ACFW Conference Blog

by Mindy Obenhaus

You’ve registered for your favorite writer’s conference(s). Your hotel is booked. Your transportation is squared away. Now the real work begins.

Business Cards - Whether you’re a multi-published author or a beginning writer, you’re going to want business cards. Networking at conferences is invaluable. You’ll make new friends, meet those people whose names you’ve seen attached to countless emails, and even find yourself lunching in the company of editors and agents. Whatever the case, business cards are an easy way to exchange information and you’ll probably come home with a whole wad of them. Other people’s, that is, not your own

You can purchase business cards from a variety of places or make your own on your computer. If you’re technically challenged like moi, try free business cards from companies like vistaprint.com where all you pay for is shipping. If you’ll be meeting with editors/agents, consider putting your picture on your business card. They meet with boatloads of people at these conferences. Having your photo beside your name is a big help.

Your Pitch - Ugh! This is my least favorite part. I usually have no problem presenting myself, but when it comes to talking about my story I either stumble over my words or it comes out sounding canned. Trust me, it’s never too early to start working on your pitch. Then practice, practice, practice. Say it to anyone who will listen. Say it with enthusiasm. That enthusiasm is contagious, and you want the editor/agent to be as excited about your story as you are.

One Sheets/Sell Sheets - This kind of goes hand-in-hand with your pitch. A one-sheet promotes your story and you the writer. It gives a short, and I mean short, synopsis of your story (think back-cover blurb), perhaps info on other stories you’re working on (this should be kept to one or two lines), and info about yourself. What makes you qualified to write this particular story?
Prayer - This is the most important part of any conference for me. I start praying even before I register, asking the Lord to guide me as I choose classes and schedule appointments. Later, I pray for my attitude and that I will have the experience God wants me to have, instead of the one I want to have. You know, He really does know best.

Whew! I’ve got some work to do. We’ll pick up here next week. Until then, what’s your favorite part of any conference? Meeting new people? Pitching? Or just being in the company of other writers?

Mindy Obenhaus
www.mindyobenhaus.com
You gotta have F.A.I.T.H.–Six unique authors, One awesome God
www.writingbyfaith.blogspot.com

by Megan DiMaria

If you’re looking for an adventure and want to explore the area to find a good spot for dinner on Friday night, one option is to hop on the light rail and head south to Park Meadows at the County Line Road exit. It’s a short ride, only four stops south of Belleview Ave. The Belleview station is on the bottom right side of the map.

The light rail is about a five minute walk from the hotel, and the fare is $2 each way/$1 each way for seniors. The fare box takes quarters or bills but returns change in dollar coins only.

Park Meadows might be considered a shopping mall by some, but since its inception, they’ve marketed themselves as a retail resort. It’s a lovely center, with comfy chairs scattered around and a mountain-themed décor. In addition to the food court, which is called the Dining Hall, there are restaurants inside the mall as well as in the parking-lot areas surrounding the shopping center.

Today we will only discuss the restaurants in the Dining Hall.

When you exit the train, take the stairs or elevator down to the parking lot of Park Meadows. You’ll be on the east side of the mall. The food court (Dining Hall) is located on that side of the mall.

The restaurants located in the Dining Hall are reasonably priced, probably similar to restaurants in the food court of a mall by you. Here’s a list of restaurants in the Dining Hall:

Ben & Jerry’s - Ice cream, of course.

Cajun & Grill - The menu includes a signature item called Bourbon Chicken. Bourbon Chicken is succulent marinated chicken, but contains no bourbon and is not spicy. In addition, the menu contains delicious seafood, fish, pork and other chicken entrees.

Chick-fil-A - Lean, whole-breast chicken sandwiches and nuggets. They also have some of the best Waffle-Fries in town.

Dairy Queen/Orange Julius - Soft serve cones, dipped cones, sundaes, shakes/malts, banana splits, parfaits, blended frozen frozen treats, logs, novelties, lunchtime snacks, carbonated soft drinks and coffee.

Johnny Rockets - A menu of all-American favorites including juicy hamburgers, hand-dipped shakes and malts.

