by Alycia Morales @AlyciaMorales

In 2010, I attended my first Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. It was my first writers conference. I was a total newbie who had always dreamed of being a writer but had never pursued it as a career. Sure, I’d been writing since I was old enough to hold a pencil and knew my ABCs. I’d even won a writing contest or two and had a couple of poems published as a teen. But I was green when it came to being a professional writer. Being at a conference and around all those other writers was exciting as well as terrifying for this introvert. But I was on a mission. I wanted to know all there was about being a writer. Because I had dreams…

If there’s one thing I’ve been learning (again) lately, it’s that if we want our writing dreams to come true, we have to have vision and direction to meet our publishing goals. And a little help along the way.

Maybe you’re going to be at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for the first time this year. Maybe you’re a newbie to the writing and publishing world who has big dreams. Or, maybe you’ve dabbled in writing like I had and just need to know where to start and how to move forward. If so, have I got a class for you!

This year, I’ll be teaching a class titled Newbie Writers Unite! 

I chose this title, because I wanted to offer a place where writers who are new (or green) to the professional writing world could come and see that they are not alone. Being around published authors and industry professionals like agents and editors can be intimidating for some. Other newbies may just want to connect with a smaller group of people who are at the same level as them. And both will find something valuable in my class.

The Basics

In Newbie Writers Unite, we’ll be discussing the basics of a writing career and the publishing industry. We’ll go over common terms, types of writing you can do, the ins and outs of the writing business, the things you’ll need depending on what type of writing you want to do, and living the writer’s life.

Quick Tip: Writers don’t always want to write. When the words are flowing and the ideas keep coming, it’s easier. But sometimes that faucet turns off and getting words on a page is difficult. If you’re a writer, you keep pressing the keys, even on those days. Or you find something else to do that will trigger inspiration. But professionals don’t quit.

How-Tos

Another thing we’ll cover is how to … get started. How to format various pieces. How to get the attention of agents and editors. How to pitch. How to write different things. How to self-edit. How to write while there are distractions around. How to overcome writer’s block. How to find inspiration. How to do many wonderful writing things.

Quick Tip: If you’re a newbie to writing and to the conference this year, don’t worry about pitching to an agent or editor. Instead, make appointments with writers, agents, and editors and ask them questions. Seek their advice. Then, go home and practice doing what they recommended. And pitch to them next year. Remember: Ask the question then let them have time to respond. Don’t spend the entire time talking. Spend it listening.

Digging Deep

It’s my hope that before the end of my class (which is three sessions total, because it’s a continuing class) you will have a solid idea of what you want to write, why you want to write it, who your audience is, and how to get started on your writing journey. I will have handouts that will help you discover all this and probably more than you knew about yourself as a writer.

Quick Tip: Your WHY is going to be the key. The most important thing. I’ll explain more in Newbie Writers Unite!

This barely touches on the content of my class. There will be so much more included. There’s just not enough space in this blog post to list it all.

You will benefit from this class if:

You are a brand-new writer with nothing published.

You are a fairly new writer who gets overwhelmed at large conferences.

You are a writer of any level who has been struggling to find your writing direction or calling.

You are a newbie writer who wants to connect with others at your writing experience level.

You have no idea where to start.

Quick Tip: We all started somewhere. Don’t compare yourself to others and where they are on their writing journey. I have friends who were newbies with me at that first conference and are farther along than I am. But they haven’t left me behind. They continue to encourage me with every step forward.

Bonuses:

I mentioned the handouts before. These will have plenty of room for notetaking, brainstorming, and digging deep.

I will be setting up a Facebook group for attendees of my class so that when the conference is over, you have a place to go to ask questions, fellowship, and celebrate successes as you work toward your writing goals. (Don’t forget to join the Blue Ridge Conference Writers Facebook group too!)

I will have chocolate.

I’ll share some more of my testimony. God has done some amazing things for me, and I’d love to tell you about my writing journey. I think it will encourage you!

Quick Tip: Everyone has a story to tell. Even you. (But you knew that, didn’t you?) And God has a plan to use that story in a mighty way, as only He can. All you have to do is be obedient.

I really hope to see you in my class! If you have any questions about it, please visit the 2020 Classes page on this site. My email is listed in the Newbie Writers Unite! class description. I’d be happy to hear from you—especially if you’d like to sign up. The class is limited to ten people, because I want to be able to focus on each of you so you get the most out of it as you can.

PS – This is the BEST conference! You’re going to love it! This will be my tenth anniversary at BRMCWC.

Alycia Morales is a freelance editor and writer. Her writing has been in Thriving Family magazine, Splickety Love, and several compilation books. Her editing clients have won several awards for their manuscripts, including finalist in the Selah Award. Alycia has ghostwritten The Spirit of Hospitality by Larry Stuart and continues to ghostwrite for others. She is currently working on two novels, a YA and a romantic suspense.

She is the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference assistant to Directors Edie Melson and DiAnn Mills.

Follow Alycia at her blogs, Life.Inspired. and The Write Editing. She can also be found on Instagram and Pinterest.

Alycia’s Twitter: @AlyciaMorales

When she isn’t busy writing, editing, and reading, Alycia enjoys spending time with her husband and four children taking hikes in Upstate SC and NC, creating various crafts, coloring in adult coloring books, and watching crime shows.