When writer Joanne Sloan told her husband, David, also a writer, that she wanted to plan and provide a conference to encourage Christian writers, he did what any good husband would do — he appointed her conference director and became her assistant.
Their daughter, Cheryl Sloan Wray, also a writer, joined the faculty, as did their son, Christopher, yet another writer, and the entire family, including grandchildren who plan to become writers, eventually.
So was born the Southern Christian Writers Conference (SCWC). The 20th annual conference was held June 12–13 in Tuscaloosa.
The first two years, the SCWC was held at First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, where the Sloans are members, with about 50 attendees. For the next six years, the conference was held on Samford University’s campus in Birmingham. As it began to grow, David and Joanne asked, “Shall we keep this conference small or let it become as large as it will?”
They decided to “let it grow,” and now the SCWC regularly hosts about 200 published and aspiring Christian writers at First, Tuscaloosa. This year’s conference was a testimony to the Sloans’ perseverance as conference planners. First the April 27 tornado and cleanup efforts weighed heavy on the planning. Then attendees had to be moved to another part of the church, as Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief units occupied the conference and dining area. The Sloans simply set up and served meals themselves in the workshop area and cheerfully relocated their attendees to the chapel.
Joanne said her initial goal for the SCWC was “to offer practical workshops where participants could learn the basics of writing. We also wanted to not only inform but inspire and motivate writers. We wanted participants to leave the conference ready to go home and begin writing.”
Friend Sammie Jo Barstow, who has served as registrar and workshop leader all 20 years, thinks Joanne and David have done just that.
“Joanne and David have consistently offered a splendid opportunity for writers to be encouraged and educated,” she said. “Every year, we’ve listened to keynote speakers who have challenged and inspired us and workshop leaders who teach the nuts and bolts of writing for publication. I always go home full of new ideas.”
But the SCWC builds more than just writers; it builds relationships among them. Throughout its history, the conference has welcomed excited Christian writers from all over the United States, many of whom continue to attend year after year. Friendships are nurtured, valuable mentoring occurs and publishing successes are cheered.
“From the first year, there has been a camaraderie among participants much like a family reunion. Even those who are first-time participants feel that special bond,” Barstow said.
For more information, visit http://web.mac.com/wmdsloan/SCWC/Southern_Christian_Writers_Conference.html.
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