Hoosier Ink: Our Past Events

That All-Important First Page

ACFW Indiana's June 15th meeting gives you
the opportunity to have your first page critiqued by professional editors!

NO WORRIES THOUGH-
All submissions will be anonymous.

The meeting will take place from 11:30 until 3:00
at Martino’s Italian Villa
1929 North Washington St. Kokomo, Indiana (765) 457-9181.
http://martinositalianvilla.net/

Here’s what you do BEFORE the meeting:
1. Prepare the first page of your work in progress or the first page of a book that you are currently pitching to editors and agents. The header can be completely blank unless you’d like to include genre.
2. Make four copies of the page, four for the editors and one for the emcee.
3. Take the four pages with you to the meeting where one of the board officers will collect them.

Here’s what will happen AT the meeting:
1. After our lunch, the emcee will read each submission out loud. Again, no names/authors are never mentioned.
2. As the emcee reads, the editors also have a copy in front of them. Each raises a hand if she decides the submission would not be suitable for them. If two out of three raise their hands, the emcee stops reading.
3. Once the emcee stops reading—either because two hands were raised or she finished the page—the panel members explain why they rejected the submission. They also will comment upon what they liked about the piece.

Here’s the Take-Away:
1. A better understanding of the average day in the life of an agent or editor as they work through their slush pile.
2. Tips on how you can improve that all-important first page!

On March 16, 2019, Hallee Bridgeman came to speak on platform, particularly newsletters. Her talk was filled with so much excellent information that she offered to provide us with her slides so we could be reminded of all we had learned.

Click on the link below if you would like access to the slides from her presentation.

Building a Platform

Topic: How to Build a Platform

Hallee Bridgeman

With more than half a million book sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy.

An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee finally settled in central Kentucky with her family so that she could enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons. She enjoys the roller-coaster ride thrills that life with a National Guard husband, a college student daughter, and two pre-teen sons delivers.

A prolific writer, when she’s not penning novels, you will find her in the kitchen, which she considers the ‘heart of the home’. Her passion for cooking spurred her to launch a whole food, real food “Parody” cookbook series. In addition to nutritious, Biblically grounded recipes, readers will find that each cookbook also confronts some controversial aspect of secular pop culture.

Hallee is a member of the Published Author Network (PAN) of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) where she serves as a long time member in the Faith, Hope, & Love chapter. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the American Christian Writers (ACW) as well as being a member of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). An accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., and all places in between.

Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. She prays her work here on earth is a blessing to you and would love to hear from you. You can reach Hallee at hallee@halleebridgeman.com

Please join us on:
MARCH 16
11:30 to 3:00
Plainfield, IN (southwest)

Coachman Restaurant

6112 Cambridge Way, Plainfield, Indiana 46168, United States

(317) 839-4545

Getting Pitch Ready

August 2018

Sarah Forgrave is an author and speaker who loves encouraging others. Her writing career began in fiction, where she achieved multiple contest wins, signed with her agent, and garnered interest from publishing houses. After eight years, however, God led her into the world of non-fiction and opened doors for her book, Prayers for Hope and Healing, to be published with Harvest House Publishers in October 2017. Her second book, Prayers of Hope for Caregivers, releases in Spring 2019. Her other writing credits include contributions to Guideposts' A Cup of Christmas Cheer, the e-devotional Arise Daily, and The Gift of Friendship.

Outside of writing and teaching, Sarah is the busy mom of two preteen kids and the wife of an entrepreneurial husband. When she has a moment to herself, she loves to shop the aisles at Trader Joe's or curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com.

Michele Israel Harper is an author, editor, publisher, wife, and mom to three little ones. Whew! When she's not wearing one of those hats, she loves to scrapbook. A true Francophile, ask her anything about France, and she'll love you forever!

Michele has published four books with a fifth ready to go. Her boutique publishing company, L2L2 , specializes in the speculative, but she'd love to expand into other genres someday. You can learn more at www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com.

Cara Putman is a woman of many talents. Currently, she serves on the executive board of ACFW, but she's also a practicing attorney, has earned her MBA, and teaches at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management.

Cara started writing to publish in 2005 after she met Colleen Coble at a book-signing. Colleen encouraged her to follow that dream, and over twenty-five books later, Cara is enjoying her dream come true. Add homeschooling her four children to the above accomplishments, and you can see why she calls herself an "all-around crazy woman!" Check out more details at www.caraputman.com.

What you need to know:

MCL Township Line, 2370 W. 86th St. Indianapolis. Indiana 46260
11:30-2:30
Cost: Members Free +the cost of lunch
Non-Members: $10.00 + the cost of lunch
Membership to Indiana ACFW is $15.00 for the year.

This session will be a panel discussion on how to prepare a one sheet, what happens in a pitch session, how to move towards publication with an agent/publishing company.