NOTE FROM BILLIE ABOUT 2012 CONFERENCE

Register by December 24^thto get a $20 discount for early registration.

The 25^th FCWC is right around the corner – March 1-4 and we have a ton of events planned for the celebration. Cec Murphey is our Keynote speaker – can’t get any better than CEC! 

 I just received the following email from Edwina: "I think of the lepers Jesus healed and how only one turned to say thank you. It's time I turn around and say thank you. Because of the Florida Conference, I've meet Rebeca Seitz and Steve Feldman and signed with Reclaim. Thank you for this opportunity."

Agents Andy Scheer (Hartline), Amanda Luedeke (MacGregor), Mary Sue Seymour (The Seymour Agency), Les Stobbe (Stobbe Literary) will be open for appointments with you. Les received an award for placing the most first time authors industry wide. 

Sam Feldman from the Sam Hill Group and Rebeca Seitz founder of Glass Road are PR specialists will equip you to make your project stand out in the marketplace. Register by December 24^thto get a $20 discount for early registration. Our 2012 faculty is the BEST yet we’re still receiving emails from editors that hope to attend. Continue to check our website for updates – will be posting conference news often.

Billie

IS IT WORTH IT?

The following post is an article I found when organizing some old documents. Thought it might be worth re-posting. I still have this opinion. :-)

IS IT WORTH IT?

“It was wonderful!”  My friend had just returned from a writers’ conference.  Another friend sent an e-mail recently after she came home from Write to Publish to tell me that she had an agent and two editors interested in her book. She was fired up and ready. Writers’ conferences can many times be the answer to our publishing dilemma, but much more than an opportunity for publication can be found at a conference. In the past, I have had individuals ask if I think a writer’s conference is really necessary.  Do I think it is worth the cost?   Let me list at least five “things” I have found at a writer’s conference.

CONTACTS:  Contacts are usually friends, but they fall into a different category. Dan Penwell, who was my editor, is a friend, but not in the same way as my Kindred Hearts. (My first book came from my meeting Dan at a conference.) Contacts are those individuals in the business who know some way or someone who might be interested in your writing. Contacts are in the business of publishing and are at the conference to find material. And not to sound worldly, but publishing is a business like any other business and it is necessary to be where publishing people are…”It can be who you know.”  Face to face contact and time spent with these individuals is always time well-spent and a personal blessing.

TEACHERS:  Teachers can always be found at a conference. Workshop leaders and speakers who have knowledge and experience are always willing to share with the conferees. Workshops, panel discussions and speakers bring an expertise to the fledgling writer as well as the experienced author. I find teachers who were not scheduled on the program, but I learned much from them at the dining table, the after-hours gatherings or the break between classes.

MATERIALS:  Sheets of writers’ guidelines, samples of magazines, handouts from workshops and business cards are always available.  Most authors have books for sale at a reduced price and are willing to sign them. Also available for take home bags are CD’s of each session and addresses and e-mail addresses of the participants.  My satchel overflows after each conference.

FRIENDS:  Contacts of all kinds can be made at a writer’s conference, but friends are more than contacts.  Friends are those people you meet with whom you have an instant rapport.  Ones who understand your writing dreams, your funny jokes, your fears of failure and most of all your last article or chapter. Kindred Heart Writers are friends not contacts.  I found them at a writer’s conference and continue to be blessed by them.

INSPIRATION: A group of people with common interests and goals can be a stimulation to each other. Christian writers in one large group teaching and encouraging one another always thrills me and challenges me to be a better writer. To be a part of the fellowship of believers whose purpose is spreading God’s message to the world is always a blessing for me, and I leave inspired to continue working at what I believe God has called me to do for Him.

IS IT WORTH IT?

I think so.

REASONS TO ATTEND 2012 CONFERENCE

Kathy Cassel has started a list of "Reasons to Attend Florida Christian Writers' 2012 Conference".  Check it out on Facebook. As always, Kathy's pictures tell a story.

Three of my favorite women at conference.

Jesse and Tory acting tough.
  Love these guys.

STAY TUNED 

FOR

NEXT PAGE

Thanks Kathy Cassel

AGENTS & PUBLICITY SPECIALIST

EXCITING NEWS!

THESE AGENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR APPOINTMENTS AND TO REVIEW YOUR CURRENT PROJECTS.

MARY SUE SEYMOUR-THE SEYMOUR AGENCY

LESLIE H. STOBBE-THE STOBBE LITERARY AGENCY

ANDY SCHEER-HARTLINE LITERARY AGENCY

AMANDA LUEBECK-MacGREGOR LITERARY

   

PR SPECIALIST     REBECA SEITZ - GLASS ROAD

PR SPECIALIST     STEVE FELDMAN- THE SAM HILL GROUP

Be part of our celebration for the 25^th Florida Christian Writers Conference 

March 1-4.  Make plans to be join us at the Lake Yale Conference Center

 for the best writer’s conference ever!

