February 7 Newsletter - Assignment 7
Friday, February 7, 2020 by Cindy Sproles

Assignments 7 is on the site
Assignment 7 by Andrea Merrell is up on the site. This assignment deals with writers tool called a one-sheet or a pitch-sheet. This is a great tool to have with you at conferences to help you make the best pitch you can make. Work through Andrea's post and make your own one-sheet.

Here is the link to the post on our blog: https://ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/acwcwritersblog/124-Assignment-7--What-in-the-World-is-a-One-Sheet---Andrea-Merrell?sel=1-

WHERE'S YOUR BIO FOLKS!
If you are a parent then you understand what it is like to have children who simply ignore your requests! That's kinda how I feel right now. You're ignoring me.

Andrea tells me there are still about 25 of you who have NOT sent her your photo and bio. To that, I say...SERIOUSLY? I know it takes a few minutes to make a bio and we are asking for a SHORT bio - which requires thought, but this simple task is necessary and vital to our conference. You are going to be learning how to network. This is something we do behind the scenes. In fact, you really don't even know we are teaching you. But this bio is important. It's important for two reasons. REASON 1 - If you are a first time conferee, there is anxiety about attending your first conference and a) not knowing anyone, b) remembering all you need to remember and c) getting home all the peer information you need. Hopefully you will make good friends - peers, and you will need their contact information for the future. REASON 2 - you learn to meet guidelines and deadlines. This is something the industry lives by. It's important. An editor or publisher will look at your work and see if you have met the requirements for submission. If you haven't then your work is shoved into the can and then they remember later...oh, they either couldn't or wouldn't submit correctly.
The only folks with an excuse to NOT have sent a bio are new signups. The rest of you have had weeks of my pleading to send this.

If you have not yet sent your bio and (25-50 words) and a photo to Andrea , please do so this week. This is important to the success of our conference. Just click her name and an email will pop up for you to send it to her. You may say, "25-50 words! Oh my, who can write a bio in 25-50 words? Well you can because we aren't asking for your life history and every award you have ever won. We are asking for what is seriously important. Who you are, what you do, what you write, your email and website address. Part of learning to be a writing is learning to be concise. You see, there is method behind the madness. We are teaching you not just asking you. 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. Get those bios to Andrea because once the roster is closed, it's too late.

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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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A REMINDER
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 undistributed 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 - FULL
Linda Gilden - Non-fiction - Still available
Larry Leech - Fiction and non-fiction - Almost full
Les Stobbe - Non-fiction and fiction - Almost full
Eddie Jones - Fiction and self-publishing the right way - Still available
Yvonne Lehman - Fiction - Almost full
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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PLAN AHEAD TO PURCHASE YOUR MP3s
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 during our conference 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. Our faculty is nearly complete. 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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Listen to Waymaker
Listen to I Raise A Hallelujah

WAYMAKER

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—

make your way straight before me. - Psalms 5:8 NIV

How blessed are we? God has given us such amazing gifts. We're learning to refine and define this passion that sometimes makes us a little odd to others. Oh, but how it burns within us.

Because this industry is slow by nature and by that same nature, we are in a hurry, we wonder, "Will it ever happen? Will I ever be published?" What can I say, other than I don't know. Like any goal you desire it requires persistence, hard work, and well. . .patience. If you are willing, it most likely will happen and if it makes you feel any better, the average writer publishes in 7 to 10 years after they begin writing. Are we wiping you up off the floor yet? Oh, there are those few who really get lucky and publish sooner, but the truth is, it takes this long for you to really learn the craft to a point where your work is publishable and readable by consumers.

Don't roll your eyes. I've been in this same boat and it took seven years for me to become a traditionally published author. The thing is, I didn't rush it. Most really super authors don't. Somehow they figure out that quality leads to longevity and consumer readability. Not just having a book on the shelf. So they work and work and WORK. They get rejected, rejected, REJECTED until finally one day, the industry says, "This is ready."

My point is simple. Where there's a will, there is a way and it's generally via hard work and patience. It's truthfully. . .God's timing. You've heard me preach this over and over through the past few months. Those that wait upon the Lord... Trust me, your time will come. It's important to remember it's not every person's desire or destiny to be published into a book. For some, it's simply a love of the craft, for others, a part of their daily jobs, or to use in a ministry or for a non-profit. There's a zillion ways to be a successful writer without "publication." That said, it's important you begin to pray and ask God, what is His way for your writing? How will You use me Lord? Then put your bad self to the side and obey. Your success first and foremost is in He who calls you. Secondly, it's in stepping to the side and allowing God to use you. I've seen this phrase on Facebook. God is writing your story, stop trying to yank the pen out of His hand. So true.

You simply need to remember that God is a Waymaker. Always a WAYMAKER. Regardless of what situation you are in, when you step into faith, He makes a way. The picture above is me and my prince on Sunday morning. Now, I'm not usually a hand raiser in church. I'm an introvert and well...that is not my method of worship. But Sunday morning our church sang the song Waymaker and suddenly, my prince and I locked hands and raised a unified hand to the Waymaker. One of our ministers snapped the picture and for me, it was precious to have. When Tim and I locked fingers and raised our hands to God almighty, we were saying, we are united to You oh Lord. We face this raunchy pathway of surgery over the next week - a surgery that could easily go south...but we stand united that You, God, will make a way. Waymaker!

Your writing is precious to you but it's more precious to God when you offer it to Him and let Him guide the pen. We spend way too much time saying God give me....when we simply need to say, God use me and the gift the You have given me.

If I were to say what makes a successful writer, I would point to every single author on our faculty and say that I know without a doubt, every one bends a knee over every word, then steps to the side and lets God lead. You see, that is why they are here. I get hundreds of requests to serve on faculty but God has highlighted the ones with the right heart. He has said, "These are the ones who allow me to be the WAYMAKER. And I will make way a clear path in the desert."

If we teach you nothing more than this. . .then we have been obedient. Give your work to God. Literally, give it to Him. Let Him make clear the way. Write for Him not you and you will see amazing things happen in His timing. He is the Waymaker.

I encourage you to listen to the links I've provided above. Pray as you hear the words of worship. He is the Waymaker and when he makes the way, you can raise a halleljuah.