Ten Helpful Tips to Enrich Your Conference Experience

By Ginny Cruz

Blue Lake is the perfect place for a writers conference! This peaceful retreat, nestled underneath the longleaf pines and dogwoods of the Conecuh National Forest, is ideal for deep learning and soul-moving fellowship. While the scene is restful, powerful opportunities await that can move your writing forward.

Whether it’s your first writer’s conference or not, there are things you can do to enhance your conference experience. Writing is a journey and, like any other, requires proper preparation.

Here are ten helpful tips to enrich your experience:

1. Pray – Ask God to guide your decisions regarding classes, appointments, mentors, contests, etc. Pray before you arrive and during the conference. Expect God to place the right people in your path and be open to Him changing your plans.
2. Dress the part – While Blue Lake is a casual setting, you’ll want to dress business casual. When you meet with publishers or editors to pitch your work, you want to show you’re a professional. Feel free to wear comfortable walking shoes.
3. Bring business cards – Your card should include a professional headshot (if possible), contact information, and all social media accounts. These cards are how industry professionals and fellow attendees will remember you after the conference. Hand out and collect as many as you can. When you return home, connect on all social media accounts.
4. Mingle – Most writers are introverts, so most of us are making ourselves socialize. You want to take advantage of rubbing shoulders with industry professionals and fellow writers. Divine connections often occur while waiting for a meal, having morning coffee on the couch, or in your classes.
5. Pace yourself – There are tons of classes, and you may want to attend them all. Again, pray for direction and listen to your body. If you need some quiet time, take it. A short walk down to the lake can provide an energizing respite.
6. Encourage others – We’re all on God’s team. He has the right path for each of us, so encourage and root for fellow writers’ success. Look for opportunities to pray or speak with others who feel discouraged or overwhelmed.
7. Be yourself – God has already given you the path forward, and you are where you should be. Relax and be yourself.
8. Be on time – When it comes to appointments, you should be early to pray and prepare. All attendees have vital business to accomplish. Respect the time of instructors, industry professionals, and each other.
9. Give thanks – Thank your instructors, other professionals, and support staff you meet. If possible, send handwritten cards or thoughtful emails after the conference. Show gratitude.
10. Follow up – After the conference, take time to rest. Then, ask God to guide you to your next right step. Connect on social media with all you met to build your platform. If an editor or agent requests you send in work, send it.

Get ready for a life-changing time at Blue Lake. God will be there. The faculty and staff are finalizing their preparations, and we look forward to our time together.

And most of all, we want you to be ready when God opens your next door. So, prepare.

Tips for a Successful Conference Experience

By Jennifer Hallmark

Is anything more beautiful than the Blue Lake area in the springtime? I mean, the beach is only an hour’s drive from this wooded paradise. Warm days and cool nights nestled on the edge of a picturesque lake is my idea of a vacation. But wait. This trip to the Blue Lake Christian Writer’s Conference will provide opportunities to meet other writers, learn about the craft, and discuss my work with people in the publishing industry.

If I’ve learned anything in my sixteen years of serious writing, it’s that who I am is more important than what I do. I am my own brand. Readers, as well as people in the industry, look at me as much as my words. So, how can I enjoy a successful conference?

