Classes

2024 classes – more to come!

*info subject to change

At Blue Lake Christian Writer’s Retreat, we offer fiction and nonfiction continuing classes and workshops. A continuing class runs three days, with new material  each day. Workshops are one or two days.

Our classes are designated at different levels so you can choose the right one for yourself. A beginner’s class (B) is for new writers who are getting started or want to learn more about a topic. An intermediate class (I) is for writers who have some experience and desire to hone their craft or learn more about a particular area of writing. An advanced class (A) is for experienced writers who are published and furthering their careers.

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP

“10 Steps to Building an Amazing Author Platform”

Join Susan as she explains how Christian writers can expand their influence and connect with more readers. This practical class covers essential elements like creating an engaging website, utilizing social media effectively, crafting compelling email content, and maximizing your presence on platforms like Amazon Author Central and Goodreads. You’ll also learn strategies for blogging, guest appearances on podcasts, and writing magazine articles to enhance your outreach. This class is an opportunity to not only grow your platform but also to share your message of faith more broadly.  Wed. 2-4p.

Price:  $40

Taught by Susan Neal,
Award-winning author and President of CAN and CIPA

Bio
Bio

Laurel Blount


Love Inspired Panel

Here’s your chance to ask everything you want to know about writing for Love Inspired with authors Lenora Worth and Laurel Blount.


Plotting – Put on Your Pants!

A Fun and Simple Path to Plotting your Novel.

Bio

Tez Brooks


Interactive Ideas for eBooks and e-Zines

Keep up with digital technology by learning the untapped elements that help provide readers with a more robust, multi-sensory experience that gives your article or book an edge over the competition.


Devotions That Sell

Learn what editors are looking for and how to make your devotional stand out from the others. Learn what editors want and don’t want in order to get your work accepted.


Ten Rules of Successful Freelancers

Learn what you must do to become an organized and sought-after freelancer.

Bio

Ashley Clark


Writing Christian Fiction

This three-part continuing class on “Writing Christian Fiction” encompasses defining Christian fiction and its challenges, navigating the publishing world from drafts to agents, and mastering the art of crafting a compelling hook to enhance storytelling and marketability.

  • Day 1: What Is Christian Fiction?  In the quickly-changing book industry, both readers and writers are faced with more options than ever before. From genre to format to delivery channels, the definition of what it means to be a Christian writer has expanded with new opportunities. But alongside these opportunities come many pitfalls as well—discouraging sales statistics, agents uninterested in genres like YA or fantasy, and a market that feels too big to make a difference. In this workshop, we will discuss what it means to write Christian fiction and why defining this ministry on a personal, spiritual level can make all the difference in a lasting career versus a short-lived hobby.
  • Day 2: Fiction Publishing 101:  You’ve finished a draft or two, you’ve got a list of possible agents and editors, and you’ve practiced your pitch at length. You’re ready to take on the world of publishing… right? As you’ll soon discover, the first draft is only the beginning. Now you’ll be faced with a myriad of options. Where do you even begin? This workshop will explore the pros and cons of traditional versus indie publishing, how to catch the attention of editors and agents, and how to know where your story fits in the market. We’ll talk about salability and how to make wise decisions that will reap long-term benefits in your writing career—and how to avoid the pitfalls that may sabotage you.
  • Day 3: How to Find Your Hook and Sell Your Novel:  Every successful author has a secret power up his or her sleeve: the hook. Knowing your hook will make all the difference in selling your story, but more importantly, it will also improve the quality of your writing. Like a spotlight during a performance, a hook has the power to highlight what makes your story uniquely yours. In this workshop, we will discuss what a hook is, how to find yours, and how to use it intentionally so you can catch the attention of agents, editors, and readers. You’ll come away with a new “wow” factor for your story.
Bio

Cheri Cowell

Publisher, EA Books Publishing


Writing and Publishing Memoirs

Do you have a story to share? Would it make a good memoir? Learn the do’s and don’ts of sharing your story, how to craft a good memoir, and how to get it published.


Can I Turn My Book into an Audiobook?

Are all books good for audio, can I read my own, and how much does it cost? These questions and more will be answered in this workshop. Learn how you can take advantage of this hot trend.


Tips For a Successful Book Launch

You’ve published your book. Congratulations! Now it’s time to let everyone know it’s ready to read. Whether you’re launching your second, third, or twentieth, it’s always a good idea to have some kind of launch. If you don’t make some kind of splash in the pool, how will everyone know it’s available? The big question is what kind? I wrote a series of articles for Southern Writers Magazine on this subject, discussing the top three types of launch parties, the to-dos, and how to make sure they are successful.

Bio

Ginny Cruz


First Timers Orientation

A welcoming and informative session designed to guide new attendees through the essentials of the retreat, ensuring a smooth and enriching experience.

Bio

Annette Marie Griffin

Editor, StarLight Magazine


Writing for a Middle-Grade Audience, without sounding cheesy or preachy

If you’ve explored the middle-grade readers’ section of a library or bookstore lately, you know that the genre is inundated with dark, mystical literature. Now more than ever, Christian kid-lit writers need to be the Light. Whether you’re writing MG fiction for the ABA or CBA market, this workshop will explore 5 keys to reach the heart of young readers, without being cheesy or preachy.


