UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming: August '23 - Rick Acker with Tension & Conflict

Upcoming: September '23 - Robin Lee Hatcher with Writing as A Career

Upcoming: October ’23 – To Be Announced

*NEW* AFTERWORD - Past Events *NEW*

A quick thought (or two) about the presentations brought to ACFW DFW each month. 

We thank our presenters for their time, energy, and the great information they share with us!

Past Event: June '23 - Arielle Haughee: Your Pacing Score: A Numeric System for Finding the Slow Spots
(and tips to fix them)

Arielle Haughee (pronounced Hoy) joined ACFW DFW in June to speak on pacing. One of the most common issues in novel drafts is pacing. Too fast? Too slow? Saggy middle? The initial challenge is gaining perspective on your manuscript. This scoring system can help analyze your scene flow and determine slow spots. 

The AFTERWORD: working through this technique helped authors identify where their pacing needed to be adjusted, thereby taking some of the guesswork out of the equation of writing. 

Learn more about Haughee at Orange Blossom Publishing. 

Past Event: May '23 - Sara Turnquist: Characterology

Info coming soon about this past event

Past Event: April '23 - Annual Mini Conference
Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Goddard

ACFW DFW held their annual Writers Mini Conference on Saturday, April 8, 2023 completely online. It was a fun-filled day with multiple speakers, fellowship time, and door prizes. 
  • Elizabeth Goddard, Keynote Speaker – Brainstorming Your Way to Publishing Success
  • Elizabeth Goddard will give an additional presentation – You Need Killer Instincts to Write Romantic Suspense
  • Janice Thompson – Making the Sale
    Artistic graphic of a brain super-imposed on top of a page of words with colors storming their way out of the brain.
    ACFW DFW Presents 2023 Writing Mini Conference
  • Jamie Hixon – What Acting Taught Me About Dialogue
  • Matt Jones – 10 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Author Website

Past Event: March '23 - Rebecca Yauger

Woman with shoulder-length salt and pepper colored hair and a big smile. Wearing a green v-neck shirt.
Rebecca Yauger

ACFW DFW members learned the specifics of Making the Most of ACFW when ACFW National member (and newly re-appointed webmaster) Rebecca Yauger visited with her presentation on Saturday, March 11, 2023. 

Yauger discussed the benefits of ACFW membership, the ins and outs of Fiction Finder (FF), as well as ways to make the most of any writing organization.

The AFTERWORD: Yauger updated us about various perks within ACFW membership including the yearly conference, Novel Track Writing and other group enrollment, as well as Fiction Finder, which is open to all (not only ACFW members).

Even long-time members were excited to learn of the ways FF and other ACFW involvement could assist with writer/author recognition.   

Yauger can be found online at her writing home: Rebecca Yauger

Past Event: February '23 - Peyton Roberts

ACFW DFW welcomed Peyton Roberts on Saturday, February 11, 2023, as she shared: Get Ready to Launch: Building Lasting Connections with Readers during a Book Launch.    

Roberts’ presentation blurb: The process of bringing a book into the world can feel overwhelming and riddled with the awkwardness of self-promotion. In this collaborative workshop, Christian author and communications professional Peyton Roberts share(d) recent best practices and hard-earned insights to help writers build authentic connections with readers during every step of a book launch.

 The AFTERWORD: Roberts’ presentation was so informative, there were multiple take-aways! But one important one is to ask the question of ourselves as writers ready to launch our books, “How will this (email, podcast, social media post, etc.) build relationships (with my readers).” She asked, “Am I posting out of fear, or because I actually have something to say?”

 Her previous book: Beneath the Seams: A Social Impact Novel

Past Event: January '23 - Jeaninne Stokes

ACFW DFW started the year right when we welcomed Jeaninne Stokes for her inspirational message, Moving Forward With the Call of Writing in 2023 on Saturday, January 14, 2023.    

Starting the year right with inspiration by Jeannine Stokes

Another year to write for the kingdom. How do you continue to answer the call now that another year has dawned?  Stokes shared the charge God gave Joshua to help him move forward to encourage and inspire us in our calling as Christian writers to begin another year.

 The AFTERWORD: Among the many motivational points Stokes presented, she offered five promises that we as Christian writers can stand on including 

Phillipians 4:13 as relying on the One who gives us strength and Psalm 18:29 to help scaling the wall of doubt we so often encounter in this industry.

This writer was inspired by Stokes to not look back (on 2022), and to put renewed energy into looking forward in 2023.

Smiling writer sitting at desk with computer and notebook in front of her.
Jeannine Stokes

Stokes is a Christian author, educator & Bible-teacher who answered the call of Christian writing in 2002, and has since published five books. She is the founder of Inspiration for Living Ministries, a Bible-teaching ministry sharing the Word of God, as well as Writing For Him Educational Services, the educational branch of her writing ministry.