I can go online, search for writers’ conferences, and get a huge list I could read in, ooohhh, let’s say, about 8 hours – if I wanted to spend my time that way. The things they have in common are classes teaching:
Writing
Marketing
Editing
Publishing
And they will provide:
Inspiration
Opportunities to meet fellow writers
Opportunities to make writing friends
And most will have opportunities to meet with agents and editors.
I can also find conferences lasting from one day to all summer. There are conferences online, in-person, and both. They are close to home and far away. They focus on all genres, or only one. They come from different points of view – secular, spiritual, Buddhist, communist, ecological, etc. And some are Christian.
So, why should I choose GPCWC over all the others?
Heart.
The heart of the conference. The heart of the staff and faculty. The heart of the conferees. The heart of the world.
First, I am Christian, so I prefer Christian conferences. The list is still long.
Next, I review speakers and select conferences with those I want to learn from. Finally, I look at where they are and how much they cost.
What makes GPCWC different? What makes GPCWC stand out?
In addition to the above list they build me up as a Christian and help me as I evangelize through my writing. All Christians are called by Jesus to evangelize (Mark 16:15).
We all know this world and this country have turned away from our first love, Jesus (Rev. 2:4).
It requires only a few moments watching the television or reading the news or listening to our neighbors fight or walking along a downtown street in any major city and you know this world and country are sliding off a cliff into the depths of evil.
Our desire is to turn off the TV news reports, stop reading the news, hide in our homes behind the pretty white picket fence where everything is beautiful and there are no lions who wander the streets seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Or is that just what we desire to believe regardless of the truth?
At GPCWC (June 24-26) one of the keynotes and a seven-hour continuing session will focus on the issues facing our nation – on those things we desire to ignore, but ones that God wants us to see and where He wants us to shine His redemptive Love.
I will attend these presentations at GPCWC and listen to what the Lord wants me to do and where He wants me to be.
As Officer Logan Taul’s nightstick plummets toward the teen’s arm, he sees the monster he has become reflected in the warped storefront window.
Thus begins his journey, back to the officer, man, and father he wants to be. Logan must face his own nature and insecurities and defy those who do not want him to succeed. His quest for redemption leads him to search for the family he deserted. Despite physical attacks on both himself and those he loves, and attempts to frame him, can he bring his family back together? Will he once more wear the badge in a position of trust?
Because of going virtual this year, we have decided not to offer Teens Write. But teens are the future, and it’s important to support and encourage them. So please see the email below from one of our team members, Darcie Gudger, and pass it on to a teen who is interested in writing or to your church secretary. With going virtual, teens from all over the country can participate. And at $59, it’s one-third the price of an adult registration.
Hey aspiring teen writers,
Things are a bit different this year… well, they have been different for the past year and a half.
Anyway, since there is no Teens Write with the virtual June 24-26 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, your friendly neighborhood Teen’s Write expert (me!) has curated a list of continuing sessions and workshops to help boost your novel-writing aspirations.
Before I share the list, lean in. Closer. I have a secret. Don’t tell the adults because they don’t get this deal.
For you guys who are in 6th – 12th grade, we will reduce the cost of the conference to only $59 dollars.
SHHHHH! I know you’re excited and the shrieks are bursting from your lips. Because you teens are my FAVORITE people, the conference director decided to give your MORE than 50% off. Actually, my calculator tells me it’s one-third off! How cool is that? It’s the cost of a Switch game.
I hope I can connect with you all over a lunch or dinner break during the conference so we can chat about writing. And remember, this deal is for teens ONLY! Because you are awesome and I want to see a lot of you!
From the desk of the Mad Scribbler,
Darcie Editor, Instructor Author of SPIN, TOSS, and CATCH
P.S. Here’s the list:
The Novelist’s Toolbox – a 7.5 hour continuing session spread over 3 days
Deep, deep, deeper POV – taught by a literary agent
Researching your novel – with best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs
Grammar – what you really need to know – a class taught to college students
Baker’s Dozen of reasons why YOU need to come . . .
#13 Going virtual. Save $$$ – NO cost for travel, lodging, and meals!
#12 Connect with other writers through breakouts and online chat.
#11 Six-hours in a LIVE continuing session. Choose from eight offered.
#10 Total of 42 workshops plus pre-conference webinars & zoom meetings.
#9 LIVE panels – agents, editors, indie publishers.
#8 LIVE mealtime breakouts. Get your questions answered.
#7 Five LIVE inspiring keynotes.
#6 Faculty of 65 agents, editors, authors, and other professionals.
#5 Appointments with editors and agents.
#4 Author’s Night and opportunity to sell your latest book.
