Now . . . for some last minute info:

Counts 
Below is the present count of the number signed up for workshops and continuing sessions. This number is likely to change since, as usual, not everyone has told us what they plan to take. Then, too, I tell them they are not locked into their choices but are free to go wherever Father leads them. I trust we'll get last minute registrants and walk-ins. We now have 165 conferees less 2 cancelations. That's a far cry from the 250 we’ve averaged throughout our 34-year ministry. Father, please help me to remember that You see hearts, not numbers, and that You are faithful to provide.

Thursday Learning Labs, 1:00 – 4:30
If you arrive early, plese slip into a class. There is, of course, no charge!

L1 – Build Your Author Platform with Sarah Bolme – 30
L2 – Focus on Fiction with Dan Walsh – 10
L3 – The Making of a Nonfiction Book with Diana Flegal – 15

Wednesday Early Bird Workshops
E1 – Mining for Stories: Discovering Their Worth with Donna L.H. Smith (1:00 – 2:00) – 13
E2 – Get the Most Out of Your Appointments with Dave Fessenden (2:15 – 3:15) – 13 
E3 – Care and Feeding of Editors with Susan baganz and Chris Richards (3:30 – 4:30) – 13

Continuing Sessions
CS1 – Launch Your Writing Ministry with Donna L.H. Smith – 19
CS2 – The Successful Author of Nonfiction with Dan Balow – 16
CS3 – Brave New World of Indie Publishing with Dan Walsh – 17
CS4 – Hook that Editor! with Jeanette Windle – 15
CS5 – Speaking and Writing with Lynne Babbitt – 38
CS6 – Take Your Fiction to the Next Level with Tim Shoemaker – 17
CS7 – Writing Narrative Nonfiction with Craig von Buseck – 18

Workshops
1A – Revelation, Inspiration, or Perspiration? with Angie Bass Williams – 23
1B – Shoot a Little Higher with Tim Shoemaker – 15
1C – Inside Your Characters’ Psyches with Lynne Babbitt – 24
1D – That Reminds Me of a Story with David Fessenden – 18
1E – Crafting a Submission Email that Sparkles with Bethany Morehead – 33
1F – Battle of the Brands with Cody Morehead – 14
1G – America at the Crossroads with Charles Patricoff - 10

2A – Spirit-Led Marketing with Roseanna White – 24
2B – Say What? with Edwina Perkins – 23
2C – Using Your Past in Your Fiction with Susan Baganz – 26
2D – Reaching Kids with the Gospel with Terrence Clark – 6
2E  – Inside Story with Katara Washington Patton – 14
2F – Email Marketing for Authors – with Jason Owens – 34
2G – The Rocks Cry Out with David Rupert – 9

3A – The Two Charleses: What Writers Can Learn from Dickens and Spurgeon with Dave Swavely – 8
3B – Strategies to Overcome Writer's Block: Give Yourself Permission to Write Garbage with Amy Deardon – 20
3C – Fiction with a Purpose with Roseanna White – 9
3D – Starting Strong with Jim Hart – 19
3E – From Conference to Contract: Turning Your One Sheet into a Stellar Proposal with Michelle Lazurek – 28
3F – Instagram for the #instaless with Bethany Morehead – 21
3G – The Pursuit of Influence: How Christian Communicators Change the World with Dr. Harold Arnold Jr. – 24

4A – Live and Write Dangerously with David Rupert – 11
4B – Kid Stuff with Pam Halter – 14
4C – Fiction Rules and When to Break Them with Roseanna White – 18
4D – Bring Your Own Story to Life with Louise L. Looney – 39
4E – Self-Publishing vs. Tradional Publishing with Katara Washington Patton – 20
4F – Book Launches with Jason Owens – 23
4G – Reaching Today's Youth with Rob Cook – 3

5A – The Heart of the Writer with Susan Baganz – 17
5B – The Dreaded "E" Word with Edwina Perkins – 23
5C – Resurrect the Past with JP Robinson – 16
5D – Ghost Stories: Writing for Other People – with Dave Swavely – 9
5E – Ether Dreams and Great Ideas with Dave Fessenden – 9
5F – How to Package Your Book to Sell at First Sight with Janeen Ippolito – 40
5G – The Cross is the Main Thing with Michael Gantt – 9

 

Teens Write (Saturday) – 7

Remember – You are welcome to slip in and out of continuing sessions and workshops if you do not have appointments scheduled. Just let the appointment desk know where you will be.

