Words Bite - Read On!

Alright. Alright! I'll spill the beans. Did you know that words bite? Well, they do. For example, I wrote ALRIGHT to begin this little ditty, and if you know Bob Hostetler, you'll know chills just went up his arms. The hair on his neck stood, and he may have gritted his teeth. But, if you are from the mountains, you'll write, ALL RIGHT! Cuz' that's what we say. It's two words. Actually, to be fair, editors spell it ALRIGHT even though I highly protest. It's like the word IRREGARDLESS. Okay, so that's only recently been added to the dictionary. I think that because it was so badly mispronounced, Webster finally threw up his arms and screamed, "I GIVE!" The word should have been, REGARDLESS. Not sure where the IR came into play. 

So, now that you've had a little chuckle. We'll talk more about words later on.

First things first - MARK US AS SAFE. Yes, I did that in all caps. Please mark this email address as safe. You may see [email protected] or [email protected]. Either way. Mark us safe. Our primary mode of communication is via email, our website, and my personal notes sent to your email address. When I do a newsletter, I send it via Mailerlite. I put it on the website under Newsletters, and I send you a personal email with a link to the newsletter. That's the best I can do, folks. However, if your email service won't accept us because it thinks we are spam, you won't receive our updates. Please, please, mark us as safe.

~ ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~ ~

Registrations - If you are one of those who paid $25 at our February conference to hold a space for our 2026 conference, and you have not responded to verification of attendance email, then understand, the time has past. Those who have not responded will be removed from our list, and their rooms will be made available to other attendees.

You can still register. If there is on-campus housing available, you most certainly can grab one of those rooms. Otherwise, we have to open these rooms up for incoming registrations.

~ ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~ ~

Critiques and Mentoring - Our critique and mentoring slots are filling up quickly. Paid critiques are an excellent way to receive targeted help. Choose a faculty member who is setting aside time for these, and then contact Terri; she'll set you up. The cost is minimal, and the information you'll gain in 15 minutes with these folks focused on your work is terrific.  

But what about mentoring, you ask? Well, mentoring is a one-hour private paid session with a faculty member who will break down your work, point out ways to improve, change, or even brainstorm new ideas. I've said year after year, had this been available to me as a new writer, I would have attended and paid for every session I could. Unfortunately, it wasn't. But it is for you. Conferees can sign up for one mentoring session for this one-on-one, intense work. 

These slots fill up quickly, so if you're interested in participating, please visit the site and send Terri a note.

Faculty - We have a tremendous faculty. Please visit our faculty page to learn about the faculty members in attendance. We want you to learn to do your homework first. So, when we offer appointment sign-ups at the conference, we want to ensure you're selecting the right faculty member to chat with. Learn to do your homework. 

We like to think of ACWC as the stepping stone for larger conferences. Our conference is set up just like a large conference, and we want to teach you how to best utilize your time and money at large conferences. Learning to do your homework is step one. Looking for an agent tops the charts for writers who attend conferences. They automatically think, "I have to have an agent." Well, you will need an agent, but not until you actually have a completed project for an agent to sell. Once you have a project polished (not just written, but polished), you can present it to an agent. Then go for it. Until then, study what genres they sell best in, how they work within the industry, etc. Talk to editors about your work. Toss out ideas and see if you find people with an interest. Then go! Write it! Prepare it for your next meeting with them. 

Study our faculty. Meet them at the conference. Chat with them. Network with them. This is the beginning of long and fruitful relationships within the industry. 

ACWC may be small, but we pack a punch!

~ ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~ ~

Visit our website frequently. Our scheduled times are updated, but Terri and I have not yet placed faculty members into those slots. There may be one or two, but we're still working on the best layout of faculty for you. Still, you can see the timeframe we are working in, which will give you a hint of how our day will unfold. 

~ ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~ ~

SPECIAL FOOD SERVICES - The Cove prepares excellent meals for its attendees. You'll not go hungry, by any means. They do offer gluten-free options, and a sign is always posted that lists the menu for the meal being served, along with the gluten-free options available. Those are also noted on the service tables where the food is served. Both the Cove and ACWC suggest that if you have greater needs than this, you consider bringing what suits your needs best with you. You can request a mini-refrigerator and a microwave for your room, or a microwave is available in the hotel's commons area. As you know, it is impossible to meet every need. If you have needs beyond this, please attend to them appropriately and bring the items you know you can eat.

~ ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~ ~

FINALLY. . .

WORDS BITE

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

None of us is perfect. For every day filled with good words, we're gonna have that one day when we stub our toe or mash a finger. When that happens, everything is off the table and well...you know what can and probably spout from your mouth. 

We are human and thus, fallible, imperfect, and yes, sinful. Still in our "oops" moments, God still loves us fully, and He finds the necessary grace, mercy, and forgiveness we all require. Thank goodness.

As writers, we are given a sword that is sharper than anything else on earth. We carry the sword of words, and our words do define us. The words that fly from our pens can shift mindsets, set new directions, even bring peace and comfort in difficult times -- or bring on chaos. 

I opened my email this week to find a note from a NYT best-selling author. I'd never met this lady, so to receive an email from her made me not only curious but also feel a tiny bit special. She sent several emails asking about how I wrote Appalachian historical, from whether I was raised in the mountains to dialect and form. Since I didn't know her, I answered cautiously but truthfully. And then it happened. She inquired about my book sales and how I had managed to market them. Did I have a publicity person? If not, why not? And she could recommend the perfect person to do that work for a small price. She asked if she could forward my email address to her friend for further information on this lady's marketing abilities. 

The first thing that came to mind was to simply delete. Then I considered insulting her method of spamming me. And then, the power I held in my pen slipped out -- kindness. 

"Thank you for sharing that you have a great publicity person. I know the value in them. I'd prefer you NOT pass my information along to her, but I am very willing for you to send me the numbers of her success with your books. That might sway me. It was a pleasure conversing with you."

I didn't hear another peep from her. Although I will say that I did look her up. She's not only a novelist (she has one), but she has also written for several sitcoms and movies. She's a comedian (though I'm not familiar with her; her list of appearances is lengthy and impressive). I even went a step further to order her book, which was on sale on Amazon for $2.99. 

In all fairness, I read the first chapter, which did not disappoint in terms of my preconceived notions about female comedians. The chapter was filled with explicitives and raunchy actions that didn't interest me in plunging into chapter two.

Her written words were ugly, mean, and disrespectful, and I thought to myself, here is a woman who seemed very polite and friendly (she did seem so in her emails), yet the words she wrote were the opposite.

My point is, you hold a mighty sword--one that can cut to the core. As you develop your writing skills, my hope is that you choose carefully how to wield your sword, whether it be on social media, in articles, or in books. Will your words be a sweet incense to our Father in heaven, or will they be hateful, decisive, and vile?

We've seen that power both in social media and in late-night television this past week. Choose how to handle the weapon you carry. Make every word you write be a Philippines 4:8er - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Pray for this conference. Invite your peers. 

Much Love,

Cindy

Director, ACWC

Crocodile photo - Image by Storme Kovacs from Pixabay