career first. I knew this decision would take me places I never dreamed about, and I stepped out in faith as I registered and paid the security deposit. 

Three years later, I’m still attending the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. My friends and I have discovered a few ways to cut the expense. 

1. Attend a local conference. If you live on the East Coast, BRMCWC can’t be beat. Attendee Lynn Huggins Blackburn says Blue Ridge offers an excellent faculty, several agents and editors and incredibly reasonable costs for the conference, lodging and food.
2. Travel: If you need to fly to conference, save your flyer miles and use them. I attended the Southwest Christian Writers Studio in 2011 because I used flyer miles, a gift from my father. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it to New Mexico.

If you’re traveling by car, see if there is anyone nearby who can carpool. This reduces the cost of gas for each person in the vehicle, and travel time goes faster when you have someone to talk with. This is also the perfect time to practice your elevator pitch.

1. Room and Board: Mary Denman loves to tell how she made a new best friend all due to a want ad digest posted on the Blue Ridge Yahoo! group. She debated whether or not to attend conference that year, until the post went up. At the encouragement of a friend, she took a chance and answered the ad. It turns out they shared many things including shoe sizes, a love for NCIS, chocolate and coffee.

Finding others to room with is one of the most cost-effective ways to save money at a writers’ conference. If the room is sixty-nine dollars per night and you find three people to room with, you save almost fifty-two dollars per night. Multiplied by five, that’s a total savings of two hundred and fifty-nine dollars for the week.

Not sure who to ask? Try finding someone on the Yahoo! group. Like Mary, you might make a new friend. Bring your critique group. Find another member of your family who writes. Have you been to conference before? Ask someone you met last year if they’re attending again and would like to share the expense.

1. I need new clothes! Beth Fortune remembers the stress she felt over what to wear to her first conference. Wanting to look professional is at the forefront of any serious writer’s mind. Not having enough money to buy a new wardrobe for conference can cause undue stress. All you really need is a pair or two of slacks and/or capris to mix and match with a variety of shirts. One or two comfortable pair of shoes and a dressy outfit for any banquets, and you’re all set.
2. Extras: Most writers I know love their coffee. Your favorite author is going to be there, and you need to buy his latest book and get him to autograph it. How do you afford these goodies when you’ve already spent so much? Save your loose change throughout the months before to use for vending machines and evening runs to the coffee shop. There’s a Lifeway bookstore at Blue Ridge. I receive coupons from Lifeway every month in my mailbox. Bringing the month’s coupon saves money on the books I’d like to purchase. (And don’t forget their nifty punch cards.) 

What if you still can’t afford conference? Here are two tips:

1. Collect your gifts. Vonda Skelton attended conferences before she started teaching at them. When she couldn’t afford them, she asked her family to give her money for her conference fund. Anytime a gift-giving holiday came around, her family gave her money instead of spending it on presents. She says, “That went a LONG way toward my conference fees.”
2. Apply for a scholarship. Most conferences I’ve looked into attending offer scholarships. There are two scholarships offered to BRMCWC attendees:

The Betty K. Purvis Memorial John 21 Fund

Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference Scholarships 

With these cost-cutting tips, anyone who is serious about their writing career can afford to attend even the more-expensive conferences. It’s definitely worth the cost.

Alycia Morales is a nationally published freelance writer whose devotions and articles can be read online or in magazines such as Thriving Family. Her blog, A. Morales Thinks, won first place at the 2011 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer's Conference. She is currently working on her first novel. A love of editing has led her to expand her career and she’s assisted in editing several novels of varying genres and finds it very fulfilling to encourage others in their pursuit of being published.

When she isn't busy writing, Alycia enjoys spending time with her family, reading, watching NCIS & Bones, or taking photographs. She loves coffee and can be found patronizing the local coffeehouse on a regular basis.