Handouts - Available online. Click here.

 

When you arrive on Thursday, July 26

If you arrive before the 3:00 pm, come to the Dock Mennnonite Academy campus. From Forty Foot Road (Rt. 63) turn onto Detweiler Road and park in the two lots to the left of building 11, Clemens Center, the conference hub where registration, keynotes, meals, and appointments will take place and where we will be setting up the book tables. Classes are in building 1.

 

 

If you need help with a box of books
call Eric Sprinkle, 719-322-6992. 

If you have brought books to sell, give us the completed consignment form and feel free to arrange them on one of the tables for faculty or for keynoters. Be sure the price is on each book. And remember, we cannot track “two for $ “ sales. Each item must be individually priced.

Pick up your faculty packet and envelope with your meal tickets and your neck wallet with your name tag from the table just inside the chapel.

You are welcome to attend a Learning Lab or early bird workshop or to fellowship. There are benches around the pond if it’s not pouring rain or scorching hot. Or you can help us set up!  

Check-in at the Holiday Inn begins at 3:00 pm. 

Dinner is at 6:00 pm in Clemens Center. As I mentioned in an earlier email, there is no separate room for a faculty dinner/meeting so you must review this page to get your questions answered since we’ll be seated with the conferees.

Opening session at 7:15 in chapel just across the hall from the cafeteria. I hope you won’t miss this time of worship and Craig von Buseck’s keynote, “Declaring God’s Truth in a Digital Age of Half Truths.

Weather & What to Wear? 
Well the weather is anyone’s guess :), but it does look like we will be in the 80s instead of the 90s. I know that’s not really hot for some of you, but add Philly’s humidity and it can get quite uncomfortable. So, please, dress cool and comfortable. Shorts and capris are fine. Seriously! This is NOT a dress up
conference. There’s the possibility of rain every day, so bring an umbrella!

Questions?

Marlene –  484-991-8581 (home & office) 
Cell – 267-436-2503 (only during conference)

Eric Sprinkle – our “go-to” guy for 
rides, help with luggage, etc.
Technical help
719-322-6992

Paul Bagnull - rides between the conference & the Holiday Inn
and pickups at the Pennbrook Train Station
215-353-2464

 

Pre-Conference Timeline 2018

 

Due	Task	Done
ASAP	Return contract to Marlene along with bio, photo, and titles/blurbs of   workshops you enjoy teaching.
July 1	Book flight and send itinerary to Marlene.   Run info by Marlene first if she is paying all or part.   If you’d like to share a room at the Holiday Inn with another faculty   member and have a preference, email name(s) to Marlene.
July 10	Return Book Order/Recommend/Donate form to Marlene.    Email handouts to haleybarb@yahoo.com.     Expect to receive (via e-mail) manuscripts for your paid critiques (if any).
July 16	Mail free-lit and give-away books to              Marlene Bagnull              ATTN: GPCWC freebies              951 Anders Road              Lansdale, PA 19446    Mail items you want to sell to the address above unless you prefer to bring     with you. Put price sticker on each item (20% consignment fee on items    sold). Click Here for consignment form REQUIRED to be included.
July 26	Faculty dinner at 6 pm at Dock Mennonite Academy.   Opening session at 7:15

 

Thursday Learning Labs & Early Bird Workshops

Meet from 1:00 to 4:30 Wednesday afteroon. You’re welcome to attend of course free of charge.
 

Keynotes 

Please view as a PRIORITY! Come ready to focus on the Lord and hear from Him through our keynote speakers.

• ANNOUNCEMENTS: This is the only venue I have to speak to everyone at once. Attendance is much appreciated.

Continuing Sessions

Meet three times times for a total of 3.5 hours.

• FR: 10:45-12:00 and 4:45-5:45  SA: 11:00 – 12:15

Workshops

These last 60 minutes.

• Please be considerate: end on time and clear the classroom for the next instructor.
• You are welcome to attend workshops and continuing sessions when you are not scheduled for appointments. You will receive an Appointment Availability form to X out times when you do not want to be available. We want the conference to bless you professionally and spiritually.

Handouts – We've gone GREEN!

Email your handouts to Barbie at haleybarb@yahoo.com no later than July 10.

