Five things I learned at the Inland NW Christian Writer's Conference

I attended the Inland Northwest Christian Writer's Conference in Spokane, WA last weekend, and I loved it! It was my first writer's conference, and although I felt some flutters as I entered my appointment with an agent and one with an editor, I loved the entire weekend.

What a wonderful group of like-minded individuals encouraging one another on to fulfill the passion and calling that the LORD has placed upon each one of us. I never really felt a shyness or hesitancy about approaching anyone--whether they were other attendees or speakers. It felt like I belonged there :-) And the connections were wonderful--connections with other local writers, along with experienced writers, editors, and agents. I even had a couple of divine appointments I hadn't been anticipating :-)

In my local writer's group, we shared together this morning about the top five things we learned at the conference. There was a plethora (don't you just love that word, plethora?) of great information, but here is the list I shared at our group:

1. Social media is a must. Period. Today's writing and publishing market relies heavily on the author's "social footprint." Blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, and then some. Editors and publishers WILL "google" your name, so you want your writing "stage presence" to be prominent and visible. So, I jumped in with both feet and began blogging (after having thought about it for a number of years).

2. Write from your passion. It requires a significant investment of time and talent to get into print and to sell books--researching, writing, rewriting, rewriting, (did I say rewriting?), creating a social footprint. To make it worth the investment, I personally need to consider it part of my ministry. Since writing is a gift God gave me and a passion He placed in my heart around 30 years ago, I think I can do that :-)

3. Editors and agents (and successful writers, too!) are real people. They are normal "Joe's". They are approachable. They get tired and cranky (no, I did not experience that personally). They forget business cards or wish they had arranged the time in their class more effectively. Thus, where I am now, so once were they.

When I met with agent Blythe Daniel of The Blythe Daniel Agency, she was interested in helping me see the next stage in my writing pat--regardless of whether or not we mesh as writer-agent and have a long term working relationship. When I met in an interview group with Eddie Jones, Acquisitions Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, he was approachable and laid back. He listened and asked questions as each of us pitched our book idea. He gave great feedback and also provided additional information to help with our writing.

4. Speaking and writing go hand-in-hand. Not all speakers are writers, and not all writers are speakers. But if you can speak, that helps to promote your platform, which obviously helps promote your book sales :-) This was actually exciting to me, because I've envisioned myself as a speaker at conferences for a number of years.

Part of my desire in writing is to encourage and strengthen other people (especially women) in their relationship with the Lord. He has done so much in my life and invested so much in me, I have a wealth of knowledge and relationship to draw from. I look forward to whatever speaking platform rises up in the next year or so.

5. Be an expert in your field. This part was confusing to me at first. Because I have  begun writing children's picture books, I pictured the need to become an expert in the topics I write about. How do I learn all I would need to in order to be an expert about Antarctica, for example? And then when I write my next book, to become an expert about that? And so on. Also, how would I fit devotional writing into that?

What I realized is that there is a hub that all of my writing will come out from, and that is the hub of who I am and what I do in my daily life. For me, as a home educator, that hub is homeschooling. My interest in educational children's stories (and the creative, funny things elementary students imagine and do) comes forth from that. My desire to help other moms though challenges in their daily lives does, too.

I hope my list is helpful or encouraging to you. If you have any questions, or have anything to add, I'd love to hear from you.