Tag: conferences

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Writing and Publishing

Breathe Life into Your Writing

I attended my first writer’s conference over two years ago. Aside from the presenters, not one attendee had published a book. Some were talking about it, others were working on it, and a few were seeking an agent, but no one had published anything beyond an article.

How discouraging. No one had a success story to share; no one had a book deal to show it could be done. It was an overwhelming feeling that cast a pall over the entire event.

I left discouraged.

The second writing conference I attended was the Breathe Christian Writers Conference. The attitudes and atmosphere there was quite different. Although most attendees were in the not-yet-published category, there where an encouraging minority who had. They shared their successes, not in a look-at-me manner, but with an inspiring you-can-do-it-too perspective.

I left motivated. The conference was what I needed. I knew that with hard work and perseverance I could be like them.

Although we write alone, we need others to encourage us on our journey; they can breathe life into our writing.

[I will soon be attending my third Breathe Writing Conference, October 12-13 and hope to see you there.]

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

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News

Peter DeHaan to Speak at Breathe Conference

Workshop Offered for New Writers, Those Considering a Writing Career, and Writers Who Want to Breathe New Life into Their Work

Mattawan, Michigan, Aug 21, 2011—Author Peter DeHaan will be speaking at the upcoming Breathe Christian Writers Conference taking place on October 12 and 13 in Dutton Michigan, just a couple miles from the Grand Rapids airport (the Gerald R. Ford International Airport).

“I’ve attended the Breathe Christian Writers Conference for the past two years and am excited to be one of this year’s workshop presenters,” stated Peter DeHaan. “It’s a first-class operation and a tremendous value for writers at all levels. I am honored to be part of this year’s conference.” The title of Peter’s workshop is “Writing 101: Getting Started in Your Writing Career.” It is designed for new writers, those considering writing as a career, and those who want to breathe new life into their work.

“I’ve been writing for 30 years—and a writer for three,” DeHaan recently quipped. This is not a dichotomy, but an acknowledgment that Peter has years of experience to share but can do so through the eyes of a relative newbie, who only recently considered writing as his career. Peter DeHaan, a published author since 1983 and a magazine publisher and editor since 2001, will share his insights and offer advice to help attendees get started in the exciting world of writing. Topics include: the myths and misconceptions of being a writer, how to get started—and succeed, avoiding rookie mistakes, tools of the trade, and honing your craft. If you are new to the world of writing or need a primer to get started, this is the ideal session for you.

The keynote for this year’s two-day conference is publisher, speaker, and author Terry Whalin whose sessions will cover “Never, Never, Never Give Up” and “Keep Growing, Keep Learning.” In addition to other general sessions, there will be an array of workshops, plenty of networking opportunities, and time for informal social interaction.

Learn more about the Breathe Christian Writers Conference.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

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News

Kalamazoo Christian Writers Critique Group Holds First Meeting

Peter DeHaan and Jerry Barrett have started a writers critique group, Kalamazoo Christian Writers (KCW), based in Kalamazoo Michigan. The first meeting was held on July 11 at The Point, a non-profit community center located on the west side of Kalamazoo.

KCW materials passed out at the inaugural meeting state, “Though this is a Christian writers group, there is no expectation that all our work must be ostensible ‘Christian’ writing. Christians who write have a place in virtually every genre, market, and industry; we need to embrace and support that.”

“The response was great,” said co-founder Peter DeHaan. “We talked about the vision for the group, shared the critiquing process, and practiced on a couple of pieces.” Attendees were universally excited about the group and what it will offer to improve their writing and advance their careers.

For some time Barrett and DeHaan have been making an hour drive twice a month to take part in another critique group. When they realized the value of group critiquing and with the uncertainty of winter driving in Michigan, they began making plans to form a local group. Though the two intend to remain connected with the first group, this new endeavor, KCW, will be their focus.

“The main value of a critique group is to help the writer to look at the window of the craft of writing not through it,” said co-founder Jerry Barrett. “The goal of critique is to help one another, as writers, to accentuate what is clear for the reader and to remove possible smudges on the pane.”

