The retreat features eight seasoned writing coaches who provide the skills aspiring and working authors need to 

Each session will be streamed LIVE during the 2-day retreat. Our writing coaches provide expert instruction and 

Ready to get all those big ideas out of your head and onto the page? Brainstorming helps you visualize your book idea and place yourself within a genre so you know where you’re headed. Do the careful thought work in the Idea Phase so you don’t get 20,000 words in only to realize this is not the book you wanted to write. Confirm the concept. With a strong sense of purpose, you are positioned to construct a book idea with a compelling hook that grabs your readers’ attention, draws them in, and holds their interest. You are positioned to stay focused in the writing and avoid any detours that lead away from the destination. In the brainstorming process, you learn how to take the first step to get your book out of your heart and onto the page.

Once you clarify your book idea, the next step is to plan the content of your book. This session is designed to help you further refine the vision of your project and develop a strong premise. The premise presents the fundamental concept of your writing project as a concise statement of one to three sentences. What need does the book address and what solution do you propose? This concise summary directs your writing so you are clear on the destination. The key question is “At its core, what is this book about, who is it for, and why do they care?” We’ll think about the journey you want to take your reader on and how to design a logical presentation of your book content. As you plan the content, the vision for your book comes into greater focus

Now that you’ve thought through the flow of your content in the broad, the next step is to structure your reader’s journey into chapters by creating working chapter titles. This step enables you to see the whole book in brief. Having this bird’s eye view helps you create a clear path or road map through the content presented in the book. Chapter titles provide the core structure for a working outline. With an organized plan, you will maintain clarity in the writing process. Your outline is a roadmap that helps you see where you are and where you’re going. Once you have chapter titles, the next step is bullet point each chapter to communicate the fundamental concept of that chapter. This summary helps you think through the purpose of each chapter as you clarify the content to include in that chapter.

Let’s define the specifics of your writing project so you can create a realistic schedule with achievable deadlines. If you have a desire to write a book, the most important first step is to commit. If you don’t make a firm commitment in your own mind and heart that you’re going to write and finish your book, it will be easy to give up. In this workshop, we teach you how to set a realistic and reasonable final deadline for yourself. Based on your final deadline, you can work backward and calculate smaller deadlines. When you view your writing as a valid, legitimate responsibility, you will give it the required, specific time in your schedule. Make the time and protect that time. Figure out what time of the day or week works best for you to write productively, then stick with it. Say no to other things that come up so you can meet your goals and finish your book.

While writing the first draft, you get it out as quickly as possible without nitpicking at the copy, but now your first draft needs to be tidied up. In the Editing Phase, you examine the concepts for logic, clarity, and flow, gradually moving in to address the details of copy editing and polishing the language. Banish the bunny trails! Once you’ve self-edited as best you can, you will seek the help of a professional editor.Learning to edit well is a lifelong pursuit. When you embrace it as part of your toolkit, you will become a stronger writer. Even if it is not a natural strength, with regular practice and attention, your editing muscles will become stronger. A good writer becomes an excellent writer by practice, not by accident. If you invest in your craft, your writing ability will strengthen, your voice will mature, and your passion will grow.

To sign or not to sign? That is the question. What publishing route would Shakespeare choose if he were writing in 2021? Would he sign with a major publisher as a first-time author? Would he go the self-publishing route and market directly to his community? Or would he choose a combination of the two? Publishing has come a long way in the last 400 years. Now, we have options galore which is a blessing and a burden because you need to figure out, “What’s right for me?” In the Publishing Phase, we assess the pros and cons of traditional and self-publishing. This can feel overwhelming for first-time authors, but in this workshop, we expose the common myths about publishing and provide the clarity you need to get your book out to your readers.

Writers love to write. Right? Well, let’s be more specific. Writers love to work on their writing projects (most of the time), but there is another kind of writing that is most unpleasant. Marketing. How are you going to find readers if you don’t market? Part of the writer’s job is to go out and find readers. I can hear your wail, “But I don’t like to sell.” Want the good news? Marketing these days doesn’t work like it used to. Instead of selling, you connect with people and provide value. When you build a relationship of trust, when they encounter your passion, you don’t have to sell them, but instead, you connect them with what they already want: your book. Want to fast track your way to what’s working right now? This panel discussion is a must.

Mindy Kiker and Jennifer Kochert, co-founders of FlourishGathering and FlourishWriters, are passionate to help you grow in God’s Word. They have authored and published Bible studies and devotionals, workshops, online conferences and training courses. Jenny and Mindy are guides who help birth stories from the heart to the page. We mentor writers who flourish.