Dishing About the 2011 ACFW Conference…from a First Time Attendee's POV

Today I thought I’d dish about the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference I recently attended in St. Louis.

The conference dates were officially from 09/22/11 thru 09/25/11, though many attendees began arriving on the evening of Wednesday, 09/21.

There’s just too much information to sum up in one post, so I may dish up some more of the scoop in the near future.

The first word that jumps to mind is “Wow!” This event was extraordinary! I’m still coming down from an emotional high.

Let me begin by saying for anyone who is passionate about writing, serious about publication, and wants to glorify Christ through his/her words, this is THE must attend event of the year. The ACFW organization has a membership of approximately 2,500 members (and growing) and almost 700+ attended this conference! The mix included writers, authors, agents, editors, publishing professionals, and more. Though the percentage of female attendees outnumbered the males, the number of men attending future conferences is projected to increase. So, gentlemen…limber up those fingers, put them to the keyboard, and begin polishing those manuscripts/proposals/one sheets NOW in preparation for next year’s conference which is scheduled for Dallas!

The 2011 ACFW conference was held at the fabulous Hyatt Regency  (at the Arch) hotel. I arrived last Wednesday evening with my Nascar chauffeur, Carol Moncado. 😉

My oversized double room was spacious and lovely, and I have to compliment the hotel staff on exemplary service. Everyone, from the registration folks to the bell attendants to the housekeeping staff, was courteous, professional, friendly and helpful. I found the hotel to be a little on the cool side, but a bell attendant explained that the heat hadn’t been officially turned on yet. (I kept my room at about 76-78 because I’m cold-natured, and I carried or wore a sweater much of the time while there.)

Most of the meals were included in our conference fee, and these were great times of fellowship with other writers and industry professionals. Speaking of food…the food at this conference (hotel) was amazing! There were only two things that didn’t quite meet my expectations: a smallish mound of what I believe was supposed to be some type of mushroom-loaded stuffing and a breakfast fritatta/quiche-like pie that was a wee bit on the watery side for my taste. On the other hand, I found the homemade soups delicious, and the entrees and desserts mouth-watering. On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate the food/meals a 9. The wait staff I would rate a 9 1/2. They were helpful, attentive, professional, and quick (especially for such a large group of us!)

Every day included worship time where we would gather together, have devotions, and sing praises to our Lord and Savior. To be in a room with 700 fellow believers who were lifting up our hands, hearts, and voices in unison was one of those goosebump moments that you tend to replay over and over in your head again long after the moment has ended.

The days were filled with a variety of workshops and continuing education classes (which I’ll talk about in future posts), and they were based on skill level from the newbie beginning writer to those who were multi-published. These workshops covered dozens of interesting subjects, and often, I found myself literally worn out from trying to absorb and learn so much in such a short period of time. (Don’t fret though. When you register for conference, you can book your daily schedule as heavy or as light as you would like it.) I purposely didn’t overschedule myself because, as a first time ACFW conference attendee, I’d been warned about sliding into the overload mode. (And if you do decide that there are some free moments in your day, and if a class isn’t completely packed, it’s possible to sit in on some of it anyway as long as one is respectful to the class members/speakers. It’s a good idea to check first.)

One of the greatest aspects of the ACFW conference is the connecting and networking. Hooking up with old friends and making new ones are memories I’ll cherish forever. Dishing about the writing craft in a Christian-oriented venue is icing on the cake. Oh, and when I say “networking”, I mean that in a very positive light. Meeting editors and agents and discussing one’s writing projects can lead to incredible feedback, as well as life-changing career paths. (And there are specific appointment times that you can schedule to do this very thing!) Many professionals asked attendees to send them one sheets and proposals based on face-to-face meeting time.

A special highlight of conference time for me was when Janet Grant, President of Books and Such Literary Agency, hosted an extraordinary chocolate dessert bar for her “Bookie” clients. We dined on sumptuous chocolate cheesecake and about a dozen other delicious treats while visiting with our fellow agency mates. It was such a special time. (I felt a bit like Cinderella at the ball.)

Another highlight of the conference for me was hearing the keynote speaker, Tracie Peterson, an award-winning, best-selling author of approximately 90 books. Some of Tracie’s quotes that resonated with me were:

• “Get involved/volunteer.”
• “Nothing is ever wasted!”
• “Yield to the Lord.”

Tracie talked about how her childhood passion for reading fueled her lifelong career in writing. She spoke about mountains and valleys and overcoming obstacles.

Tracie began her publishing career many years ago at Barbour, but now writes for Bethany House. Her mission in life is to spread the message of the Gospel through the words the Lord gives her.

A drumroll moment of the week came on Saturday evening when the awards/gala banquet took place. (Think mini-Oscars.) Everyone dressed to the nines–some in period wear to reflect the genres that they wrote in, and others in dressy dresses, long gowns, or colorful pant sets. The men wore everything from tuxes to suits to kilts. (Yes, a kilt. Chip MacGregor apparently likes to reflect a bit of his heritage in his banquet attire. It’s something he does every year, I understand.)

At the awards gala, many authors (new, as well as seasoned) are recognized for their wonderful accomplishments throughout the year. To be an audience member during this spectacular night was, of course, a night I’ll always remember, much like the entire week of my very first ACFW conference!

Please join me again on Friday, where I’ll dish on Part 2 of this post.

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Can you think of at least two writing goals for the coming year? Is an ACFW conference in the near future for you?