The free and the brave

How a writers conference can change your writing life

Happy Independence Day! I realize you’re probably watching a parade or cooking or eat or escaping the heat by watching a marathon of Rocky movies on TV, so I’ll make this quick, friends. The WCCW Flash sale is on now and ends this Tuesday, so I wanted to just pop in and remind you to register.

As I’ve said here before, your next step as a writer, no matter where you are on the journey, is probably to attend a writers conference. And right now, West Coast Christian Writers conference tickets are on sale. Now—you might not live in Southern California, but this provides the perfect opportunity to visit. (I believe a few of us are also planning to visit DisneyLand the day after.) Prices go up on Tuesday, so why not take a break from holiday revelry and register?

Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/

A conference is a place to connect with other writers, talk to editors and agents, take classes on all aspects of writing and publishing. It’s also a place you might find a new friend.

I’m excited about this year’s conference, because for the first time we will be in southern California, in beautiful Orange County.

I’m teaching a one day CREW workshop on self-publishing, and a workshop on Crafting Compelling Nonfiction. I’ll also be meeting with writers and offering them encouraging, honest feedback on their work.

There are workshops and classes on fiction, nonfiction, marketing, editing and more. You can check out all the offerings here. There are also opportunities to meet with editors and agents to pitch your work—but those go fast so I’d recommend registering today so you can nab one of those.

If you’re just starting out, you might feel hesitant to call yourself a writer. But if you invest in your writing, become not just someone who thinks about writing but someone actively learning and doing, you access a sort of freedom that you didn’t know you were missing. A joy that comes from doing what you love, for a purpose.

Photo by Designecologist: https://www.pexels.com/

What if you were free to call yourself a writer? Free to pursue your calling and find your tribe?

If you’re brave enough to let others read your work and give honest feedback, a strange thing happens: you get braver. You do the hard thing, and get stronger and more courageous.

I hope to see you in SoCal in October. If money’s a bit tight, there are partial scholarships available on a limited basis—another reason to register right away.

P.S. Know a writer who needs to go to a conference? Please share this with them by clicking below.

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