ICWF: Spring WorDshop

InScribe Spring WorDshop

Notice: Due to family illness, our Spring WorDshop Coordinator had to leave these duties. As of September 2005, she has not yet been replaced. Without a coordinator, this event must be put on hold until further notice.

2005 Spring WorDshop: Abiding Authors • April 2005

Marcia Laycock: Friday night, keynote address – “The Primary Word—Writing as Children of God”
• Good start for the WorDshop!
• Lovely writing, wonderful honesty
• She has something to say and says it well!
• Terrific speaker.

Saturday morning Plenary – “Abiding Writers—Be Bold and Courageous” (Available on CD)
• Right on plenary! Excellent encouragement to write “whatsoever things are true.” Well thought out!
• Your vulnerability, openness, and honesty permeate your writing and your speaking and bless.
• Wonderful speaker, profound message
• Ability to hold everyone’s attention
• Very good, meaningful and encouraging. Very good presentation.
• Encouraged me. There is a lot of GROG and it is a relief to let it be visible.
• “The stuff of truth can make you bleed.” ~ Sue Plett (quoting Marcia Laycock)
• “Whatever you’ve learned or received put it into practice (Phil. 4:9) Writing needs (the) stuff of real life. Creating is God’s gift to us and recycling them to make the wreckage into something more beautiful—a jewel. Be bold and courageous. Crack open sentences. Bear responsibility and His gifts for us. He has it all planned. Someone out there needs to hear our words.” Freyja Nagy (quoting Marcia)

Elsie Montgomery: Saturday morning – Devotional
• Excellent devotional!
• Elsie, you gave forth some strong abiding points and your delivery was superb.
• Christ-centered, Spirit filled.
• Love it when people share straight from the heart.
• Totally awesome!
• I couldn’t write fast enough. Can I steal some of this for a sermon?

John Syratt: Saturday – “Getting the Editor’s Attention” (Available on CD)
• Lots of good practical information.
• Very engaging speaker!
• Excellent, practical, interspersed with personal anecdotes and humor.
• I don’t even write non-fiction but John made me want to write for City Light News!
• Entertaining, informative, inspirational.
• This workshop gave me the information I was seeking.
• Excellent value, great points.
• Good practical pointers and humorous too!
• Great attention getter and thorough on his topic.
• Very practical. He could also be a comedian.
• Some information I knew, much I didn’t. Very knowledgeable. Great material.

Guy Scholz: Workshop A – “Stirred not Shaken” (Writing Biographies and articles for adults)
(Available on CD)
• Great outline to help remember his points.
• Extremely informative.
• Passion persuades!
• Loved it all, very insightful and helpful
• Is there a tape of this talk? I couldn’t be in two places at once!
( Yes, a CD will be available --- see CD Offers)
• Great passionate instruction, with humor which is so appreciated.
• Write from my passion! Re-affirmed and encouraged me.

Leslie Walker Kallen: Workshop B – “Rules of the Game: What Does Soccer and Children’s Writing Have in Common?” (Available on CD)
• Challenged me to get at the children’s story I have been going to do some day.
• Valuable information!

She was always on the move, but whether coming or going, Janet Seever and her committee did a fine job! Praise to the Holy Spirit who blended everything the speakers said – obviously they collaborated with Him, while they prepared their presentations! “Uncanny unity!” More points of unity: several write plays, play the piano, make quilts, write fiction, came to SW for the first time, like camping, sing in the shower, know how to use a spreadsheet, write devotionals or nonfiction, exercise to keep fit, and all had fun discovering these things about each other.
	• I liked the final two sessions best because they dealt more with practical issues of writing which is what I came for. The other sessions were good, but dealt more with relationship with God. . . there were good things (Marcia) had to say, especially about being real.

• “Abiding in the Vine is a decision on our part to develop our relationship with God.” ~ Verda Matson • “Disobedience is a picky little sucker.” ~ Marie Falck (quoting Elsie Montgomery) • (If)” my heart is stirred by a noble theme. . . my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer” Psalm 45:1. ~ Joyce Hoey • “When Marcia spoke. . . it stirred my heart. . . her words were clear. . . she’s very smart. ~Alex Groot • “ I really appreciate Marci’s experience and perspective in particular, but all the speakers I hear offered concrete suggestions that will help me improve my writing.” ~ Penelope Rasmusson • “I love to taste the different flavors offered by all the different writers at the conference. It makes me feel satisfied.” ~ Joan Janzen • “It’s inspiring and motivating to connect with other writers, both professional and those just starting out. This was a very encouraging and friendly conference. Good work!” ~ Dayna Mazzuca • “It was the beginning of an energizing and fulfilling journey.” • “You know, I wasn't crazy about going, because I’m a poet, and there was nothing that was specifically poetry, but I came away energized and excited. Really good group of speakers.” ~ Sue Plett • “God guide me in my writing, that I may glorify Your name, and bring peace to those who are thirsty.” ~ Janice Neuman

This event is held every year in April, however we are without a coordinator so it will be on hold until further notice. For information, send email When the next Spring WorDshop is held, an application form will be available here in January as a .pdf file. You can download the file and open it with Acrobat Reader.
Click here for Acrobat Reader (a free download from Adobe)

* Spring WorDshop. No, that’s not a spelling mistake. The spring sessions truly are a place where writers shop for words. Some are passive, content to browse, while others actively engage in the process. Some are there just to soak up the atmosphere, while others are purposeful in seeking answers to their questions. In past sessions, titled with words like “Apples of Gold” and “Breakthrough” well qualified speakers challenged attentive audiences to be diligent in taking their faith into the secular marketplace, and caused them to ponder words like passion and sloth, performance and ministry. In sessions where pens rarely rested, participants wrote on-the-spot reflections, poetry, openings and endings. Inspiration is a given while mingling with others of like mind.

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