Suicide, divorce, infertility, caregiving, terminal or chronic illness, and abuse—life often involves difficult circumstances. The challenge is to write about painful experiences in a way that ministers to others rather than promotes a pity party. Learn to deal with tough topics in a manner that provides hope, healing, and encouragement, while catching an editor's eye. Determine which publishers to target for niche topics and how best to structure your proposal and manuscript.

Ah, the all-important query letter. Even seasoned writers sometimes dread this necessary step in the publishing process. What is a query letter? How are query letters and cover letters different? What’s the best method for writing a query? How do e-queries differ? In this workshop, learn query letter and cover letter basics and SOUND OFF with an attention-grabbing letters.

Writing opportunities are plentiful. Online writing groups offer countless calls for stories, articles and novellas. However, some opportunities require more time and effort than they are worth. Is it just about the money? Should you ever write for no pay? Is contributing to compilation books a good idea? Is it worthwhile to target seemingly impossible markets? Other considerations often factor in when deciding. Learn how to determine the best markets to pursue during this discussion.

Need publishing credits? Writing for regional publications gets your byline into the community and often leads to other writing or speaking opportunities. Learn how to pitch stories that appeal to editors of regional publications. Also, gain networking and rewriting tips to extend the marketability of your work.

Has your manuscript been rejected? Don’t give up yet. Perhaps your manuscript just needs a renovation. Learn how to assess and relocate foundational writing piers, reexamine audience and market, redesign ideas, restructure sentences and paragraphs, remodeling grammar and punctuation, and reconstruct takeaway value in this workshop.

Is it possible to write an effective bio even if you are pre-published? And if you’re already published, have you tailored your bio to reflect your credentials in the most positive light? In this workshop, discover why people find it difficult to write an effective bio, study actual bios of successful authors, and learn ways to enhance your current bio or write one from scratch.

Could your personality be preventing publishing success? Often, struggling writers try for years to reach the point of seeing their words in print without achieving that goal. They spend thousands of dollars on writing courses, conferences, and mentoring programs without success. While good writing mechanics are essential, perhaps the real culprit in non-publication is personality type. Learn what about your personality helps or hinders publishing success in this workshop.

Are you losing readers and editors with your first paragraphs? Do you suffer from cliché clutter, punctuation proliferation, dangling participles, misplaced modifiers, subject-pronoun confusion, or a story with its beginning in the middle? In this workshop, you’ll receive prescriptions to cure ten common writing mistakes. With this information, you can present a healthy manuscript that stands out in the slush pile and increases your chance of publication.

Sometimes writers have the attitude that an editor’s job is to clean up their mistakes, when, in fact, your writing may be consistently rejected because you’ve overlooked obvious errors. Don’t brand yourself as a novice. In this workshop, learn the secrets of self-editing your way to publication success.

Role reversal is one of the most difficult aspects of eldercare. When forced into parenting our parents, feelings of inadequacy often surface and longstanding conflicts and emotions come to light. But despite fears and frustrations, there are issues we must discuss, including finances, antiquated and ineffective ways of doing things, end-of-life issues, and living conditions and arrangements. This talk provides tips for approaching and dealing with difficult issues.

If you’ve had trouble effectively communicating with your parents or other family members over the years, talking to them becomes even more difficult as you enter the caregiving phase of life. But once you understand the role personality types play, you may find a new level of effectiveness in communication. Learn tips for understanding the motivation for and meaning behind words, while adjusting your actions and reactions to enhance the communication process.

At some point in your role as caregiver, you’ll likely be faced with either advising your parents regarding their finances or totally taking over. Learn pointers on how to make this transition without making your parents feel incompetent, determine ways to cut expenses and preserve assets, and implement coping mechanisms for juggling your finances and theirs with minimal stress.

As parents age, their mental processes slow and comprehension in certain areas diminishes. Things they used to handle without a problem are now a source of confusion and frustration. Often, pride prevents them from asking for advice or clarification. But parents need our help to protect them from scams or to act as an advocate regarding medical care and financial decisions. Learn how to become an advocate for your parents in this presentation.

Often it’s the little things that trip us up: an over-zealous yet inexperienced advisor, your parent’s insistence on maintaining a way of doing things that makes your job as caregiver even more challenging, or something as simple as a long wait at the pharmacy or emergency room. Many times we focus on the challenges, but there are also high points on the caregiving journey. This talk helps you identify your personal tripping points as well as recognize and enjoy the positive aspects of caregiving.

Nostalgia, physical touch, and faith are important components in nurturing your parents’ emotional well-being. But when you’re spread thin between managing two households and meeting the needs of your own family it’s often difficult to invest the kind of time that fosters nostalgia and supports emotional health. Learn ways to provide opportunities for faith connections, encourage nostalgia, and comfort with physical touch in this presentation.