HOPE FOR WRITERS
“I understood after the very first session with Cynthia Ruchti
that this wasn’t going to be a weekend about writing;
this was going to be a weekend about writing for God.”
Topics include:
WRITER, WORSHIPPER, WARRIOR — How to find fulfillment in a three-pronged life as we examine the story of King David at his best and worst.
TAMING TITLE TRAUMA — Baffled why your magazine editor didn’t appreciate your suggestion of “Gone With the Schwinn” as a title for your serious exposé on the rash of driveway burglaries in your neighborhood? Does choosing a title for your book take more time than writing it? Come learn some secrets — well, helpful hints — for taming title trauma.
ALMOST PERSUADED — Everyone including your mother tells you your writing is good. Then why has Focus on the Family rejected your devotional piece for teens six times? Why can’t you get a publisher to take a serious look at your contemporary romantic comedy written in Shakespearean English? This workshop may help you discover how to tailor your writing for today’s audience’s tastes, habits, preferences, and needs.
WRITING BY HEART — What does it cost to be a writer? What can a writer expect from life, from editors, from the Lord? Is it worth it?
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOOK — (or Writing for Fun and Nonprofit) — The average 1500-word magazine article can reach more readers than the average best-selling book, and the most wide-reaching may not be the best paying. If you’ve hesitated to call yourself a writer because you haven’t made Oprah’s book-of-the-month club, join this workshop and kiss your reticence goodbye.
VALIUM-FREE WAITING — Contrary to popular opinion, a writer’s most useful tool is not a state-of-the-art laptop, but the ability to wait with grace. Nice words. How do we pull that off without losing our sanity?
THE WRITER’S COUCH — Working through the concerns and questions all writers face and learning to do it with grace. This alphabet of writer worries and God’s prescriptions form a take-home book of reminders for the days that scream, “I need a little encouragement!”
PAINTING WITH WORDS — Sloshing Buckets or Fine Strokes with a Sable Brush?
HITTING DELETE BEFORE YOUR EDITOR DOES — THE JOY (SERIOUSLY) OF SELF-EDITING–Would you like to build a reputation as a writer whom editors consider easy to work with? Do you want to catch an editor’s attention with how little he has to do to ready your piece for publication? Are you willing to learn what it takes to nip-and-tuck your writing to afford it the best possible chance of garnering a contract? You’ll leave this fun (that’s right) workshop with practical tips and a new appreciation for the task of self-editing.
SHORT ON TIME, LONG ON TRUTH: WRITING SHORT SKITS FOR CHURCH –It’s an art form–writing short, snappy, sometimes humorous and sometimes deeply moving skits for church or other venues. Discover practical ways to enhance or set up the sermon, communicate eternal truths in a snippet of time, and get your point across through drama.
“Cynthia really set the stage for the right attitude. [Her] beautiful worship
leadership and devotionals kept me sensitive to the Lord’s presence
during the highs and lows of the conference.”
HOPE-FILLED TOPICS FOR WOMEN’S GROUPS
CONDITIONS OF THE HEART — exploring our heart’s needs, desires, vitality, and how to prevent spiritual heart failure (suitable for retreat-length events)
ONCE UPON A TIME — storytelling and “telling” time
ROMANCING THE WORD — developing a passion for God’s Word
SO NICE TO COME HOME TO — finding ways to make a home a haven
LORD OF THE “RINGS” — discovering keys to marriage maintenance and repair
ON THE WAY TO SOMETHING ELSE — unearthing joy in the journey itself
THE ULTIMATE MAKE-OVER — experiencing the perfect faith-lift
H IS FOR HARVEST — adapting to the fact that the harvest of our lives comes whether it’s convenient for us or not
WRITER, WORSHIPPER, WARRIOR — finding fulfillment in a three-pronged life as we look at King David at his best and worst
LIFE IN A SNOW GLOBE — surviving the blizzard when God shakes things up
“Cynthia [added] such a wonderful spiritual dimension
to what is already a very powerful (conference) week.
Thanks for using your talents to God’s glory…and my benefit!”