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

 

Interview with Beth K. Vogt

Beth K. Vogt is new to the BRMCWC faculty this year and will be bringing and interesting continuing class based on the Princes Bride. I've heard great things about it. Beth has a journalism background but now writes novels. Her first novel will be out in May and she's hard at work on the next one. She was kind enough to do this interview.

Now a word of apology. In recording this interview, we experienced a couple of technical difficulties, the most noticiable of which is Alton Gansky's frozen image. For reasons yet to be determined his video became a still shot. He's not in a coma. He didn't doze off. His face is just stuck. Fortunately, Beth's video continued to record just fine. Apologies to all.

 

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To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

Contests (What Are They About … Really?)

by Eva Marie Everson

In case you haven’t noticed, we have some terrific contests for conferees (and nonconferee/published book authors) at BRMCWC! If you haven’t made yourself aware of them before now, well … here’s your chance.

1. The BRMCWC Contest for Unpublished Writers: If you are planning to attend BRMCWC 2012, and you have not been published, this is your opportunity to shine. Your chance to show your fellow writers, the publishers, agents, editors, etc. in attendance what your writing is made of. There are 20 (count ‘em, 20!) categories for you to submit your work to.
2. The Director’s Choice Award: If you have attended BRMCWC in the past, have had a book published, and wouldn’t mind a little praise from our director, Sir Alton, this is where it’s happening!
3. The Selah Award: For the second year, BRMCWC is offering The Selah Award to those writers who published work in 2011, whether they attend the conference or not. The leadership of the BRMCWC take special pride in recognizing the hard work of our fellow authors; this is our time to place the spotlight on them.

(For more information on these contests, go to BRMCWC website, click on #6 in the lineup of information on the right side of the page.)

Before I give you the website link so you can be a part of all this, I want to introduce a new contest, just to get your competitive juices flowing. Have you ever wondered about faculty and leadership workplaces? Do they keep their desks neat? Cluttered? Do they have lots of books around them? Technology? Pictures of family and friends or captured moments of hobnob experiences?

If so, this contest is for you. Below we’re showing you a list of 15 workplaces for our faculty as well as the names of the faculty who chose to play along. Can you match location with faculty? (Sometimes, all you have to do is look closely to know the answer!) 

Submit your answers to me (Eva Marie Everson) at: PenNHnd@gmail.com with “BRMCWC Workplace Contest” in the subject line. Do NOT attach photos. Simply number 1-15 and type the corresponding name to the number.

The first person to send the correct answers is our official winner. Now, this won’t be easy, so even if you take a minute to think about it, go ahead and try. 

Winner will be announced at BRMCWC and will receive the honor of sitting at the Faculty Table of your choice during the Wednesday Night Awards Banquet. 

Game on!

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List of Faculty to Choose From (first name alphabetical order):

1. Alton Gansky
2. Andrea Gutierrez
3. Angela Hunt
4. Ann Tatlock
5. Caleb Breakey
6. Diann Mills
7. Edie Melson
8. Eva Marie Everson
9. Gina Holmes
10. James Rubart
11. Dr. Joseph Bentz
12. Kim Moore
13. Lynette Eason
14. Michelle Cox
15. Ramona Richards
16. Susan King

 

Writing on the Run

by Joseph Bentz, PhD

Not long ago I had to wait alone for several hours in a pre-surgery waiting room, wearing nothing but a paper robe, paper booties, and a hairnet. I was waiting to undergo an inconvenient but relatively minor outpatient surgery that should have taken about half an hour under a local anesthetic. 

Unfortunately, the patient in the surgery room ahead of me suffered a dangerous complication that required the doctor to carefully monitor her and to postpone my surgery. The nurse came in to tell me my procedure would be put off for an hour. A little later she came back in to say the delay would be closer to two hours. In fact, I sat there in my paper clothes for three hours before I finally went under the knife.

