Monday, November 16, 2015

January Meeting: Achieving Your Writing Goals

“Achieving Your Writing Goals”
Monday, Jan. 11, 2016

Having clear goals coupled with a plan can help you achieve your writing goals (whatever your genre or purpose for writing). Join your fellow CCWers for a round table discussion led by board members Betsey Kodat and Sarah Hamaker.

Betsey will focus on importance of prayer in realizing your writing goals and reaching your audience, while Sarah will give you some practical tools on how to put into place a realistic plan.


Bring your ideas or goals and leave with a prayer guide and an action plan. Let’s make 2016 a year to remember through our writing! 

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

November Speaker: Stephanie Buckwalter on Using the Internet to Build an Audience

Stephanie Buckwalter
Author
Monday, November 9, 2015
“Using the Internet to Build an Audience”


How do you make the Internet work for you? Author Stephanie Buckwalter will show us how to use social media, online networking and search engine tools to build our audience.

Stephanie writes nonfiction in diverse genres such as educational and informational for training materials, encyclopedias, homemaking, and the school library market. She loves technology and using it as a tool to reach others.


She is a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Business and Industry; Death Be Not Proud, an Early American Poetry anthology; and Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover’s Soul.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Prepare to Publish Mini-Conference September 12

Join NoVa Christian Writers on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a mini-conference, Prepare to Publish. The conference will be at Potomac Ministry Center in Gainesville, Va., from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with lunch included. Literary agent Tamela Hancock Murray, who spoke at CCW's July meeting, will be available for paid critiques of the first 10 pages of your manuscript. 

The conference will cover how to write a proposal, how to find a literary agent, how to prepare your manuscript, and how to promote your work, along with an Q&A session with Tamela. 

Monday, July 20, 2015

September 2015 Meeting, Lynellen Perry, publisher

Lynellen Perry
Publisher, Editor, Writer
Monday, Jan. 12, 2015
“The Path to Publication”
  


There are so many options facing an author seeking publication. Lynellen Perry, president of Chalfont House Publishing, will walk us through the definitions of the various paths to publication. She’ll also discuss the pros and cons of each, as well as the general steps involved in getting published.


Lynellen holds a Ph.D. in math and computer science, but she’s been an editor and non-fiction author for more than 20 years. Chalfont House Publishing is a traditional royalty-paying non-fiction house with a fiction imprint called HopeSprings Books. Lynellen also serves as the treasurer for the Virginia chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and as the ACFW zone director for the Mid-Atlantic states.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

CCW Member Finals in ACFW Genesis Contest

Congratulations to CCW co-director Sarah Hamaker! She is one of three national finalists in the romantic suspense category for the American Christian Fiction Writers 2015 Genesis contest. The winner will be announced at a gala during the 2015 ACFW conference in Dallas this September.

The Genesis Contest provides an opportunity for unbiased feedback on unpublished writers' work by published authors and experienced judges, and the chance for the category finalists to have their work read by Christian publishing house editors and literary agents. This year’s romantic suspense category will be judged by two literary agents and an editor.

Monday, June 1, 2015

July Meeting, Tamela Hancock Murray, agent

Tamela Hancock Murray
Agent
Monday, July 13, 2015
“Ask an Agent”



As a literary agent since 2001, Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency has seen the publishing industry change many times. Come hear what’s the latest on traditional or hybrid authors, the latest market trends, how and where to break in now, tips on building a platform, or simply what a literary agent can do for you in today's marketplace. Tamela’s goal is for you to come away from the meeting with your most burning questions answered. She looks forward to seeing you!

Tamela is also a bestselling, award-winning author of twenty novels, novellas and nonfiction books. She brings the perspective of a working writer to her role as a literary agent and represents many top authors while continuing to develop new talent. She earned her BA with honors in Journalism from Lynchburg College in Virginia.

Friday, May 15, 2015

CCW Member Talk

CCW member Stephen Hiemstra will be giving a talk about his book, A Christian Guide to Spirituality, on May 31. Visit http://wp.me/p4iojd-az for more info.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

May 2015 Meeting, Sarah Hamaker on Queries

Sarah Hamaker
Author, Freelance Writer/Editor
Monday, May 11, 2015
“Queries for Publications, Books, Radio and TV”



In this hands-on talk, we’ll go over the elements of a good query and practice on our own work!

In today’s fast-paced world, writers often have only less than a minute in which to make a good impression on editors, producers and publishers. That’s why every writer should hone a fantastic query or pitch for each piece of work, whether it’s an article, a book, or a radio or TV segment.

Learn what makes a good query, from what to highlight to how to promote it to the editor or producer. We’ll even practice on your own pieces, so bring one or two to share with the group—and leave with a polished query!

A freelance writer and editor, Sarah Hamaker writes regularly for several national publications on a variety of topics. Her articles—many of which started out in query form—have appeared in The Washington Post and Crosswalk.com. She also has successfully pitched to appear on local TV programs and national radio shows. Her stories have also appeared in three Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her most recent book, Ending Sibling Rivalry: Moving Your Kids From War to Peace, is available now. Visit her online at www.sarahhamaker.com, where she blogs about parenting issues.


Friday, April 3, 2015

April Fellowship Night, April 13

April Fellowship
Monday, April 13, 7 p.m.

Join fellow CCW members and friends for some fellowship on Monday, April 13, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Panera Bread in the heart of Fairfax City (just a block from Truro at 3955 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. Parking is free in the garage next to the complex, which also has the Wine House, Bollywood Bistro and Potbelly's).

Come share what you're working on, talk shop and generally have fun! We'll try to snag the long table, so if you get there first and see it empty, please reserve it for us!

Hope to see you there!

Thursday, February 19, 2015

ACFW Launches Virginia Chapter!

The American Christian Fiction Writers now has a Virginia chapter! This newly created chapter will offer members monthly online webinars, a short-story contest, plus a one-day conference this July in the Northern Virginia area.

To join, you must be a current ACFW member. Visit https://acfwvirginia.wordpress.com/chapter-membership/ for more information.


Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Kim O'Connell, March 9, 2015, Speaker

Kim O’Connell
Author, Journalist, Essayist
Monday, March 9, 2015
“No Wasted Effort: Bouncing Back From Rejection and Having Faith in Your Work”

Being a writer means dealing with rejection--probably more often than acceptance. For example, when J.K. Rowling first shopped the first Harry Potter book, she received multiple rejections and told to keep her day job. And yet she persevered, and the rest is history.

However, for the rest of us, what is the best way to deal with rejection? Do you stow your work in a drawer and try something new? Do you rework the rejected piece and send it elsewhere? Journalist and author Kim O’Connell will talk about how to cope with rejection and find ways to celebrate your work and keep going.


While Kim has plenty of first-hand experience with rejection, yet she has also had publishing success, with writing credits in a range of national and regional publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ladies Home Journal, NationalGeographic.com, PsychologyToday.com, and American History. Visit her website at www.kimaoconnell.com to learn more.