• Barbie will post these to the website. Conferees really appreciate handouts.
• We will be able to print these at the conference for walk-ins who do not have access to the Internet,.
• Only conferees, faculty, and people purchasing CDs post conference will have access to the handouts.
• URL http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com/handouts2018

Paid Critiques

A written critique is not expected, but conferees appreciate notes jotted directly on the manuscript.

• I suggest using Track Changes and printing a copy for the conferee.
• Please spend at least 30 min PRE-conference in preparation.
• Appointment with conferee at conference is 30 minutes.
• Because we have a large list of faculty available to do these, you may not be called on for this service.
• The conferees choose, based on who they feel can help them the most.

One-on-Ones

For more information about how our appointment system works, click on Appointments.

• Many conferees consider this the most important part of the conference.
• Please do not disappoint them by being late for their appointments.
• Please sandwich constructive criticism between positive encouragement, but be careful not to give false encouragement.

Father, please give us all much wisdom to know
how You would have us respond to the conferees we meet with.
And please help them to hear what we're saying;
not what they want to hear.
Give them teachable spirits and give us sensitive hearts.
 

An important note to editors and agents - We are all pressed for time, but if you take a manuscript with you or request that it be sent to you, please try your best to get a response to the conferee in at least three months. If your policy is that no answer within three months means you're not interested, please make that clear to the conferee at the conference.

Panels

• Editors Panel, FR 9:45 am
• Ask the Agents, FR 1:15-2:00 Informal Q & A with our agents.
• Indie Publishing, FR 1:15-2:00 If you provide services for indie authors or have independently published a book or ebook, please join this panel.
•  

Book Signing
We encourage you to be part of this on Friday evening and the author interviews. Please choose just ONE book to tell us about.

Lodging
At the Holiday Inn, Kulpsville, just off the Lansdale Exit of the PA North/South Turnpike and five minutes from Dock Mennonite Academy.

• Faculty are housed two to a room.
• If the conference is covering your lodging, please note your roommate preference on your contract or you may upgrade to a single at your cost of $60 a night.
• Breakfast provided at the Holiday Inn. 
• If you need Saturday night lodging, please note on your contract if you're open to staying in a home of a member of my church. 
• Saturday night dinner is at my Lansdale home or on your own.

Meals

• Breakfast provided at the Holiday Inn. 
• Thursday evening catered dinner, 6:00 pm at Dock Mennonite Academy.
• Friday and Saturday box lunches. Please note your preference on your contract.
• Saturday night faculty and staff are invited to a picnic at the Bagnull's in Lansdale (10 minutes from the conference).
• Please note on your contract any special dietary needs.

Travel

• See Arrival and Departure info below before finalizing your plans.
• For directions to the conference click on Location and Lodging

Fly-ins
If GPCWC is covering all or part of your airfare, please run the itinerary and price past me before booking to give me the option of using my Frequent Flyer Miles if the price is too high. (If you need to be reimbursed before the conference, let me know.) I suggest you visit www.orbitz.com or www.kayak.com for a helpful overview of times, prices, and airlines. The conference provides shuttle service between the airport and the conference; therefore, we are unable to reimburse you for the cost of a rental car.

Arrival

• Travel time from Philadelphia Int'l to the campus is approx. 45 minutes (longer during rush hour).
• Check-in time at the Holiday Inn is 3:00 pm. Check-out 11:00 am.
• You are welcome to attend the Thursday afternoon learning labs or early bird workshops from 1:00 – 4:30 pm.
• Dinner at Dock Mennonite Academy at 6:00 pm Thursday.
• The conference officially begins Thursday evening at 7:15 pm with worship and our opening keynote.

Departure

• I recommend allowing 2 hours for check-in and 45 minutes travel time, but check with your airline.
• If you're leaving Saturday, we hope you can stay through the closing that ends around 5:30. Ideally, this means the earliest you should book your flight is 8:15 pm.
• Lodging is available Saturday night as well as a picnic at my home in Lansdale.
• If you're leaving Sunday morning, please keep the 2-3/4 hour lead time in mind so your driver does not need to get up at the crack of dawn.

Special Needs

• Please note your audio-visual needs. Power-Point is available in the chapel for the keynotes.
• If you are teaching a continuing session or workshop and Power-Point is an essential part of your presentation, we will provide it but you MUST note this on your contract.
• If you are bringing your own projector and are willing to share it when you are not using it, please let me know.
• Classrooms have a whiteboard or chalkboard and Internet access.
• Be sure to also let us know any special dietary or other needs.