Sounds miserable, but the truth is, I didn’t really mind. Why? Because I’m a writer, and no matter where I go, I almost always bring some portion of a writing project that I can do just in case I have to wait. That day I had a book review to write for a magazine, with a deadline fast approaching. I brought the book with me, with some blank sheets of paper stuffed inside, hoping I might get a few minutes to read and take notes before they wheeled me away. 

I hadn’t quite finished reading the book when I arrived, but with all that extra time, I was able to finish it and write most of a draft of the review. When the nurse finally poked her head in the room to say, “It’s time,” I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t have a chance to finish the paragraph I was working on.

Like most writers I know, I don’t really have time to write the books and articles I feel compelled to write. Other demands pull me in every direction—family responsibilities, work duties, church obligations, household chores, and the list goes on. But even though it seems like I have little free time for writing, I still find myself spending hours each week in situations where I’m stuck waiting. I have learned to use those hours as prime writing time. 

Take the book review I mentioned. I write one review a month for a magazine, but I do almost all the work away from my writing desk, during times that would otherwise be wasted. I have a son and daughter in middle school, and both of them are athletes. Over the years, they have played baseball, softball, basketball, flag football, tackle football, soccer, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. During their games, I am right there cheering them on, but during practices, as they do drill after drill, I’m usually in the bleachers or in my car writing. 

I write while I wait to get a haircut, while I wait to have the oil changed in my car, and while I wait to pick up my kids from school. Some people find airports and long flights frustrating, but for me, an airplane seat is the perfect writing venue. Being crammed into that tiny space with not much else to do for several hours helps me focus on the task at hand, and I get more work done in that spot than I would in twice the time sitting at my distraction-filled, Internet-soaked writing area at home. 

Until the last few years, I often felt  a little self-conscious writing in public places, hunched over a notebook or tapping away on a laptop. But these days, almost everywhere I go I see people poking their fingers at some electronic device or other. Why not get some actual writing done while others are checking Facebook posts or writing emails or playing games? I do still leave time for quiet reflection, conversation, and simply enjoying the view. But if I have to spend hours in a doctor’s waiting room or at Jiffy Lube, I would at least like to come home with a few finished paragraphs to show for it.  

 

Joseph Bentz will teach a practicum on writing the Nonfiction Book at this year’s Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. He is the author of four novels and three nonfiction books on Christian living. His newest book, Pieces of Heaven: Recognizing the Presence of God, will be published by Beacon Hill Press in September, 2012. More information about his writing and speaking can be found at www.josephbentz.com.  

 

 

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

A Newbie, an Agent, and a Great Big God

A Guest Post by Marcia Moston

Blue Ridge 2010. My first big writers’ conference and I was ready. Armed with my Edie Melson designer three-ring binder, my honed one-sheet, and my perfect pitch, I zeroed in on my primary goal: secure an agent.

After studying the faculty bios, I made my selections. Rumor had it there was a bit of a free-for-all getting to the sign-up tables after the opening meeting, so I made a back-up plan, numbering my choices in order of importance.

My first break came while in scoping out the lay of the land, I saw the open door to the conference room.  Sign-up tables in tidy alphabetical order lined the perimeter. I noted my targeted agent’s table and went to dinner.

The next day, everything went as planned. I met with all the people I had hoped to; the agent agreed to look at my proposal. Smug with success, I returned home and waited for the good news.

And waited. And waited. Most Wanted Agent never responded.

Still, an irritant in an oyster, coated with layers of nacre, becomes a pearl, and when God plants a grain in your heart, even discouragement can be used to advantage. So for the next months I continued to grow my manuscript, producing, in the end, a little pearl that won a big contest.

Shortly thereafter, at another conference, I ran into Most Wanted Agent. He apologized for not getting back to me. Because I had just won a self-publishing package, I wasn’t in the market for his services, so we were able to enjoy getting to know each other with no other agenda.

Except God always has an agenda. A month after my book released, I received a note in my inbox from a publisher with Thomas Nelson, offering me a contract. Three minutes worth of being stunned silly gave way to panic. Not having an agent and not knowing how to respond, I simply didn’t.

