Heroic Heroes Are More than (just) Handsome Hunks - What makes a man a man? What then makes that man a hero? Learn how to turn tropes and stereotypes on their ear for compelling characters. We'll explore how to help your hero step us his game, steal hearts, and make your readers swoon (and that's not necessarily (or only) related to romance!). Then, with that finely-tuned hero, we'll examine how to use plot and arcs to confound, compound, and compel that hero into a satisfying--thrilling!--conclusion.

Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty-five titles. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband live a short train ride from New York City with their twin sons and their fur-sons, VVolt N629 (retired military working dog) and Benning the Stealth Golden. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters. Visit Ronie online at: www.roniekendig.com or FB: RapidFireFiction or Instagram: @kendigronie or Twitter: @RonieKendig.

Beth K. Vogt is a nonfiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four who said she'd never have kids. Now Beth believes God's best often waits behind doors marked Never. The Best We've Been is the final book in Beth's Thatcher Sisters series with Tyndale House Publishers, following Things I Never Told You, which won the 2019 AWSA Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year, and Moments We Forget. Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a 2016 ACFW Carol Award winner, and a 2015 RITA finalist. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2014. A November Bride was part of the Year of Weddings series published by Zondervan. Having authored ten contemporary romance novels or novellas, Beth believes there's more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Novel Rocket and also enjoys speaking to writers' groups and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.

Marketing yourself as an author can sometimes feel like a black box - how do you do it, and more importantly, where do you even start? In this talk, I'll be taking you through the first two steps in beginning to market yourself and your books.

It all starts with the website - this is the central hub for everything you are doing as a writer and a marketer (because whether you like it or not, you are a marketer. From here, you can attract readers and other writers, and begin to market (even if you don't have any books published).

Then we'll tackle email marketing - what it is, how it works, and how you can get started. We'll also go over what to say in your emails, and how to say it. We'll identify tools you can use to make it easy.

Taylor Rubart likes to spend more time outside than inside, and enjoys writing in the third person. He owns a video marketing company in Washington state called Flannel Media, helping companies craft video messages to get results. He is also the co-owner of The Rubart Writing Academy, which helps writers find their identity, theme of their life, and gives them a customized roadmap to publication. He lives in Bellingham Washington with his wife and two cats.
www.flannelmedia.net

Karen will be addressing the dilemma faced by every writer: How should I publish? Karen has been in publishing for more than 30 years, with experience in both traditional and hybrid publishing. She'll be sharing an insider's look at hybrid publishing, and what you need to know (and ask) about this publishing option.

She'll be covering the following:
  * What's to love (and not love) about traditional, hybrid, and self publishing.
  * 10 Questions to ask a hybrid publisher before agreeing to work with them.
  * The hybrid publishing journey: What to expect and ask for.
  * Bonus: 12 Weekly Actions to Launch Your Email List and Newsletter (Because platform matters, no matter how you publish!)

Karen is a Jesus-follower and wife, mom, daughter, friend trying to figure it all out (and I'd love to have your company along the way!). I'm also a book coach, aquisitions editor, speaker, and the author of more than a dozen humorous self-help books.

She is currently working with Illumify Media, and coaches writers of all genres in her own private online community, Word Ninjas. Her own bestselling books include Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt published under the name Karen Scalf Linamen. To see more of what she does, visit me at www.witandwellness.com

This workshop looks at the reasons you may want to write for periodicals, which include the 3P's: profit, platform and portfolio. It's also a great way to express your passion. (Hey, that's a fourth P!) We'll talk about how to capture an editor's attention and how to use the research and characters from a book you have written in a magazine story. Additional discussion includes: tips for an effective lead and how to write for Focus on the Family Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines. This is a very hands-on, interactive class that will expand your thinking about this still viable area of writing.

Jesse Florea has worked at Focus on the Family for more than 26 years. For the past 22, he's been the editor of Focus on the Family Clubhouse magazine (for boys and girls ages 8 to 12) and is currently the senior editorial director for youth publications where he oversees Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines. He co-hosts the biweekly "Official Adventures in Odyssey podcast" that often exceeds 1 million listeners and the weekly "Official Average Boy podcast" with Christian comedian Bob Smiley. He has written or co-written more than 40 books (including the Defend Your Faith children's apologetics Bible, The Case for Grace for Kids, The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions, The One Year Devotions for Active Boys and The One Year Devos for Sports Fans). He earned bachelor and master's degrees in communications from Wheaton College, Ill. He and his wife, Stephanie, enjoy hanging out in Colorado Springs with their two adult children, their spouses and their two grandchildren.

