Lancaster Christian Writers Hosts One-Day Conference SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2019, AT Lancaster Bible College

An invitation to all Christian writers, aspiring or expert, teen through centennial, all genres, to kick their writing to the next level at Lancaster Christian Writers' Super Saturday 2019!! April 6th, 2019, from 8:30am-4:30pm at Lancaster Bible College, 901 Eden Road, Lancaster, PA, 17601. This one-day writers conference offers a dual track of workshops in fiction and non-fiction. Please share with friends, family, church, school, library, homeschool co-op!!

SS2019’s very affordable registration price of $55 is due by Wednesday, April 3rd, and includes lunch and LCW membership. Registrations after April 3rd and walk-ins day of the conference are $65. Seventh-twelfth grade aspiring writers are also welcome at a two-for-one rate, or half-off if accompanying a parent, which includes lunch buffet. Group rates for home-school co-ops or Christian schools can be negotiated by contacting Jeanette Windle at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

We are delighted to welcome Ronie Kendig. bestselling author of over twenty high action novels, as keynote speaker. Other faculty include publisher and literary agent Dave Fessenden, historical novelist and writing coach Rita Gerlach, publisher, author, and historian J.P. Robinson, editor-in-chief of Hope Editors and author of fiction and non-fiction Hope Flinchbaugh, freelance editor and award-winning author Jeanette Windle. Workshops cover such topics as:

• Mind Your Business: Why & How Authors Can Easily Set Up a Writing System that Pays
• Pack a Punch: Striking Hard with Plot and Character for a Knock-out Novel
• Dynamic Dialogue: Creating Dialogue with Purpose that Moves Your Story Forward
• More than Just a Transcript: Turning Your Preaching or Speaking into Writing
• Three-D Characters: Five Key Strategies to Create Characters That Walk Off the Page
• Divide and Conquer: Manageable Steps to Writing Your First Draft
• Write to the Heart of a Child: The Craft and Ministry of Writing for Children
• Ambush Your Reader: Shrewd Tactics for Using Setting and Stage to Create Strong Emotional Impact and Suspense

A conference bookstore will offer a wide variety of writer resources and faculty titles. Personal consultations with faculty are on a first-come, first-serve basis. More information, including the Super Saturday 2019 Flyer/Registration Form and Press Release (download to share!!!) can be found above right. OR email LCW president Jeanette Windle at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com. Payment can be made online (see Payment Option to right), or mail check/ money order payable to: Lancaster Christian Writers, c/o Jeanette Windle, 1776 Euclid Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601.
 

Join LCW Saturday, February 16, 2019, with Investigative Journalist/Novelist Jeanette Windle PLUS Writer Retreat Invite & Handout Link

Happy 2019!!! What a great turnout and weather we had for our January kickoff. We meet next on Saturday, February 16th, at Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Rd (off Hwy 30 across from Costco) Saturday, January 19th (01/19/19), from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). Novelist, investigative journalist (and LCW president) Jeanette Windle will be teaching a workshop on effective plotting. 

WORKSHOP: “A Story to Tell"--Keys to Plot Development. A compelling story lies not only in who, what, where, and when, but how and especially why. Inciting incidents, interweaving plot lines, conflict, character-driven versus plot-driven, rising and falling action, climax, and resolution are among the elements necessary to tell an effective story. While workshop is slanted to fiction, principles apply to non-fiction story telling as well.

SPEAKER: Award-winning novelist, investigative journalist, editor, and collaborative writer Jeanette Windle grew up in the Amazon's guerrilla hot zones, has lived in six countries, and traveled in more than thirty. Those experiences have birthed twenty-one titles, including bestselling novels Veiled Freedom/Freedom's Stand, (ECPA Christian Book Award/Christy Award/Carol Award/Golden Scroll nominees), as well as such non-fiction titles as Forgiven (ECPA Christian Book Award/Christian Retailing Best Awards nominee) and All Saints, also a Sony Affirm movie. To learn more, visit www.jeanettewindle.com.

JANUARY MEETING HANDOUT: Thank you, Annette Whipple for an outstanding workshop on work-for-hire freelancing at our latest LCW meeting. For those who attended and those who couldn’t make it, she offers a link to the Powerpoint/handout she shared. The link will only remain live for a week, so grab download now: https://www.annettewhipple.com/p/for-writers.html 

WRITERS RETREAT INVITE: LCW member Jeannette DiLouie,
Chief Executive Editor of Innovative Editing, invites Lancaster Christian Writers to prepare to be inspired at The Genuine Writer’s Retreat 2019. Ever been to Annapolis? It’s truly beautiful. Like the best of Boston, it’s filled with great food, great scenery and a historic feel you don’t want to stop soaking in. It’s also the site of The Genuine Writer’s Retreat 2019, right off the waterfront at Gibson’s Lodgings bed and breakfast. Attendees can enjoy picturesque accommodations, delicious food, two carefully crafted presentations, and plenty of time to relax and write. Get the inspiration, encouragement and insights you’ve been looking for on your writing journey March 22-24 at this scenic locale. Early bird prices end January 31, so be sure to claim your space today at www.TheGenuineWriter.com
 
SUPER SATURDAY 2019 FLYER/REGISTRATION NOW LIVE ONLINE: And don't forget to help us circulate our SS2019 FLYER as well as PRESS RELEASE as well as to sign up soon for our April 6th one-day conference at LBC REGISTRATION. Success and continuation of this annual conference depends on YOU to help us get the news out.  
 
