Professional
Speaking
Looking for a speaker for your next writers’ event? Preferably someone who has experience and something unique to offer?
I get it! Having served on faculty at numerous writers’ conferences around the country for several years, I’ve developed a variety of offerings that have been honed with in-person practice. And after directing the Orange County, SoCal, and Mount Hermon Christian writers’ conferences, I understand what directors need to serve their unique audiences.
Here are some things I’ve done at conferences that were highly appreciated by attendees.
Mentoring Clinics
Up to ten attendees email pages of their manuscripts in advance to me and to others who have signed up for the clinic. Prior to the conference, attendees critique/edit one another’s work via email. At the clinic, they discuss key points of each author’s manuscript together (similar to a critique group). I add my professional input and give each author a written critique to take home and review after the conference.
Thank you so much for leading our mentoring group. It was so wonderful to feel a kinship with everyone even before we all met at Mount Hermon. I learned a lot from you and can’t wait to revise my manuscript from all your wonderful teaching.
This was excellent! The best part of the conference. I loved Kathy’s mentoring. Really valuable feedback. Awesome! I learned more from this clinic than the rest of the conference put together. Terrific, wonderful, life-changing. My writing is light years improved.
A mentoring clinic can focus on fiction, nonfiction, or both. Best when offered in multiple sessions, either two or three in one day or on sequential days of a multiple-day conference, especially for larger groups.

North TX Mentoring Clinic 2009
Fantastic! Super helpful. Absolutely wonderful group. Kathy’s excellent. She needs to be a permanent plant for many reasons. I will come to the fall conference again next year if Kathy Ide will teach a mentoring group!
Private Tutorials
Authors email pages of their manuscripts to me in advance. At the conference, I meet one-on-one with each author to provide personal, hands-on critiquing, editing, and consulting. For multiple-day conferences, writers can revise/rewrite their manuscripts, based on my input, then meet with me again to review the changes.
Want Kathy to speak at your event?
Brainstorming Sessions
Prior to these sessions, I always pray that God will direct the conversation so that His words and guidance will come through. By the end of each session, the attendee feels encouraged and empowered to take the next step on whatever path God has for him or her.
Kathy was wonderful! Her knowledge and expertise were unsurpassed. Every moment was worthwhile. Saved me from making some big mistakes. I felt informed and a stronger confidence in this journey of writing. Kathy was so informative and immensely helpful. I intend to pore over my notes again and again to cement Kathy’s amazing lessons in my head.
Continuing Tracks
For multiple-day events or shorter conferences that offer all-day tracks on a single topic, I can present a series of sessions on Proofread like a Professional, Self-Editing Your Manuscript (fiction, nonfiction, or a combination of both), or Develop a Thriving Editing Business.
Fast-paced, humorous, full of useful information. Proofread like a Professional challenged me. Kathy is engaging, knowledgeable, interesting, and well prepared. A talk on punctuation may sound boring, but Kathy makes it fun and challenging.
Workshops
I offer single-session workshops on the following:
Proofread like a Professional
Learn how to proofread your own manuscript, or those of your critique partners, or the writing of paying clients, the way a pro does it.
What Can a Freelance Editor Do for Me?
Should you hire a freelance editor? If so, where can you find one, and how much will it cost? Learn how to choose the right editor for you, what to expect, the types and methods of editing, and much more. Discover how to get the most out of your experience with a freelance editor.
How to Become a Freelance Editor/Proofreader
How I started my freelance editing business, and tips for those who’d like to give it a try. Includes the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing, how to decide if this is a good fit for you, preparation for success, marketing your services, and networking with other freelancers.
Develop a Successful Editing Career
Whether you’ve just started editing for pay or you’re wanting to grow and maintain your business as a freelance editor or proofreader, learn how to work with clients, deal with complications, set boundaries to protect your business and yourself. Find balance with your work, family and friends, hobbies and fun, time and money, and your relationship with the God who is calling you into this exciting field.
Today’s Publishing Options
Once you’ve finished writing and editing your manuscript, there are multiple options for getting it published: big traditional publishing house, small press, subsidy publisher, hybrid publishing, and completely independent self-publishing. Learn the pros and cons of each, and what’s involved in each, so you can make the right decision for you and your project.
Wow! Were you ever loved! Thanks so much for serving on the faculty for the Montrose Christian Writers’ Conference. Comments from conferees were overwhelmingly positive. Several people suggested that we have you back. That will make me look like a hero when we do!
Private Consultations
Please invite Kathy back. I think she should be here every year.
Are there other ways you think I might be able to serve you and your event attendees? Let’s chat!
Check out my Past Events page to see where I’ve spoken and taught. (Samples of workshop recordings marked on that page with an asterisk are available upon request by event coordinators. Full recordings are available for purchase at $10 per session on MP3, $15 on CD.)
Press Kit
- High-resolution head shots
- Short and long bios
- Book cover images
- Christian Editors Association logos and blurbs
- Suggested topics and Q&A for blog and podcast interviews
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