#3 Worship with Marty Goetz.
#2 Experience a new or renewed vision for your writing ministry.
#1 And . . . videos of everything (over 100 HOURS) available to view for two months after the conference at NO additional charge! Plus this year’s registration fee is half what our last three day conference cost.
Thinking on my feet was never one of my strong points.
I remember my very first television interview for the book that accumulated 42 rejection slips over the six years I worked to find a home for it. When the invite came to be live on TBN, I was more panicked than excited. I made my list of ten interview questions as requested and tried to memorize my answers. I even did a practice interview with a friend.
I was beyond nervous when I arrived at the studio. Seeing the circular staircase I would need to walk down to get on the set didn’t help. PTL I didn’t fall down the stairs, but my mouth fell open and my mind went blank when I was asked:
Why did you write this book?
I remember my mind racing and my frantic prayer. “God, help! That wasn’t one of the questions!”
I don’t remember what I answered, but the next 30 minutes flew by. To my amazement I was asked to come back the next time I was on the west coast.
Why am I sharing this story? Because it’s critical that we know the why as well as the who, what, when, and why of what we’re writing.
Who is our audience. What need are we addressing. When and WHY nd where of what we are writing.
ho, what, when, and why I don’t want you to have the same experience Friday, June 25, during the Author’s Night at the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference when Eric Sprinkle and Darcie Gudger ask you why you wrote your book – why people need to read it.
Eric will have the timer set on his iPhone, so you won’t have time to mentally rehearse what you want to say or to ramble as you think out loud.
So be prepared! It’s amazing how thinking ahead, and especially praying ahead, relieves anxiety. And the bottom line is I guarantee you will enjoy our Author’s Night. Hopefully you will also get orders for an autographed copy of your book.
We did a lot of thinking and praying about how to make it possible for you to sell your book at our VIRTUAL conference. PTL we’ve found a way to make it work. To find out what you need to do ASAP if you’re planning on coming to the conference and have a book to sell, go to “Selling Your Book” at https://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com.
I’d love to see you, and your book, June 24-26.
Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of— infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. Ephesians 3:20 TLB
Do you believe God can use the words you write to bring our nation back to Him?
At the June 24-26 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference you will learn tons about the craft of writing and marketing. In fact, your registration will give you access to over 90 hours of valuable information that you can view for two months after the conference – information that will help launch or expand your writing ministry whether it be through a nonfiction book, novel, personal experience story, article, or poetry.
But GPCWC will also encourage and equip you to address the issues facing our nation. After Leona Choy’s Thursday evening’s keynote, the six faculty teaching the “Impact Our Culture” continuing session will share in a panel discussion and lead us in a time of praying for our nation.
A keynote you won’t want to miss!
Leona Choy will turn ninety-six two days before the conference. She says, “As writers who are Christians, we can’t afford to stand down, to back off from writing honest words in appropriate ways. We can’t afford to live or write on the safe side by avoiding controversial topics. We must tackle edgy subject matter.
“We can’t be wimpy writers. Let’s stand our ground and stand up for our faith and truth and righteousness even if we stand out with a target on our back. When we see deception and fakery, God is counting on us to pray and write well with courage.”
Will you accept the challenge to “Write – and Live – His Answer”?
Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I began this blog post on a bitter cold day in February. Now it’s mid-March. Still cold, but no snow. Keep reading and you’ll discover why it’s taken so long to post this.
Below is an excerpt from my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers,that was first published in 1990 and is still in print in an expanded edition.
It is a bitter cold February day. As I sit at my computer and look out the window, I can’t help but daydream. A winter storm has encrusted the trees and bushes with a thick layer of ice that glistens in the bright sunshine. Spring seems a long way off. Wistfully I dream of golden daffodils and fragrant lilacs.
My thoughts wander to the vegetable seeds I planted yesterday in window boxes on my toasty radiator. Although they are weeks from sprouting, I’m already thinking how good it will be to have fresh, homegrown tomatoes, peppers, and cauliflower. The ringing of the phone brings me back to the present and, after a brief conversation, back to this blank screen. “Lord, what do you want to say through me?” I ask.
“Bear fruit,” I feel Him speak to my heart.
I sigh. For all my hard work this past month, I don’t feel I have borne much fruit. January’s mail was slow to bring acceptances or checks.
“I feel as if I’ve plowed and planted my garden, but nothing is growing,” I complain. “It’s not that I mind the hard work, Lord. But when am I going to see the fruit of my labors?”
“Have you forgotten what I taught you about abiding?”
I open my Bible to John 15:4 and read: “Take care to live in me, and let me live in you. For a branch can’t produce fruit when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from me” (TLB).
