The Art of Writing 2019: A Focused Conference for Writers, Storytellers and Publishing Curators

Four intensive sessions — focused for the fiction author — followed by The Christy Award™ GALA 2019

Reaching the Heart of Readers | Lysa TerKeurst

Besides her New York Times bestselling books, Lysa TerKeurst is known for her ability to come alongside readers and articulate their needs and fears—and point them to Jesus—in her writing and speaking. In both nonfiction and fiction, a compelling topic or story always comes first, but the characters and themes have to resonate with the deepest heart needs of readers to make a lasting impact. Lysa’s insights will help publishers and authors find new ways to communicate biblical truth and craft stories that connect with readers as well as giving publishing teams guidance for knowing how to find and develop life-changing manuscripts.

“Next-Level” Writing | James Rubart

Going beyond the basics of craft instruction, writing coach and multi-Christy-award winning author Jim Rubart will share secrets for adding depth and emotional impact when writing and editing your novel. This is for the longtime writer who wants to get better with every new release rather than maintaining the status quo—and for the aspiring writers who want to know what it takes to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Casting Novel Characters Using the Enneagram | Anne Bogel

The best way to write realistic characters is to have a better understanding of real people—their motivations, fears, flaws, and unique abilities. The Enneagram personality assessment helps reveal those deeper-level qualities. Fiction lover Anne Bogel, known for her blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, shares insights she presents in her book, Reading People, with direct application for fiction writers. Whether you’re in the plotting stage looking for a place to start or wanting to try a different approach for your next novel, this fresh take on character development will give you plenty of ideas for inner conflict, realistic growth and change, and heroes and heroines your readers will love.

Marketing Publishing House Pros Share Their Secrets

Imagine gathering a group of marketing experts to ask, “If you wrote a novel, how would you do your personal marketing differently than most authors you’ve observed?” That’s where this panel will begin before going into details of strategy, time management, and goal-setting. Our panelists understand the trends in reader engagement and platform for fiction, and they’ll share stories about what works and what’s not worth your time. Be prepared to walk away with strong, specific marketing takeaways you can apply right away to getting the word out about your book.