From:Marlene Bagnull
To:
Subject:Important CCWC Updates April 25
Date:Monday, April 25, 2016 9:17:16 AM
Attachments:image003.png
Goodmorningconferees-
Hardtobelievethatwe'llbeonthemountaininjustalittleovertwoweeks.(I'mconvincedthattheolderweget,thefastertimeflies.)
I'vegotlotsofnewstoshare,sograbacupofcoffee...(Ididn'toffercoffeeatthemorningbreakofthefirstwritingseminarIdirectedin1983.Trustme.Ilearnedfromthatmistake!YouwillhavecoffeeandsnacksthankstoDarcieGudger'shardwork.)
WednesdayEarlyBirdWorkshops-Smallclasses,greatopportunitytogetyourquestionsanswered,makenewfriends,andeaseintotheconference.It'snottoolatetoaddthemtoyourconferenceregistration.JustemailourRegistrar,BarbHaley.AcoupleIwanttohighlight:
E10-WritingCreativeNonfictionforKids-Didyoureadwhattheinstructor,SheilaSeifertfromFocusontheFamily,wrotethatIpostedonmyblog?
E11-GettingItFinishedviatheLightboxMethod-Here'smoreinfofromtheinstructor,SandyCathcart:Thisisanexcitingwaytounearthstory!TheLightboxMethodtowritingfictionandnonfictionrediscoverstheancientapproachtostorytellingwhichisbothanalyticalandintuitive.IhaveusedandtaughttheLightboxMethodforseveralyearsnow,anditalwaysexcitesmystudents.Theynotonlybecomebetterstorytellers,buttheyalsobegintoseethemselvesandothersinanewway.Thismethodhelpsstudentsseetheprocessofwritingasiftheyareuncoveringamystery.Itisbothexcitingandpurposeful.
ThepremiseoftheLightboxMethodisthateveryoneisgivenstoriestotell,anditbecomesourjobaswriterstouncoverit.Wedon'tcreatethestory;onlyGodcancreate.Weshapethestorythatisgiventous.Ifwepayattentiontothestoryweareshaping,itwillleadustoasktherightquestionssowewillfindmeaningthatwillenrichourlives.Aswetellthestorytoothers,itwillenrichtheirlivesaswell.
Studentsenjoythissessionverymuch.Itstirsupmanyimagesandtheybeginto"see"more,whichtakestheirwritingtoadeeperlevel.
E16-SearchEngineOptimization(SEO)fortheTechnicallyChallenged-Iknowthissoundsintimidating,butafterallthetimeyouputintoyourblogand/orwebsite,don'tyouwanttodoeverythingyoucansothatit'sfoundandread?KarenFischer,theinstructor,says:
SEOfirmschargebigdollarstoenhanceyourwebpresencethroughsearchengineoptimization.Butwhatdoesthatmean?Howcantechnically-challengedwritersbenefitfromSEOwithout
breakingthebank?LearnwhattheSEOfirmsdon'ttellyouandenhanceyourwebpresence.
Butyoumayask,withsocialmedia,isawebpresenceallthatimportant?Everybodyisonsocialmedia,aren'tthey?It'scertainlyeasiertostartaFacebookpagethanitistocreateawebpresence,sowhybother?Thefactisthatactualnumbersofsocialmediausagearefarlessthanitspublicity.AccordingtocomScore'sUniqueVisitorTableforJune2014,Facebookwith141.4millionuniquevisitorsactuallyfellbehindGoogleSites(189.7million),YahooSites(171.3million)andMicrosoftSites(164.2million).Althoughthereisafluctuationinnumbers,alwaysrememberthatrealityandpressaccountsdonotnecessarilyjive.
Additionally,mostpeopledon'tuseFacebooktoresearchinformationthatcoulddirectthemtoyouoryourbook.ForresterResearchintheirJune2013study(HowConsumersFoundWebsitesin2012,July2013,ForresterResearch,Inc.)foundamajorityoftheUnitedStatesadultsprefersearchenginesoversocialmedianetworksoralternatesources.ThetechniqueofchoiceisstillSEO.Asatechnicallychallengedwriter,ifIcancreateawebpresence,anyonecanandmakeSEOworkforthem.
