A Sign, Signs, Everywhere a Sign by April Carpenter

Are you paying attention to God’s signs?

A sign, signs, everywhere a sign, has been playing in my head recently. You know the 1971 song from the 5 Man Electric Band? 

Because of this song, I added a sign to my office door at home, for the kids not to bother me while I’m writing. It says, “Taking time for me.”

Does it keep them from knocking on my door? NO.

Does it keep my husband for yelling, “Honey, where’s my dinner?” NO.

Here’s your first sign to come to the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference on March 7^th.  The sign reads….

 

I hear you saying, “I don’t have the time,” or “I went to the conference last year, why should I go again?” These are just excuses. Your family can function for one day without you. Trust me I know.   Everyone needs encouragement, and to be with likeminded people.

I was honored to speak at my church before Christmas regarding my personal prayer journey. I shared with the group the writing I was doing concerning what the Bible says about verbal abuse. I also explained why I hadn’t completed this book yet. I said, “This is a hard topic to write about. I can work on it for a while and then I have to put it aside.”

After the talk, two people stopped to tell me, “Please finish your book, I would buy it and share it with women I know who are in abusive situations.”

HMMMM I thought, was this a sign?

 

If God has given you sign after sign, “Write for me,” or if every other day God blesses you with a great idea for an article or character, I feel that these are signs. In order to serve God 100% writers must hone their craft; because for me writing doesn’t come very easily.

 

The sign reads for me today, “Come away with me for a while….. God.”

When God speaks I make a plan so I can be obedient. One way to be obedient is to prepare.  When I have taken the time to learn about the craft of writing then I see results. God gives me new characters and the ability to tweak old characters, among other things. Attending conferences for me is my way of preparing and to get encouragement.

 

What are the signs in your life, regarding your writing, that you have been avoiding or not noticing? Please friends, I encourage you to come to the conference.  Now the sign reads, “Won’t you join us?”

 

(C)April Smith Carpenter

Meet April!

 

April Smith Carpenter is excited to return as the MSCW conference director for the second year. She is an avid daily journal writer, aerobics enthusiast, a marching band/thespian mom, and writer on the fly. She has published articles in Memphis Parent Magazine, DeSoto Appeal, DeSoto Times Tribune, and Parent Guide News. She covers a wide variety of topics with a particular focus on parenting, sports, and women’s health issues. Two of her stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul book series.  Smith Carpenter proudly serves as President of the Byhalia Christian Writers (BCW).  


April's Workshop

Leaving a Godly Legacy

Do you want your children and grandchildren to know about their family history? Do you want to share stories that will be remembered for generations to come? This session will give writers the tools needed to start this journey and leave a godly legacy. We all have a story to tell, each story, good or bad can enrich another person’s life. Be encouraged: your writing can make a difference. 

For more information, please visit the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference website.

Unexpected Benefit of Attending a Writers Conference by Johnnie Alexander

I attended my first major conference, the Florida Christian Writers Conference, in February 2007. This was a milestone on my road to publication.

Not because I wowed agents and editors with my sparkling writing style, can't-put-it-down manuscript, or charisma.

Believe me, none of those things were true.

But I met four women, three of them first-timers like me, who dreamed of sharing their unique messages with others.

They were the answer to the prayer I prayed on my drive to the conference.

"Please, God," I whispered. "Give me someone to eat meals with."

And He did.

These new friends and I ate together, attended workshops together, prayed together, and supported each other.

We also formed an online critique group that actually worked. (Until then, I didn't even know what a critique group was!)

Even better, our friendships deepened and strengthened. Though we seldom see each other, these women are four of my closest and dearest friends.

Workshops and keynotes are important elements of a conference. But so is the opportunity to meet other people who share your writing dreams.

When you attend this year's Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, you'll go home with your notebook full of great information.

You might also meet people who will become your critique partners and, better yet, your lifelong friends.

Won't you join us?

Meet Johnnie!

Johnnie Alexander is the author of Where Treasure Hides which won the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011 Historical Fiction). The first of her three contemporary romances, tentatively titled Into a Spacious Place, releases from Revell in January 2016.

