Authentically United - Tracy Krauss

If asked to sum up this year's fall conference in one word, I would have to say 'Authenticity'. Although the planning committee did not consciously choose this theme, it seemed to permeate many aspects of the event.

'Tools for Authors' panel: Jane Wheeler, Linda Hall, Rik Hall, Janice Dick, Tracy Krauss moderating

Keynote speaker Linda Hall lead us through her journey as a writer, along the way offering bits of 'Sage Advice', as she called it. The broad takeaway was this: it's okay to switch genres, try something new, step outside your comfort zone, and even go against the grain... as long as this is something you, as an individual writer, feel you are supposed to do. This is exactly what Linda did - more than once! Were there risks? Yes, but that's 'authenticity' in a nutshell - following your own writerly path without worrying about what others will think or whether 'success' will follow. Finding happiness and joy in what you are writing is more important than success.

Carolyne Aarsen and yours truly

Carolyne Aarsen, keynote for the pre-conference VIP day, had a very similar message, although her writer's path was completely different. She started out as a journalist, but had a love of writing romance. Since making the switch and signing with Harlequin 'Love Inspired', she has been an extremely prolific author, unapologetically writing what she loves to write. That's authenticity!

There are many more examples from the variety of workshops offered but one stands out for me, and that was a workshop given by Dayna Mazzuca called 'Reach Your Reader'. Hers was a fascinating workshop that categorized different types of readers into five main groups: the Scholar; the Social Connector; the Change Agent; the Adventurer; and the Mystic.  (It reminded me a bit of the 'five love languages' in that everyone connects to what they read in a different way.) The real 'light bulb' moment for me came when I realized that understanding what kind of reader I am will probably impact the type pf writer I am, which in turn means I should be much more focused on what type of reader I am targeting.

There were so many great takeaways from this year's conference, but I found it interesting that almost every workshop I attended or participated in had something to do with being true to oneself. In many ways, this mirrors our organization. We have so many talented and inspiring people with such a variety of backgrounds and stories to share.  It's one of the best things about conference - getting to know one another a little bit better and celebrating our diversity while also recognizing the unity in Christ that holds us together.
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Tracy Krauss writes from her home in northern BC. Visit her website http://tracykrauss.com 
-fiction on the edge without crossing the line-