More Power:

Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers' Conference
by Laurie Modrzejewski

Every Christian writer needs God's power. This year's Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers' Conference (GPCWC), held August 9-11 at Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, PA, aimed to show writers what God's power is, and how to get more of that essential spiritual element.

The Power to Tell the Truth

Rick Marschall, author of The Secret Revealed, admonished over 250 attendees to "Tell the truth. Live the truth. God doesn't need our lies or our phoniness. God's gift to us is His power."

In the morning general session, Lissa Halls Johnson followed up with: "Share truth, not a band-aid. The truth is not always neat and tidy. Can we trust God to use our gift of honesty? God can use all truth for His glory. Tell the truth, then let it go—not forcing people to grab hold of it." She confirmed that writing is not a feel-good profession. Writing is full of risk.

I remember thinking, "Wow, this is hard-hitting stuff, and it's only the first hour!"

The Power to Put God First

Even though these truths were tough to hear, the powerful presence of God during this conference assured me that I was in a safe place. There is a distinct atmosphere that draws me back year after year. The Spirit moves in the chapel when we begin worshipping. The faculty is approachable and friendly, and the writers who attend are willing to connect and share. It quickly becomes clear that this conference is all about God, and writing really is second.

Marlene Bagnull, GPCWC director, is a living example of the verse, "Pray continually" (1 Thess. 5:17 NIV). Many times she is in the middle of announcements, and she will launch into prayer. And all along, it just feels right. She draws writers in to get closer to God and seek His will for their writing.

Due to Bagnull's hard work, this year's GPCWC offered something for everyone. All skill levels and genres were addressed through the general and continuing sessions, clinics, writers' and editors' panels, and 42 workshops. The more than 50 faculty members included editors from WaterBrook Press, Baker Books, and Moody Publishers. Many periodicals were represented, including Discipleship Journal, Credo, and The Secret Place.

The Power to Step Out of Our Comfort Zone

I was ready for a new challenge this year, my third time at the GPCWC, so I applied and was accepted to the "Nangie 101: Laying a Solid Foundation for Your Fiction" clinic. I was looking forward to learning from two pros in the field, Angela Hunt and Nancy Rue, affectionately and collectively dubbed "Nangie." Back at home, when registering for the conference, I read in the brochure that they are "award-winning authors who together have over 40 years experience and 180 published novels." That was good enough for me.

As a requirement for the course, the 12 participants had to submit 500 words of the opening chapter of their novel-in-progress. Copies of all of the manuscripts were e-mailed to each participant so that we could read over them before the conference. It was strange to enter a room and know someone only by the 500 words he or she had written. However, by the end of our three days together, the group became more than just a gaggle of writers: we became writing friends.

The Power to Learn the Craft of Writing

During the almost seven hours of instruction, Nancy and Angie covered fiction basics: What a novel is, what makes a compelling idea, genre, plot, character, point of view, strong beginnings, tense, and critique groups. They each represented different approaches to writing processes, philosophies, and pet peeves.

The Power to Develop a Thick-Skin

One of the most nerve-wracking experiences was waiting to be critiqued. Although Nancy assured us that this would be a "gentle" critique, the idea just made everyone tense up. I am happy to report we all survived. We shared a lot of laughs as we discussed the faux pas that beginning writers make. The valuable insights on how to specifically improve my writing, will be my guiding force as I continue working on my novel.

The Power to Persevere

I will remember this conference as a time away from my family to draw closer to God and to focus my writing in the direction that He has chosen for me. Unfortunately, like many writers, when the pressures of daily life push in, my writing goals can get lost in the shuffle. Coming to the GPCWC helps me get back on track, make new connections, learn new things, and most importantly, hear from God. This year's conference offered all of that and more.

My favorite bits of advice from this conference came from Nangie 101:

• Find Your Passion. Write the story God has placed on your heart, but it must be marketable.
   
• Write Well. You get published by writing a kick-butt, dynamite story.
   
• God is a Redeemer. Nothing is wasted in a manuscript or life: Writing is a redeeming experience.

Can you feel the power?