10 Ways to ‘Win’ by Entering Writing Contests—Even if You Don’t Take Home a Prize

Whether you’re a new writer still honeymooning with your love for words, or a seasoned author looking to rekindle your writing flame—entering writing contests can help your passion for writing soar. This course will cover ten proven benefits of entering writing contests, offer practical tips and hints for preparing winning entries, and provide resources to find reputable contests to enter.


Writing Articles to Inspire Readers, Thrill Editors and Honor God

Learn to craft compelling, faith-driven articles that resonate deeply with readers, satisfy editorial standards, and uphold universal values.

Bio

Lori Hatcher


You Can Write Best-selling, Life-changing Non-fiction

Would you like to write non-fiction articles, blog posts, devotions, and books that will attract a publisher’s attention, inspire your readers, and change people’s lives? It’s not as hard (or as easy) as you think. Best-selling Our Daily Bread author and speaker Lori Hatcher will walk you through a simple strategy for creating content readers and publishers will love.


Create a Speaking Presentation They’ll Love
(even if you hate public speaking)
 

What do you do when your readers invite you to speak to their Sunday School class, Bible study, ministry group, or book club? How do you create a presentation that will meet their needs, share a meaningful message, and motivate them to action? Toastmasters International contest winner Lori Hatcher (ACG, ALB) will share a simple process to help you take your message out of the computer and into the world.

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Dr. Katherine Hutchinson Hayes


Immersive Poetry Workshop: Beyond the Basics

Join us for an immersive poetry workshop designed to enhance your writing skills and tap into your full creative potential. Through hands-on exercises, we’ll learn how to think in new and innovative ways, ultimately strengthening our prose writing.

Perfect for writers of all levels, we’ll explore the art of poetry and its impact on their writing. We’ll cover the basics of poetry, including form, structure, and literary devices, as well as more advanced techniques for crafting powerful, evocative poems and exploring our creativity.


The Intersection of Poetry and Identity: Explorative Poetic Writing, Preparation, and Critique

This poetry workshop is intended for experienced poets and those who are interested in exploring the craft. During the workshop, attendees will have access to a wide range of topics and prompts to choose from, which will help them create original and thought-provoking poems.

Poets will be encouraged to share their poetry with other attendees and receive constructive feedback to help them improve their writing.
Later, participants will have the opportunity to share their work at a poetry slam event where they can present their creations in front of a supportive audience
.

Bio

John Herring

Publisher, Iron Stream Media


Writing Bible Studies for Personal Reflection

Reflective Bible Study is centered on connecting directly with God. There are many frameworks and methods for leading readers through an intentional introspective process. In this class, John Herring will share insights and ideas on creating Bible study methods that lead learners and readers to grow deeper in their relationship with God and in personal discipleship. It is geared for writers who want to work within frameworks that allow personal Bible reading, biblical introspection, and the development of Christian disciplines for an audience yearning to be led this way.

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Cynthia Hickey

Publisher, Winged Publishing


Writing the Successful Series

Readers can be voracious. This class will teach you how to write a successful series with engaging characters that will have your readers eagerly awaiting the next book.


Writing the Cozy Mystery

Have you ever wanted to write a mystery? Not sure what distinguishes a cozy mystery from a hard-boiled? This class will teach you the different types of popular mysteries and how to write one, focusing primarily on the most popular…the cozy mystery. While it may focus more on the cozy mystery, any mystery writer will learn valuable skills in writing a mystery.


How AI Can Be a Writer’s Friend

Have you ever pondered how a writer can harness the power of AI? If so, this class is tailored for you. Dive into the fascinating world where technology meets creativity, exploring the myriad ways in which AI can enhance and streamline the writing process. From crafting compelling blurbs to structuring detailed outlines, and even designing eye-catching covers, this course covers a comprehensive range of tools. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a budding writer, learn how AI can become your most reliable ally in the journey of storytelling.

Bio

Grace Kelley

Editor, Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines


How to Write for Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. 

Writing for magazines is a great first step to become a published author for children. In this workshop, you’ll discover the keys to contributing to Focus on the Family’s children’s magazines.

Bio

Julie Lavender


Writing for Children

In this class, we’ll explore various facets of children’s literature over the course of three days:

  • Day 1: Writing Short Pieces for Children: This category includes creating magazine articles, devotionals, and curriculum lessons specifically designed for young readers.
  • Day 2: Writing KidLit: Covering a broad spectrum, this involves writing board books, books for early readers, leveled readers, introductory chapter books, middle-grade chapter books, and Young Adult (YA) novels.
  • Day 3: Nuts and Bolts of Picture Book Writing: Focusing on the key elements and techniques essential for crafting engaging and effective picture books.
Bio

Jeanette Levellie


Shock the Clock: Time Management for Writers and Other Creatives

If you have kids at home, work a day job, or got an A+ in Procrastination 101, you will benefit from the tools Jeanette has used to write and publish hundreds of columns, stories, articles, and six full-length books—in her spare time. Discover how to employ the unique strengths of your personality to accomplish more as a part-time writer.


