It’s only a few months until the ACFW conference begins n Minneapolis. I am so excited by this event as I start to make a plan for how to make the best use of my time. My goals are to meet with authors already publishing with Zondervan, meet with agents that I missed at the International Christian Retailers Show (ICRS) in July, meet established authors that I think might be a good fit for Zondervan and look for new voices in fiction. That’s a lot to do, but if I have a plan…my trip will be productive and fun!

Last year, I had a great time teaching a workshop on Publishing Professionalism. We talked about setting a strategy for writer’s conferences, how the publishing process works, and how best to approach getting your book published. It was so much fun getting to meet everyone at lunch and dinner. It’s not a good place to pitch your book, but is a great time to establish relationships. There are so many of you that I will look forward to seeing in Editor appointments this year. I think these meals are also a terrific opportunity to broaden your network and to find someone that has the potential to encourage you.

Another thing I particularly like about the ACFW conference is the chance for an impromptu conversation that will change the direction of a book, or will help someone make a critical decision. Sometimes these “lobby chats” are just a time to get to know each other better.

Most of all ACFW is a time to find the passion for what we do. We write to glorify God, we write to share our relationship with Him, we write to bring others into His arms. What better way to spend the weekend!

So now is the time for you to determine your strategy and plan for the conference. No matter what stage you are in your career, you need to go into the ACFW conference with a set of goals for the weekend. It’s very easy for your time to get away from you, particularly with all your friends and colleagues there to distract you.

But don’t forget that this is also a time to relax and renew your passion for writing.
I look forward to seeing you all in Minneapolis!