Panda Express – Flavorful, hot Chinese food.

Paradise Bakery & Café - Baked goods made from scratch every morning from the finest ingredients available. A variety of light meals including soups, salads and sandwiches.

Renzios – Serving authentic Gyros and Greek Fare, Renzios is a healthy, traditional alternative to the every day fast food. Beef Gyros, fries and Greek salad.

Sbarro - Whole pizzas, pizza by the slice, spaghetti, lasagna and salads.

Squeeze - Smoothie and juice bar.

Starbucks – You need a description? Really? Okay, high-quality whole bean coffees, rich-brewed, Italian style espresso beverages, and a variety of pastries and confections.

Steak Escape - Cheesesteaks, served any way you want it. Steak Escape says your fries were whole potatoes the night before as well as the lemons for their lemonade.

Subway - Sandwiches, soft drinks, chips, cookies.

Wasabi Jane - Japanese Cuisine, hand-rolled sushi and sides. Their specialties include chicken dishes, made-to-order wok dishes such as teriyaki beef, and vegetable dishes.

One of the best things about eating in the Dining Hall is that you and your friends don’t need to agree on restaurant to visit. You can each pick your favorite and join one another at one of the tables in the hall.

A prisoner of hope,
Megan DiMaria

Bio:

Megan DiMaria is an author and speaker who enjoys cheering on other writers in their pursuits and encouraging women to embrace life’s demands and delights.

She is an active member of ACFW and several other writers groups and is the author of two women’s fiction novels, Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands.

Out of Her Hands, Tyndale House, October 2008
Searching for Spice, Tyndale House, April 2008

Read my Denver Writing Examiner articles

www.megandimaria.com

www.megandimaria.blogspot.com

I can hardly believe it’s that time of year again–time to be making preparations for the Annual ACFW Conference. I am especially excited this year, as it will be the first time I’ll be able to participate in the author book signing. I am also thrilled to be helping a fellow author who is a “newbie” and has never attended a large conference before. Having attended this conference every year but one since 2002, I thought it might be helpful to write a post on what to expect.

* Expect to have the time of your life–meeting other authors just like you, who spend a good portion of their day sitting in front of a computer screen making up stories about fictional people who live in their minds.

* Expect to stand in awe when a “big-time” author greets you with a warm handshake or hug.

* Expect to be tongue-tied when you have your first editor or agent appointment, or find yourself alone with him in the elevator–and all of a sudden, you cannot even remember what your story is about.

*Expect to be served some fantastic meals–some of which are too pretty to eat, but you WILL eat them, and you will enjoy every bite, especially since you didn’t have to cook it yourself!!!

*Expect to be spellbound by the great motivational speakers and workshop leaders–this year some of the best writers in CBA, such as Debbie Macomber, Donald Maass, Tracie Peterson, DiAnn Mills, Deborah Raney, Susan May Warren, Colleen Coble, and Randy Ingermanson . . . just to name a few.

*Expect to go without much sleep. There is just too much fun going on for you to sleep. Late Night Chats, getting together with friends or just sitting with other authors and taking it all in. Not to mention that your nerves will be too juiced to allow you to do much more than toss and turn in bed, especially that first night. However, the second or third night is usually better, as you’ll be so exhausted you’ll probably fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.

*Expect to buy LOTS of books (so bring extra money). This year ACFW is partnering with The Bible Supplies - A Parable Christian Store, so there should be plenty of books to chose from. In the past, I have walked away from the conference with my suitcase loaded with books I’ve waited all summer to buy and read.

*Expect to learn so much from the workshops that you’re either on information overload, or you’re unable to resist charging up to your room to write for an hour just to get the scene down that’s begging to come out. For those on overload, don’t despair, because you can take the workshops home on mp3 disks and listen to the workshops again at your leisure.

*Expect to cry during the worship time. I know I almost always do, filled with such joy and devotion for our Lord, Jesus Christ, and all he has done.

*Expect to find yourself in the prayer room, where you may read from God’s Word, pray on your own, or pray with other people.

