Make Yourself Unforgettable to Agents, Editors, and Readers with James L. Rubart

by Past Events

Do you understand branding what your personal brand is? Do you realize how the right branding can make you and the wrong branding can break you? In this course, Christy Hall of Fame author and marketing expert, James L. Rubart will show you how to discover your brand and how to use it to stand out to editors, agents, and readers, as well as how to apply it to your website and every other aspect of your marketing and career.

James Rubart with ACFW DFW July 2021

James L. Rubart is the best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame, Carol, INSPY, and RT Book Reviews award-winning author of ten novels, co-author of the time-traveling detective series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone, co-owner of The Rubart Writing Academy, and an audiobook narrator. He lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington.

Registration for this event is required. Clink link below:

James Rubart with ACFW DFW July 2021

For more information about Rubart, visit his website: https://jameslrubart.com/.

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters, https://twitter.com/acfwdfw, and https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/

April 2021 – Mini Conference “Light Writers”

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW for our annual mini-conference (online) Saturday, April 10, 9am to 3pm CDT. This year’s theme is “Light Writers.” Interact with four speakers as they present on five different topics. We’ll also have (online) breakout rooms during lunch where attendees can interact with like-minded writers as well as some of our speakers.

Our award-winning keynote, Sarah Sundin, will present two programs. Her first presentation is titled, “Making Fiction Come to Life.” Her second, “No Missed Deadlines—Strategies to Keep You on Track,” will explore practical ways writers can track assignments and manage their goals. 

Literary agent Mary DeMuth will address questions regarding “What Can an Agent Do for You?” 

Lisa Bell’s “Self-Publishing 101” workshop will examine the pros and cons of various publishing platforms and tools to help with the process. 

William “Bud” Humble, president of W.O.R.D. (Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas) and co-founder of Writers in the Field will wrap up the day with,  “After the First Draft—Turning Lead into Gold.”

Registration Required - Tickets Here

ACFW DFW Light Writers 2021 (Online) Mini Conference 

ACFW DFW Members: $30
Non-Members: $35
Students: $20

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To attend this event, click link above.
A board member will contact attendees by Wednesday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, April 10.
Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com

For more information and to keep up with monthly meeting and information about ACFW DFW, visit us at:

ACFW DFW Facebook

ACFW DFW Instagram

ACFW DFW Twitter

Guests may attend free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.
Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is
available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate
members, paid to ACFW DFW Square – meeting payments. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

Sarah Sundin 

Keynote Speaker – Presentation 1

Making Fiction Come to Life

 “I felt like I was there!” In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to draw readers into our stories so they become the characters, live in the setting, and the plot fully engages them. Also, we’ll look at how to describe the story-world without overwhelming the reader with details.

Sarah Sundin is a bestselling author of World War II novels, including When Twilight Breaks. Her novel The Land Beneath Us was a 2020 Christy Award finalist, The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award, and two of her novels were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.”

A mother of three adult children, Sundin lives in northern California and enjoys speaking for church, community, and writers’ groups. She serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Her books include: When Twilight Breaks (Revell, February 2021) and The Land Beneath Us (Revell, 2020).

Website: Sarah Sundin’s Website

Facebook: Sarah Sundin Author FB

Twitter: Sarah Sundin Twitter

Instagram: Sarah Sundin Instagram

Sarah Sundin

 Keynote Speaker – Presentation 2

No Missed Deadlines—Strategies to Keep You on Track

Writing for publication means deadlines—not only for manuscripts, but for publisher’s title questionnaires, blog interviews, endorsement requests, and more. Without a system of organization, things can fall through the cracks, tainting our professional reputation. In this workshop, we’ll explore practical ways to track assignments and manage goals, using calendars, charts and files

Sarah Sundin

Mary DeMuth

What Can an Agent Do for You?

 In this session, literary agent Mary DeMuth will discuss: 

  • The benefits of having a literary agent
  • Putting our best literary foot forward 
  • Best practices in finding an agent
  • How platform plays into our chances with an agent
  • Knowing the Christian publishing industry to help pitching our stories
  • Strong pitch sessions
  • One sheets
  • What happens once we’re agented
  • The process of publication, and weathering it with joy

Mary DeMuth is an international speaker, podcaster, and literary agent with Books & Such Literary Mngt.

