Retreat Breakout Groups
Breakout Groups meet after each morning and afternoon instructional session. Participate in one or more groups each time they meet OR choose to enjoy some of the retreat features of Restoration Family Farm such as a visit with the animals, a few moments alone to pray and process your thoughts, or a stroll of the grounds in reflection. Each group is overseen by a Group Mentor who will teach or guide discussion according to the group topic. The groups meet in varied spots according to the MAP in your WELCOME FOLDER.
Breakout Group 1: Manuscript Critique and Discussion
Group Mentor: Kathryn Ross—Main Room Head Table
Author, editor, and independent publisher Kathryn Ross will be available for manuscript critiques in a small group setting. Learning from each other’s work, you’ll gain clearer direction for how to polish your work or redraft with confidence and inspiration. Bring a minimum of 5 short manuscript copies to share with the group and experience the sharpening power of manuscript critique and discussion.
Breakout Group 2: Vision Board Crafting Center
Group Mentor: Stacy Lee Flury—Main Room/back of room Workstation
Stacy’s keen eye for art and design makes her a prime mentor to help you pull together your vision board ideas using a variety of materials including magazines, canvases, decorative craft paper, glue sticks, scissors, art pens, and more. If you have any special Scriptures or pictures from home that you want to add, bring them with you on Saturday or add them to your board after the retreat. Vision Boards do not have to be completed by the end of the retreat, but you can get a good start. Consider being a volunteer in the closing session to share what you have started on your Vision Board with everyone.
Breakout Group 3: Show, Don’t Tell—HOW to Narrate Your Epic Pioneer Story
Group Mentor: Trish Weldon—Mid-Room Side A
Author Trish Weldon shares before and after examples from her recent book to illustrate the power of SHOWING your story in a "you are there" fashion—instead of just TELLING it. This is a critical skill to master to produce compelling, readable, relatable, and sticky stories. Learn how to craft a scene and use strong verbs to make your writing pop! You’ll have an opportunity to brainstorm an on-the-spot edit of a paragraph and transform it from one that just tells a story into a memorable show of a story.
Breakout Group 4: Writing for Children
Group Mentor: Linda Slomin--Playroom
Linda’s first picture book for children started out as a puppet show. When she joined a critique group, she got quite an education on how to take her idea that worked great in a puppet performance and turn it into a children’s book to captivate young readers. Bring your children’s book ideas and brainstorm as a group how you might make it a reality with the dynamics necessary in writing for children.
Breakout Group 5: Devotional Writing
Group Mentor: Christine Strittmatter—Conference Room
Christine’s background in biblical counseling and Bible study is the firm foundation upon which she has built her Real Life Mom devotional book series with two volumes already published. Christine can help you take your devotional thoughts and the fruit of your study time in the Lord and make them ministry tools to touch hearts. Information about varied publishing venues other than book publication will be available as well.
Breakout Group 6: The Publishing Industry—What You Need to Know
Group Mentor: Tabatha Scheffler—Mid-Room Side B
Tabatha’s experience as support staff for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference for over ten years has brought her into the company of nationally successful authors and influential editors and publishers in the Christian and secular writing markets. She will help you determine the best routes to publication for your idea or manuscript and tool you with key tips to understanding market demands and dynamics.
Breakout Group 1: Manuscript Critique and Discussion
Group Mentor: Kathryn Ross—Main Room Head Table
Author, editor, and independent publisher Kathryn Ross will be available for manuscript critiques in a small group setting. Learning from each other’s work, you’ll gain clearer direction for how to polish your work or redraft with confidence and inspiration. Bring a minimum of 5 short manuscript copies to share with the group and experience the sharpening power of manuscript critique and discussion.
Breakout Group 2: Vision Board Crafting Center
Group Mentor: Stacy Lee Flury—Main Room/back of room Workstation
Stacy’s keen eye for art and design makes her a prime mentor to help you pull together your vision board ideas using a variety of materials including magazines, canvases, decorative craft paper, glue sticks, scissors, art pens, and more. If you have any special Scriptures or pictures from home that you want to add, bring them with you on Saturday or add them to your board after the retreat. Vision Boards do not have to be completed by the end of the retreat, but you can get a good start. Consider being a volunteer in the closing session to share what you have started on your Vision Board with everyone.
Breakout Group 3: Show, Don’t Tell—HOW to Narrate Your Epic Pioneer Story
Group Mentor: Trish Weldon—Mid-Room Side A
Author Trish Weldon shares before and after examples from her recent book to illustrate the power of SHOWING your story in a "you are there" fashion—instead of just TELLING it. This is a critical skill to master to produce compelling, readable, relatable, and sticky stories. Learn how to craft a scene and use strong verbs to make your writing pop! You’ll have an opportunity to brainstorm an on-the-spot edit of a paragraph and transform it from one that just tells a story into a memorable show of a story.
Breakout Group 4: Writing for Children
Group Mentor: Linda Slomin--Playroom
Linda’s first picture book for children started out as a puppet show. When she joined a critique group, she got quite an education on how to take her idea that worked great in a puppet performance and turn it into a children’s book to captivate young readers. Bring your children’s book ideas and brainstorm as a group how you might make it a reality with the dynamics necessary in writing for children.
Breakout Group 5: Devotional Writing
Group Mentor: Christine Strittmatter—Conference Room
Christine’s background in biblical counseling and Bible study is the firm foundation upon which she has built her Real Life Mom devotional book series with two volumes already published. Christine can help you take your devotional thoughts and the fruit of your study time in the Lord and make them ministry tools to touch hearts. Information about varied publishing venues other than book publication will be available as well.
Breakout Group 6: The Publishing Industry—What You Need to Know
Group Mentor: Tabatha Scheffler—Mid-Room Side B
Tabatha’s experience as support staff for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference for over ten years has brought her into the company of nationally successful authors and influential editors and publishers in the Christian and secular writing markets. She will help you determine the best routes to publication for your idea or manuscript and tool you with key tips to understanding market demands and dynamics.
GOOD NEWS CHRISTIAN WRITERS RETREAT WORKSHOPS MISSION STATEMENT:
Under the umbrella of Pageant Wagon Publishing, Christian writers in Southern New Jersey gather at the annual
Good News Christian Writers Retreat and Workshop where they can quiet their souls and enrich their spirits
in a restful and creative atmosphere, to secure God’s vision for their work,
hone writing and communication skills, and critique multi-genre manuscripts for publication.
Learn how to tell His Story through your story, and bring the Light of God’s salty Good News
to the mountains of social and cultural influence.
Kathryn Ross, Retreat Director
Under the umbrella of Pageant Wagon Publishing, Christian writers in Southern New Jersey gather at the annual
Good News Christian Writers Retreat and Workshop where they can quiet their souls and enrich their spirits
in a restful and creative atmosphere, to secure God’s vision for their work,
hone writing and communication skills, and critique multi-genre manuscripts for publication.
Learn how to tell His Story through your story, and bring the Light of God’s salty Good News
to the mountains of social and cultural influence.
Kathryn Ross, Retreat Director