Continuing Education
As part of your conference registration options, you will be given the choice of one FRIDAY MORNING Session for your Continuing Education Track.
IMPORTANT NOTE You are encouraged to study the sessions carefully before registering. In an effort to be as environmentally responsible as possible, handouts for sessions will not be available onsite. You’ll receive handouts for your sessions via email the week prior to conference. If you purchase the complete syllabus, that electronic syllabus will be sent to you via email prior to the conference.
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Title: CE01 How to Write a Successful Novel
Level: Freshman
Presented by: Angela Hunt
Description -
You can’t perform successful brain surgery unless you’ve studied the brain. Likewise, you can’t write a successful novel unless you’ve studied what a novel is and how it works. Angela Hunt, who’s been writing for more years than she likes to admit, will teach you what a novel is, how to plot it, and how to create compelling characters. Learning what to do before you attempt to do it will save you time and heartache.
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Title: CE02 Exploring the Art of Plotting
Level: Sophomore
Presented by: Carrie Stuart Parks
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Plotting is a skillful expression of a writer’s creativity and imagination that sends a protagonist on an aesthetic, evocative, and emotional adventure through the actions of three-dimensional characters who strive to achieve a goal.
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Title: CE03 Help! How Do I Run My Launch Team?
Level: Sophomore
Presented by: Tammy Karasek
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A successful launch of your book is possible and Tammy will share tools and tips to assist you in doing so.
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Title: CE04 Successful Indie Publishing
Level: Junior
Presented by: Lisa and Scott Phillips
Description -
Business plus mindset makes a winning combination for the independent author—a writer, publisher, marketer, and small business owner all wrapped up in one package—so come and find out everything you need to know.
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Lisa will outline the independent publishing process, highlighting everything attendees need to know about publishing independently. From the idea all the way to the monthly royalty check from Amazon, she will lay out all her processes and procedures for releasing a book, as well as tips and tricks that have built her career from that first month making $900 to a six-figure annual business. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to publish independently, as well as the pitfalls and mountains to climb. Combining inspiration with a business mindset is key, and this CE session will feature that, and so much more.
Scott will walk authors through the business side of starting the journey. He will discuss topics like: Why an author might choose Kindle Unlimited vs being Wide, what options there are for formatting a book, when ISBNs are
needed, why Copyright registration is a good idea, what tools are useful in ensuring you get noticed, and what a basic budget for a release looks like. He will also provide some insight into when they moved to an LLC from
putting the income on their household taxes and what some of the benefits and disadvantages are for that structure.
Lisa will wrap up the session by walking attendees along an encouraging path of mindset, creativity, and productivity to glean tips on building a lasting career and staying creative, and not falling into the pitfalls of burnout or a dry idea well. With her trademark energy, Lisa will uplift and inspire authors to lean on their faith, their friendships, and their own stories, in order to build a brand that outlasts any mistakes they might make and those inevitable shifts in the publishing world.
Any handouts will be provided instead as a follow up resource through a downloadable PDF on Lisa’s website for anyone looking for additional information on author tools.
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Title: CE05 The Author-Preneur
Level: Senior
Presented by: Tracy Higley
Description
Workshop Outline
Information Video:
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Title: CE06 Mentor/Critique Group
Level: Any
Presented by: Rick Acker and Gayle Roper
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You’ve been working on your novel & you like what you’ve got—but you’re not sure it’s good enough. It’s time to be courageous and share it with a group of your fellow writers. See your classmates’ reactions and get the professional input and suggestions of your group leader and multi-published writer, Rick Acker or Gayle Roper. Each group will be limited to ten participants, so every manuscript will get time to be the star.
This is a hands-on bootcamp with limited seats, based on first pay, first served.
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Each participant will submit the first 10 pages of their novel, a short (500 words or less) synopsis and a 50-word or shorter elevator pitch. All participants must read the submissions from other members of their group and come prepared to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each.
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Seats are limited. This is based on a first paid, first scheduled basis.