I think back over the past weeks and the many excuses I’ve made to shortchange my quiet time with the Lord. It’s no wonder my writing is not bearing fruit. I have been trying to do it in my strength instead of His.
Again the Lord reminds me that my relationship with Him is more important than anything I can do for Him. Then, in a new way, I also see the kind of fruit He longs for me to bear. Far more important than powerful prose or beautiful poetry is the fruit of Christlikeness.
“But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,” I read from Galatians 5:22-23 (TLB). I have to admit that sometimes this fruit is sadly lacking in my life.
LOVE for the Lord and my readers is not always my motivating force. Too often I am caught up in the ego trip of seeing my name in bigger and better magazines. When editors do not accept my work, I do not feel very loving towards them.
My JOY is lost when I push myself to get manuscripts in the mail and measure my fruitfulness by the number of acceptances I receive in return. My PEACE is destroyed when I take my focus off the Lord and put it on myself – on my goals, my needs, my feelings.
My PATIENCE wears thin when things don’t happen as quickly as I want and feel they should. Instead of waiting on God and his perfect timing, I become discouraged and irritable. I say unkind things to the people I love, especially to my children, when they interrupt me when I’m trying to write.
GOODNESS makes me think of Paul’s words about Jesus: “He went around doing good” (Acts 10:38 TLB). Am I “doing good” through what I write? Using Lee Roddy’s acrostic, BERT, do my words really Benefit my readers? Do they Enrich them? Are they Relevant and Timely?
FAITHFULNESS. The Bible assures me that “the one who calls [me] is faithful” (1 Thess. 5:24 NIV). Therefore, I do not have to become consumed by the dollars and hours part of my writing – by the little I earn for the long hours I work. Instead, I can choose to trust His promise to supply all my needs (Phil. 4:19) and to remain faithful to my call to write His answer.
GENTLENESS, I learn as I look at the original Greek meaning of the word, is not just the way I treat others. The NIV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament translates it as “meekness.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says, “It consists not in a person’s ‘outward’ behaviour only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men. . . . It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting.” In other words, instead of almost demanding that God “bless” my ministry, I must surrender my desires to Him. I need to follow Jesus’ example and remember how He took on “the very nature of a servant, . . . humbled himself and became obedient to death” (Phil. 2:7-8 NIV).
SELF-CONTROL makes me think of discipline and my need to take control of the hours in each day, as well as my thoughts, feelings, and actions which often defeat me. I can choose to dwell on the positives and not procrastinate. Most of all, I can choose to relinquish control of my life to the Lord every day and trust Him to work in me and through me.
“Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches,” I feel Him speak to me again through his Word. “Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit” (John 15:5 TLB). He doesn’t say when, but He also doesn’t say maybe. Instead, He gives me the conditions. I must deliberately choose to abide in Him and submit wholeheartedly to His pruning of my motives and goals. I must take care to stay close to Him – to let Him live in me. Only then will my life and my words bear fruit.
Write His Answer by Marlene Bagnull is a “must-have” resource for any writer. It offers the perfect balance of practical tools, personal honesty, and insightful passages of Scripture. I was inspired by her wisdom and challenged to answer God’s call to write in authentic, life-changing ways. Write His Answer will help you solidify your calling and get to the root of insecurities may writers face. Angela Donadio Recording Artist, Blogger, Author http://www.angeladonadio.com
For 30 years Write His Answer has encouraged writers. An autographed copy is available for only $10 plus shipping. Click here. You can save the cost of shipping by ordering $35 from the Write His Answer bookstore where you’ll find over 120 writing how-to books as well as the 2021 Christian Writers Market Guide – ALL DISCOUNTED!
Now, to share why it’s taken so long to post. I’ve been working on the 2021 Greater Philly and Colorado Christian Writers Conference! Due to the continuing pandemic, out of an abundance of caution we’re going virtual, but both conferences will be highly interactive and virtually amazing. The faculty is almost in place for both conferences. See who is coming by visiting https://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com and https://colorado.writehisanswer.com. And save the date!
Ten and a half years ago we moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania. As someone has said, “I could write a book” about all ways I saw God at work. The blessing of being within walking distance of our three grandkids on half an acre of land where I can play in the dirt is a dream come true. Sadly my arthritic knees no longer allow me to do much walking, and it’s getting harder to keep 23 garden plots weeded. Yes, I really do have 23 gardens!
Because the coronavirus forced me to cancel the Colorado Christian Writers Conference that would have been held last week, I’ve been able to get my vegetable gardens planted early. Now if only the bunnies and deer do not eat everything . . .