DeMuth is a novelist and nonfiction author of over forty books, including Pray Every Day (Harvest House Publishers 2020).

She lives in Texas with her husband of 30 years and is the mom to three adult children. Find out more at Mary DeMuth Website.

Be prayed for on her daily prayer podcast with over 1.5 million downloads: prayeveryday.show.

For sexual abuse resources, visit wetoo.org.  For cards, prints, and artsy fun go to marydemuth.com/art.

Find out what she’s looking for as a literary agent at https://www.booksandsuch.com/our-agents/meet-mary-demuth/

Find her on social media: @MaryDeMuth (insta and twitter)

Mary DeMuth

Lisa Bell
Self-Publishing 101

Gone are the days when publishing a book on your own meant spending thousands of dollars
upfront and ending up with cases of books in your garage. With so many platforms and ways to
publish books, authors have more options than ever to see their books in print and as e-books.

How do you know which direction to go, and when you make that decision, what comes next? 

In Self-publishing 101, Lisa Bell details the ins and outs of creating a book that rivals the best traditional publishers without selling your firstborn child. 

Learn the pros and cons of different
platforms, basics of producing quality products at little to no cost, and what tools can help with the entire process.

Lisa Bell

Bell is a fiction and non-fiction author. As a community editor for NOW
Magazines LLC (BurlesonNOW and WeatherfordNOW), she has published hundreds of articles.

Her most recent book publications include Homeless Hearts, My Inner Nemesis, Out of the
Dungeon, and Littleness of Faith.

Bell works with writers to help improve their skills and assists with independent publishing.

Providing coaching, editing, formatting and cover design as well as assistance with uploading
documents to chosen platforms, she supports and encourages writers who want to use cost-
effective publishing options while creating quality products.

Bell leads two writing groups and speaks or teaches whenever the opportunity arises.

She holds a
BS in Business Management from University of Phoenix, is a CLASS alumni, and active
member of multiple writing groups.

Single mother and grandmother, she lives southwest of Fort
Worth, Texas.
For more information about the author, visit Lisa Bell Website

William “Bud” Humble

After the First Draft—Turning Lead into Gold

First drafts are rough. That’s the nature of the beast. Learn to tame the beast and
smooth out those rough edges. Turn your confused word-mush into literary gold!

William R. “Bud” Humble is a native Texan who’s been writing for longer than he feels comfortable admitting. Though he’s dabbled in other literary areas, his love of speculative fiction keeps drawing him back. 

To learn more about William and future releases, go to www.CastleHumble.com and follow him on social media.

Wanting to help others achieve their literary dreams, Humble joined the board of directors for
W.O.R.D.—Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas, where he currently serves as president. There, with the help of other like-minded folks, he strives to help other writers find their teams, and to make the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex a nationally and internationally renowned center for the writing arts. For more information, visit: WORD Writers Website.

Humble is also one of the three founders of Writers in the Field. Bringing in experts from all over the country to share their expertise, this unique annual event features as many ‘hands-on’
experiences for writers as possible. For more information, visit: www.writersinthefield.com.

For more information about Humble, visit:
William R. Humble Website

GoodReads – William R. Humble

William "Bud" Humble

February 2021 – Instagram & Twitter for Authors

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW on Saturday, February 13, 2021, from 10:30a-12:00p, for “Instagram & Twitter for Authors” with Lori Z. Scott and Paula Peckham.

The first half of the presentation will explore the use of Instagram for authors, showing ways to use the app to promote author platforms. Presenters will include a description of Instagram and walk through the steps to create an account. Learn how to add followers, use hashtags, and engage author audiences.

The second half of the workshop will explore Twitter as the presenters Introduce the app for new users and explain vocabulary. The presentation will Include tips on how to use Twitter for author promotion, and how to keep author engagement in front of our readers. 

Presenters: Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction because, like an atom, she makes up everything. Her downtime is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lames jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing. Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 150 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. In addition, Lori contributed to over a dozen books, mostly so she would have an excuse to give people for not folding her laundry. (Hey! Busy writing here!) She has served as a speaker or workshop leader at several conferences and has visited local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Most days, she’s fully immersed in teaching, but nights find her behind the keyboard. Since Batman didn’t want a sidekick, she teamed up with super-agent Cyle Young at the C.Y.L.E. Literary Agency. 

