Newsletters

Assignments 5 & 6 are on the site
Assignments 5 & 6 are up on the site and ready for you to tackle. Author and agent, Linda Glaz has brought her expertise of fiction to the table. Whether you are a fiction writer or not, you need to to learn the full craft of writing. You'd be surprised what rolls over from fiction to non-fiction, especially in storytelling. Linda does this beautifully. Take time to read through and tackle these assignments for yourself. 
Here is the link for assignment 5 and 6:   https://ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/acwcwritersblog/122-February-1--Assignments-5--6--Linda-Glaz?sel=1-

** Continue to check the blog for additional posts throughout the week. I think I have enough to double up for you.

I'm harping here:  :)
ALSO NEW CONFEREES and ALREADY SIGNED UP CONFEREES, if you have not yet sent your bio and (25-50 words) and a photo to Andrea . Just click her name and an email will pop up for you to send it to her. These bios are important for our conference. It's part of our networking tool. Please help us by sending these along asap. Time is running out to add you to this networking tool and we want you all in here.

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If you have not joined our ACWC facebook page - please do.  From here forward, you'll find important updates as well as posts from InspireAFire.com, which is part of our ministry. ( https://www.facebook.com/Asheville-Christian-Writers-Conference-388703764478971/ ).
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REPEATING MYSELF - REPEATING MYSELF
REMINDER - MENTORING AND CRITIQUES
I realize many of you are brand new to writing and to writing conferences. Given that, let me say that a mentoring session is amazing. I know some feel like they don't have anything to offer, but if you've written a few pages, consider taking time to schedule a mentoring appointment. It's so valuable.

Mentoring - There are still some individual mentoring appointments available. I cannot stress to you enough the important of this valuable one-on-one time with professionals. You can learn so much in one hour of undistracted work. The cost is min. and the information you will glean from this time will be amazing.  Our mentors are:
Edie Melson - social media and blogs
Linda Gilden - Non-fiction and speaking
Larry Leech - Fiction and non-fiction
Les Stobbe - Non-fiction and fiction
Eddie Jones - Fiction and self-publishing the right way
Yvonne Lehman - Fiction
Folks, again, this is money well spent. You don't have to a full manuscript to do mentoring. You simply have to have a few pages that your mentor can work with. Now...this is not to say they will teach you to write. That's your responsibility but baby...will they guide what you do. Take advantage of this. Every one of these mentors have 20-50 years of experience. Don't miss this opportunity.


ADDED BONUS - Linda Gilden will be teaching a small workshop that will be available to 3-5 conferees.  This small workshop will give you some wonderful opportunity to work closely with Linda on your writing in a small group session. The time and class will be announced next week.  If you feel like you would benefit from this there will be a signup sheet at the conference. Remember, the workshop is limited to 3-5 folks.

Critique - A paid critique is just a bite in time. A fast look as a short piece of work for some immediate fixes and suggestions. Again, money well spent. I've done critiques with conferees that needed some little tweaks and boom, they published on websites and in magazines. These are great 15 minute appointments directed specifically at your work.

You can contact Terri Kelly via email to sign up for your mentoring or critique. Terri will give you all the necessary information you need to participate in this. Just click her name for the link to her email.
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REMEMBER TO CONTINUE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE CONFERENCE UPDATES

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ME HARPING AGAIN -
MP3's
What is the benefit of the MP3s? Whether it's ACWC or any other conference you attend, we want you to get in the habit of purchasing the MP3s or Conference CD's. These are all the classes that are taped throughout the full conference. Some conferences allow you to pick and choose classes, others like us, set a price for the full conference recordings. PEOPLE THESE ARE A MUST HAVE. Why? Because when you go home, you have the conference for years to come. I can't tell you at the times I have referred back to classes I've been in attendance and re-listened to them. Another advantage is you can take the classes YOU NEED face time with the instructor and not feel like you are missing other important classes. You'll have them for home. While you are at a conference, attend classes that help you WHERE YOU ARE in your writing, then listen to the others once you get home. Our conference is the only conference I know of, that provides you a printed book of all the class handouts. It's printed nicely so you have it to take home. That, along with your MP3's will give you the full conference at home. The only requirement is we ask that you DO NOT share them with folks outside our conference. You paid to attend our conference and our faculty has entrusted you with their recording and handouts. Please respect the copyright. The cost for our full conference is $35 for the MPs. You can purchase these at the bookstore. See Wendy Leech. We'll take your email address and when the MP3s are uploaded to a password protected page, we will notify you and you will have 1 month to download them before the page shuts down. NOW! These are generally ready about month after the conference, sometimes sooner. If you do not receive a notice from us they are ready, please contact myself or Martin. We will post an announcement on the site and we will email you the instructions and password to the page. Invest in your future of writing. Purchase the MP3's.
The money from the MP3s goes straight to our scholarship fund so when you purchase them, you are providing a scholarship for someone next year.
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PRE-REGISTRATION FOR 2021
We offer a one-time opportunity to secure an on-campus room at the Cove during our conference. This is pre-registration for 2021. The cost is $25 to hold your room ON CAMPUS at the Cove. These rooms sell out quickly and if you loved our conference then spring for your 2021 spot. Once you pay the $25, you will let us know if you want a single or a double room. (If you want a double, do you have a roomie that may come). Then in August, I'll verify your desire to attend the conference. If I do not hear back from you, the $25 goes into our scholarship fund. If I DO hear back, then we subtract it from the remaining cost of your conference price. Our plan for the Cove next year is to move into the main conference hall. We're testing the waters for allowing about 25-30 additional conferees to attend. Currently we can only house 119 and we generally have a waiting list of about 25. It would be wonderful to not have to turn those few additional folks away. So we sticking our toe in the water and we'll see if the fish bite. Consider attending our 2021 conference.  Our faculty is nearly complete - HINT - Lynette Eason, mega selling-author. We might consider Bob again...who knows. And we have a few other surprises tucked under our belt for 2021. Join us at the Cove for the 2021 Asheville Christian Writers Conference. You can register with Wendy in the bookstore and pay your $25.

