2008 ACFW Conference

Captain's Log, Stardate 06.20.2008

Today, the 2008 ACFW Conference registration opened up and writers are getting excited!

I credit the ACFW conferences with my publishing career. I met my current agent at an ACFW conference, and I met my current editor at an ACFW conference, even before she became an editor!

Most writers balk at the cost, and I won’t lie, it’s not cheap. Plus you have to factor in the cost of the hotel room and airfare (and can I get an amen at how ridiculous the airfare prices are now???).

But for me, because I felt truly called by God to write Christian fiction, the cost was worth it. I knew I needed to attend the workshops and talk to both other writers and industry professionals.

I didn’t think of it as “networking”—I thought of it as meeting people as excited about writing as I was. I wanted to meet other writers and “talk shop” with someone who could respond both coherently and with passion. (When I talk writing with Captain Caffeine, he tries to follow me, but usually his eyes glaze over, poor guy.)

I wanted a chance to learn from editors and agents about the business side of writing and to gather information about the Christian book market.

Conferences are extremely valuable, and ACFW does its best to ensure members go to a conference and know other attendees. They don’t want anyone to go and not know anyone there.

That’s why ACFW encourages an active main email loop, so people can interact virtually with each other and recognize each others’ names.

ACFW also has regional and local chapters so people can get to know one another via regional eloops or in-person chapter meetings before the conference, so that they have people to look for and talk to.

At the conference, there are lots of informal gatherings like the Chocolate Party for people to meet and greet in a casual, non-stressful situation.

The dinner tables (usually round tables that seat about 10) are also great places for people to meet in a casual, intimate setting. I’ve met many neat people who happened to sit next to me at dinner.

Also, I believe that most ACFW members truly care that first-timers have a good time, and I always see members going out of their way to chat with someone who looks unsure or is sitting alone.

I hope to see you writers at the ACFW conference this year! I’ll be presenting the awards for the Genesis contest at the Saturday night banquet!


Here are the other stops on the ACFW Conference tour:

6/11/2008 Chip MacGregor http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/11/2008 Cara Putman http://carasmusings.blogspot.com
6/12/2008 Wanda Dyson http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/12/2008 Pamela James http://pammer.blogspot.com/
6/13/2008 Jennifer AlLee http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com
6/13/2008 Ane Mulligan http://anemulligan.blogspot.com
6/16/2008 Robin Miller http://robinswritingworld.blogspot.com/
6/16/2008 Christina Nelson http://christinanelson.blogspot.com
6/17/2008 Annette Irby www.annetteirby.blogspot.com
6/18/2008 Martha Rogers www.marthawrogers.com
6/18/2008 Sharon Hinck http://sharonswriting.blogspot.com
6/19/2008 Susan May Warren http://scribbles.susanmaywarren.com
6/20/2008 Camy Tang http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/
6/23/2008 Deb Raney www.deborahraney.com
6/23/2008 Ronie Kendig http://supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com
6/24/2008 Colleen Coble http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com
6/25/2008 Rachel Hauck http://www.rachelhauck.com/blog.htm
6/26/2008 Brandilyn Collins www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com
6/26/2008 Cathy West http://writersrest.blogspot.com
6/27/2008 Jill Elizabeth Nelson http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/artisticblogger.shtml
6/28/2008 Eileen Watson http://eileenastels.blogspot.com/
6/30/2008 Lynette Sowell www.lynettesowell.com
6/30/2008 Sue Brower http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
7/1/2008 Gina Conroy http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress/
7/2/2008 Lena Nelson Dooley http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
7/2/2008 Rachelle Gardner http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
7/3/2008 Linda Fulkerson http://scrivenings.com
7/4/2008 Terry Burns http://www.terryburns.net/
7/4/2008 Rebeca Yeager http://acfwconference.blogspot.com
7/7/2008 Susan Downs http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/7/2008 Carla Stewart http://carlastewart.blogspot.com
7/9/2008 Rebecca Germany http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/9/2008 Leanna Ellis http://www.leannaellis.com/news.html
7/9/2008 Rose McCauley www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com
7/10/2008 Sharon Dunn http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/faithchick/
7/11/2008 Pam Meyers http://pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com/
7/11/2008 JoAnne Simmons http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/14/2008 Celia Tomer www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com
7/14/2008 Janice Olson www.janiceolson.com
7/15/2008 Angie Bredenbach http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com
7/16/2008 Christina Berry http://authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com
7/17/2008 Roxanne Rustad http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
8/1/2008 Christa Allen www.cballan.wordpress.com
8/3/2008 Deborah Vogts http://www.deborahvogts.com
8/4/2008 Michelle Hutchinson http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
8/6/2008 Tiff Stockton http://www.ambermiller.com
8/28/2008 Gail Gaymer Martin www.gailmartin.blogspot.com