Paula Peckham is a retired high school math teacher. She splits her time between her beloved Texas and Rio Bravo, Mexico, where she serves in a ministry through her church. She lives in Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. A 5th-generation Texan, she imbues her stories with Texas pride. She has a poem published in the inaugural edition of Awake our Hearts, an online magazine. Women of Spirit, a Christian magazine, also published an article she wrote. She was a  semi-finalist in the 2020 ACFW Genesis contest. She is a member of American Christian Fiction  Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and the local chapter, ACFW DFW, where she serves as treasurer.  

 
Registration is required to receive the Zoom link:

ACFW DFW Feb. '21 - Twitter & Instagram for Authors

For more information about this and other ACFW DFW programs, follow along at:

  • https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters
  • https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/
  • https://twitter.com/acfwdfw

 

December 2020 – “A Different Kind of Christmas” party

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW on ZOOM, Saturday, Dec. 12th from 10:30am to noon (CST), for our annual Christmas party, “A Different Kind of Christmas This Year.” Use this link to register:https://acfw-dfw.ticketleap.com/a-different-kind-of…/

Wear your ugly Christmas sweater, have a festive background with your holiday decorations around the house, or use a Christmas virtual background. Bring a cup of hot chocolate to toast the new year. There will be games, crafts, and music, maybe some film clips, and ‘Room’ prizes ( we don’t have any doors). We’ll have a great time of holiday cheer to set our hearts for the coming year!

Please register for the meeting on Ticketleap at the above link. This party is geared for our members, but guests are welcome. Note: We are not able to send the Zoom link and PW invites to anyone not registered through TicketLeap. Answer several questions that appear (only an admin can see the answers). Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, December 12.

Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request that you not share the link with others.

Guests may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.

Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

To keep up with monthly events and find out more about ACFW DFW, follow us at: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters, Twitter https://twitter.com/acfwdfw, and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/.

November 2020 – Launching Writers as Speakers Event with Kelley Rene

by Past Events

Join us during the ACFW-DFW meeting November 14, 2020, 10:30 am-noon for our annual “Launching Writers as Speakers” event.http://acfw-dfw.ticketleap.com/tips-trick-pitfalls-of…/ when Kelley Rene will be presenting, “Tips, Tricks, & Pitfalls of Amazon Advertising.”

The latter half of the meeting will feature a panel of ACFW conference attendees speaking about the highlights of the 2020 conference.

Do you want to boost your sales on Amazon but have no idea where to start? Amazon has some of the easiest advertising methods and very affordable bid rates but navigating all the choices can feel overwhelming.

Learn the basics of promoting your books on Amazon and know the indicators to watch before sales are even reported. We’ll talk tips, tricks, and pitfalls of setting up Amazon advertising and why you don’t want to use their recommended bid. By the end of the meeting, you’ll be able to confidently create your own sponsored posts to boost your sales.

Kelley Rene, a member of ACFW DFW, lives in Panama City, Florida, with her husband and miniature Australian Shepherd, Blossom. She loves to travel and meet new people. When she’s not scribbling out fiction, she’s crocheting, walking Blossom, or cuddling a good book and cappuccino.

You can find her inspired-by-true-events novellas, “Saving Sabine” and “Romanian Runaway,” on Amazon. Look for “Kamilah,” the third book in this European Collection to be released on Thanksgiving.

In addition to these books, you can get a free copy of “One Final May Storm” on her website at https://kelleyrene.com

Follow Kelley Rene on these and other social media sites: Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Kelley-Rene/e/B07PW7K5LN, FB – https://www.facebook.com/imkelleyrene, Twitter – https://twitter.com/imkelleyrene, and Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/imkelleyrene/.

Note: We are not able to send the Zoom link and PW invites to anyone not registered through TicketLeap. Registration is Required.

https://acfw-dfw.ticketleap.com/tips-trick-pitfalls-of-amazon-advertising/

Answer several questions that appear (only an admin can see the answers).

Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, November 14.

Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request that you not share the link with others. Guests may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.

Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

To keep up with monthly events and find out more about ACFW DFW, follow us at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters, Twitter https://twitter.com/acfwdfw, and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/.