E is for Excitement...

E is for Excitement

Two weeks from today at this time, I'll be on a plane headed for Dallas, TX and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference. I am so EXCITED. 

Although I woke up this morning and remembered the dream I had just had. SCARY! I walked into the main conference room, and it was empty except for three well-known (and highly-respected) writers--Colleen Coble, Ruth Axtell Morren, and Debby Giusti (good thing I checked that spelling, shew). They welcomed me to their table and I soaked up all the geniusness (nope, probably not a word, but there it is).

BTW, they weren't the scary part. The scary part happens when I stand up with a backpack (remember it's a dream, and I guess, in my mind, they are the teachers and I am still a young upstart student).... Anyway, I realize that I forgot to print out all the information about my book that I needed to bring...no one-sheets, sample chapters, synopses (that looks so weird spelled that way). 

That's when I woke up in a panic. I have so much to do, yet, to be ready. I was way more organized last year. I mean, really. I just designed and ordered my business cards on Monday. I still need to get my one-sheets printed. I don't have a color printer, so have to out-source those. My sample chapters need a final look-through before printing, as does my synopsis. And I was looking at agent/editor preferences yesterday (yes, I know) and there's something else that I can't quite remember at the moment, but I remember I haven't done it either. *Sigh* So there's the scary part. 

BUT I know God has great plans for Everyone who gets to attend (and those who are unable to do so this year), me included. 

I'm still so EXCITED. And terrified. And EXCITED. And anxious ("do not be anxious about anything"...I'm praying, really, I am.) And EXCITED. Did I say I was EXCITED?

Thanks for reading with me, and I would appreciate your prayers.

Ginger

My first ACFW conference experience

At times writing is a chore and other times it is invigorating. That pretty much sums up my much anticipated trip to St. Louis for the ACFW conference.

I enjoyed meeting many new people, and seeing "famous" authors (Colleen Coble, Tracie Peterson, Brandilyn Collins, Gail Gaymer Martin and so many others). I loved my roommate Nancy Farrier. What a wonderful, godly woman.

On the other hand, it was discouraging. I kind of knew that my book wasn't going to be "popular," but I really wanted some feed back that my writing has potential. Mrs. Martin said some positive things in my appointment with her (thank you), but my next appointment went so badly (as I expected it to do - is it bad that I expected the worst?) that her words became nearly forgotten. I was nowhere near what that particular publisher wanted - plot driven vs. character driven, wrong setting, wrong characters - but to give her credit, she tried to be very nice about it.

The discouragement didn't really hit me until the drive home yesterday - seven hours in the car gave me a lot of time to think. What if I'm just not meant to be a writer? What if all the time I spend writing I should be doing something else? Am I trying to do this for my glory or God's?

I went to conference praying for divine revelation and came home wondering if I missed God somewhere along the way.

So that's my experience at the ACFW conference. I pray that all the other newcomers went home encouraged and hopeful.

Conference Newby Nerves

At the end of September I will be attending my first ever ACFW Conference. This year it is being held in St. Louis, Missouri. I will be traveling alone from my home in Northern Alabama. Will I get lost? Be able to find parking? Hit traffic?

Driving there is not my only concern, however. My anxiety also comes from how I will act when I get there. How many times will I make a fool of myself (notice I didn't say "if" but how many)? Will I be too nervous to talk or will I talk too much?  Will I just sit in a corner and watch from a distance, which tends to be how I cope with new situations? 

Then there are the ultimate writing questions: Will an editor like my book? Will my setting in a foreign country be a strike against me from the start(being that I am unpublished as well)? Is my book any good? Am I just fooling myself that my writing is interesting?

Those are the thoughts that flit through my head multiple times each day. There is still over six weeks until the conference. What will I do to relax? 

I pray and leave it at the throne of God. If He truly called me to write this book, which I feel He did, then He will guide me to the right person, at the right time. Though that is easier said than done, I will remind myself daily that God is on my side and that's good enough.


As always, under HIS wings,
Ginger