Reels are a compelling way to share a message via Instagram and Facebook, but how do you create them? This workshop will include tips on how to shoot interesting videos using your phone, how to edit, and how to include music or voiceovers to connect more personally with your audience.

Learn how to create a unique and authentic author brand that represents you. This workshop will guide you through defining your niche, crafting a great bio, creating a consistent look, and connecting with your audience. Ideal for authors ready to grow their reach and make an impact.

You have a story to tell. Maybe you even have a contract. But the reality of your life keeps getting in the way. A physical limitation or health issue slows you down. Crisis clouds your creativity. The demands of caring for loved ones consumes your time. Why are other writers able to pound out multiple books per year while you struggle to meet your daily word count? This workshop will equip you to find strategies for writing around the life you have, so you can meet your deadlines and goals.

The publishing industry can deform your soul if you're not paying close attention. Let's talk about six spiritual practices you can use to counter deformational temptations with transformational go-to's.

Why aren’t more people buying your book or signing up for your newsletter? You likely have fantastic content, but not effective copy. Learn the common mistakes most writers make when promoting their work and how to start thinking like a conversion copywriter so you can get your message to the people who need it.

Articles and books for hurting hearts will always be in demand. But writing them is no simple task. Cindi McMenamin, author of several books (and hundreds of articles) that address the deep hurts, will help you look at key issues in your life that hurting people can relate to, the beauty of Scriptural teaching and application, and how to write in a way that resonates with hearts and transforms lives. Leave this session with a plan of what to write and how to write it.

Many fiction writers are first inspired to write novels because of powerful early encounters with the classic works of literature. This workshop probes which techniques may be helpful to borrow from the classic writers and which ones to consign to literary history. We have much to learn from great novels, but not everything that worked in 1857 will still fly today.

Canva rocks! As an online graphic design tool, Canva lets you create without needing graphic designer skills. From basic photo edits to crafting social media images, flyers, and documents, you can start with a basic idea and leave with a rad creation. Zero experience needed, but a laptop is required.

Building platform, landing an agent, and developing a hook matter—but if your writing is blah, your best business efforts will be for nothing. Learn 10 actionable tips to make your writing sparkle right now, including pitfalls to avoid, and a method for unlocking creativity you didn't know you had.

Get inside an editor’s head and learn what factors they consider when they’re reviewing a manuscript. Acquisitions editor Katherine Easter offers insights into the publishing process and explains what she looks for in submissions, so you can help your project stand out from the crowd.

Transform your memoir or personal story through compelling storytelling. Learn to create immersive scenes, develop multidimensional characters (your people), and craft authentic dialogue that pulls readers into your world and keeps them turning pages.

• Master the art and craft of writing scenes
• Develop memorable, complex characters
• Craft natural but engaging dialogue that works to move your story forward

We can invite children into a picture book story by using the five senses to engage their bodies and hearts. Award-winning multicultural children’s author Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young leads attendees through a descriptive writing exercise and discussion that will help add cultural and experiential details to their stories.

Learn to create meaningful devotionals that inspire and transform. This workshop explores blending Scripture, personal stories, and reflections into powerful messages. Discover how to structure devotionals, engage readers, and share your faith through books, blogs, or social media. Perfect for authors and ministry leaders seeking to make an impact.

What are the best strategies for weaving our lives into fiction? Is it enough to change names and hair colors or call our memoir a novel? This workshop will explore the true potential of our experiences in fiction writing, and how to balance them with the craft of good storytelling.

Writing inspirational fiction that inspires is a balancing act between sharing the gospel and not preaching. This workshop will explore ways you can move your reader into a deep faith without beating them over the head with Scripture. Learn how to create a natural spiritual development for your character and use Scripture in a way that creates a hunger in your reader and influences their own faith journey.

Writing for kids is both a privilege and a puzzle. Let's sort that out talking about the who, what, why, where, and how.

Learn from literary agent Bob Hostetler how to write a successful fiction OR nonfiction book proposal, using real-life samples of proposals that sold.

Kathy Ide, professional freelance editor since 1998 and author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors, provides tips on proofreading your own manuscripts, for critique partners, or for paying clients, the way a professional does. Includes how to catch typos, inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and errors in punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling.

We all know that every story needs a beginning, middle, and end (even if it's not narrative-driven!). But how many pages to dedicate to each part of the story? And how do you make sure readers don't get bored and feel satisfied by the time they reach the end? This workshop will explore how to best pace your children's book so your readers stay engaged with your story, page after page.

