January 16, Assignment 3 - Bring Your Characters to Life

January 16, Assignment 3 - Bring Your Characters to Life
Sunday, January 16, 2022 by Cindy Sproles

Week 3 of extended learning comes from:
Our own longtime editor, Andrea Merrell is up for lesson 3 on the extended learning sessions. Andrea is going to work with you on Bringing Your Characters to Life. Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, those you write about need to have personality. Even non-fiction individuals in your work can grow boring. We don't want that. So, walk with Andrea through a little lesson on characters. Andrea has worked with Christian Devotions since the beginning. 15 years she has edited with us on the website and with LPC. She's got great ideas. SO, click her name or here on BLOG.

REMINDER...time is drawing short for a shirt. Shirts are available until February 5.
After the 5th, you'll have to contact Taryn yourself. But YOU REALLY NEED ONE OF THESE. Last week I gave you a list of reasons why. And just to remind you, they are as follows: 1) It's a great way to introduce yourself, let folks know what you do for a living, and strike up a conversation that may lead to book sales and speaking engagements.
2) You'll look really COOL, cuz Taryn only makes COOL STUFF.
3) You'll put a star in your heavenly crown for being a benefactor to our mission.
4) Your purchase will help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation create new and updated medications that Bob's grands and my cousin now take which improves their quality of life. And when that happens, there are happy tears everywhere.
I KNOW YOU WANT ONE OF THESE!!! I KNOW YOU DO!! Our own Taryn Souders has graciously INVENTED these. They are available on the front page of the website. The shirt is listed in the right sidebar. Just scroll down till you see it. The shirts are $14 small to large. $16 for XXL and up. But here is the really great thing. $2 of every sale goes directly into our Bob Box for the Cystic Fibrosis mission of this ministry. Besides having a fun shirt that folks will definitely comment on, you're helping our mission for the weekend. What are your benefits from purchasing a WARNING: I AM A WRITER shirt?
So go to the website, scroll down that sidebar and purchase your shirt. Then send me an email to let me know (as a back up to pay pal) and I can get your info to Taryn. Your shirt will be waiting for you when you arrive at the conference in our conference bookstore. Just tell Bennie, Kevin, or Wendy you're there to pick it up.

Just so you know...
Mentoring and paid critiques are still available. I have a lot of faculty willing to do mentoring this year so if I have missed adding one to the list on the site, just send Terri a note and ASK! FOLKS, you're looking a the picture of imperfection here. I miss stuff ALL THE TIME! So, if you don't see a name of a faculty member listed, ASK. We'll see if we can threaten them with bodily harm to mentor you. LOL! Contact Terri Kelly at [email protected]. She will set up your mentoring or be the grim reaper because we all know, I'm all sugar and candy! (snicker).
We have (FORGIVE ME IF I MISS SOMEONE)
Bob Hostetler - fiction and non-fiction
Edie Melson - Blogs, websites, social media
DiAnn Mills - fiction
Linda Gilden - Non-fiction & speakers
Edwina Perkins - Fiction and non-fiction Billy Wayne - Playwriting, writing lyrics, melding ministry
Linda Glaz - fiction and non-fiction
Larry Leech - memoirs and fiction
Nancy Lohr - Fiction and YA
Susan King - editing, non-fiction
Denise Loock - fiction and non-fiction
Andrea Merrell - fiction and non-fiction
Eddie Jones - Fiction and YA
Taryn Souders- YA
Les Stobbe - non-fiction and fiction
Candy Arrington - Non-fiction
Lori Hatcher - non-fiction and speaking

FACULTY - If I missed someone - I'M SORRY. My brain is only so big.
CONFEREES, If I missed someone you want to mentor, CONTACT TERRI - She cleans up this puppy's puddles. :~|
[email protected]
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A FINAL REMINDER!

We do still have off campus registrations available. We would love to kick covid out in left field and sell out our off-campus as well. On-campus is sold out. So, if you have writing peers that may be interested...give them a shout. We'd love to have them.

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The Devotion Contest goes into February 5. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION: I NEED YOU TO RESEND YOUR DEVOTIONS TO ME. WHY? Well, somehow, some of you have latched onto my personal email rather than the cindybootcamp email and you are finding that I not only have 1 email but 7. I need you to resend your entries to [email protected]. Attach your document to your email and send with DEVOTION ENTRY listed in the memo box. I want to sure we don't miss any devos. Also, heads up for those who enter the contest. Once the devotions are judged they will be forwarded to our Christian Devotions Editor who will then make a few tweaks and schedule your devotion for publication on the website. EXCITING? You'll get a writing credit under your belt. PLEASE DO NOT SEND TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL.
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CHECK IN - No need to worry about check-in. We will have a full page on the website devoted to DAY OF ARRIVAL. All of our reservations are being added and we do not know which hotel we will be in. Generally it's Shepherd's Inn. But that could change. So there is no need in bombarding you with information until we have everything nailed down. Just know, you have a room on campus if that is what you registered for.