Opportunityfornewwriterstogetpublished-ThursdayWorkshop2G-"ParentingFeaturesEditorsLove"withSheilaSeifert-We'rechangingthetitleanddescriptionofthisworkshopto:
"SELLYourParentingStories"-Youdoamazingthingseverydayasaparentorknowparentswhodo.Inthisworkshop,Sheilawillhelpdrawoutsomeofthewaysyouareraisingorhaveraisedyourkidsandthenletyouknowwhichshemightbewillingtocontract.Shehopestoreceiveahandfulofideasfromthisgrouptobringbacktohereditorialteamtoconsiderforpublication.Don'tbringyourwriting,justyourideas.Thenshe'lltellyoutowriteitup,ifshewantstoconsiderit.
Sheilasays,"IpurchaseALOTofshortparentingarticles.Iwanttoencouragenewwriterstogetpublishedandgiveothersanin.Itriedsomethingsimilartothis,thoughnotanactualworkshop,atanotherconferenceattheendoflastyear,andIcameawaywithroughly10manuscriptsfromauthors,ofwhichmostwerecontractedwithinthenextsixmonths.Intheprocess,peoplegottohearwhysomeideaswouldworkandwhysomewouldn't,allinaverynon-threateningway."
Andanotherwritingopportunity-LoliValentohasanexcitingvisionforCrossWalk®footwear.Sheasks,"Whatwouldyoudoifyouwereliterallytryingtoshoetheworldwiththegospelofpeace?"Ifyouareinterestedincontributing"DailyBread"typearticles,havewebsitedevelopmentambitions,orareevenwillingtobeaBoardMember,comemeetwithLoliasshetriestofigureouthowtostewardCrossWalk®footweartobeitsbest.LoliisaccompaniedbyherfriendAmandaLarsen,FounderandPresidentofHelpingHounds,anon-profitresourcedevotedtotheeducationandsupportofServiceDogHandlers,ServiceDoginTrainingHandlers,EmotionalSupportAnimalHandlers,andallpeoplewantingtolearnmoreaboutwhetherworkingwithananimaltoovercometheirdisabilityisagoodchoiceforthem.
TraciMullinsnightowlworkshop-Tracihasmorethan30years'experienceindevelopmental
editingandcollaboratingonhundredsofnonfictionbooks,coachingauthorsandspeakerstoformulateandconveymessagesclosetotheirheartsinanaccessibleandcompellingstyle.InadditiontobeingavailableFridayandSaturdayforone-on-oneappointmentsandpaidcritiques,TracihasofferedtoteachanightowlworkshopFriday:"BeforeYouSitDowntoWrite:KeyQuestionstoAskYourself."
One-on-oneAppointments-YouhavethroughApril30tosubmityourappointmentrequestsonline.You'llfindalinktotheformat
BookTableCreditof$25-IfsomeonewhoisnotonourUSPSoremaillistregistersfortheconferencebasedonareferralfromyou,we'llbegladtogiveyoua$25creditattheconferencebooktable.
UpdateonTwilaBelk-PleaseprayforTwilaasshebeginschemoforbreastcancerandfollowherCarePages.You'llbeencouragedbyhertestimonyandfaith.
AddressingtheIssuesContinuingSession-RoyHanschkefromKPOFinterviewedCharlesPatricofflastweek.Pleasemaketimetolisten-CCWCKPOFInterview.
Missedsomeofmyemailupdates?-You'llfindlinkshere.
Beinprayerforthefacultyandstaffandpleasecontinuetohelpspreadthewordabouttheconference.Here'sabanneryoucanpostonyourwebsite,blog,orsocialmediatoencourageotherstojoinyouonthemountain.
Father,thankYouinadvancefortheEphesians3:2thingsYouwilldo.
ServingChrist-
MarleneBagnull,Litt.D.
Author|Speaker|Editor|PublisherAmpelosPressDirector|WriteHisAnswerMinistries
ColoradoChristianWritersConferenceMay11-14,2016GreaterPhillyChristianWritersConferenceAugust3-6,2016Websites:
Blog:
Phone: 484-991-8581
Address: 951 Anders Road, Lansdale, PA 19446