The ACFW Conference Meets the 2020 Pandemic

 

I will always remember my first national ACFW Conference—St. Louis, 2011.

I will never, ever forget my second national ACFW Conference—Indianapolis, 2013—where seven of the eight critique buddies/writing partners/dear friends that made up the Scriblerians shared time and space in-person for the very first time. One of the very best experiences of my life!

I had a great time when Linda Samaritoni and I trekked to Nashville in 2016 for my third national ACFW encounter.

I’ve said it a hundred times at least: there is nothing like spending time with other writers. Absolutely nothing inspires me and infuses my heart, mind, and soul with fresh enthusiasm for writing as does sharing time with people who are also passionate about writing.  

Well, 2020 has punched a huge hole in the opportunity for such encounters, now hasn’t it? Disappointment welled within me as one event after another suffered the hatchet’s blow due to COVID-19. Oh, how I missed my local writing buddies and mourned for the conference experiences that would not happen.

While nothing completely replaces those in-person connections, I’ve been very thankful for and have benefited from a number of virtual opportunities to connect with fellow authors. In fact, I may well have lost my mind if not for those online occasions to feed my need for writerly companionship.

Chalk up the 2020 ACFW Conference as another victim of the pandemic. I’m sure many tears were shed by faithful, longtime conference attendees as well as those hoping to soak up writerly vibes at their very first ACFW national event.

Thankfully, the conference will be virtually hosted next month, on September 18-19. Via Zoom meetings, conference workshops and virtual appointments will fill Friday and Saturday. The event will culminate with the Awards Gala.

Check out the conference schedule and registration details before September 1 to take advantage of this as-good-as-it-gets compilation of camaraderie, craft-sharpening, and writing business know-how.   

I’m pondering the idea of making my way to a safe location away from home and the dailiness of life, where I can immerse myself in the conference experience more fully. A sort of virtual conference meets personal retreat. Sounds like a good way to add the 2020 ACFW Conference to my list of memorable, beneficial learning experiences.

Comment below if you'll be "attending" the virtual conference. And please share any ideas you have for making the two-day event a more complete conference event. 

2020 Annual Conference

“The Premier Christian Fiction Conference”

ACFW’s First Ever VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
via Zoom
September 18th & 19, 2020