ACFW DFW

07/16/2025

Looking for a writer's group? Consider American Christian Fiction Writers. The DFW group -- the Ready Writers -- has an open invitation to new members. You'll find something to help you along your writing journey, along with friends to encourage you on the way.

07/07/2025

Join ACFW-DFW Ready Writers at our monthly meeting this coming Saturday. Jessica Barna, Author Success Coach and founder of Author Achievement, will present. Marketing Jumpstart is designed to help you demystify the marketing and sales cycle, prioritize what matters most, and take actionable steps to grow your audience and sell more books. You’ll leave with a clear focus, tailored strategies, and a plan you can confidently execute in the next 30, 60, or 90 days. So let’s say goodbye to marketing overwhelm and start building the momentum your books deserve!
Sign up at Ticketleap to get a Zoom link. Zoom room opens at 10:30 for fellowship and the presentation begins at 11:00 a.m.

Link is in the comments.

Jessica Barna, an Author Success Coach and the founder of Author Achievement, will present Marketing Jumpstart. Marketing Jumpstart is designed to help you demystify the marketing and sales cycle, priortize what matters most, and take actionable steps to grow your audience and sell more books. You

06/12/2025

Lee Carver spoke to a writers group last week, sharing her hard-earned knowledge with newer writers.

06/05/2025

https://authorspublish.com/36-themed-calls-and-contests-for-june-2025/

These are themed calls and contests for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Some of the call themes are: the uncanny; cryptids; numerical; birds; train; it was paradise; best dressed; sweet hereafter; science; and stories of galactic pest control. THEMED CALLSTalk Vomit: The uncanny“Our summer editio...

05/24/2025

Come out to Bethesda Baptist Church. They have a car show going on outside and a craft show indoors. Get a signed book!

05/21/2025

Get paid to write. https://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/uncategorized/11-fiction-magazines-paying-up-to-450/

05/19/2025

Dear Writers,

This is just a quick reminder that the 2025 Guide to Manuscript Publishers is now available, and has been fully updated for this year.

This book includes detailed reviews of over 297 traditional publishers that accept submissions directly from writers. If you want to get published, this book is for you.

Get Your Copy Here (Free)

We're giving away the book completely free. Please help get the word out by forwarding this email to a friend, or sharing the link on social media.

Our aim, as always, is to provide free resources to writers. The Writer's Market used to sell for $45. This book is free, and contains much more comprehensive information about the publishers listed. Your support, in terms of helping this book get wide distribution is greatly appreciated.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jacob Jans
Authors Publish

05/04/2025

Join us Saturday, May 10, 2025 online to hear Becky Wade present Crafting the Romantic Hero at 10:30a (fellowship time starts at 10a).

Registration at TicketLeap is required to receive invite.

Does your romantic hero need a little boost to be more ... well ... romantic? Learn the characteristics of what you need to include for five different Christian heros -- from the boy-next-door to the moody stranger -- from award-winning author, Becky Wade. Understanding these complexities to craft a character that will make your readers swoon!

TicketLeap registration: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/acfw-dfw/acfw-dfw-monthly-meeting-becky-wade-five-romantic-heroes

Register by 8p Friday, May 9 (earlier to receive your invite in a timely manner).

Becky Wade and her family make their home in Dallas, Texas. She loves penning sweet contemporary romances laced with sizzling chemistry, mystery, faith, banter, and humor. Her novels have been recognized with Carol Awards, INSPY awards, and a spot in the Christy Award Hall of Fame. She is the author of multiple novels, including her recently released, newest story, Uneasy Street.

Visit Becky online at: www.beckywade.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorbeckywade
Instagram: http://instagram.com/beckywadewriter
and other social media platforms.

04/20/2025

Quote of the Day

04/03/2025

Join ACFW DFW on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 9a-3:00p CST for our Annual Writers Mini Conference 2025 – From Story to Impact

The event opens at 8:30a CST for fellowship.
*TicketLeap registration is required! Information in comments.*

What will you hear when you join us for 2025? Just look at this lineup!

Zena Dell Lowe - keynote: The Seven Key Elements of a “Christian” Story
For too long, Christian storytelling has been defined by limiting criteria: no s*x, no language, no violence, and always a happy ending. But these rules don’t reflect the complexities of life or the power of great storytelling. In this keynote, we’ll explore seven transformative elements that every story should include to honor God, engage readers, and stand out in a competitive marketplace. If we want to create art that glorifies God and influences culture, it’s time to rethink what makes a “Christian” story great.

She will also be presenting: Building Better Christian Stories: A Practical Workshop
This class expands on the keynote by diving into practical applications of the seven key elements. Through hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and group discussions, participants will learn how to incorporate these elements into their own work. Whether you're crafting a novel, screenplay, or short story, this workshop will give you actionable strategies to create compelling, God-honoring stories that stand out in the marketplace.