CRITIQUE GROUPS: We will be making time as well for our usual peer critique groups, so if you have a piece you'd like critiqued, bring 10 copies of up to 1500 words.

As always, email questions or concerns to jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

Join Lancaster Christian Writers Saturday, May 19th for CIA 101 with Author/Investigative Journalist Jeanette Windle PLUS Note Summer Conference Info

For the many who joined us last month for our Super Saturday 2017 at Lancaster Bible College, was that a great day or what? We had close to record attendance, and rave reviews from conferees and attendees alike. If you missed, it isn't too early to get next year on the calendar. OR check out two upcoming Christian writers conferences below.

Meanwhile we invite old and new members alike to join us for our May LCW meeting on Saturday, 5/19/18, at Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Rd (off Hwy 30 across from Costco) from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). LCW president Jeanette Windle will be sharing investigative techniques that will give authenticity and depth to both fiction and non-fiction writing..

WORKSHOP:  CIA 101: Investigative Techniques from the Trenches: Learn the investigative techniques by which investigative journalist and political/suspense novelist Jeanette Windle has written five investigative non-fiction titles and created fiction realistic enough for government agencies to question whether she obtained classified information. 

SPEAKER: Award-winning novelist, investigative journalist, editor, and collaborative writer Jeanette Windle grew up in the Amazon's guerrilla hot zones, has lived in six countries and traveled in more than thirty. Those experiences have birthed fifteen fiction titles, including bestselling Veiled Freedom (2010 ECPA Christian Book Award/Christy Award finalist) and Freedom's Stand, (2012 ECPA Christian Book Award/Carol Award finalist), as well as non-fiction collaborative titles Hope Underground: The Chilean Mine Rescue, All Saints, and Forgiven: The Amish Schoolhouse Shooting, a Mother’s Love, and a Story of Remarkable Grace (2016 ECPA Christian Book Award/Christian Retailing Best Awards finalist). Jeanette mentors developing-nation writers in both English and Spanish on all five continents.

CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCES: And a reminder that summer--and writers conference season--is just around the corner. LCW has received personal invitations by directors of two great Christian writers conferences in our region, both of whom have spoken at our LCW conference and are known to you. Both conferences are wonderful opportunities to jump-start your summer writing, so I can't recommend highly enough attending one or the other or both.

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE: The 29th annual Montrose Christian Writers Conference, directed by Marsha Hubler, will be held July 22-27, 2018, at Montrose Bible Conference, Montrose, PA (north-central PA). Info available at website:

GREATER PHILADELPHIA CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE: GPCWC will be held July 26-28, 2018, at Dock Mennonite Academy in Lansdale, PA. Marlene Bagnull is director of GPCWC as well as Colorado Christian Writers Conference and Greater Philly Christian Writers Guild. Info available at website:

CRITIQUE GROUPS: And don't forget to bring your latest work-in-progress for critique groups (ten copies up to 1500 words).

As always, more info can be found at our LCW blog: http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com Or email questions or concerns to jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers

Join Lancaster Christian Writers Saturday, June 18th, 2016, For Last Meeting Before Summer Break.

This is your last chance before LCW’s summer break to network with other writers, bring those chapters to critique, and do some hands-on writing. So do join Lancaster Christian Writers Saturday, June 18, 2016, at Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Rd (off Hwy 30 across from Costco) from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9). Collaborative writer, editor, novelist (and LCW president-yes, that’s me) Jeanette Windle will be sharing a workshop on memoir/biography writing.

SPEAKER: Award-winning novelist, collaborative writer, and journalist Jeanette Windle has lived in six countries and traveled in thirty-plus. Those experiences birthed 16 fiction titles, including ECPA Christian Book/Christy/Carol Award finalists Veiled Freedom and Freedom's Stand, and 3 non-fiction collaborative titles, including 2016 ECPA Christian Book Award/Christian Retailing Best Awards finalist Forgiven: The Amish Schoolhouse Shooting, a Mother’s Love, and a Story of Remarkable Grace (with Terri Roberts).

WORKSHOP: “A Story to Tell: Writing the Memoir/Biography—Your Own or Another’s.” Non-fiction biography is the bread-and-butter of freelance writing. Whether writing your own memoir or someone else’s life story, this workshop will walk you through the practicalities of breaking down, organizing, and weaving into story form a compelling life narrative. Not writing a full book? Principles apply as well to the personal experience short story/article.