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE!

NOTE FROM BILLIE WILSON

Cecil Murphey Scholarships are available for first time applicants. If you’ve received a Cecil Murphey Scholartship in the past you are not eligible for a second one but I encourage you to apply for a conference scholarship. To apply for either scholarship email to me a brief bio, sample of writing and statement of your financial need.
Billie's e-mail address: billiewilson@cfl.rr.com 

CONFERENCE TIME IS APPROACHING

IT'S TIME!

September is here, and plans for the  25th  Conference are now falling into place.  From now until conference time, we will be posting information about the conference  as we receive the latest word from Billie and the participants.

NEWS  FLASH

KEY NOTE SPEAKER
2012 FLORIDA CHRISTIAN WRITERS' CONFERENCE

RETURNING 

 Veteran author and speaker Cecil (Cec) Murphey has written or co-written more than 120 books, including the NY Times bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). Some of his more recent titles include Knowing God, Knowing Myself, When Someone You Love No Longer Remembers, and When a Man You Love Was Abused. His books have sold in the millions and have brought hope and encouragement to countless readers around the world. Cec offers writing tips and advice twice a week at www.cecwritertowriter.com. For more information, visit www.cecilmurphey.com.

Plan now to attend the 25th annual 

FLORIDA CHRISTIAN WRITERS' CONFERENCE

 AT LAKE YALE RETREAT CENTER

NOTICE FROM BILLIE

Billie is without email and her husband (Doug) just received a diagnosis that he has an aggressive form of carcinoma (skin cancer). He will have surgery later this week. 

Billie is working on the 25th Florida Christian Writer’s Conference faculty. If you are emailing her about that please be patient until she can get email.

Another Happy First Time Conferee

Billie recently received this letter and Pat has given us permission to share this with our readers. It is always so good to hear from those who have attended conference.  If you have comments you would like to share about this year's conference in March, or if you would like to suggest something for next year, e-mail Billie at billiewilson@cfl.rr.com  or Kindred Heart Writers at clella37@yahoo.com.


Hello Billie
I just wanted to take the time to thank you for the wonderful experiences I had at the 2010
Florida Christian Writers Conference.This was my first conference and everything was new to me but everyone I met made me (and my husband) feel welcome. Many of my new acquaintances now seem like old friends!

I especially appreciated the workshops by Crystal Bowman. She is an excellent teacher, a great writer and a wonderful person and I learned a great deal from her.

Myappointments with Jesse Florea  from Focus on the Family and Elaina Meyers from Standard Publishing, who each reviewed one of my manuscripts, were encouraging and helpful and I now have the opportunity to submit stories to both of these publishers. (I can hardly believe this!)

 I enjoyed every workshop and meeting with other faculty and staff and every minute of the Conference. I can hardly wait for the next one.
I want you to know that I appreciate all the hours of  work you must have put in to arrange such a helpful, inspiring event. (Your sense of humor is inspiring, too!)

God Bless you and thank you again.
Pat Schmidsrauter

AFTER THE CONFERENCE

                                Ava Pennington ( www.AvaWrites.com )

Has it been a month already?  Yes, believe it or not, it has. You attended the Florida Christian Writers Conference (FCWC) one month ago.

One month ago, you participated in continuing classes, attended a variety of workshops, and drank in Calvin Miller’s wisdom about writing.

One month ago, you met with agents, editors, and published authors.

One month ago, you received session handouts, sample magazines, and submission guidelines.

One month ago, you set some goals for yourself. Perhaps you said you would:

- send a proposal to an agent or editor who requested it.

- practice a writing technique you learned.

- begin using social media such as Facebook or Twitter account.

- read that book you purchased on the craft of writing.

            - drop a note to a new writer friend you met at FCWC.

- follow-up on a new market you discovered.

Do you have a goal to add to this list?

Have you acted on at least one of your goals? If you have, good for you!

If you haven’t, why not start today?

Don’t be like so many writers who have great intentions when they leave a writers’ conference, but then…nothing. The pages of the calendar turn, but nothing changes.

Set one or more reasonable goals to apply the helpful material you received, then do something. When you return to the conference next year, you’ll be glad you did. And I can’t wait to hear all about it!

CHECK OUT THIS LINK

Click on this link for a good article in the Ocala paper about the conference.

http://www.ocala.com/article/20110309/ARTICLES/110309675