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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV

Tammy couldn't survive without chaos. It always amazed me that this poor woman couldn't get from point A to point B without some sort of disaster. Despite my efforts to help her organize, make appointments, and get her ready to do marketing for the office, Tammy could always find a reason NOT to do what she needed to do. Most days. . .chaos ensued.

Some folks need chaos. They need the constant head-banging or they don't feel as though they have any worth. There's this burning need for control in an out-of-control state.

Sometimes our lives become so bogged down with upheaval that we can't see our way clear to put one word on the page. I've struggled a bit with that lately. None of us, no matter how good a writer we are, can claim to never hit a wall. It's not writer's block. It's simply earthly chaos.

Often you will hear writers who teach tell you to "just write." That has good and bad points. There are times our physical body simply needs rest - a moment or two to clear our minds. And then there are times chaos becomes the excuse. I've told writers this same thing. Just write. It doesn't matter if it's a grocery list, free writing, or thank you notes. Write something. Why? Well, for one it helps us to do something we love. Writing forces us to use our creativity and using that sweet gift will help you push through the hardship. Still, the main reason to keep on writing in the rough spots, is it's just darn good work ethic. You don't skip your day job, just because life gets a bit ratty. You push through. 

Doing something you love during the chaotic times brings you a sense of peace. And believe it or not, you'll find some pretty amazing emotions that land on the page. Some of my best scenes have been written when I didn't think I could put one foot in front of the other.

I was called to be a writer. That is the gift God blessed to me. I don't dare put it on the shelf and forget about it and I certainly can't re-gift this one. Instead, when I am wound tighter than a dog on a chain twisted around a clothes line, I find an amazing release when I write. My prayers go first. Help me Lord to write what you would have me write. If it stinks, that's your problem. I could swear I hear God chuckle. 

Real chaos begins for us this week, when we head to Vanderbilt for my prince's very serious and scary surgery. Three of my sons will be with us, but my son with the disability will remain at home alone. (There's a panic moment in that for me.) Still, I've charged my computer, made plans for the son at home, and jotted down bunches of notes. My plan is to write. I'm not sure what. If it will be on novel 5 or the devotional, or just non-sense. But, I plan to push through the chaos because, there is peace when I do.

Jesus gave us good information to chew on. He told us the things we needed to know because he knew it would bring us peace. He knew things would get chaotic from time to time but then HE overcame the world. So can we.

My prayers for you this week is that you will not let chaos overrun you. God has called you. Gifted you. All you have to do is sit down and obey.  

I've had my share of tears over the last 3 months. My share of worry. My share of fear. But the one constant is the promise of Jesus that John shared with us.

You are, as the song says. . .an overcomer! So pick up that laptop and write. If it stinks, it's God's problem to use it. Be obedient. Don't walk away. Don't you dare! Because if my family can walk this rocky road with nothing but uncertainty sharing us in the face, then you can walk through yours. 

I'm not sure you'll notice. But when you get your nametag at the conference, not only will it have your name on it, but under your name you will see the words, SUCCESSFUL WRITER. I did that on purpose because I know that you are. Not that you will be...but that you are. Your job this week, is to go to your knees, lay down the chaos, then stand up and reach to the sky and overcome.

Now write.

Much love to you all.
Cin
 
PERSONAL NOTE:

We travel to Vanderbilt on Monday. Tim's surgery is Wednesday. We are asking that you pray with the fire of the Holy Spirit for God's healing, mercy, and favor. We trust in the Lord our God, whatever the outcome.