If the pressure of platform building is weighing you down, it’s time to shift focus from striving for impressive numbers to serving your audience (in a way that brings you joy). Learn to nurture the heart of your reader while building credibility, relatability, and trust—creating a more invested audience and maximizing your efforts.

How can you write a nonfiction book that will hook readers and keep them reading? In this workshop, you’ll learn to identify your target reader, clarify your core message and your promise to the reader, and craft compelling content. You’ll come away with the tools to create a solid nonfiction book.

Discover eight essential strategies to weave into your writing process that will set the stage for a successful book launch. From building your author platform to creating buzz-worthy content, you'll learn how to lay the groundwork for your book's success while you're still crafting your masterpiece.

Feeling curious—or maybe just overwhelmed—by all the AI buzz? Roger and Kathi get real about how AI tools can help (and sometimes hinder) your writing. Come learn five fun, ethical, and totally doable ways to put AI to work—and when to tell it, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Writing the chapters for a Christian living book requires careful planning and a shift from our personal experience to an understanding of those needing help and hope. This hands-on workshop will teach writers how to study good writing form so they can then develop these skills (adaptable for writing other genres too):

• Chapters designed with reader felt need in mind
• An appropriate balance of anecdotes and teaching content
• Teaching points based on biblical concepts
• How to introduce biblical and other kinds of quoted material
• The design of well-crafted paragraphs
• Use of special features
• Effective transitions and use of figurative language

What’s the use of writing if no one reads—or is changed by—your material? Cindi will help you look at 7 key elements that must be present in your writing for it to not just inform, but transform. Leave the session with ideas for developing unique and compelling content.

Working with an editor is a rewarding experience—especially when your editor is a good fit. In this session, award-winning freelance editor Tisha Martin explores a fast food drive-through analogy to explain what to look for in a skilled editor and how to work successfully together.

Self-publishing is more accessible than ever. but, there are risks associated with self-publishing, chief among them overpaying for hybrid services. This workshop will outline which items can be outsourced easily, what pitfalls exist along the way, and when it makes sense to self-publish in the first place.

This workshop addresses techniques for crafting compelling openings that immediately capture readers' attention and draw them into the story, from the importance of a gripping first line to the seamless transition into the first page and the setup of the initial chapter. Learn the power of a strong first line, momentum in the first page, and the importance of the first chapter to hook the reader.

Designed for both non-poets and poets, some basic aspects of poetry can transfer into our prose for greater beauty and effect. This can make your writing sing.
Takeaway: non-poets will learn how to increase the beauty and impact of their prose.

Literary agents love partnering with hopeful and established authors who are serious about their publishing journeys. What factors prompt a literary agent to say “yes” to one prospective client and “no” to another? Barb will explain the six greenlights that speed an author’s goal of landing a literary agent.

A romantic plotline can add appeal to fiction and point readers to realistic expectations while still making them swoon. In this workshop, we’ll look at how to be a matchmaker for your characters, how to craft romantic plotlines and dreamy scenes, and how to play with popular tropes.

In this engaging workshop led by award-winning fantasy author Kara Swanson, we will dive into the four key ingredients to craft any unique, fictional world, and how to make your reader care. Discover how to weave relatable, personal threads through made-up settings that allow our readers to not only feel at home in worlds we've built... but also find a piece of themselves there. To not just enter a unique world -- but to leave it changed.

New to writing or still feeling like a rookie? Wondering if you're a real writer & hoping you don't make a fool of yourself? Packed with acronym-busters, writer lingo & tips for a smooth start, I’m here to boost your confidence & answer your questions. Bring your nerves & walk out in peace!

Copyrights are an important tool in the arsenal of any author. Without copyrights, there would be no way to truly profit from your work or prevent others from using or copying your work without permission. But what are copyrights, and how can they be used to protect your work? And where does fair use come in? This presentation will teach you what rights you have, and how to use them to your best advantage.

So, you entered the Christian writing market because of the money! Okay, maybe not—but your bank account is still a real thing. Here's good news! Many "side hustles" and revenue streams exist that can not only build your bank account but can build the kingdom WHILE building up others.

In this workshop, learn to craft and deliver compelling pitches that grab the attention of film and television producers. We’ll break down key elements of a successful pitch—from loglines and lookbooks to tone, genre, and market appeal—plus tips on how to navigate meetings, handle questions, and leave a lasting impression.