Permission to Record

• Keynotes, continuing sessions, workshops, and panels will be professionally recorded and available for purchase as CDs or MP3s. 
• You will receive one free CD or MP3 of each session or workshop you teach.
• In order to expand the conference's ministry and recoup the cost of recording, GPCWC reserves the right to make and sell CDs (or MP3s) at the conference and afterwards through our website. All other rights belong to you.
• CDs will carry a copyright notice in your name. If you do not want to be recorded, be sure to note this on your contract.

Contact Info

• Please fill in all of this info even though, obviously, I already have it. It makes working from a briefcase at the conference much easier.
• FYI, we no longer print a roster because of serious abuse one year. (We had a conferee who felt she was being stalked by another conferee!) Be assured that your info will not be shared with conferees without your permission.
• Our Appointments Coordinator, Barb Haley, and the captain of our Appointment Desk will have access to your cell phone number so they can reach you during the conference if needed. We will, of course, also give your cell phone number to your driver if you're being picked up at the airport.
  

A FEW MORE DETAILS - thank you for reading this far.

• Help spread the word - If you have a website and can link to http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com and let your visitors know you'll be serving on our faculty, we'd appreciate it. Please also "like" our Facebook page. Please let me know if you can use extra brochures (available around May 1) and postcards.
   
• Conference book table - You are welcome to consign books, CDs, and other special products for sale at our book table. We charge a 20% consignment fee on items sold.
   
• Please use the Book Order/Recommend/Donate form to let me know by July 10 if you are shipping or bringing your product as well as any books you recommend I order. If you are shipping, please ship no earlier than July 16 to:

Marlene Bagnull
GPCWC Book Table
951 Anders Road
Lansdale, PA 19446

• All items need to be priced individually. Please do not offer a quantity price (i.e., 3 for $10 or $4 each) since we can't track these sales. If you are shipping, click here for a consignment form. You may list your titles, quantity, and price on this form or include your own form in the box. If you are bringing your product with you, it will save time at check-in if you have the consignment form completed.

• We are glad to obtain your books directly from your publisher and apply the sales profit to conference expenses if you prefer. (Thank you!) Please include titles and publishers on the Book Consignment/Order/Donation form.
   
• Please help us make this year's book table the best yet by including a list of titles you will recommend to your class. Book sales not only help us meet our budget, they provide continued learning after the conference. We encourage you to browse the book table and borrow titles for "show and tell" in your class.
   
• How many books should you bring or ship? While we sell a huge number of books, there is no way of knowing how many copies of specific titles will sell. Typically the biggest sellers are writing how-to books and books by our keynoters and continuing session instructors.
   
• Give-aways - We're delighted to have books you've authored or your house has published as give-aways. If shipping (to the above address), please clearly note titles that are for give-away.
   
• Free Lit - Our conferees appreciate free copies of your magazine or book catalog as well as your guidelines for writers and list of upcoming themes, if any. We are unable to make copies. We are planning for 200+ conferees. Not everyone takes a copy of everything that we make available on the free lit table, so use your best judgment when deciding how many to send. We know it costs money to print and send literature to us, so we encourage conferees to take left-over free lit home to their writers' group or church. Please ship no earlier than July 16 to:

Marlene Bagnull
GPCWC Free Lit
951 Anders Road
Lansdale, PA 19446

• Other Free Lit - If you have flyers for resources for writers or info about a ministry you are a part of that you'd like to add to the free lit table, we'd be glad to have it.
   
• What to Wear The campus is air conditioned (suggest you bring a sweater), but there is some walking outside. Philly summers can be very hot and humid or cold and rainy. Check the forecast but know it can change. Casual attire is encouraged. Women – capris are fine. Men - please NO suits or ties!

Father, thank You in advance for what You're going to do through this year's conference. I especially pray that you will bless each faculty and staff member in special and unexpected ways.

Questions?

Marlene 484-991-8581 (home & office) or mbagnull@aol.com
Cell – 267-436-2503 (only during the conference)

Barb Haley (Registrar & Appointments Coordinator)
haleybarb@yahoo.com

Eric Sprinkle – rides between Holiday Inn and Dock.
 Also assistance with luggage and boxes of books.
Technical AV issues
719-322-6992

Paul Bagnull - rides between Holiday Inn and Dock. 
215-353-2464