ACFW Week 2012 Has Arrived!

After  months of preparation and planning, ACFW week is finally here!

Officially, the American Christian Fiction Writers’ conference starts Thursday, but many of us are arriving a day ahead so we’ll be as fresh as a daisy come Thursday morning.

For those attending the conference for the first time, you may have subscribed to the Newcomers’ Orientation Loop through ACFW if you are a member. I subscribed last year as a first-time conference attendee and found the loop to be a great source of help and encouragement.

If you missed being a part of the loop, no worries! There will be a Newcomers’ Orientation on Thursday, opening day of conference. You’ll want to be sure and attend that because that’s where a ton of fantastic information is shared.

Before you get to that point, however, here’s a list of things to remember to pack (and I’m sure there are a few things I may be forgetting):

• One-Sheets (also known as style sheets, sell sheets, etc.) Check out Erica Vetsch’s awesome tips! (Like Erica, I created my one-sheets from a MS Word newsletter template and came up with something fun, creative, and inexpensive.)

• Brief proposal (may or may not be necessary at editor appointments, but isn’t it great to be prepared?)

• An “elevator pitch.” A simple notecard can help with the jitters and keep facts straight. Rachelle Gardner offered fantastic advice last week on the Books and Such blog about pitches.

• Business cards. These are a must. Not only are they a super networking tool, but they speak professionalism should an editor/agent/writing colleague ask for one.

• Some extra cash (in one and five dollar bills) for tipping purposes. The hotel staff is happy to assist and they work hard to take care of their guests. A personal tip: housekeeping might also enjoy a word of encouragement/favorite scripture on a slip of paper/hotel stationery/business card besides the dollar bills left on the nightstand.)

• Cell phone and charger. Who would forget those?

• Camera. With a big memory card. Folks always take a ton of pictures and there are lots of photo ops. Our phones suffice, too, of course, but the clarity isn’t always the best.

• Lightweight sweater/jacket. Yes, it’s Texas. And the hotel likes to keep us comfortable. (In other words: the meeting rooms ARE a little chilly for us cold-natured folks.)

Since our families hold down the fort for us while we’re away, it’s a good idea to print off our itineraries. It’s a super way for our hubs and kiddos to feel connected to our day. Knowing they’re thinking of us and praying for us throughout our day pumps us up, too!

While at conference, I’m going on a Facebook and Twitter fast. I’ll check e-mail as I’m able. I won’t blog again until Monday, September 24th, and that one may be brief.

I will dedicate several blog posts to ACFW impressions, including photos, in the coming weeks. I’ll dish about the conference, keynote, workshops, food, fashion, and more just like I did last year.

Now, a reminder: My September blog giveaway is well under way. If you’d like a chance to win a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card and a handy-dandy book tote, you can check out info/rules here. A photo of the mini tote can be found here, if you scroll to the bottom of that post.

I’m ACFW-bound! See you back here when I return!

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What are you looking forward to in the next week?

What’s your creative vision for your career, be it in publishing or otherwise?

Photo Credit: stay2gether/FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Blessings Always,