WRITERS CONFERENCES: While LCW will not be meeting in July/August, that doesn’t signify any lack of writer opportunity.  Two of North America’s premier Christian writers conferences take place in PA each summer. Montrose Christian Writers Conference will be held July 17-22 in Montrose, PA (near Scranton). Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference is August 3-6 at Cairn University (near Philly). Check out their websites for faculty and workshop listings, and consider jump-starting next fall’s writing by attending at least one of these conferences.

CRITIQUE GROUPS: And don't forget to bring your latest work-in-progress from this summer for critique groups (ten copies up to 1500 words).

As always, email questions or concerns to jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers

REMINDER: Get Your Registration in for LCW's Super Saturday 2016 04/16/16

A reminder we are now less than three weeks from Lancaster Christian Writers' Super Saturday 2016!! April 16th, 2016, from 8:30am-4:30pm at Lancaster Bible College, 901 Eden Road, Lancaster, PA, 17601 (registration opens 7:45am). So let’s get those registrations in the mail! Early registration price of $50 is due by Wednesday, April 13, and includes soup/sandwich buffet lunch. Registrations after April 13 and walk-ins day of the conference are $60.

SS2016 offers a dual track of workshops in fiction and non-fiction (open attendance for any workshop; you don't need to choose one track). A conference bookstore will offer a wide variety of writer resources and faculty titles. Personal consultations with faculty are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so plan to arrive early enough to sign up with the faculty member of your choice. Along with listed faculty (Hana Caye, Michele Chynoweth, Mike Dellosso, Tracy Higley, Marsha Hubler, Dwight Kopp, Gayle Roper), author/editor/conference director Marlene Bagnull and award-winning novelist/non-fiction writer Jeanette Windle will be among auxiliary faculty offering personal consultations.
 
VOLUNTEERS: We do need a few volunteers to man registration and help with conference bookstore set-up. ALL volunteer activity will be over by opening session, so if you can come in between 7-7:30am for setup, your help will be greatly appreciated (AND you’ll have first crack at signing up for faculty appointments). If you can volunteer, please email LCW president Jeanette Windle at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com.
 
GET THE WORD OUT!! Please do help us get the word out by sharing REGISTRATION FLYER and PRESS RELEASE to your social media or on your local church/library/community bulletin boards (see link above). FA complete list of Workshop Descriptions and Faculty Bios can be found column right. Or simply post a link to our LCW webpage for full information (http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com/)   

REGISTRATION: Mail Super Saturday 2016 registration form (or relevant info) and check or money order payable to: Lancaster Christian Writers, c/o Jeanette Windle, 1776 Euclid Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601. For credit card/PayPal payment, request invoice at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com (preferred) or call 717-209-0011 after 4 PM.

Join LCW Expert Panel for Q&A Saturday, 2/20/16 PLUS Sign Up & Share SS2016

Got questions you’ve always wanted to ask—whether on past workshops or any other writing related topic? Then join Lancaster Christian Writers on Saturday, February 20, 2016, Lancaster Alliance Church, 210 Pitney Rd (off Hwy 30 across from Costco) from 9:30AM-12 noon (registration opens at 9) with fiction and non-fiction author and editor Jeanette Windle, journalist and curriculum writer Lisa Bartelt, and social media expert Alison McLennan for a Q&A Session on topics of your choice.

Q&A PANEL: LCW members frequently with questions as to how to submit articles to magazines, how to write a devotional, where to find an agent, how social media can be used to promote writing sales, how to approach editors, what are pros and cons of signing up for this summer’s writing conferences, how to turn life experience into marketable memoir, and much more. Non-fiction or fiction, sales or marketing, this is YOUR opportunity to ask the questions on your mind. The only restriction: questions must be applicable to group, not on your own work-in-progress (for that, bring those copies and join peer group critique section.  Help us prepare by sending your questions in advance to jeanette@jeanettewindle.com
 
SUPER SATURDAY 2016: And don’t  forget it isn’t too early to get your registration in for Super Saturday 2016 at Lancaster Bible College Saturday, April 16, 2016. Please help us spread the word!!! by sharing event data on your own social media/church and library bulletin boards, etc. Flyer and press release for 2016 are now live for easy sharing or printing (see Super Saturday 2016 above). For those wanting to pay by credit card or PayPal, we have that option available this year by requesting secured invoice through PayPal from LCW president at jeanette@jeanettewindle.com.

THANK YOU! And a special thanks to LCW member Laura Pappas, who has so kindly and expertly designed our SS2016 flyer (and last year’s!).

DEVOTIONAL: We also have openings for devotional speakers for February, May, and June. This is your chance to share that writer-relevant devotional, blog post, essay, or just encouragement with your LCW peers. If you'd be interested in sharing (5-10 minutes), especially for this coming month (2/20/16), please email jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

CRITIQUE GROUPS: And don't forget to bring your latest work-in-progress  for critique groups (ten copies up to 1500 words).

As always, more info can be found at our LCW blog: http://lancasterchristianwriterstoday.blogspot.com Or email questions or concerns to jeanette@jeanettewindle.com

Blessings,
Jeanette Windle
President, Lancaster Christian Writers