2023 Workshops
KCWC provides attendees with planned tracks for targeted professional development. Please browse this page for offerings and return regularly for updates.
Business
Track
These workshops help you learn about the business aspects of being a writer.
Writing Craft
Track
Learn how to improve your writing skills and present your work in a professional way.
Fiction or Non-Fiction Track
Both fiction and non-fiction workshop tracks provide instruction specific to your genre.
Each workshop is led by a respected industry professional. When offerings are finalized, the Schedule page will be updated so you can plan your attendance. Visit this page regularly for the most current listings. Click on the workshop title for an “express train” to the description.
Counter the Culture: Christians Can Conquer Controversial Content
Editors Read Book Proposals Not Manuscripts
Go Viral: Marketing on the Social Networks
How to Interact with a Publisher or Editor
Newsletters, Newsletters: Learn All About Them!
Pedicure for Pages: First Page Polishes and Secret Self-Editing Tips
The Art of Plotting, Parts 1 and 2
with DiAnn Mills ~ Track: Writing Craft - Fiction
Plotting is a skillful expression of a writer’s creativity and imagination that sends a protagonist on an aesthetic, evocative, and emotional adventure. Plot rises out of the character’s strengths and weaknesses, wants and needs, and dreams and desires. In these two sessions, the writer learns how plot is developed through character, setting, point of view, conflict, scene structure, and other literary techniques. The sessions include handouts and exercises to develop the skills for a master plotter.
The Art of Emotion
with DiAnn Mills ~ Track: Writing Craft - Fiction
Emotion is a critical building block of story construction. Emotion uses sensory perception, word choices, symbols, body language, and various literary devices to show a distinct character embracing a story world. The core of a story is the intimacy of a character internalizing and processing the world around them. In this session the writer learns how to use emotion in every line through various literary techniques. The session includes handouts and exercises.
Counter the Culture: Christians Can Conquer Controversial Content
with JP Robinson & Gregg Bridgeman ~ Track: General
Feeling overwhelmed by the secular culture? Author JP Robinson and editor Gregg Bridgeman offer encouragement and helpful advice for writers on some tough topics like the battle of the sexes, race relations, abortion, and identity politics. Attend this special family-friendly—but real and relevant—pre-conference event specifically crafted to help authors of all ages overcome these controversial areas. NOTE: This four-hour workshop is offered as a pre-conference session on Thursday, October 12, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Attendees must be registered for the full conference and pay an additional $50 for registration.
Courtroom Procedures
with MaryEllen Bates ~ Track: Fiction
Description TBA.
Creating Effective Memes
with Rhonda Dragomir ~ Track: Business/Marketing
Writers are encouraged to build platform on social media, but most authors are proficient with words, not images. Rhonda Dragomir teaches you how to identify effective images, secure proper licensing, and edit photos for online use with a free, online tool that imitates Photoshop. She also offers tips on how to size and schedule photo posts for common applications
Editors read book proposals not manuscripts
with Terry Whalin ~ Track: Writing Craft - Non-Fiction/Fiction
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. Terry has written many book proposals and his proposals have had great success in the Christian and general marketplace.
Go Viral: Marketing on the Social Networks
with Terry Whalin ~ Track: Business/Marketing
You can waste huge amounts of time and energy on social media. How can you do it effectively and without spending a lot of time? Terry Whalin has over 205,000 twitter followers, over 4,900 Facebook friends and over 17,200 LinkedIn connections. He spends less than 30 minutes a day on his social media yet has an effective growing presence in the social media arena. In this workshop, Terry reveals his inside secrets and tips for Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn so you too can grow your platform and presence without wasting hours of time.
How to Interact with a Publisher or Editor
with Michelle Adserias ~ Track: Writing Craft/Non-Fiction
In the Christian publishing world, you will find most publishers and editors are eager to help you succeed as a writer. It benefits everyone, and reflects on God favorably, when we present the best possible product to the world. While constraints on their time may limit how much personal input they can give, these publishing professionals are for you – not against you. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to interact in ways that are beneficial to you, as the writer, and to the publisher or editor. We’ll discuss doing advance research, having appropriate expectations and responding to feedback. We’ll also look at a few examples of what not to do.
