Note: For a more newsy recap of this year's KCWC, I wrote an article for my local newspaper, The News Enterprise, on June 27, 2019.
Check it out here!
More expressive, less newsy thoughts:
What is it about being around creative people that gives you so much energy? I had an absolute blast at this year's KCWC, even more so because it was my second year - I knew the ropes, I planned my schedule, and I even brought along my dear friend and fabulous author, Janet.
This year's venue was even closer to my home, so despite the perpetual Forrest Gump rain montage, we all remained relatively dry. Plus, I have a soft spot for community colleges.
With the rising cost on higher ed, what person would willingly not look for a more cost-effective solution? I am one of those unlucky souls who paid for her entire college experience herself, so I looked at the bottom line harshly. I'm happy to say that through some really tough decisions, generous scholarship, and a lot of support from wonderful mentors and professors, I graduated from college 99.9% debt free.
Second, smaller class sizes have their advantages, mainly being the personal mentoring relationships you can develop with your professors- many of whom are teaching because they are truly passionate about their field.
I vividly remember walking in late to my first college class, Basics of Public Speaking, led by Professor Carlton Hughes in August of 1997. My first misstep was going to the wrong building, which is only amusing when you realize my community college had precisely three buildings with classrooms.
As we went around the room introducing ourselves, I took a break from fanning myself with a notebook (spoiler alert - I am always hot, even in the most brutal winter storms), to tell the group a little about myself and the most important attribute about me - I am always, always, always late.
After receiving my syllabus and gathering up my belongings, I realized I had Professor Hughes for another class that semester - Journalism 101. And then something really crazy happened. This professor saw something in me. Maybe it was because I super sassy and opinionated. Or maybe he picked my name out of a hat, but something extraordinary happened - he made me Editor of the student newspaper!
Isn't that always the way? God always calls the unqualified, the one you least expect. But no person ever accomplished anything without tons of people pouring into them.
I spent two years under his tutelage, eventually transferring to Western Kentucky University to pursue public relations - that wonder field that married my favorite fields together - journalism, event coordination, graphic design, photography, and advertising.
Last year, I was so excited to learn there was not only a writing conference happening closeby, but a Christian writer's conference. And guess who was one of the faculty members? My old professor, and quite frankly, dear friend Carlton Hughes. He and his wife were so gracious to introduce me to everyone, show me where to go, what to do, and encourage me to be brave. A new path is decidedly less scary when there is someone you know and trust holding a lantern before you to prevent you from stumbling.
Over the last year, something incredible began to stir in me. I wanted to write! Not just for ministries, or the copy for friends' websites. I wanted to really write!
So at the end of May of this year, I left my cushy job in communications and just went for it. It's scary! I literally have had the nervous poops a dozen times, but I saw a meme recently that spoke to me.
My business cards are laughable and were printed on my desktop printer. It took me an entire month to get my act together to create a website and figure out the details of linking it to social media, but I'm getting there.
And it's all because the community of artisans and writers at the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference are quite possibly the most welcoming and supportive group of people I've ever met.
This year's conference, I wanted to focus on the business side of writing, and some of the things I learned were literally mind-blowing. Hannah R. Conway's class on keyword searches and Amazon sales had me taking notes as if my life depended on it!
On top of meeting so many talented published authors, I had one experience that stood out from the rest.
Our keynote speaker, Susan May Warren, agreed to have a one-on-one appointment with me. Me. An unpublished nobody with a sarcastic wit who is earnestly trying to meet people and understand what the heck I'm doing. *disclaimer: one-on-one appointments were available to everyone, I am not special.
I was a little nervous when her previous appointment went over by five minutes, but I patiently waited my turn, hoping that I could convey to Susan that I was going to be one of her easy appointments for the day. As I sat down, I assured Susan I wasn't going to fan girl all over her, or want the name of her literary agent.
I just wanted to hear some encouraging words and have someone on the other side of the manuscript give me some advice on how to start. After a day and a half of being exposed to practices and ideas that had never crossed my mind, I was overwhelmed. I was doubting myself. There was no one patiently holding the lantern along this path for me so I could catch up and I knew it wouldn't be long before I stumbled.
Do you know how she responded?
She stopped what she was doing and she prayed with me.
Folks! This incredible, award-winning author, who only moments before had told us how she survived an armed robbery in her home (with her small children present!!!) while serving as a missionary in Siberian Russia, stopped what she was doing and she prayed WITH me and FOR me. I was blown away.
That's not an experience you get when you're breaking into many fields, but from what I've seen, the Christian writing community is not a group of accomplished or aspiring literary professionals.
This group is a family and I am forever grateful that I've found them.
Poor Carlton, he had no idea what a monster he created by making me an editor. :)
Thanks for reading!
~ Christy
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