ACFW thoughts!

I haven’t missed the last 3 American Christian Fiction Writers conferences, so I’m really sad that I won’t be attending this year. I always come back with market information, new craft knowledge, and a long list of e-mail addresses from new friends. There’s nothing like spending time with people who have the same passion for both the Lord and writing. After exchanging e-mail with Joyce Livingston, Pamela Kaye Tracy, Janet Spaeth, Gail Sattler, Pamela Griffin, Janet Barton, Margaret Daley, Rhonda Gibson, Beth White, and Gail Gaymer Martin for years, we were old friends by the time we met in person. I also enjoyed spending time with my Barbour editors Becky Germany, Susan Downs, and JoAnne Simmons.

Fortunately, my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray http://www.tamelahancockmurray.com/, will be there for part of it this year, and she’ll be able to fill me in on the latest market news. Lena Nelson Dooley, Lisa Harris, and Kim Vogel Sawyer, the other 3 authors in the Montana Mistletoe anthology http://montanamistletoe.blogspot.com/, will also be there, so it’ll be nice to hear feedback from them.

Something I’ve learned over the years of writing is that connecting with other writers is not only good for us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, it also provides us with opportunities to improve craft. Whether sitting in a workshop, soaking up new information from a speaker, or having breakfast with editors, agents, and authors who recently had a manuscript requested, there’s always something exciting to learn.