I attended my first writers’ conference in 1989, and I have been writing for publication ever since. I started out selling magazine articles, short stories, devotionals, play scripts, and Sunday school curriculum. I self-published Christian Drama Publishing and Typing without Pain. Then I traditionally published Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors and Editing Secrets of Best-Selling Authors. (Click here to see my Published Works.)
I have been a full-time freelance proofreader and editor since 1998. I’ve done proofreading, editing, critiquing, mentoring, and coauthoring for new and established authors, aspiring writers, editing networks, magazines, and book publishers. (Click here to see my Edited Works.)
For ten years I spoke at writers’ conferences across the country, teaching authors how to hone their skills and polish their manuscripts.
I am (or have been) a member of:
American Christian Fiction Writers
American Christian Writers
AWSA
Christian Authors Network
Christian Leaders, Authors & Speakers Services (CLASS)
Christian Writers’ Group
Editorial Freelancers Association
Orange County Christian Writers Fellowship
San Diego Christian Writers’ Guild
The Writers View
Writers Information Network
TRAINING
I learned professional writing skills through numerous books, magazines, and authors’ websites. I have attended numerous writers’ conferences, workshops, clinics, retreats, and conventions. I have thoroughly studied the industry-standard references and resources for the book publishing industry.
Here are some of the writers’ conferences, seminars, and clinics I’ve attended:
Cec Murphey Mentoring Clinic, Walnut, CA (2007)
Mount Hermon, Mount Hermon, CA (1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006)
Christian Writers Fellowship, Orange County, CA (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006)
Montrose Bible Conference, Montrose, PA (2003, 2004, and 2006)
Glorieta Christian Writers’ Conference, Glorieta, NM (2006)
American Christian Fiction Writers, Dallas, TX (2006)
American Christian Fiction Writers, Nashville, TN (2005)
Inspirational Writers Alive, Houston, TX (2005)
Christian Writers Guild, Houston, TX (2005)
Bay Area Writers League, Houston, TX (2005)
Orange County Christian Writers Fellowship, Santa Ana, CA (2005)
Christian Writers Fellowship, Girard, KS (2005)
American Christian Romance Writers, Denver, CO (2004)
L.A. Film School, Los Angeles, CA (2004)
Orange County Christian Writers Fellowship, Irvine, CA (2003, 2005, 2006)
San Diego Christian Writers’ Guild, San Diego, CA (2001 and 2003)
American Christian Romance Writers, Kansas City, MO (2002)
American Christian Writers, Fullerton, CA (1998 and 2001)
Christian Leaders, Authors & Speakers Services (CLASS), Redondo Beach, CA (2002)
Romance Writers of America, Brea, CA (2000)
San Diego State University, San Diego, CA (1999)
Biola University, La Mirada, CA 1988 through (1990)
Kathy at Cec Murphey’s writers’ mentoring clinic, 2007
I continued learning, and kept up with the publishing industry, through directing three Christian writers’ conferences: Orange County, SoCal, and Mount Hermon. I invited professional screenwriters to teach at my conferences and learned that craft from them.