The Caleb Conference will be taking place on 11 and 12 October at Riverglenn, Indooroopilly, Brisbane. The conference is arranged by Omega Writers, a group of Australasian writers writing faith-inspired work. You can find out more about Omega Writers and the Caleb Conference at the Omega website.
The format of the conference is a little different this year, as it’s the first year it has been organised by Omega Writers. The programme is currently being finalised, and looks exciting. Attendees will be able to choose from a range of sessions on writing, editing, publishing and marketing delivered by Christian writing and publishing experts across Australia and New Zealand. I’ll be leading two sessions on editing, one with Anne Hamilton, one of Australia’s top editors of Christian fiction.
There is also the opportunity for writers to get in-depth feedback in a Book Doctor session with an editor, either myself or Nola Passmore.
Friday night will be the annual CALEB dinner and award presentation. The CALEB Prize celebrates the best in Australasian Christian fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and includes the Boom Prize (for writers aged under 21), and the unpublished manuscript prize (which includes publication by Even Before Publishing). I’m thrilled to have worked on three of the four books shortlisted for the fiction prize.
Book Doctor Sessions
I’m looking forward to the opportunity to meet one-on-one with authors during the conference in a half-hour Book Doctor session. These sessions are AUD 30 for Omega members (AUD 50 for non-members), which represents excellent value. I specialise in adult and young adult Christian fiction, as these are the areas in which I am most widely read, and therefore best able to give advice. Nola Passmore is also offering sessions, and hers will be particularly valuable for those who write poetry, articles and devotions.
My sessions will be tailored to the requirements of each author, and could include:
- A review of a portion of your manuscript, to identify areas to focus on in self-editing (e.g. point of view, dialogue tags, use of interior monologue);
- A review of the synopsis of your completed or part-completed manuscript, to discuss developmental aspects such as plot and subplots, characterisation, and point of view; or
- A conversation around potential genre, plot and characters for a proposed new project; and
- Conversation and prayer around any issues you are facing as a writer.
All bookings are on a first-come, first-served basis. Once your session has been booked and approved, you are welcome to email me your synopsis or a sample of your manuscript. This will enable me to understand your writing style and prepare for our session, to ensure you gain the maximum value possible from our time together.
Please email advance materials to igoulton@christianediting.co.nz by 1 October 2013.
Conference Special
Christian Editing Services is offering a limited conference special: schedule a Book Doctor session with me at the CALEB Conference to discuss your adult or young adult novel, and I will give you a discount on your next manuscript assessment, content editing, copyediting or proofreading project. The discount will be 10% of the project fee, to a maximum of AUD 50. Projects must be booked by 1 December 2013, and submitted by 1 March 2014.