1. Be early. I realize that, at a conference, everything starts early and the days are long. I’m studying everything about the conference and will arrive in plenty of time to become familiar with the building and classrooms. I want to make a good impression by arriving at appointments and classes promptly.
2. Be prepared. Decide what classes you want to take before you arrive. The website gives information on what you need to bring. I carry a notebook, several pens, and any handouts a teacher requires.
3. Be a neat person. You don’t need to wear designer clothes or bring your hairstylist with you. Business casual works well at most conferences, but mainly be yourself. Well-groomed is a better look than “just crawled out of bed.”
4. Be polite and kind. To everyone—people working the registration table, teachers, conference directors, cafeteria workers, groundskeepers. You never know who is watching. Think of the Golden Rule. (Matthew 7:12) Treat people like you want to be treated.
5. Be loud and clear while speaking. I struggle with this, as a soft-spoken Southerner. I look people in the eye while making an effort to be clear and concise in my speech. And offer a strong handshake. We don’t want to come across as wimpy. (Even if we are) 😊
6. Be willing to listen as much as you speak. Writing can be a lonely occupation, and you could be tempted to share all your dreams and aspirations with everyone you meet. Curb that impulse. Ask others about themselves, and what their dreams and aspirations are. You might learn something and gain new friends.
7. Be a person with a positive attitude. If you enter the conference with a feeling of thankfulness and gratefulness over the work and time it takes to plan an event, you won’t be looking for problems. No one wants to be around a negative person—grumbling, whining and complaining. Such an attitude is likely to repel editors, agents, and publishers, as well as other conferees. Decide on day one that you’re glad to be there.

To the best of your ability, try to be early and prepared, presenting yourself as a neat person who’s polite and kind to everyone. Speak up, listen, and then share. Wrap yourself in a positive attitude and I promise, you’ll not only enjoy the conference more, but you’ll come across as a professional and an “authentic” person. You never know what doors might open for you.

Time to start planning for another great experience at Blue Lake. See you there!

Conference Preparation by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS

Writer conferences provide authors with opportunities to learn, network, and pitch their work. Attending at least one annually is a vital part being a professional author. The following tips will ensure you get the most out of your conference experience.

Conference Classes

Review all the classes offered on the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference website to determine which ones would be best for you to attend. Create a list of the classes you plan to attend. Next, check the conference schedule to make sure there are no conflicts. Pre-conference planning is crucial. You can always tweak what you planned, but conferences are fast-paced and there is no time to figure out what classes you will take after you arrive.

One Sheet and Book Proposal

Create a one sheet and book proposal for any book you want to pitch. Include the first three chapters of the book in the proposal. If it is a children’s book include the entire manuscript. I recommend you get those chapters professionally edited. During a conference appointment, hand the publisher your one sheet as you smile and look in their eyes. The faculty member can peruse your one sheet as you sit down and get settled. You want to take advantage of every minute because 15 minutes goes by very quickly. If he or she requests a book proposal for the project you pitched, show how prepared you are by handing them a book proposal. That shows the publisher that you are prepared and willing to do the work necessary to get your book published.

Faculty Appointments

Read each of the faculty bios on the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference website. Determine if there is someone on staff that would be beneficial for you to meet. If yes, keep track of each faculty member that you want to make appointments with on the Notes app of your cell phone.

If you don’t need to make an appointment with a faculty member, but would still like to connect with them, plan to sit at their table during a meal. Reference your faculty list when you’re at the conference to help you juggle everything you set out to accomplish. Don’t try to remember it all. Reviewing your organized lists when you arrive is a lifesaver.

Arrive on time to your appointment with faculty members. Stand a couple of yards away but close enough that the staff person can see that their next appointment has arrived. When the faculty member looks up and sees you, it helps that person to stay on time.

Conference Contests

Enter conference contests. If you finalize in a contest, you become an award-winning author. Your goal is to reach that designation so you can include it in your bio.

I obtained my agent through submitting a critique to him at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and subsequently winning third place in the contest. After placing in the contest, Cyle Young offered to become my agent.

Critiques show a publisher or agent how well you write. Winning a contest validates the quality of your writing. When my book 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates won the Selah award, I had the owner of a well-known literary agency approach me about representation. Contests get you on the map to publication. So enter the Living Water Awards before March 1 at https://bluelakecwr.com/contest/.

Connections

Conferences are not just for learning but for cultivating industry relationships. With each conference, you meet more publishing professionals and gain more contacts. During a conference, be sure to collect conferees’ business cards, and when you get home go to everyone’s website listed on their card and friend them on each social media network. This is how to build our platform. Continue to stay in contact with these incredible individuals you meet at conferences. As you have no idea how a fellow author may positively influence your career.