Early bird classes begin at 1 on Friday. We ask that you drive up to the hotel we are assigned, go in and get your badge. Leave your bags in the car. Park, catch the bus up to the training center. And attend the early bird classes. Check is not until 3 or 4 depending on how quickly the Cove can turn over the rooms, but you need your badge to get into the Training Center for classes. We will update you on all the fine details when we know them. Remember, things are constantly changing for us and the Cove who is running other conferences alongside us. So be flexible.
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MP3s, Pre-Registration, and BOOKSTORE - We will have MP3s available to purchase. For $45 we are offering the full conference PLUS ADDITIONAL CLASSES YOU WON'T HEAR IN PERSON. We always encourage conferees to purchase MP3s. It's something you should plan for regardless of which conference you attend. WHY? Because you have the extended learning at home FOREVER. I always get the MP3s at conferences and when I travel or when I am home, I can continue to learn the craft of writing. This is money well spent. Plan on purchasing the MP3s. You can pay for these in the bookstore with Wendy. We'll contact you when they are ready to download (it's usually early April. It takes time to edit and upload.) We'll send you an email and a link to our password protected page.

Pre-registration - For $35 you can pre-register for 2023. This will assure you an on-campus room. Around end of Aug, we'll send you a note for your first payment. If we do not hear from you, the money goes into our scholarship fund. But we hope we hear from you.
Go ahead and pre-register. Secure an on-campus room.

We will offer a bookstore for your shopping. It will have books by our faculty. Unfortunately, we can only house faculty books. We simply do not have the space to house conferee books. BUT, that doesn't mean you can't carry your book with you and share it with your peers. If they wish to purchase one, you can work the details out with them. We hope you will visit our bookstore. Your purchases will help our faculty and also help build our scholarship fund.

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REMINDER: THE BOB BOX - If you know our conference, then you know we never do a conference without doing mission work as well. We are, after all, a ministry. Each year we opt to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Our own Bob Hostetler, has two grands who have Cystic Fibrosis, I have a family member with this, and a number of ministry friends also either suffer with CF or have children who do. It is only fitting that we support this as a ministry. Each year, we set a box in our bookstore, lovingly labeled the BOB BOX, and we hope you feel moved to donate. Whatever is in the box at the end of the conference, the ministry matches the amount and we then hand it over to Bob Hostetler, whose son works for a company that doubles every donation. So by all due rights, it's multiplied three times. Which is awesome. Please consider donating to the Bob Box and let's do as we are commanded...to care for others. We will also provide a link via Pay Pay that you can also donate on line. DONATE TO THE BOB BOX.

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What you should pray for -
As we draw closer to the conference, please, please keep it in your prayers. We pray daily for you as a ministry. Join arms with us and pray for these things:
Good weather.
Safe travel.
Good and safe health.
Our faculty.
Our conferees.
Our families.
Open hearts and minds.
Pray with thanksgiving - for we are grateful.

THINK THAT IS ALL - Continue to check the website NEWSLETTER page for updates. Just before the conference happens we'll post all your registration information on the conference update page.

Peace!
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. - Psalm 4:8 ESV

If you don't know this - I'm a worrier. Just ask Eddie or Bob. They've worked with me for several years and it's a regular phrase they say to me. "Don't worry. Or Did you know you worry too much?" Yep, I do. Guilty as charged.

After I speak, I generally ask someone, "Was that alright? Did it make sense?" Terri will tell you that's true. My friend, Denise, will do the same. I'm just a worrier.

Lately, I've had tons to worry about. How will this conference pan out? Will covid hold at bay so our registrations grow? How can I keep "the prince" safe from illness after his cancer. But here's the biggy...can I write these proposals and chapters so they are compelling and interesting?

I have a bit of a reason to worry. I grew up and continue to deal with a comprehension learning disability and it worsened after I had two brain surgeries. Now, I don't tell you that to make you feel sorry for me, but to tell you that I fear I will misunderstand instructions or miss something important. It makes me worry. I believe we can find our way around the things we fear or worry about. I'm living proof. Do I stop worrying. Unfortunately no! But I do my best to work around it.

Recently, I was doing a little study in Psalms and I ran across this verse that spoke volumes to me. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Isn't it amazing what God does for us?

When I sit down at my computer to work on these proposals, a cloud of muck enters my mind. The words just seem to blur together. And when that happens, I worry. So, this past week, I placed this scripture everywhere. On my computer, by my bed, in the car, because this is my way AROUND the disability. God MAKES me dwell in safety. There is no need for me to worry.

I know they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Lord, knows I'm getting old (just look at my hair), but daily He is working to teach me that HE MAKES ME DWELL IN SAFETY. (Notice, I shouted those words at at you?)

Nobody knows worry any better than me, but I am here to tell you, there is a way around it. When you think you can't put a word on the page, don't worry. You can. When you worry if you'll ever be published - don't. Someday you will. Worry drives us to places we don't need to go. It ties a weight around our neck that will pull you beneath the wash of the water. But when we trust, when we believe in the peace God offers, there is a way around worry. It's Him!

We all face tough things right now. Covid, weather. Family issues, fear. When you feel worry grasping hold, remember He makes you dwell in safety. There's no need to worry.

Much love,

Cindy

TYPOS should be forgiven, auto correct hates me!