Humor Sells and Compels

The world needs to chuckle more, and you can give them what they need when you learn to incorporate humor into your writing. Jeanette will show you ways to weave funny business into your articles, devotionals, and book manuscripts. When you help your readers laugh, you can attract a wider audience and increase your sales.

Bio

Ane Mulligan


Storyboarding WORKSHOP Freshman and Sophomore

Brainstorming is in my DNA. From my 25-plus years as a creative arts/artistic director, what I learned about storyboarding has served me well as a novelist. Whether you’re a plotter, pantster, or planster, this workshop will show you how to incorporate storyboarding successfully. Storyboarding is a device ad agencies and comic book developers have used for eons. Now, novelists have elbowed their way into the clubhouse. In this workshop, we will storyboard a novel. It could be yours.


Tips For a Successful Book Launch

You’ve published your book. Congratulations! Now it’s time to let everyone know it’s ready to read. Whether you’re launching your second, third, or twentieth, it’s always a good idea to have some kind of launch. If you don’t make some kind of splash in the pool, how will everyone know it’s available? The big question is what kind? I wrote a series of articles for Southern Writers Magazine on this subject, discussing the top three types of launch parties, the to-dos, and how to make sure they are successful.

Bio

Susan Neal


10 Steps to Building an Amazing Author Platform (PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP)

Join Susan, as she explains how Christian writers can expand their influence and connect with more readers. This practical class covers essential elements like creating an engaging website, utilizing social media effectively, crafting compelling email content, and maximizing your presence on platforms like Amazon Author Central and Goodreads. You’ll also learn strategies for blogging, guest appearances on podcasts, and writing magazine articles to enhance your outreach. This class is an opportunity to not only grow your platform but also to share your message of faith more broadly.

Price:  $40


How to be a Healthy Writer

Tips for keeping your mind clear and your body healthy so your creativity flows.

Bio

Marci Seither


Brainstorming Banana Peels

Brainstorming is one of the most valuable activities a writer can do BEFORE putting their thoughts down on paper. It connects you to your readers, keeps your writing focused, and allows creativity in how and where you market.

This interactive class allows students to participate and create a brainstorming plan for their project, mission statements, audience interaction, and marketing strategy.


Craft Your Mission Statement Like a Pro

An effective mission statement must be a clear and concise declaration about you, your brand, and your project to help maintain focus and give clarity to your audience.

Understanding the WHO, WHAT, and WHY of you as a writer and your writing project will be a vital part of your pitch to editors and agents. Whether you are working on a full book proposal or crafting an article query, every author needs a mission statement to help them stand out like a PRO.

Don’t Miss Out!
Marci is ready to capture your professional headshots.
Only $40Sign up at the conference
Bio

Patti Smith

Publisher, GO! Christian Magazine


TBD

Patti Smith is an inspirational writer and Publisher of GO! Christian Magazine.

Bio

Denise Weimer

Editor, Wild Heart Books Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison


Self-Editing for Fiction Authors

Whether you plan to send your novel to an agent or an editor or publish it yourself, the ability to wield a red pen effectively on your own manuscript can set you apart. Learn various editing techniques and the most important areas to hone your manuscript from an acquiring and substantive editor. [Topics include: scene selection and setting, effective hooks, logical flow, types of repetition to avoid, tricky modifiers, and the potential pitfalls of deep point of view.]


Creating Heroes Readers Fall For: Writing from the Male POV Workshop

Most men think, speak, and act differently from women, but are we as authors successfully capturing that in our writing? If we want our readers to find our hero believable, much less swoon over him, hours of research and planning should happen before he ever sets a boot on the page. We’ll delve into how to build and relate a character from the male point of view. [Topics include: Building a Hero: research, back story, internal and external goals, his tools. Relating a hero: the way he thinks, speaks, and feels, romantic conflict, and the unexpected.]

Bio

Terry Whalin

Editor, Morgan James Publishing


Editors Read Book Proposals Not Manuscripts

How do you write a book proposal? What makes an excellent proposal and what makes a terrible one? Publishers receive thousands of these proposals. How do you determine which publishers are interested in your particular proposal? Terry Whalin has reviewed thousands of proposals from fiction and nonfiction writers. As a former literary agent and a current acquisitions editor, Terry knows exactly what he needs to secure a book contract for the writer—but often these proposals don’t include the critical elements. This session includes practical how-to information about proposal writing from the editor’s perspective.


 Become a Prolific Writer & Write Less

Learn the insider secrets of repurposing to broaden your writing world and open new opportunities for ministry and income. Terry Whalin has modeled and will teach the techniques in this workshop. Whether you have never been published or are much published, you need these tools.

Bio

Lenora Worth


Love Inspired Panel

Here’s your chance to ask everything you want to know about writing for Love Inspired with authors Lenora Worth and Laurel Blount.

Bio

Cheryl Wray


Rediscovering your Passion for Writing

Cheryl Wray is a freelance magazine writer, book author, and coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference.