It really is just around the corner. The Mid-Winter Writers Conference will be an all-day conference from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 24 at Pell City Library. This event is bringing together authors, editors, formatters and other experts in every area of writing, editing, publishing and many other topics.

Presenters from Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia will be there to offer networking opportunities as well as the best workshops available anywhere. Workshop topics this year include “Song-Writing,” “Devotional/Inspirational,” “Writing for a Cause,” “Whether and When You Need an Editor,” “Starting and Maintaining a Blog,” and “Traditional versus Self-Publishing,” among many more.

Presenters include one of Alabama’s Poets Laureate, a Pulitzer Prize winner, the editor of HomeLife Magazine, and many others. All of the presenters are experts in their field, and they have much to offer, regardless of where you are in your own writing or what you write. There will be workshops on poetry, song-writing, fiction, non-fiction, “call to action,” and the “business” side of writing. Whether you’ve started on your own book or you’re only thinking about writing, you won’t want to miss this conference. 

The conference will kick off with a “Meet and Greet” at 6 p.m. Friday night at the Pell City Library. Attendees will have a chance to meet and chat with some of the presenters. It’s a casual get together, which will include short readings from poets and authors, some music and fellowship, and refreshments. There is no charge for this Friday night “Meet and Greet,” and it is open to the public.

On Saturday, the conference begins with breakfast and welcome from sponsors at 8 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. so authors and presenters can set up tables, and attendees can pick up badges and agendas and enjoy some breakfast.

The first activity will be with Margie Littleton doing an “Ice Breaker.” We don’t know what to expect except we do know Margie, so we can predict that it will likely include laughter. Then the first Keynote will be “How Do You Know if You Have Never Even Tried?” by Rita Moritz. With that encouraging beginning, attendees will be free to choose their workshops.

After your catered lunch, David Bennett, Editor of HomeLife Magazine, will be doing the second Keynote, titled, “Coming Up Short.” David is an amazing speaker and a great encourager. Meeting this humble man and hearing him speak are worth the cost of the conference if that were the only thing offered

There will be three workshops during each session, and attendees will be able to attend five sessions throughout. That means, of course, that you can’t get in every workshop. However, there are plenty for you to choose from. There will also be time to visit the author tables and buy autographed books that interest you.

Early registration is $70, and it includes both keynotes, five workshops, a panel discussion, breakfast and a catered lunch. If you are an author and want a table for your books, there is no additional charge for that. Writers Anonymous and Pell City Library provide the tables. Authors only need to bring their own tablecloth and/or decorations. 

There are also two contests for attendees, one for poetry and the other for prose (whether fiction or non-fiction). There will be one winner for each contest, and the prize is $100. To see the rules for the contest, you can go to http://www.mwwconference.com/pics/2018Contest%20Rules.jpg, go to our Facebook page, or go to the Pell City Library. Registration forms are also available at the library.

For more information on presenters, you can go to mwwconference.com/agenda. Then you can register and pay online or print a mail-in registration form. You may also register and pay (cash, check or money order) at the Pell City Library. If space permits, we will accept registrations at the door on Saturday morning. If you have questions, you can email me directly at rita@ritamoritz.com.