I would have gotten home from Colorado very early this morning. As I’ve often said, I would have hit the ground running because the Philly conference would be just a little over two months away. But not this year! 😦
After directing the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference for 36 years, I’ve had to make the very difficult decision to also postpone the Philly conference to 2021. Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where I live and where the conference is held, is in lockdown until June 4. Even after (if) that is lifted, my daughter who is a doctor says we will still need to stay at home because my husband and I are high risk. And sadly, some of our faculty and conferees who come each year are also high risk. The bottom line – I don’t see how several hundred people can safely distance.
I probably won’t have a date for 2021 until January. My first choice date is July 28-31. Other options are July 21-24 or August 4-7. I hope you’ll pencil them in on your calendar as I have asked the faculty who were planning to come this year to do.
I hope to offer some online clinics this summer. Meanwhile, I want to encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to increase your writing and marketing skills through this HALF-PRICE SPECIAL for MP3s of the 2019 Philly conference.
Download the entire conference(75 sessions) $262 value!
GPCWC alumni from any year Only $77 now $38
Non-conferees – $107 now $53
OR
One to six sessions – $4.00 now $2.00 each Seven or more sessions – $3.50 now $1.75 each
Offer good through May 30
PA residents add 6% sales tax Price includes handouts if faculty provided them
Send check payable to GPCWC to 951 Anders Road Lansdale, PA 19446 OR Send payment via PayPal to mbagnull@aol.com
Father, You know the heartache so many are experiencing because of this pandemic that has taken the lives of loved ones and has resulted in the loss of so many jobs. Please give us words to comfort, encourage, and turn hearts to You. Help us not to miss the ways You are “blessing our nest.”
This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Psalm 91:2 (NLT2)
I’ve been praying and waiting until the Estes Park YMCA reopened April 7 to decide whether or not to cancel this year’s Colorado Christian Writers Conference. Since daily the pandemic has worsened with no end in sight and I learned that the Y is now closed until April 30, I have finally made the very difficult decision to postpone CCWC to May 12-15, 2021.
It would have been our 24th year on the mountain,
but I believe it’s the wisest thing to do since I seriously doubt the CDC will say it’s safe for groups of 50+ (or even 10+) to meet in just a little over six weeks or for folks who are high risk to attend conferences. As for social distancing, I don’t see how that would be possible.
Because of a printing glitch, I have an extra 2,500 brochures for this year’s CCWC. I can easily change the date. So far all the 2020 faculty I’ve heard from are on board for 2021. So please put May 12-15, 2021 on your calendar and bookmark the conference website at https://colorado.writehisanswer.com.
I have prayed about the possibility of offering this year’s conference online, but with the loss of income so many are experiencing I don’t know there would be a strong enough response to cover the cost. Instead, I’m hoping to offer some online workshops throughout the year for a donation of whatever, if anything, you can afford. I’m also hopeful that it will be safe to hold the July 22-25 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.
My husband and I are in our 70s and have invested thousands of dollars in this year’s CCWC that we expected to recoup after all the conference expenses were paid. Would you please help us by considering one of the options below?
Grow Your Writing Ministry
MP3s of my latest seminar plus 20 pages of handouts. Originally $18 plus $3 shipping, but now available for a donation of any amount.
Workshop 1 – Go, Grow & Write through the Hurts Jesus never promised it would be easy to follow Him, but He has promised always to be with us. Biblical principles for those times that test and stretch our faith and later become the focus of our writing and speaking ministry.
Workshop 2 – Discover God’s Plan for Your Ministry Is God calling you to write an article, story, or book? Who is your audience? What are their needs? How will you reach them? Should you look for a publisher or go indie? What are the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and indie publishing?
Workshop 3 – You Can Do It! “For such a time as this” God has provided the technology to reach the world with the words He is calling us to write. How to indie publish affordably yet professionally.
Workshop 4 – Think Big Because You Serve a Big God How to cut the old tapes, stop listening to the wrong voices, and accomplish what God is calling you to do.
Books
Write His Answer has an inventory of several thousand dollars of books. I’m glad to let you have them at the price I paid for them plus $4 for postage for one, $6 for postage for two or more. For now here are just a few that I highly recommend:
Christian Writers Manual of Style – This 622
page essential reference book is the Chicago Manual of Style for Christian writers. Retail, $34.99; my price $22.
Communicate to Change Lives – Written by Jim
Watkins, I think this is a book every Christian writer needs to read. Retail, $10; my price $6.
2020 Christian Writers Market Guide – Retail,
$24.99; my price $15.24.