Instead, I shot off an email to someone who had previously offered to review my self-pub contract. I waited all the next day for her reply. Meanwhile, the publisher re-sent his offer. Clearly I needed to answer.

 “Please, Lord, what should I do?” I prayed.

At THAT moment, a tweet from Most Wanted Agent appeared in the corner of my computer. I had never seen a tweet from him before, and seldom since.  A click and a call later, I not only had the agent I had so plotted and planned for two years earlier, but the contract I had not dared to imagine.

Why do I marvel? Seems this process was addressed long ago: Man plans his way, but the Lord directs the steps—Proverbs 16:9. A good reminder as I prepare for this conference.

The rest of the story: Turns out the content part of the email I sent to the other agent arrived blank. 

 

I am an award-winning writer who loves God, my husband, kids, and grandkids. Love learning--have often done it the hard way. Have lived in tepees, adobe houses, and classy colonials along my life journey, and have done everything from delivering Yellowbooks to delivering speeches.

You can learn more about Marcia on her website, On a Write Journey Following God.

 

 

 

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

Interview with David Van Diest

Literary agent David Van Diest returns to BRMCWC this year, bring his expertise in the Christian Publishing industry to our conferees. I had opportunity to chat with this week. David's bio and class description is below the video window. Enjoy.

Alton Gansky

David Van Diest, is an agent with D.C. Jacobson and Associates. He believes that the best books are yet to be published. His path to becoming a literary agent was both surprising and inevitable. David describes himself as a late bloomer, languishing in the lower echelons of his literary courses through school, and not becoming much of a reader until he was nearly thirty. But publishing is in David’s blood, it seems: his father, John Van Diest was the original publisher at Multnomah Press and is now associate publisher of Tyndale; both sisters worked in publishing; Don Jacobson, his brother-in-law, was publisher/owner of Multnomah Publishers for nearly 20 years; David’s wife, Sarah, has been a literary agent for a number of authors; and even his wife’s brother, Jeff Gerke, is an author and publisher. Since starting in publishing in 1988 David has worked directly with many leading Christian publishers, ministries, and bestselling authors Max Lucado, Karen Kingsbury, and Chuck Swindoll. He’s worn a variety of hats in the past 20+ years, including marketing director, vice president of sales and literary agent. While in marketing at Multnomah, David wrote the marketing plan for a little book called The Prayer of Jabez, which surprised everyone by selling over 10 million copies. Today, David continues in the publishing industry because of his passion to help everyone understand the un-surpassing greatness of God’s love expressed through His Son Jesus’ free gift of grace, and to help Christians mature in Him through continued growth.

Classes: A View from the Inside (workshop) In this workshop, David details what goes on in the pub-committees, how to position a proposal to get maximum attention, and then breaks the group up into 3-4 publishing boards and has them decide whether or not to publish a few proposals he's brought as examples.

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

Opportunity and Busses

by Alton Gansky

My first "real" job--one that paid an hourly wage--was with McDonalds. A friend helped me get on the crew of, what was then, a high production, experimental store in Pacific Beach, a community of San Diego. The store was experimental in design, utilizing a different work-flow for employees so we could crank out the goodies faster.

I learned many things working at that store. I learned the grill was hot and not to slip and fall on it. (I only had to learn that once); that frozen fries pop and crackle when dropped in hot grease; and that some people can be really picky about their hamburgers.

I learned something else. I learned that opportunity is a lot like a bus, easy to miss.

We were getting close to closing. Some of my fellow employees had already started the nightly cleaning duties. I was wiping down the stainless steel counter that separated the customer area from the work area. A pair of headlights pierced the dark and pulled onto the lot. Someone was looking for a late night burger and fries. Or so I thought. As the car moved into the lights of the store, I could see that it wasn't the usual kind of  vehicle one sees in the parking lot of a burger joint. It was a small limo. This proved more interesting than cleaning finger prints off the counter.