*Expect to make life-time friends, renew acquaintances and have the time of your life. There is so much more to write–and I’m sure I’ll think of something else as soon as I hit the publish button–but rest-assured, your registration money will not be wasted on this conference. As a Christian fiction writer, this conference is one of the best ways to spend your money and your time. You won’t regret it!

Short bio: Deborah Vogts is a new author for Zondervan, with her debut release, Snow Melts in Spring, the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. Deborah and her husband have three daughters and make their home in SE Kansas. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there. Website - www.deborahvogts.com; Blog - www.deborahvogts.blogspot.com

Book blurb: Snow Melts in Spring - Mattie Evans, a young veterinarian in rural Kansas, saves a horse injured in a terrible accident. But she also finds herself tending the wounded relationship between a prodigal son and his ailing father. Love, conflict, forgiveness and renewal drive this first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

Deborah Vogts
Country at Heart
http://www.deborahvogts.com
http://www.deborahvogts.blogspot.com

Available in stores July 09 ~ Snow Melts in Spring (Zondervan)

by Kathy Fuller

The annual American Christian Fiction Writer’s Conference is set for September 17-20 in Denver, Colorado. While that may seem a ways away, its really around the corner, so if you’re planning to attend, you should register and book your flight ASAP. For those of you on the fence, especially historical romance novelists, allow me to shove you off that fence by giving you five reasons to attend the conference.

1) Historical novels are on the rise again. When I first started writing nearly ten years ago, contemporaries and chick-lit were all the rage. Most editors weren’t interested in looking at historicals, unless they were set in the prairie between 1850 and 1890, and even then an unknown author would have a tough time selling a manuscript. But as with many things in the publishing biz, tastes are cyclical, and there’s renewed interest in historicals from different time periods and countries–Biblical, Regency, Victorian, Georgian, and the ever popular Americana.

2) Networking, networking, networking! Regardless of the genre you write in, the ACFW conference provides countless opportunities to rub elbows with published authors, agents, and editors who freely give their insight into what’s selling and what publishing houses are looking for. It’s the best way to find out the most inside of inside information.

3) Mentoring and Critiquing. Attendees have the opportunity to sign up for one-on-one critique sessions with a multipublished author. Several of these authors have published historical romance and are open to giving their feedback and expertise in the genre.

4) Late Night Chats. These are totally awesome. Editors and agents will be holding late night chats Thursday and Friday where they’ll be giving the straight scoop about the business, what houses are looking for, and what they’re looking for in particular. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask burning questions, such as “Are you looking for historical romance set in Byzantium?” The one drawback is that you can only attend one chat a night (so many editors/agents, so little time), but you can get with a group of your friends and divide and conquer, then meet later over a latte and share what you learned.

5) You’ll be sorry you missed it. I can say this with surety–I had planned to attend the conference, and had even registered for it, but ended up having to cancel. But I’m definitely going next year–I refuse to miss out on the fun again!

For more information about the ACFW conference, visit the ACFW conference section on the website.

Kathleen Fuller is a novelist and freelance writer. She is the author of over ten novels, including the upcoming Hearts of Middlefield Series for Thomas Nelson. To find out more about Kathleen and her books, please visit her website:
www.kathleenfuller.com
www.kathleenfuller.blogspot.com
www.amishhearts.com
Regency Romance
A Daring Return (Avalon): August, 2009
Amish Fiction
An Amish Christmas (Thomas Nelson): August, 2009
A Man of His Word (Thomas Nelson): September, 2009

by Tiffany Amber Stockton

Many know that I’m a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). It’s the premier Christian fiction organization, and I owe a great deal of thanks to the members for helping me get published. Every year, they hold a national conference, and this year it’s just about in my back yard. Denver, Colorado is only about an hour away. That means around 500 writers, authors, editors, agents and other industry professionals will be coming to the great state of Colorado to teach, learn, pitch, listen to queries, network, meet each other and have a grand time.

To help promote the conference and get folks excited about all that’s going to happen, a lot of members have offered to post on our blogs and spread the word.