Summary

As authors we need to invest in our career by attending writers conferences. And we need to prepare for the conference as well. This list should help you plan for a conference:

1. List the classes you plan to attend. If one requires you to sign up in advance, get your name on the list early.
2. Create a one sheet.
3. Complete a book proposal.
4. Include the first three professionally edited chapters of your book in your proposal.
5. Create a faculty appointments list and another list of people you want to sit with during a meal.
6. Enter your work in the conference contest.
7. Review your lists during the conference.

You spend a lot of time and money attending a conference. It is essential to perform pre-conference planning to get the most value for the money spent. I hope these tips help.

Author Bio

As a Certified AWSA Writer Coach, Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS, desires to help others publish and sell their God-given message. She is the author of eight healthy living books. Susan won the 2020 Christian Author Network Excellence in Marketing Award for Outstanding Broadcast Media for her book marketing campaign. Susan is the Director of Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) and Christian Indie Awards. You can find Susan at SusanUNeal.com.

Five Ways Writing Contests Help Writers Succeed

By Annette Marie Griffin

Are you a new writer, still honeymooning with your love for words? Or maybe you’re a seasoned author, looking to rekindle your writing flame. Somewhere in between? Here are five ways contests can help any writer succeed:

Contests supply wait relief—Extreme wait times are a part of every writer’s journey. But contests are different. When we press the send button for a contest entry, our thoughtfully crafted words are not flung into a virtual abyss that offers no guarantee of acknowledgment. We can be sure that our contest word-babies will be read, considered, and in most cases judged fairly. In. A. Timely. Manner. Win or lose, contests provide a welcome change of pace for writers who are stuck in seasons of waiting.

Contests provide motivation—Nothing combats lethargy like a dose of competition. Whether we’re struggling to launch a new project or trudging through a final chapter, contests provide the motivation needed to kick our writing into high gear. The thrill of a potential win is the dangling carrot that plucks us from our writing-funk and draws us to the finish line. The best part is, we can thrive on that renewed energy long after we’ve taken the bait.

Contests can help thicken our skin—Most writers believe their work deserves a win, but most contests offer only a few spots in the winners’ circles. No matter how spiritual or mature the writer is—losing stings, and the pain of a loss can be intensified if the loser’s package includes critical feedback. But if we refuse to let that pain make us bitter, the loss can make us better. In fact, constructive criticism can help us prepare our work for a greater win.

Contests help hone our craft—Few boxers would dare throw their hat into the ring before conditioning body and mind for a fight. Likewise, few writers would enter a contest without first beating the metaphorical brains out of their submissions. As we pummel our words into oblivion then revive them to excellence, we transform our weakling entries into strong, virile contenders for the gold—and for publication.

Contests help get our name out there—Anonymity may be beneficial to a writer who’s in the witness protection program. Otherwise, our name—or pen name—should become as much a part of our brand as our writing. Contests provide an opportunity to pre-promote our brand. Whenever industry professionals hear or see a writer’s name in conjunction with a win, it leaves a favorable impression that can carry over to pitch time.

A few years back, the urge to protect my book babies from judgment overrode any desire I had to see them succeed. Releasing our work is one of the hardest things writers will ever do, but if publishing is the goal, we must take the risk. I’ve entered dozens of contests since I first took the plunge, and I can honestly say that every win and every loss has moved me one step closer to success.

My Experience at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat

By Susan Neal

Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat is settled in the heart of the Conecuh Forest and overlooks a majestic lake. This retreat center is the site of many ongoing events and is prayed over regularly. From the moment you walk in the door, you can feel the spiritual presence of the Lord in this ideal setting.

Every year I look forward to this retreat because I get to know so many different individuals personally. This is a retreat, not a conference. When you leave you feel as though you have been bathed in the presence of the lord and have a better idea of what you are supposed to write for the Lord. You begin to understand His mission for you.