How’s My Writing? – Critique Session
with Crystal Caudill ~ Track: Teens
How’s my writing: A critique session just for teens – we’ll talk about what a critique is, what it is not, why they’re important, how to give and receive a critique, and then spend the rest of the session looking at each other’s works and giving feedback.
Interviewing Like a Pro
with Lin Johnson ~ Track: Writing Craft – Non-Fiction/Fiction
Whether you want to write profiles, add life to your nonfiction, or include expert opinions and knowledge in your manuscripts, you will want to develop good interviewing skills. Learn how to get an interview, prepare for it, conduct it, and write it up.
Is Ghostwriting for you?
with Twila Belk ~ Track: General/Writing Craft
Have you ever wondered how ghostwriting (collaborating) works and whether it might be a good fit for you? In this session, we’ll discuss the expectations of ghostwriters, the process of ghostwriting, advantages and disadvantages of ghostwriting, how to collaborate with an author, and more. Twila will not only share from personal experience, but she will also include lots of information from one of the most beloved ghostwriters in the industry, Cecil Murphey.
Negotiating Book Contracts
with Lin Johnson ~ Track: Business
Do you want more from your next book contract, or are you looking forward to your first one? If so, learn how to understand and negotiate a contract from a writer who has negotiated with a number of publishers. Discover what you can change and what to watch for.
Newbie Know-how
with Carlton Hughes ~ Track: General
Is this your first conference? Is it your first time to attend KCWC? Experienced conference-goer Carlton Hughes will teach you how to get the most out of the conference and share tips for writers attending the KCWC conference the first time.
Newsletters, Newsletters: Learn All About Them!
with Twila Belk ~ Track: Business/Marketing
Connect with your audience and grow your platform with newsletters! Learn the benefits of using newsletters, how to get subscribers, what to include, and how to have the best results.
Pedicure for Pages: First Page Polishes and Secret Self-Editing Tips
with Tina Yeager ~ Track: General/Writing Craft
Relax in the gentle hands of an empathetic, fellow writer who served on the first page critique panel at Florida Word Weavers Retreat for many years. In addition to clipping and shaping your first pages, we’ll soak in the learning of best manuscript-polishing tips. Walk out of our class with confidence in the beautiful messages of divine blessings you have to share. As Romans 10:15 reminds us, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Relax and Shine for Media Interviews and Speaking Events
with Tina Yeager ~ Track: Business
Nervous about radio, podcast, and video interviews? Allow a therapist, speaker, and podcast host with live media interview experience to settle your heart and prepare your mind with confidence. Participants will learn secrets to performing well, develop confidence, and practice recording audio interviews and live video posts.
Rewrite your Past to Give Hope
with Karynthia Glasper-Phillips ~ Track: General
Gain insights into the power of sharing family of origin experiences. Discover how to rewrite your life story with integrity, teaching points of relevance and action steps of hope and godly living.
Attendees will learn to value their life stories removing the learned idea of “what happens in the house stays in the house” and look at different perspectives of how to rewrite the experience for the glory of God with relevant application.
This workshop provides a foundation to select one family of origin story without creating shame to family members with a perspective that offers hope and strength to the reader.
Attendees should be prepared with a brief family story that they would like to rewrite.
Story Essentials: Pivotal Plots, Creative Characters, Sensational Settings, and Dynamic Dialogue
with Peggy Sue Wells ~ Track: Writing Craft - Fiction
This workshop explores four important aspects of writing fiction, giving writers training in the essentials for crafting a great story: pivotal plots, well-crafted characters, an exciting setting, and dialog that endures. Amplify, intensify, and magnify your story with an effective, conflict-driven plot. Create your own larger-than-life heroes, sidekicks, antagonists, and mentors that are memorable beyond the end of the story. Enhance your writing with a three-dimensional backdrop so nuanced that your setting functions as a character. Fill your story with conversations that are clever, concise, and crucial, and you’ll have a winning story.
Stuff the Sausage: Seven Things to Do While You Wait for a Contract
with Rhonda Dragomir ~ Track: Business
Pursuing your first book contract is a time-consuming effort. Rhonda Dragomir waited seven years for her opportunity, and in this workshop she will share seven important, productive things you can do during the frustrating time between beginning your writing career and signing the dotted line with a publisher.
