Download Cindy’s Speaking/Teaching Information

Speaking to Women

Draw from the Well of Living Water – Everyone gets thirsty. Everyone seeks refreshment. Go to the well and drop in your bucket. Draw out newness and hope.

Dear God, I’m A Mother – God has a sense of humor, and He gave it to moms. In this whimsical look at rearing children mom’s find the common bond between themselves and their children and being a child of God.

Meet God on the Mountain – When the time comes for self-reflection and evaluation, there is a path that leads to peace and contentment. Meet God on the Mountain walks the path seeking full dependence on God.

Grandma’s Best – There’s nothing better than Grandma’s home cooking. In this fun look at Biscuits, gravy, and grits, you learn there’s a recipe for a good meal. When we’re children, we drink milk, but when mature — we eat ham, biscuits, and gravy. Learn how to move from milk to meat in your spiritual life.

The Story in Toilet Paper – Which way do you hang your toilet paper – so the paper rolls over the top or from the bottom? There is a story in toilet paper, and we’re pretty set in our ways when it comes to placing the roll on the holder. It’s time to understand “a heart willing to learn.” Is your way the only way, or does God take precedence?

A Thimble full of Grace – Paul prayed that we would know how high, how deep, how wide, and how long the love of God is. It’s the same with His grace. A thimble full covers us completely, and we can never empty the river of grace He has for us.

 

Teaching to the Writer

WHAT DID THEY SAY? – You'll want to know the industry lingo if you are new to writing and conferences. What is a critique group, and what a good critique is? What is the difference between traditionally published, self-publishing, and custom publishing? POD, POV, RUE. What are all these initials? In this class, you’ll be introduced to the lingo of the industry and what to do in those 15-minute appointments. This class will help you navigate the ropes as a new conferee.

Understanding the Basics – We discuss the basics of writing in this class, especially important for first-timers. Content, hooks, and common mistakes that plague the new writer. Tips that help authors self-edit. We will discuss the importance of learning to self-edit and how simple techniques can take your manuscript from ho-hum to polished. 

The Writing Tool that Will Refine Your Skill – Devotions – The misnomer is devotions are simple to write because they are short. But the truth is, learning to write a devotion properly is the greatest writing tool you can add to your toolbox. In this class, we utilize the hook, book, look, and took method of writing devotions. We’ll discuss aspects that stop the reader from reading and offer tips that draw readers in and provide them with the ah-hh moment that strikes the soul. There is no one right or wrong way to write a devotion, but there are specific elements necessary to make an impact. Learn the dos and don’ts of writing tight and concisely.

 I Can Self-Publish Just Because I Can – Self-publishing is a wonderful tool for writers, but often, we let our desire to have a published work cloud the reality that this is a major business decision. There are important questions a writer should ask before they launch into self-publishing. Is your manuscript ready? Do you have a platform? How will this affect your family financially? Can you recoup your investment at a price point that will sell books? Should you decide self-publishing is for you, it should be a fun experience not one that will become your Achilles heel as your career progresses. This class covers the business decision of self-publishing and its financial impact, and it discusses the importance of never skipping the steps to publication, i.e., editing, professional cover, and platform. Rejections and their purpose are addressed, as well as understanding trends, the market, and the right time to publish.

The Storyteller in You – Most anyone can write a story, but few can really take that story and TELL it on the page, so your readers can’t let go. We will talk about what makes a good story and the characters that stick with your reader. We’ll learn the skills needed to take your storytelling skills to the next level. The class will discuss adding dialect, emotion, and dealing gently with hard subjects. Conferees will discover the importance of a good hook and colorful description, pinging all the reader’s senses.

Ten Steps to Polish Your Manuscript – In this class, we discuss polishing a manuscript. We address where the story begins, the importance of the opening paragraph and page, your hook, and your overall goal of the book. We look at how to develop characters who impact your readers so that readers want to know more when the book is done. This class also addresses chapter lengths, overall word count, the synopsis, and how to submit to an agent or publisher.

The Making of a Page-Turner – What makes your reader continue to flip the pages? What does it mean when a reader says, “It’s a fast read?” These are questions every writer needs to answer and understand. In this class, we discuss what a cliffhanger is, the types of cliffhangers (every cliffhanger is not a devasting thing), and how to add them at the end of every chapter. Learn about twists, how they pull the reader to the next page, and how they may even surprise you. If you are writing a novel, this class is a must.

 Getting the Publishing Process in Order – There are steps to follow before you are ready to publish. Knowing and understanding the process curbs frustration and anxiety. This class will learn the publishing process and what happens once you land an agent and receive a contract. What happens from the time the contract is signed until publication? This class addresses the hierarchy in publishing companies, the agent’s role in this process, and what is acceptable and unacceptable in working with an editor. Timeframes, deadlines, communication, marketing…there is so much. This class will walk you through what to expect as your career progresses to publication.

Writing Christian World View into the General Market – Christian writers tend to preach to the choir, writing only to those in the Christian market. But what about those who do not read within the confines of the Christian Market? We will discuss the importance of writing into the general market and maintaining a Christian worldview. Authors can write wholesome, enjoyable, and fulfilling fiction for the general market without letting the world lead them in a lie that the world won’t read. We’ll prove you can write good fiction and maintain the love of Christ without thumping your reader on the head. It’s time to advance and put our toes in new water where the ripples can make amazing changes.

 Let's Learn Publishing – In these sessions, we will talk about writing a Christian worldview into your book, looking at how to crossover into the general market, what happens after you have a contract, and the importance of building that online presence - aka platform. We'll spend time talking about all things publishing, why the wait is long, and what publication ready means. We'll discuss the business decisions that you will make and whether your best route into publishing is through traditional or self-publication.

Voice and Description - In this class, we’ll learn what VOICE is and take time to learn to play again. Description begins with play. We'll talk about how to reignite that inner creativity that leads to amazing description and how important emotion is to our writing.

Hook, Book, Look, and Took is More than Devotions - A simple method of writing the old-school way that will draw your readers in, hold them tight, and make your work memorable. We use this method with devotion writing, but you'll find you have strong chapters when you learn to adapt this to your non-fiction books. We'll talk about the fictional bubble turned non-fiction and what that means in creating a work that holds your readers tight.

Storytelling in Non-Fiction and Other Things of Interest - We only think of a storyteller in the fictional sense but the sign of a good writer is one who can tell a non-fiction story with flare and interest. We'll talk about formatting non-fiction chapters, what Christian living is, and why memoirs are a hard sell. Think of this class as the hodge-podge of things you only know if someone takes the time to tell you.

Non-fiction and Such –  In these afternoon sessions, we will touch on all the variations of non-fiction, from how to tell a solid non-fiction story to learning what your voice is and how to stay in your "lane." Non-fiction can turn dry fast, so we'll discuss ways to draw in your reader, how to interject emotion and even humor, and finally, we'll talk about things you may not know unless someone tells you. We'll put to rest unrealistic expectations and add in setting realistic publishing goals.