The critiquing process is scalable, so there’s no limit to the size of the group – and the meeting room is large enough to accommodate a much larger scope. Regardless of the number present, writers will split into manageable sized groups to maximize effectiveness and minimize time requirements. Critiquing is best when done in groups of four or five, with everyone having a piece to share and everyone providing feedback.

The group meets the second Wednesday of each month. Email Peter DeHaan for more information.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

The 2012 Breathe Christian Writers Conference

The 2012 Breathe Christian Writers Conference will be held on October 12 and 13, featuring keynote speaker Terry Whalin. This year the location is being moved to Dutton Michigan, just a couple miles from the Grand Rapids airport (the Gerald R. Ford International Airport).

I’ve been to the last two Breathe conferences and highly recommend attending this year’s symposium. It’s a professionally run event with a highly personal feel. As a bonus, the registration fee is the most affordable.

If you live in southwest Michigan the conference is a quick and easy drive (just off highway M-6, between I-96 and US 131) and if you’re not in the area the nearby airport is convenient and easily accessible.

I hope to see you there.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

2012 Festival of Faith and Writing Conference

Last weekend I attended the Festival of Faith and Writing conference. It was in Grand Rapids at Calvin College. With 2,000 in attendance, it is by far the largest writing conference I’ve attended. At three days in length, it is also the longest.

There were sixty presenters and since I am currently working on two memoir-style books, I attended many sessions covering memoirs. As a special treat,I attended an offsite reading, courtesy of my critique group, featuring River Jordan and Amy Julia Becker.

Overall, I heard ten authors read their work. They were most mesmerizing. I wanted to buy a book from each one. And though I didn’t, I did break my “one-book-per-conference” rule, purchasing a book by both River and Amy Julia. I also won a book from one of the exhibitors, so I ended up with three.

The Festival of Faith and Writing conference is a biannual event, and I recommend you plan on it for 2014.

After the conference, I posted a press release on PRlog about my attendance.

This is the first of two writing conferences I will attend this year, with the other one being Breathe.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

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News

Peter DeHaan Attends 2012 Festival of Faith and Writing Conference

Peter DeHaan attended the recent Festival of Faith and Writing conference held at Calvin College in Grand Rapids Michigan on April 19 through 21. The three-day event was attended by 2,000 from across the United States and around the world; it featured 64 presenters.

At the Festival, attendees were treated to an array of presentations and readings from notable authors, including Lucy Shaw, Shane Claiborne, and scores of other accomplished writers. The event also featured a concert by Bruce Cockburn.

Normally writing non-fiction, DeHaan focused his attention on several presentations about writing memoirs. “I’m currently working on two memoirs,” stated DeHaan. “Both address my lifelong practice of—and struggle with—church attendance. The sessions I attended will be a huge benefit as I write, helping me to navigate some of the tricky challenges that come with memoir writing.”

DeHaan attended sessions led by memoir writers such as Amy Julia Becker, River Jordan, Jana Reiss, Jennifer Grant, Margot Starbuck, Daniel Taylor, Kate Braestrup, and Paula Hudson.

“The Festival of Faith and Writing is a first-class conference,” DeHaan added, “and the beautiful Calvin College campus is an ideal location.” The biennial event started in 1990, with the next one planned for 2014.

For more information, email Peter DeHaan.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

My First Writers’ Retreat

A few years ago, I attended my first writers’ retreat, not a writers’ conference or a writers’ seminar, but a writers’ retreat. For twenty-four hours we immersed ourselves in writing.

There were times of instruction and teaching, as well as food and fun, along with a bit of sleep, but the focus was on writing.

I was inspired and motivated to write. And write I did. I cranked out about 2,000 words for my next book, completing the introductory chapter—at least I thought so.

On the drive home, my writing buddy inspired me through our conversation and I decided to expand the chapter. I later added another 1,000 words to it. Plus, I now have the opening sentences for the remaining eight chapters, along with some specific content ideas.