We are going to walk through creating an Amazon ad and talk about the importance of Amazon in our writing life. Amazon is here to stay for the foreseeable future so let's make Amazon work for us.

Jodi writes inspirational romantic suspense stories that are Gospel centered and intertwined with God's love and plan of redemption. She loves living in beautiful Colorado with her wonderful husband, two awesome boys, and rescue dogs. She's been a member of ACFW since 2018 and loves serving her local chapter by maintaining the website. You can connet with Jodi at jodiartzberger.com

Derinda Babcock and Courtney Smith are a mother-daughter team who work together in the publishing industry to provide children's picture book authors with books they can be proud of. As freelancers, Courtney creates the illustrations and Derinda formats the interior and cover in preparation for upload to both trade and print-on-demand distributors. Both also work with Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. Derinda is the Senior Graphic Designer and initial children's picture and chapter book editor. She not only oversees illustrators and children's authors, but lays out the images and text to create the final form of the book.

During the presentation, Derinda will show the process of creating a children's picture book from start to finish.
Courtney will share the nuts and bolts of working with authors and editors and will give insights into what makes a good author/illustrator match.

DERINDA BABCOCK is an author, graphic designer, and initial children's picture and chapter book editor for Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., a Christian publisher located In Plymouth, MA. She lives in Southwestern Colorado near the base of the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. In her previous career as an English as a Second Language teacher, she worked with students of all ages and many different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The richness of this experience lends flavor and voice to the stories she writes. When Derinda is not writing, designing, or editing, she continues her education.

COURTNEY SMITH grew up in southwestern Colorado and later attended college at Regis University where she met and married a handsome rocket scientist. Together they have welcomed five children and live in Franktown, Colorado. Courtney raises Great Pyrenees puppies, teaches CPR, travels internationally with USA Olympic wrestling hopefuls as an Athletic Trainer (medical), and cheers on her children. In her free time, she loves to draw and sketch, creating images to enhance incredible stories.

Professional editors use multiple tools and techniques to edit books. Unfortunately, these aren't normally taught to writers, who wind up editing aimlessly without knowing how much editing is enough. In this workshop you'll learn how to analyze fiction using a book map to ensure your structure is sound. You'll also get professional tools that will show you how to edit, in what order, and how to know when you are done.

Kristen Stieffel is a writer and freelance editor specializing in science fiction and fantasy and is an anthology editor for Havok, a flash fiction website focused on the speculative genres. She provides a full range of editorial services and has worked on projects for both the general market and the Christian submarket. Kristen is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and Christian Editor Connection. She is the author of Alara's Call, a fantasy novel, and Tales of the Phoenix, a science fiction novella collection about a Martian airship crew. kristenstieffel.com

In these chaotic times, our creativity and dreams seem under attack...because they are. In the midst of the storm, we wait for calm. But God reveals a different approach to chaos. He invites us to not wait for calm but to actively usher it in through our gifting and presence. Discover why your creativity is under attack, the origin of chaos, and the Creator's approach to defeating chaos. It's a fast-paced teaching session that dives into both mythic and practical ways for re-seeing the power of your creativity - right in the midst of chaos.

Allen Arnold is the author of the The Story of With and (coming 2020) The Defeat of Chaos. His mission is to awaken the hearts of people to pursue their life and art in freedom as sons and daughters of God. He regularly mentors and speaks to the larger creative community - including one of the most successful Shark Tank companies and Dave Ramsey's core marketing team. He leads Content for Ransomed Heart - a ministry founded by the New York Times Bestselling Author of Wild at Heart, John Eldredge. Before that, Allen spent 20 years in Christian Publishing. As the founding Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction, he oversaw the launch of more than 500 novels and received the American Christian Fiction Writers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He loves blue oceans, black coffee, hot salsa, and big ideas.

Follow him on Twitter: @thestoryofwith or reach out to him at withallenarnold@gmail.com for coaching or speaking requests.

How do you know if you're building with straw instead of bricks? Don't wait until someone huffs and puffs and blows your novel down. Paula Moldenhauer and Kathy Kovach will show you how to lay the foundation of your story using tried and true methods such as GMC and Plot Skeleton. From there, you will learn how to employ the Hero's Journey, framing your story until it can stand on its own and become habitable for your characters. Learn to build a house not even the big, bad wolf can blow down!

Kathy Kovach lives in northeast Colorado out where the buffalo roam. She and hubby, Jim, traveled the world via the Air Force, raised two boys during their nomadic lifestyle, and are now grandparents. She enjoys fishing and camping, seeing live plays, and singing either on a praise team at church or loudly in her car to rockin' oldies. kathleenekovach.com