2023 Scrivenings Press Conference

The 2023 Scrivenings Press Conference (#ScrivCon) will be held April 13-16, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Express in Hannibal, Missouri, the boyhood home of Mark Twain.

The conference theme will be “Once Upon a Time: Tell Me a Story”

(Scroll down to register. Due to the conference room size, limited space is available.)

If you are unable to attend in person and wish to purchase access to the video recordings, please click HERE.

We will have three guest speakers at the conference:

• Historical fiction author Kim Vogel Sawyer will be our keynote speaker and will teach a class about launching a speaking ministry.
• Author Anthony Wood will teach two sessions: “How to Conduct Research for Your Novel” and “Weaving a Spiritual Thread without Being Preachy.”
• Author/Editor/Publisher/Film Producer Rowena Kuo will give a presentation titled, “Author Legacy: Ensuring the Immortality of Your Life’s Work.”

The Holiday Inn Express in Hannibal has blocked off rooms for us at a reasonable rate of $114/night plus tax for a double queen room. This is an INDIVIDUAL CALL-IN rate, which means you must make your own reservations by calling 573-248-3000. The group rate deadline is March 14, 2023, so you must make your reservation by that date to get the group rate. When you call, tell them you’re with Scrivenings Press. You can receive the discounted rate on Thursday-Saturday nights.

We have also reserved their Tom & Becky conference room (holds up to 40 people in a classroom-style setup), which is where our sessions will be held.

Holiday Inn Express offers free WiFi, free parking, and includes a complimentary hot breakfast. Two meals (Friday supper and Saturday lunch) will be included in the registration fee.

The “official” start time of the retreat will be Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., but we’re heading to Hannibal a day early for some optional activities for all those who can get away an extra day.

We plan to have several training sessions in addition to the guest speakers:

• “Once Upon a Time: Tell Me a Story” and “Tell Me a Story: Storytelling Tips for the Frustrated Writer” by author/publisher Linda Fulkerson and editor Elena Hill. This two-part session will share writing techniques that keep readers emotionally connected and engaged with your story.
• “Brainstorming: Write Your Novel with Five Words” by author/editor Elena Hill.
• “Mastering the Marketing Mountain” by author/marketing consultant Liana George
• “Using Free and Easy Tools to Create Promotional Graphics” by author Heather Greer

IMPORTANT – Communications about the conference will take place on our special private Facebook group. If you haven’t already joined this group, please submit a request to join. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/699079814109930)

Schedule:

(NOTE: All sessions will be held in the hotel conference room.)

Thursday, April 13, 2023 (All Thursday events are optional, but we hope you can come a day early and enjoy.)

• Thursday — Check-in at 3 pm.
• Thursday 5:00-6:30 pm — Meet & greet in the conference room. Bring your own supper and/or favorite snacks, browse the book table, and enjoy a get-acquainted activity. The book table will feature titles from our guest speakers, but on Saturday night, we’ll have an all-author book signing.
• Thursday 6:30-7:30 pm — Bonus session — “Using Free and Easy Tools to Create Promotional Graphics” by Heather Greer
• 7:30 pm – ?? Fellowship/Get-acquainted Activity

Friday, April 14, 2023

• 6:30-9:00 am — Breakfast at the hotel (provided by Holiday Inn Express at no extra charge).
• 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (optional) — Visit Downtown Hannibal.
• 10:00 am – 12:00 pm (optional) — Genre Brainstorming (for those who don’t wish to explore Hannibal.
• 12:00-1:30 pm — Lunch (on your own) — There are a variety of lunch options in Downtown Hannibal. There is no restaurant at the hotel, but there’s a Subway nearby for those who don’t want to go downtown.
• 1:30-3:00 pm — Early Bird Session: Liana George — “Mastering the Marketing Mountain” 
• 3:00-3:30 pm — Break/Check-in for those not arriving on Thursday.
• 3:30-4:30 pm — (Conference officially begins) Welcome session with devotional, announcements, door prizes, activities to get acquainted. Bring your favorite snacks to share. Our guest speakers will have a book table available, so please browse their books, and they will be able to sign any books you choose to purchase.
• 4:30-4:45 pm — Devotional: Heather Greer
• 4:45-5:45 pm — Supper in the hotel conference room (taco bar provided by Scrivenings Press). Browse the book table during the supper break.
• 5:45-6:00 pm — Door Prizes/Speaker Introductions/Song
• 6:00-7:00 pm — Keynote speaker: Kim Vogel Sawyer “It is Well with My Soul”
• 7:00-7:15 pm — Break/Speaker Introduction
• 7:15-8:15 pm — Session One: Anthony Wood — “Weaving a Spiritual Thread without Being Preachy”
• 8:15-10:00 pm — Game Night. (optional)

Saturday, April 15, 2023

• 6:30-8:00 am — Breakfast in the hotel lobby (provided by Holiday Inn Express at no extra charge).
• 800-8:15 am — Announcements/Door Prizes
• 8:15-8:45 am — Devotional: Kim Vogel Sawyer
• 8:45-9:45 am — Session Two: Rowena Kuo — “Author Legacy: Ensuring the Immortality of Your Life’s Work”
• 9:45-10:30 am — Session Three: Elena Hill — “Once Upon a Time: Tell Me a Story”
• 10:30-10:45 am — Break/Book Table
• 10:45-11:45 am — Session Four: Anthony Wood — “How to Research Your Novel”
• 11:45 am – 12:30 pm — Q&A with Linda Fulkerson
• 12:30 – 1:15 pm — Lunch in the conference room (sandwich bar provided by Scrivenings Press). Browse the Book Table during the lunch break.
• 1:15-1:30 pm — Announcements/Door Prizes
• 1:30-2:30 pm — Session Five: Kim Vogel Sawyer “Building a Speaking Ministry”
• 2:30-3:30 pm — Session Six: Linda Fulkerson — “Tell Me a Story: Storytelling Tips for the Frustrated Writer”
• 3:30-3:45 pm — Break/Browse the Book Table
• 3:45-4:00 pm — Devotional: Liana George
• 4:00-5:00 pm — Session Seven: Elena Hill — “Brainstorming: Write Your Novel in Five Words” 
• 5:00-5:45 pm — Supper: Pitch in for pizza and eat in the conference room.
• 5:45-6:00 pm — Announcements/Door Prizes/Closing Remarks — Scrivenings Press Staff
• 6:00-7:00 pm — Session Eight: Rowena Kuo — “Getting Past the Publishing Gatekeepers”
• 7:00-7:15 pm — Break (Set up for Book-signing)
• 7:15-9:30 pm — All Author Book-signing in the conference room. Authors are responsible for bringing their own books.

Sunday, April 16, 2023

• 7:00-9:00 am — provided by Holiday Inn Express at no extra charge.
• 11:00 am — Hotel checkout time.
• Worship – On your own, either in your hotel room before check-out or visit an area church on your way home.