She also has won the Best Novel and Best Writer awards at the Florida Christian Writers Conference is a 2012 Bronze Medalist in the My Book Therapy Frasier Contest.

A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas, her dogs Rugby and Skye, and assorted other animals.

Johnnie's Workshop

A Hero You Love . . . A Villain You Love to Hate

Once upon a time the heroes wore white hats and the villains wore black. But modern readers aren’t interested in stereotypes. Create the hero of your readers’ dreams and the villains of their nightmares by adding surprising dimensions to your characters. Learn how to deepen your story with memorable characters an agent, editor, or reader will love . . . or love to hate.

(Co-taught with Patricia Bradley)

For more information, please visit the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference website.

Oh, Me of Little Faith by Tracy Crump

A new writers conference? It sounded nice—to have a conference right here in the Mid-South. But every time someone in our group brought up the subject, all I could focus on were the negatives. Our group was too small to facilitate a conference. We had no money to pay speakers or rent a venue. The economy was bad. Other conferences that had been around for years were seeing major drops in attendance. This was not a good idea.

Eventually, April Carpenter made an executive decision—“We’re going to hold a conference, and I’m going to direct it. I need volunteers.”

My hand went up of its own accord. I not only volunteered to lead a workshop but also act as registrar and coordinate the website construction. What was I thinking? My parents were in very poor health, and their demands on my time left me little occasion to write, much less work a conference.

Then Jeris Hamm came on board as marketing director. Her enthusiasm was contagious, but every time she expressed concerns about overflowing a room large enough to accommodate seventy attendees, my negative side resurfaced. I told her not to worry. We’d be lucky to have twenty-five. She finally had to tell me to stop. I was dampening her enthusiasm.

The day of the conference arrived, and everything was going beautifully. And yes, more people registered than I’d expected. Halfway through the first keynote address, Jeris came out to the registration table and asked how many attendees we had.

“Fifty-one.”

“Oh, my goodness!” she said. “When I signed on as marketing director, I prayed for fifty attendees.”

“Oh, my goodness!” I said. “One of the registrations was complimentary. We have exactly fifty paid attendees.”

My lack of faith never dampens God’s plans. He counters every no with a yes, every negative with a positive. He knew who needed to attend our conference, and He brought every writer who needed to hone skills, network with others, and be encouraged.

Now we’re doing it all over again. How about you? Is God calling you to develop your talents for His glory? Join us at the 2015 Mid-South Christian Writers Conference on March 7.

 Meet Tracy!

 

Tracy Crump has published articles in Focus on the Family, Mature Living, ParentLife, Light & Life, and other national magazines. A dozen of her stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and she has written numerous devotionals for publication. Tracy has served on staff at writers conferences and co-founded Write to Life workshops with Marylane Wade Koch. Together they present one-day workshops and webinars and co-edit The Write Life, a free monthly e-newsletter which includes story callouts. Visit Tracy at www.WriteLifeWorkshops.com.

Tracy's Workshop

Writers' Rights

First rights, reprint rights, all rights—what does it all mean, and what if I do something wrong? Learn about the different rights you sell on your work and how to retain as many rights as possible.
For more information, please visit the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference website.

 

2015 MidSouth Christian Writers Conference Welcomes Vonda Skelton

Theme: Writing for the Ages

Vonda Skelton, nationally recognized speaker and author, is this year’s keynote speaker. She is founder and co-director of Christian Communicators, a conference and community dedicated to educating, validating, and launching women in their speaking ministries. She is an occasional actress in film, theater, and commercials, and she is currently working on a screenplay. You can find out more about Vonda and her ministry at VondaSkelton.com.

 

In addition to delivering two keynote messages, Vonda will be presenting a workshop titled: Writing for Children: One Size Does NOT Fit All.

 

For more information about this year's workshops and speakers, please visit to the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference website.

 

Registration information available here.

 

Be sure to check back often for posts from our speakers and additional information.