In addition, you are trained by top-notch authors regarding the craft of writing. In 2019, you get to meet with one of the best Christian publishers in the industry—New Hope, and with one of the most sought after agents—Bob Hostetler. You get all this for a very reasonable price. If God has inspired you to write, take this opportunity to pursue His God given dream.

A Restful Retreat

By Jennifer Hallmark

When my friend, Lisa, mentioned the word “retreat” I was immediately interested. I try to take in a writer’s conference each year but in 2018 I was tired. A lot had been going on in my life and the larger conference I’d considered going to just wasn’t right.

Blue Lake was perfect. The retreat was large enough for me to gain valuable knowledge, and small enough for me to make life-long friends. The relaxed setting combined with a less hectic schedule was what I needed.

So instead of a conference trip, why not try a retreat? You’ll enjoy it. And maybe you and I can chat over coffee. I’m already signed up for 2019 🙂

An Eye-opening Experience

By Alice Murray

It was a no brainer for me to recognize that, if I wanted to be an attorney, I had to go to law school. But when it came to me wanting to be a writer, I was initially resistant to the idea of attending a writers’ retreat. Why did I need to attend Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat (BLCWR), I naively thought? I already knew how to write. I’d had articles published and been told that I write well. Although skeptical of the value of the opportunity, I finally broke down and registered to attend BLCWR. That choice was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.

Being in the picturesque setting at Blue Lake Camp gave me the opportunity to reflect on the whole idea of writing. The absence of the hustle and bustle of everyday life allowed me to be still and consider that writing is a God-given talent. God had a purpose for gifting me with that talent. What did He want me to do with my talent? How could I be a good steward of it?

BLCWR offered exactly what I needed to develop as a writer. First and foremost, the praise and worship sessions each day connected me to God. What better source for finding out what to do with His gift to me than connecting with Him and listening for His direction?  Second, the retreat offered the opportunity to be a good steward of my talent by improving it. Classes and workshops offered by seasoned and experienced writers imparted invaluable tips, guidance, and suggestions. Third, the small nature of the retreat allowed for me to interact on more than just a superficial level with other attendees and faculty members. The connections I made at the retreat led to friendships, encouragement, and writing opportunities.

The positive impact of having attended BLCWR was beyond what I could have imagined. I thank God that He provided me with the chance to attend the retreat and that He did not let my silly idea that I didn’t have much to gain from doing so prevent me from going. I can’t wait to be at the 2019 BLCWR because I am certain God has more wonderful things in store for me as I go down the writing path which He has directed me. BLCWR is the write and the right place to be!

So glad I came to Blue Lake CWR

By Steve Duke

Last year, several people from Crosspoint invited me to come to Blue Lake for the Christian Writer’s Retreat.  Even, my better half, Belinda encouraged me.

I sent my check, received my registration confirmation, packed my suitcase and pointed my truck northward.

There are not enough superlatives to describe that three-day experience.  I met some fabulous authors, editors, bloggers and others in the publishing industry.  I made dozens of new friends.  Collectively, they have been my Barnabas.  They have encouraged me to try to new things, to risk stumbling and to push on.

Thanks to editor Susan King, I have been published in Short and Sweet Takes the Fifth.  Children’s writer, Michelle Medlock Adams penned the Dinosaur Devotions which I gave to me eight-year old grandkids as a Christmas gift.

For anyone with a hint of an interest in attending, I say this.  “Do whatever you have to do to come to our retreat in March 2019.”

I will tell you how positive I was.  When registration for 2019 opened, I was the first to send my check.  My office staff has already been told that I will be absent for those three days.

Bring your cameras and cell phones.  The beauty of Blue Lake is fantastic, especially at sunrise.  Plenty of photo-ops.

The food is very good.  The keynote speakers are beyond inspirational.  There will even be a laugh or dozens.

Yes, it is that great.  Come join us.  I feel confident you will feel the same.