Additional speakers and attending agent include:

Suzie Waltner – presentation: Marketing Outside the Lines
Are you stuck in your marketing efforts? Not sure where to begin? In Marketing Outside the Lines, we'll discuss ways to get your book in front of more readers. Marketing is more than posting on your social media and sending out a newsletter. This workshop will cover many of the traditional ways to market your book as well as give you some strategies that might be new to you—and maybe help you brainstorm your next marketing initiative.

Darlene Turner – presentation: Breaking Into Love Inspired: The Inside Scoop
Can writers land a traditional publishing contract when the list of authors grows expeditiously every day? Love Inspired (Harlequin) is always looking for new authors, so how can you get in their door? Darlene will share what she’s learned writing for Love Inspired that will help those seeking to grab that coveted contract. She will focus on these key areas: * Various lines within Love Inspired - LI/LIS/LIT, * Tropes (what the LI/LIS editors are seeking), * Proposal (what to include), * Manuscript (tips to catch an editor’s attention), * How to submit to LI, * Do’s and Don’ts to be successful, and * Benefits of a career with LI.

Tara Johnson – presentation: Body Language: The Ultimate Show, Don’t Tell
Understanding body language, micro-expressions, and posture is the ultimate way to ‘show and not tell’. Body language adds tremendous depth to dialogue, sets tone, and shows readers how a character’s emotions reflect in their behavior. This workshop will teach students how to use universal body language to give their characters rich emotion, as well as teach how to spot deception and bumps in verbal language that reveal inner motive. This class will also use examples from real life, including transcripts and videos from confessed serial killers and public figures.

Agent, Cynthia Ruchti, with Books & Such Literary Management: Manuscript pitch sessions are limited. Attendees are encouraged to sign up early.

Cost for this one-day conference of five presentations, (limited) agent pitch session, and the additional perks of a virtual swag bag, private social media group prior to the event, chats with the authors and others during the (virtual) luncheon gathering, as well as chances to win prizes throughout the day is $30 for ACFW Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) members and $35 for non-DFW members.

Registration is requested by Wednesday, April 9 at 8p in order to give our volunteers time to send out the swag.

No registrations will be accepted after Friday, April 11 at 8p to give us time to send the required invitation.

Earlier sign-ups are appreciated and allow access to the private event page. Join the event page and find out more about EACH of our speakers and agent inside.

Join ACFW DFW on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 9a-3:00p CST for our Annual Writers Mini Conference 2025 – From Story to Impact The event opens at 8:30a CST for fellowship. TicketLeap registration is required!  What will you hear when you join us for 2025? Just look at this lineup!  Zena

03/10/2025

Hello, ACFW family! We have some exciting news to share about this year’s conference! This year marks the 25th anniversary of the ACFW Conference, and we want to make it an unforgettable celebration—together! We’ve heard you! We’ve listened to your feedback, and we’re thrilled to announce some big changes that we know you’re going to love.

Many of you weren’t excited about returning to New Orleans. So, we went to work—and I’m thrilled to share that this year’s conference will be held in Springfield, Missouri at the University Plaza Hotel! Not only is it a more central location, but we were able to lower the cost of hotel rooms by nearly $100 per night—making it more affordable for everyone! (Don’t call the hotel—your registration will need a code when we get the link up for conference and it’s not ready.)

We know affordability matters. That’s why, for this special anniversary year, we’re offering a conference Super Saver price of just $499! We want to make it easier than ever for you to attend, connect, and grow in your writing career.

But that’s not all! You also asked for more learning opportunities tailored to different career stages and genres. This year, we’re expanding our workshops to include:

Career-focused topics, such as advanced marketing, author branding, and building a sustainable writing career. Some of these will be hands on classes to learn some of the things you’ve been asking about.

Fiction for all ages, including dedicated sessions for writing children’s!

We hope you’ll join us in Springfield for an unforgettable 25th-anniversary event. Stay tuned for more details—and start making plans now!

You can watch the video for more information and a look at the hotel and location: https://youtu.be/py9azaw94e8



Or visit the conference website: https://acfw.com/acfw-conference/

We can’t wait to see you there!

03/04/2025

The MFA Workshop Experience with Lyndie Blevins

How does the workshop experience differ from critique groups?

Join ACFW DFW for our quarterly in-person meeting, Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 10:30a to 12p at George W. Hawkes Library, Arlington, to hear our own recently graduated, Lyndie Blevins, as she shares about her last Master of Fine Arts - Fiction (MFA) workshop experience.

Register at TicketLeap (this helps determine the size of room required) - in comments.

Blevins will discuss the format, guidelines, and atmosphere of her last workshop. As an example, she will use the short story she submitted to the program. She will share the comments her fellow workshop attendees contributed about her story, and how she used these to revise her story.

Attendees can join in the experience by reading through her short story, “When Rumors Wound,” as well as the fiction critique tips sheet she provided. (Links to these can be found in the registration and will be sent with a reminder email later in the week.)

To find out more about Blevins and her writing, visit her at: https://www.facebook.com/SeekingSage/

ACFW members pay a small meeting fee. As per National guidelines, guests may attend regular monthly meetings for free twice before being asked to join.

Afterward the meeting, join us at a nearby restaurant for a pay-your-way lunch and fellowship.