Since the ACFW Conference in 2003 is where I first pitched my novel that received a contract in 2006, and since I’ve received requests from all others to whom I pitched, that’s the topic of my post today. For anyone who is attending ACFW (or any other conference), here are some tips I hope will prove helpful to you:

1. Before you make your appointment, study the needs of the publishing house or agency and what they are looking to publish or represent. Present yourself as a well-informed professional who has done your homework. The worst mistake is to sit down and pitch something only to have their eyes glaze over because your story isn’t what they are looking to find.

2. Remember that any editor or agent is looking forward to meeting you. They wouldn’t be at the conference if they didn’t want to hear about new stories and discover new talent. You just might be the reason they’re there.

3. Practice your pitch with someone who will be honest with you. They can give you valuable feedback on what to cut or change or even give you the extra encouragement you need to feel confident.

4. Dress appropriately. Appearance counts just as much as what you say. The old adage proves true. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Appear professional.

5. Be confident. Sweaty palms or a case of nerves is normal. But you have to believe in yourself and your work before you can convince someone else to buy it. So, be proud of your writing.

6. Start off the meeting with an icebreaker or small-talk. Perhaps mention someone else who recommended this meeting, or why you chose to meet with this person. Oftentimes, the editor or agent will set you at ease and start it off themselves. If not, have something casual ready.

7. Choose your words wisely. Keep your pitch to 25 words or less. This is often also called the “elevator pitch” or what you’d say if you were riding the elevator with your dream editor/agent. You want to catch their attention right away and don’t want to take the entire 15 minutes to get to the main point.

8. Know the main conflict of your story and highlight it when you pitch. Be ready with more details when asked to elaborate.

9. If there is anything unique about your main characters or your story, work that into your pitch. Editors and agents hear hundreds during conference season. You want to make yours stand out.

10. Study the editor or agent as you talk. They might be looking for what you have to offer, but you want to make sure this person is the “right” person for you. Prepare some general interview questions for them instead of waiting for them to direct the entire meeting.

11. Be mindful of the time. When your 15 minutes comes to a close, wrap it up. Don’t keep the next appointment waiting or the editor/agent from getting to the next aspect of the conference.

12. Conclude in style. Thank them for their time and ask for a business card if they are open to you submitting to them. Offer a handshake and a smile, and confirm a request to submit if it was offered, or reaffirm a referral if it was given.

These tips only brush the surface, but I hope they give you a starting point to help guide you as you prepare for whatever meetings you have. The faculty who are selected to be on staff at the ACFW Conference are top-notch. Many of them have remarked about the quality of the manuscripts or ideas they’ve received each year. And each year, they return, knowing they’re going to find the cream of the crop.

You just might be the one person the editor or agent has come to that conference to meet. Be confident, relaxed, proud. Most importantly, be yourself. You might end up with a successful story to tell!

http://www.amberstockton.com/blogAmber Stockton - Author (www.amberstockton.com)

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton is an author and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart, in beautiful Colorado. They celebrated the birth of their first child in April and have a vivacious Border Collie/Flat-Haired Retriever mix named Roxie. She has sold six books to Barbour Publishing with more on the horizon. Other credits include writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and contributions to the books: 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage and Grit for the Oyster. Read more about her at her web site: www.amberstockton.com.

Available Now:
Copper and Candles, April 2009 (HP #843)

Society teas and garden parties, shopping, gossip—

Life as a young lady of means may be fun, but Felicity wants to do more. Unfortunately, she finds that her position and wealth can sometimes hinder her efforts to help those around her in need. Thus, when a charity case falls ill and cannot work, Felicity determines to go to work as a commoner in Detroit’s dangerous factory district.

Relationships become complicated, however, and she soon finds herself falling in love with a worker from the copper refinery next door. She knows her family would never accept him as a suitor, but what’s a girl to do? What she doesn’t know is that Brandt has his own secrets and hides his identity just as carefully as she. Brandt and Felicity soon discover that deception—no matter how noble its intent—demands a price that even they, with all their resources, may not be able to pay.

Can they survive the storm when truth is revealed?