Ten Publishing Myths
with Terry Whalin ~ Track: Business
Each year, the number of books published grows exponentially. Yet much of that growth is from self-publishing. Repeatedly writers have an unrealistic picture of the publishing world and will waste thousands of dollars of their resources without getting the perspective of someone seasoned in the industry. For over 20 years, Terry Whalin has studied publishing and been a prolific force in the industry writing for more than 50 magazines and publishing more than 60 books. Besides his own writing, Terry has acquired books for three publishing houses and had his own literary agency. He speaks on this topic of publishing with authority and insights.
Unleash the Writer Within
with Twila Belk ~ Track: General/Writing Craft
Beloved author Cecil (Cec) Murphey says, “The best kind of writing occurs when it comes from the heart. It’s called being authentic or transparent.” He also advises, “Be you when you write.” We’ll discuss how to do that and learn from some of the important points he makes in his book Unleash the Writer Within.
Well Said - Dialogue
with Peggy Sue Wells ~ Track: Fiction
Great dialogue is quoted for generations. Here are the do’s and don’ts of effective dialogue including styles of speech, clue words, transitions, what to do with profanity, and what words should never appear in your dialog. Fill your story with conversations that are clever, believable, true to your character, concise, and crucial. Here’s how.
What Editors Look for in a Non-Fiction Article
with Michelle Adserias ~ Track: Writing Craft/Non-Fiction
Many online and print magazines and newspapers accept articles from freelance writers. Some will pay for your work, others will simply give you an opportunity to get your message and your name out there. This introductory course will provide you with some guidelines for getting your writing published. We’ll discuss researching the market, the different types of articles commonly sought by editors, what a query is and what to include in one, and common industry standards for submitting articles. Since an editor may ask for accompanying photos, we will also cover some photography basics. Then we’ll look outside the box at opportunities you may not have considered.
Worldbuilding
with Crystal Caudill ~ Track: Teen
Worldbuilding: how it differs for genres, some rules, some suggestions, how the world affects your characters, and some hands-on practice.
Write History
with JP Robinson ~ Track: Writing Craft/Fiction/Non-Fiction
Combining scriptural principles with engaging dialogue, this workshop presents strategies for researching and writing historical fiction, memoirs, or biographies while targeting tough questions, such as what to include— and exclude—when writing about the past.
Write race with grace
with JP Robinson ~ Track: Writing Craft
Write Race with Grace is an engaging, interactive workshop that offers strategies by which authors can boldly approach the sensitive topic of race. In addition to learning how to smoothly incorporate people of color into their literature, WRWG presents students with ways to use racial diversity in literature as a means of promoting healing instead of division. For fiction & non-fiction authors.
Writing Deadly Force with Deadly Accuracy
with Gary Hetzel ~ Track: Fiction
This class covers the lethal categories as described by military and law enforcement in the United States and broadly educates writers how to accurately depict the lethality of open hands combatives techniques and all kinds of weapons and explosives in conflict.
Writing First Person Stories
with Diane Stark ~ Track: Writing Craft/Non-Fiction
Most magazines publish personal experience stories. If you enjoy writing about what God is doing in your life and what He’s taught you during challenging times, there are magazines interested in printing your story. Diane Stark will share how to craft a powerful personal experience story and how to submit it for publication.
Writing for Compilations and More
with Karynthia Glasper-Phillips ~ Track: Writing Craft/Non-Fiction
The quote by Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company comes to mind when writing for traditional projects in a group effort. He said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” Can you envision yourself in print? It is a definite way to have your work seen by editors, agents, and publishers while working on an individual book.
The industry of Christian writing is competitive. Learning teamwork is resourceful in navigating the publishing world. The experience of compilations is a door to group success that impacts you as an individual writer pursuing traditional authorship.
Writing for guideposts
with Diane Stark ~ Track: Writing Craft/Non-Fiction
The quote by Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company comes to mind when writing for traditional projects in a group effort. He said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” Can you envision yourself in print? It is a definite way to have your work seen by editors, agents, and publishers while working on an individual book.
The industry of Christian writing is competitive. Learning teamwork is resourceful in navigating the publishing world. The experience of compilations is a door to group success that impacts you as an individual writer pursuing traditional authorship.