August will soon be over, which means here in the U.S., most of our children have already started back to school or are preparing for it. My youngest who is now in high school went back earlier than most; he returned August 10th.
Now that the house is primarily quiet throughout the day, I find myself craving some human interaction when only a couple of weeks ago I couldn’t wait for uninterrupted quiet time.
Maybe you can relate to this conundrum. And maybe what we really desire is to interact with people who “get” us – you know, fellow Christian writers!
Maybe we should plan to get away and attend a writers’ conference!
The great news is that there are some stellar conferences coming up in September, October, and November. Not all of them take place here in the States, and some are virtual, which is good news for my international listeners!
Note that I am not affiliated with any of these conferences or their organizers in any way. I’ve simply researched them, would love to attend all of them myself if I could, and wanted to share their info with you.
Also, since I know you’re probably listening to this podcast away from your desk, I’ll provide the links to each of the conferences in the show notes at InkandImpact.com
So without further ado, here they are.
Fall 2022 Writing Conferences
September
American Christian Fiction Writers Conference
September 8-11, 2022
St. Louis, MO
“Each year, hundreds of veteran authors and those just learning the craft of Christian fiction gather in a setting like this to hear skilled instructors, inspiring keynoters…to gain from the insights of industry professionals…to interact with other writers…and to present their ideas to agents and editors looking for stories like theirs, or to mentors who can help them move forward in their writing career.”
Write! Canada 2022, hosted by The Word Guild
September 16-17, 2022
Virtual
Our theme for this year is: Getting the Word(s) Out. In addition to the two-day focus of on-line presentations, we are planning to offer “intensives” with opportunity to meet and share with other writers . And get feedback on their writing from peers and an experienced facilitator.
Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference
September 22-24, 2022
Norton Shores, Michigan
“Celebrating over 45 years of helping attendees become published Authors,” the conference offers “Lectures. Networking. Workshops. One-to-One Appointments. Lake Michigan Views. Amazing Meals. Memorable Conversations.”
October
October 7-9, 2022
Peppers Salt Resort & Spa
Kingscliff, NSW Australia
TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL
“This year’s line-up of speakers has been deliberately curated to encourage, resource and inspire you on your writing journey. With ample opportunities to network with other like minded and supportive writers, you will leave with new ideas, new connections, and a renewed excitement for your writing project.”
Florida Christian Writers Conference hosted by Word Weavers International
October 19 – 23, 2022
Lake Yale Conference Center
Leesburg, FL
“It’s an opportune week to meet agents and editors, award-winning writers and others who have heard the same call to write. Come attend workshops and continuing classes that will sharpen your pen, develop your platform, and strengthen your resolve. Critique groups, meetings with agents and editors, writing contests, and camaraderie with fellow writers make this week one to remember.”
November
Christian Writers Retreat at Mount Hermon!
November 3-6, 2022
Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center
Felton, CA
“Spend a few days surrounded by stunning redwood trees, streams, and waterfalls. Make a special and powerful connection with God. Get refreshed, rejuvenated, and recharged. Fill your tank so you can pour out in all the other things you do. Build relationships with people who understand you and want to encourage you, support you, and pray for you. Listen for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction on your writing and your life. Maybe carve out some uninterrupted writing time in this beautiful, inspiring setting.”
The Art of Writing, in conjunction with the Christy Awards
November 17, 2022
Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN
“A conference for writers, storytellers, and publishing curators.”
Industry Update
Ink and Impact episodes drop every Thursday. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that instead of doing industry updates with every episode, I was going to start doing them once a month. So, I decided to make the fourth Thursday of every month my industry update episodes, which is today.
Fact Checking
According to a January 25, 2019 article in the Columbia Journalism Review, publishing houses don’t employ fact checkers.
If you’re writing nonfiction or historical fiction – regardless of whether you’re self-publishing or being traditionally published – the onus is on you, the author, to ensure that what you’ve written is
- Factually correct AND
- Told in an appropriate context.
Why is this important? Because truth matters. God is Truth, His word is truth, and as Christian writers, we’re to speak truth.
If you don’t have the time to research all the facts yourself, hire an independent fact checker.
Serve your readers well and become a trusted source of information.
9 Book Marketing Tips
Forbes recenty interviewed Sanyu Dillon, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Penguin Random House, who shared how the company promotes its books. Granted, this is one of the big traditional publishers, but as it turns out, much of what she shares, when slightly modified, applies to indie authors as well. I should note, too, that although PRH targets a decidedly secular audience, the marketing concepts are universal in nature, regardless of who you’re marketing to.
- Don’t rely just on bookstores – be diverse and creative in how you promote your book
- Build relationships with influencers – those in your space a step or two further along in the process of where you’re at
- Partner with corporate brands – reach out to small businesses and entrepreneurs who share similar or complementary products and services – create a bundle with your book
- Spend a lot of time understanding your target audience and their motivations – why are your readers reading books like yours (escape? Learn something?)
- Creatively invite people into new experiences
- Focus on year-long campaigns instead of month-long campaigns – in other words, plan to market indefinitely, not just during launch.
- Highlight one main thing and then create events and a newsletter around it – story short, niche down in your marketing
- Partner with similar-minded orgs – network with other writer groups, associations, foundations
- Run ads in underserved areas/markets – become visible where your audience hangs out and offer them something that they need because no one else is offering it to them.
Question of the Month
Would you like to be featured in an upcoming episode of Ink and Impact?
Let me know what your top writing/publishing related question is. What are you currently struggling with?
Send me an email (info@inkandimpact.com) or DM me over on Instagram (@dalenebickel) , being sure to include your website URL and the title of your book. If your question is selected, I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode and will share all your deets with my audience!
Coming Up Next Week…
Next week’s episode will focus on our identity as writers. This role is such an important one for us to understand and embrace, particularly in today’s culture, so be sure to subscribe to Ink and Impact so you don’t miss it!
What do you think? Did you like this episode? Please share this episode with the fellow writers in your life.
That’s it for today fellow pen pusher.
Remember, don’t just write a book. Make an impact.
