One of the common problems writers face remains they “cannot not write,” said Denise George, keynote speaker for the Southern Christian Writers Conference held June 6–8 at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham.
George, a prolific writer and leader of an online community called Christian Writers for Life, was one of the keynote speakers for the conference, as was historical romance fiction author, Grace Hitchcock.
More than 160 writers were in attendance at the event and even more joined online.
Writers went to workshops on publishing, character development, copy editing, travel writing, blogging, diversity in writing and more.
“Don’t let anybody put out your fire,” said George, who said God placed a “tiny seed inside our heart to” write that would “soon ignite, burn and grow.”
Be faithful
She urged them to be faithful to their call to write.
“Keep that fire in your heart and soul burning,” she said, offering that they could rekindle the embers with rest and sleep and fuel the fire with Scripture.
During Hitchcock’s speech, she asked if anyone else felt imposter syndrome in the writing world.
“The list of doubts can go on and on,” she said. “It’s really important to address those doubts and bring them to God.”
She offered tips for battling writer’s block, marketing and the submission process.
“We all know that writing is a lot more than just writing,” Hitchcock said.
Participants also heard testimonies from authors Laura Lee Leathers, Tera J. Lee and Cheryl Wray.
Each year, SCWC honors a writer for being an encouragement to others. This year, David Bennett, editor of HomeLife and Open Windows through Lifeway Christian Resources, was honored with the 2024 Joanne Sloan National Award for the Encouragement of Writers.
And the winners are …
SCWC held an awards ceremony at the end of its conference.
In the newspaper article category, first place went to Audrey Bivins for “Girl math trend is teaching girls nonsense” in (Muhlenberg County, Kentucky) Leader-News; second place went to Tracy Riggs Frontz for “NASCAR drivers say prayer, faith important” in The Alabama Baptist; and there was a tie for third place with Karen Allen for “Lemonade Friendship” in The Alabama Baptist and Laura Lee Leathers for “Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving–It’s more than pie,” in Magnolia (Mississippi) Tribune.
In the magazine article category, first place went to Mark Wainwright for “Once Upon a Time…” in Journal for Christian Educators; second place went to Haylee Collins for “Good Kids Struggle Too: A Missionary Kid’s Experience with Counseling” in Missions Mosaic and Becky Alexander for “My Long Cruise” in Guideposts’ Angels on Earth; third place went to Marilyn Tinnin for “Dear Mr. French” in Delta Magazine; and there was a tie for honorable mention with Carrie Partridge for “Whose Move is it Anyway” in Family Christian and Frances Abrams for “The Priority of Prayer” in Together at Dawson.
In the short story category, first place went to Carole Lehr Johnson for “The Light in the Mist” in Time Passages: A Collection of Diverse Short Stories; second place went to Pam Waddell for “My Constant Companion” in Experiencing God’s Presence; and third place went to Rose Walker for “Survivor” in Hope for Wounded Hearts.
In the poetry category, first place went to Linda Holloway for “If My Hair Could Talk” in The Journal of Poetry Therapy; second place went to April McCay for “This Very Moment” in Moments in God’s Creation; and third place went to Ruth Ann Stubbs for “A Tribute to Our Troops” in Soul’s Fuel.
In the blog post category, first place went to Sandi Herron for “Homeward Bound”; second place went to Amy Tindell for “The Art of Brokenness”; third place went to Tracy Riggs Frontz for “Do Churches Practice What they Preach?”; and there was a tie for honorable mention with Mel Tavares for “Sailing the Stormy Sea of Life” and Carissa Lovvorn for “A Woman’s Testimony”.
In the devotional category, first place went to Heather Lamm for “Turning Mourning into Dancing” in Christian Dance Hub Magazine; second place went to June Foster for “Dead End” in Coffee with God On the Road; there was a tie for third place with Sharon Atwood for “Teach Me to be Wise” in Outta My Mind, Into His Heart and Alonza Jones for “My Dwelling Place” in Refreshed by His Grace; and honorable mention went to Kristy Ensor for “A No Take-Back” God in Journey Magazine.
Cheryl Wray, director of the SCWC, organizes the conference. Her parents David and Joanne Sloan founded it in 1991. The conference has since expanded to include regional workshops throughout the year and annual book awards.
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