A man exited the rear passenger area and walked into the store. "May I help you?" I was well trained.

He didn't speak. He stood in the center of the customer area and looked around. At first, I assumed he was reading the overhead menu. Then I saw it: a tear on his cheek.

"Sir, are you all right?"

He lowered his gaze. "I could have bought stock in McDonalds for less than a dollar a share." Then he turned and left.

I don't remember what a share of McDonalds went for back in 1970 but I do know it's about $100 now. The man was grieving over a missed opportunity. To my eye, he already looked wealthy, but he could have had much more money had he seized the opportunity before him.

The problem with opportunity is that it's like a bus. It comes, waits a few moments for those who want to to board, then drives off. When it came to investing in McDonalds, this man's bus had turned the corner.

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is pulling up to the bus stop bringing with it a load of opportunities. Opportunities to meet with editors, agents, and writers; an opportunity to learn from an experienced, award winning faculty; an opportunity to network with other writers; an opportunity to multiply your ministry by writing; an opportunity to discover the world of writing and publishing; an opportunity to grow in your craft; and an opportunity to make friends and have fun. There's even an opportunity to help others through our scholarship program.

In short, BRMCWC gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the world--one page at a time.

I'm hoping you'll step on board.

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.

 

Classes are up, dude

We are happy to present the BR2012 faculty and classes list. We have a list of our 50 plus faculty and the classes they plan to teach. In the right hand column below the videos is a link to the 2012 Faculty and Classes. (Or click here.) As in all such endeavors, it takes a great deal of juggling to pull together a well-rounded, top-notch set of classes. We are blessed to have such an experienced and professional faculty teaching everything from poetry to writing book-length work to photography for writers, and public speaking.

We have classes for beginners to professionals.

Classes fall into categories called tracks. Our tracks this year are:

1. Fiction
2. Nonfiction books
3. Articles
4. Devotions
5. Children's
6. Young Adult (writing for young adults)
7. Writing for Film
8. Writing for Visual Media
9. Poetry
10. The Biz (classes about publishing and working as a writer)
11. Public Speaking for Writers
12. Photography for Writers
13. Pastor's Track (Multiply Your Ministry)
14. Social Media
15. Blogging
16. Freelance Writing

Class designations:

We have different styles and lengths of classes. Following each class is a descriptor such as "workshop." You'll need to know what these mean. 

Workshop refers to a class that covers all the intended material in a 1 hour, 15 minute sessions. Many of these will repeat through the week so if you miss one session, you can catch another. 

Continuing Class means the subject matter is taught over 3 or 4 sessions. These deal with material that can't be covered in a single workshop session. 

Next.Level are classes for the experienced conferee. If you've attended a few conferences, then some of these classes may be for you. Next.Level classes can be workshops, continuing classes, or practicums. Speaking of practicums . . .

Our Practicums are hands-on clinics. Students share their material, or work on material in classes. Some practicums have limited enrollment and other requirements. Be sure to review guidelines provided by the instructor. Practicums vary in number of sessions and length. These elements are determined by the faculty member teaching the Practicum.

Changes are sure to arise. Sometimes we lose a faculty member; sometimes we add new ones. Occasionally a change is made in a class. These changes will be marked by the date when the alteration was made. Check back from time to time.

What should you be doing now? Review the classes and identify what interests you, or what will help you along your writing journey. You have time. Let the possibilities marinate in your mind. If you know the track you want to focus on, then you can easily narrow your choices.

What if you're new to writers conferences? What if you're not sure what you want to focus on? I suggest sampling. You are free to take the classes you want. You do not have to confine yourself to one track. If you want to learn poetry and the elements of screenplay writing, then have at it. If you want to write articles and nonfiction books, then take classes in both areas. It's up to you. Writers are creative people and usually have a wide range of interests.

We are looking forward to BR2012. It's gonna be great.

Alton Gansky

To make reservations for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference, call 1.800.588.7222.

To register online click here.