Write His Answer: A Bible Study for Christian Writers – The third edition of my book that has been in print for 28 years. It sells for $13.99 on Amazon; for $10 on my website. You can have it for my cost of $2.99, proof that indie publishing is something to seriously consider.
MP3s of workshops from the 2019 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.
Click here for last year’s brochure to see what was taught, and click here to listen online or download workshops to your computer at 50% off the price noted on the webpage.
CDs from last year’s CCWC.
Click here for last year’s brochure to see what was taught and click here for the order form. Again, you can take 50% off the price.
If you’ve not already downloaded the free MP3s of two workshops I taught last month, I encourage you to do so. They are “The Power of Story – of Your Testimony” and “How to Write Personal Experience Stories.” Click here for more info and the link to access them. One of the gals in my critique group shared her testimony in a letter she sent to all of her neighbors.
Father, please rest Your healing hand on those who are sick
and protect our health care workers who are on the front lines. Give wisdom to those working to find a cure and to develop a vaccine. Help us to grow closer to You and to “write Your answer.” Turn our nation back to You.
Trusting in the Lord – Marlene
Some prayer requests:
Please pray for our daughter. She is a pediatrician and is in the office five days a week to hopefully keep children out of the ER. She said children can get covid-19 but not as severely as adults, so she may already have been exposed. She is wearing a mask and gloves and isolating herself in her bedroom when she is home. Because she still could be bringing the virus into their home, we have not been with our grandchildren for 3 weeks. I long to hug them, but we social distance when they come over to walk our dog.
Our son-in-law’s brother is in the ICU with covid-19, and our county has the most infections in Pennsylvania. I can’t imagine the fear folks in New York City and other hot spots are experiencing. It does make the need to “write His answer” more urgent than ever.
Please pray for staff/faculty member Darcie Gudger’s dad and mom. Darcie writes, “My dad, Robert Yetter, has been in the hospital for several weeks in Wilkes-Barre Geisinger Wyoming Valley, PA. He isn’t doing well. It’s been a roller coaster of health. Today, he suddenly lost his vision. Pray for a miracle. It’s especially hard during this quarantine time. Mom can’t be with him. She is alone. My sister (in Blue Bell, PA) has to stay home b/c it’s one of the highest concentrations of COVID19. My dad’s business is suffering b/c no one but him can do the billing. Bills are piling up, Mom doesn’t have income. It’s a mess. They love the Lord. My dad even shared his faith with the hospital chaplain who had never heard the gospel before. Pray God will be glorified and that we will be able to see my dad this summer when we come out to PA for GPCWC. Feel free to share with your prayer people. This is a desperate plea to the Lord.”
God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 46:1-2 TLB
It’s been almost a week since our daughter told us we should not leave our home because we are both high risk. She did our grocery shopping and left the bags on the back porch. Deb is a physician, so even though this seemed drastic, we listened. Given the spread of covid-19 (the county we live in now has the highest number of cases in Pennsylvania) and the national emergency that has been declared, I’m grateful.
As schools close around the nation and daily more events are cancelled, I’ve wondered what to do about the May 13-16 Colorado and July 22-25 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conferences. I honestly don’t know. Right now all I can do is pray and wait and see.
I have assured those on Colorado’s faculty that I will understand if they feel they need to cancel. Of course, the same is true for conferees who have already registered. I will refund anyone who feels it is not wise for them to come. The faculty and program is not yet finalized for the Philly conference.
Although I certainly hope and pray summer will bring an end to the virus, at least through the end of March I’m not going to focus on the conferences but instead invite you to join me in the following:
Pray, and not just tomorrow, Sunday, March 15, that President Trump has declared a national day of prayer. Pray daily for local, state, national, and world leaders that they would make wise decisions; for those who are ill with covid-19 and their caregivers; for medical scientists to develop an effective treatment and vaccine.
Pray much for others.” 1 Timothy 2:1 TLB
Balance time reading and listening to the news with digging into God’s Word. Of course, it’s important to stay informed, but if we pay attention only to what the world is saying and not to how God will speak to us through His Word, we’ll add to the panic that also threatens to become pandemic.
The whole Bible “is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.” 2 Timothy 3:17 TLB
Encourage others through posting on social media words of reassurance and hope from the Scriptures.
Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” 1 Peter 5:7 TLB
Use the gift of words Father has entrusted to you to write blogs and posts to encourage readers to trust the Lord during this time of uncertainty.
Encourage each other to build each other up.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 TLB
As your daily routines are disrupted, ask the Lord, “What do You want me to do today?”
Make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good.” Ephesians 5:16 TLB
Friends, let’s rest in the fact that none of what is happening has surprised the Lord or made it impossible for Him to intervene.
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
Write His Answer 