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SCHEDULE – 2020 Cedar Falls Christian Writers VIRTUAL Workshop
Times are in Central US Time Zone
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm – Check-in and Early-bird networking
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – WELCOMING SESSION, Keynote and Intros
James Watkins: Welcoming Keynote: I Have a Dream: How to Keep it Alive
We all have dreams, but even with our best intentions to live them out, like Joseph, we find ourselves bruised and bloodied at the bottom of the pit. Jim will use the story of Joseph as an example of a dream received, the dreamer refined, the dream redefined, and finally, the dream realized in relationship to writing.
Introductions: (We will have an attendee list in case you want to reach out to someone during or after the workshop.)
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
8:30 am – 9:00 am – Check-in and Early-bird networking
9:00 am – Opening and Devotions
9:30 am – 10:15 am – Mary Potter Kenyon: Divine Inspiration
Reconnect with your innate creative side as Mary inspires us about creativity in our writing and lives. She includes a brief overview of pertinent creativity research and eight ways to tap into the power of the miraculous to collaborate with God.
10:15 am – 11:00 am – Jean Vaux: Faith Writing
Spring boarding from Mary’s Divine Inspiration session, Jean will share a method of dialoging with God and discerning his voice. This session is not about getting your writing out into the world, but getting the message out of you, as you hear and express The Master’s Mind. Writing time included.
11:00 am – 11:15 am – “Ten”-minute Break (be back and ready to re-start in 15)
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Faith Writing Mastermind: Breakout Rooms Small Group Discussions
We will engage in a small groups mastermind discussing questions about our approaches to writing about faith and transformation, then sharing with the large group.
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm – Self-provided Lunch Break (in optional breakout rooms/“tables”)
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm – James Watkins: Writing So Editors Love You
Is fear of rejection stopping you from getting your writing out into the world? An editor of 40 years reveals what makes him reach for a rejection slip such as passive voice, misplaced modifiers, “preachy” tone, St. Paul-length sentences, and more. He will cover how to rejection-proof your work so that editors will fall in love with your writing, and so will you.
1:15 pm – 2:00 pm – Sue Schuerman: Writing Legacy Letters – What words are in your heart to leave to posterity?
Legacy letters offer a way to reflect upon and express our values and life lessons. They become treasured gifts communicating what matters most to us to those who matter most to us: our family, friends, loved ones and future generations. Writing legacy letters, sometimes called ethical wills, is a beautiful ancient tradition dating back to Biblical times. We will look their history and discuss how this tradition relates to contemporary writing. Through guided exercises, participants will draw from their life experiences to pen values, wisdom, insight, life stories and special messages to complete their own legacy letter.
2:00-2:05 pm Stretch
2:05 pm – 2:45 pm – Co-work Writing Time
We will each work together in quiet writing time. You may apply what we’ve learned so far today about listening for divine inspiration to open the right-brain flow and then shape something from it and apply the left-brain editing skills set to clean it up. Or you may choose to work on something else you have.
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm – Wrap up
3:15 pm – Optional Bonus Session: Open Mic (with optional comments in the chat box, which will be saved)
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
8:30 am – 9:00 am – Early-bird networking
9:00 am – Opening and Devotions
9:30 am – 10:30 am – Mary Potter Kenyon: Have You Googled Yourself Lately?
Do a Google search of “Mary Potter Kenyon” and thousands of results pop up, the majority of the first several pages related to the author in some way. Just as an employer might Google the name of a prospective employee, you can bet an agent, editor, or publisher is Googling yours when you approach them for representation or to consider your work.
So how does a writer make sure their name appears in an online search? Mary isn’t famous and has never appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, so why does her name appear so frequently, including a Redbook magazine and four Reader’s Digest appearances in 2019? You don’t have to have half a dozen books published before you begin cultivating an online presence.
Mary will share tips and insider secrets, and concrete examples of getting your name “out there” before and after your book is published, including foundational social media strategies to grow your platform.
10:30 am – 10:45 am – “Ten”-minute Break (be back and ready to re-start in 15)
10:45 am – 11:30 am – Anne Fleck: The First Three Chapters: More than Exciting
The first three chapters of a manuscript need to “grab the reader.” But what does that mean? Every story can’t start with a gun fight, and sometimes even that isn’t enough to get readers, editors, and publishers interested. In this workshop, fiction and memoir writers will learn to use the first chapters to lay a foundation for their story and get readers invested, even if there are no explosions.
11:30 am – 12:00 pm – Self-provided Lunch Break (in optional breakout rooms/”tables”)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Gail Kittleson: How to Stress Out Your Reader
Regardless of having a great plot and characters, a story goes nowhere without the element of tension. Learn the difference between tension and conflict and the four areas to create or increase tension in writing fiction.
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm – “Ten”-minute Break (be back and ready to re-start in 15)
1:15 pm – 2:00 pm – James Watkins: Are Authors in their Write Minds?
While clinical depression affects a high percentage of writers, it is not only treatable, but can actually make for better communicators. Research shows that those with depression tend to be more empathetic to people as well as being deeper thinkers. The seminar will share practical ways to not only live with depression but to thrive with this "gift."
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm – James Watkins: I’m a Giant Killer!
What Goliaths are blocking the path to your writer’s dreams? James combines humor and practical suggestions for battling the giants that confront would-be authors, so they can slay those giants and take up their pens and become unstoppable.
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm – Wrap up
Here's what you need to know: This is a workshop for all levels of writers:
- beginners, who are searching for where to start;
- intermediates who have some writing under their belt and want to go deeper and find new ideas; and
- advanced writers, who are published and honing their craft.
Every stripe of writer will enjoy the synergy and rewards of being with like-minded creatives.
As usual, we start our workshop winding everyone up with inspiration, creativity, engagement in the writing craft and with fellow writers. We build upon that foundation and get more specific in genre, technique and the technical aspects of writing, publishing and marketing. Before you go, we bring it all together and make sure that we wrap up by bringing you specific strong steps closer to your goals as you leave and go forward.
Because it is progressively designed, we would love to see you for the entire workshop to get the full benefit. There is only one price this year, no partial days. If you don't have a camera on your computer or good internet access, there will be phone access to listen in. There will be recordings that only registered participants can access. Go to the registration page here.