Kentucky Christian Writers Conference begins Friday, and I’m getting more excited by the minute. I’ve been on the organizing committee for KCWC for the past four years. Last year, about 50% of the attendees were first-timers, total newbies. We try really hard to help the beginners. They come so that they can get as much information as possible, but they invariably end up glassy-eyed, suffering from information overload. I view them with great sympathy because I remember my first conference.

In the summer of 1999, I attended my first conference, Southern Christian Writers Conference at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Somehow, an announcement about the conference reached my local newspaper in Union City, Tennessee. I managed to locate some other West Tennessee writers who were attending SCWC, so I decided to go with them. I had no idea what I would learn or what I would do with the information. I just knew that I liked to write and had been told that I was good at it. I wanted to explore the possibilities.

My first workshop was “Writing for Magazines,” a two-part workshop led by Cheryl Sloan Wray. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to start. Cheryl led us step-by-step through the submission process. She provided sample query letters, sample articles, and a list of suggested beginner markets. I also purchased the first edition of her book, Writing for Magazines. With what I learned in the course and suggestions from mentors, I submitted my first work that fall. My acceptance rate for the first five articles was 100%. Of course, I didn’t maintain that “batting average” forever. But, I have always been thankful for the thorough training I received at my very first conference.

I went back to SCWC each year, even after it was moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I also have attended several other conferences. Without the teaching from that first conference, I would not have been equipped to submit my work. Equally important in my quest for publication was the encouragement of Betty Jones, a writer from nearby Dyersburg, Tennessee. She’s the one who let me ride with her to that first conference. At SCWC, I met other writers who provided useful information as we got to know each other outside of the scheduled conference activities. It’s impossible to name them all, but I do want to mention Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress. At a time when I was discouraged, she suggested markets that helped me get back on track.

Here’s a partial list of my published work. Thanks to the people who organize conferences like SCWC, KCWC, Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference, and Florida Christian Writers Conference for your hard work and willingness to help people like me get started.

If you are thinking about writing for publication, there is no better way to learn than to attend a Christian writers conference. Whether or not you intend to write for the Christian market, you will learn the basics of writing for publication. And, you’ll find caring people who truly want to help you succeed.

Online Conference Lists:

 

ChristianManuscriptSubmissions.com

List on Sally Stuart’s Web Site