None of this would have happened without the writers’ retreat. Yes, I could have stayed home and written, but I doubt my words would have been as good, as many, or as inspired.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Festival of Faith and Writing Conference

There is a writing conference that I’ve been hearing a lot about lately, the “Festival of Faith and Writing,” held at nearby Calvin College. It first came to my attention just after the last conference.

My friend Gerald the Writer, a follower and frequent commenter of this blog, has been three times and speaks highly of it, as has every person who mentions it.

It is on my calendar and will be one of the two conferences I plan to attend in 2012. (I limit myself to two writing conferences per year and even removed one from my schedule to make room for this one.)

Here is the 411:

Festival of Faith and Writing
Calvin College
April 19-21, 2012
festival.calvin.edu/

If you attend, let’s do lunch!

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

Buy One Book, Get Two Free

At the Breathe Writers Conference, I attempted to follow my self-imposed limit of one book per conference—a practical step given my proclivity to acquire books faster than I can read them.

I bought the latest book by our keynote, Caryn Rivadeneira. Her book, Grumble Hallelujah, was just released in August. I classify it as a memoir-style. Yet one person bristled at that characterization, preferring the label of spiritual development. Caryn writes in a conversational and accessible style, with enough self-disclosure to draw in and connect with readers.

Her speaking style is much the same. I noticed that in both of her presentations, she read her introductions, but delivered them with such skill and pacing as to be largely unnoticed. Then she would segue to an outline for the rest of talks. Her transitions from script to notes were imperceptible.

When I asked her to sign Grumble Hallelujah, we had a chance to talk a bit. I complimented her speaking style and she surprised me by professing to be an extreme introvert. I guess most writers are, but I would have never guessed it with her.

The next day, at a lunch session with Timothy Burns about writers groups, I answered his opening trivia question and was awarded a free book: Your Exceptional Life Begins Now. It is a collection of stories, one of which was written by the speaker. (Can you ask a contributor to an anthology to sign the book? If so, on the title page or the chapter they wrote?) The question I answered was “What were the Inklings?”

At the conference’s concluding session, my name was selected to win a book. Drawings had been occurring throughout the event, but the odds were not in my favor. With only a trio of give-a-ways remaining, my name was called. In this case, I did judge the books by their covers. Two had prominently pink designs, giving off a distinctive feminine vibe. I grabbed the third, a novel by Nancy Rue, called The Reluctant Prophet. I can hardly wait to start it.

So, despite buying only one book, I came home with three.

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.

Categories
Writing and Publishing

2011 Breathe Writers Conference

Last weekend I attended the Breathe Christian Writers Conference in West Olive Michigan. It was my second year and the conferences’ fifth or sixth. Breathe is a value-packed conference that is priced right. Although most attendees were from southern Michigan, some came from out of state, as far away as Texas. Interestingly, Breathe was founded and is organized by a local writers group, The Writers’ Guild, an octet of talented, published ladies.

In addition to main sessions, featuring an author and keynote speaker Caryn Rivadeneira, there were 24 breakout sessions to pick from and a concluding panel discussion. The sessions I attended were:

  • Creating the Best First Line (Cynthia Beach)
  • Digital World 101 (David Frees)
  • Publishing Process Overview (Andrew Rogers)
  • Agenting 101: Finding an Agent (Karen Neumair)
  • Adding Market Value with Study Questions (Sharron Carrns)
  • Book Publicity 201 (Kelly Hughes)

Of course, there were 18 sessions that I couldn’t go to, many of which held equal interest and pull. I also was able to talk with friends from prior conferences and meet with an agent. See what you missed?

My head is still spinning with all the information that was shared and the ideas that were generated. My to-do list is long and will keep me busy for quite some time.

Next year’s conference will be October 12-13, 2012 and it is already on my calendar. I encourage you to add it to yours—and hope to see you there.

What writing conferences have you attended?

Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.