“You have to go to Speak Up Conference. You just have to.”
My friend, Kim Erickson, and I had just finished teaching at a local Women’s Ministry event. We got off the stage and headed back to the hotel to catch up. It had been a long day and we wanted to squeeze in some time to talk and share in some encouragement.
I was telling Kim how frustrated I was. I was writing, but nothing was happening. I started a blog and jotted down some ideas for a book. But I felt stuck and totally unprepared.
Kim had written a book, “His Last Words,” published by Moody Publishers in Chicago. Looking back, I was probably a little overwhelming in my approach to pick her brain. “What do I do!” I shouted. I spent several moments whining and complaining about my total lack of knowledge and confidence in the call to write a book. I was exasperated.
She smiled and kindly replied with “You have to go to Speak Up Conference. You just have to.” I wasn’t sure what Speak Up was, so I Googled it. “Speak Up with Carol Kent” popped up in my internet browser. It was a Christian Speakers and Writers Conference that was held annually in Grand Rapids, MI. My eyes bulged as I looked at the ticket price.
As a mother of four married to a JNCO, the cost was well out of my price range. Kim slid a check across the coffee table that was made out for half of the registration. She proceeded to tell me that she would call in for a scholarship. I almost cried.
If you asked where my writing journey began, I would tell you it was inside of an old military hotel room, sitting at this coffee table with Kim.
So, I mustered the rest of the funds and jumped on a plane to Grand Rapids. I had heard of writer’s conferences, but I didn’t know what happened at them. I arrived at the Prince Center in Michigan and checked in. I was greeted by an amazing group of writers and speakers. They welcomed me and gave me a few inside tips and tricks for the weekend.
I attended multiple workshops where I learned how to write pitch copy, how to compose a quality article, and how to write during busy seasons. (Shout out to Susan Call who taught me a billion “new author” hacks.) I went to general sessions that explained how a publishing board worked-watching as a “mock” pub-board was conducted on stage.
All the major Christian publishing houses had acquisition editors on site and each conference attendee was allowed a minimum of three 15-minute appointments with editors, agents, and mentor authors.
It was at Speak Up Conference that I pitched my first book, met my literary agent, and acquired the skills to walk out this calling with confidence. It’s been four years, and I’ll never miss my annual writer’s conference with Carol Kent and my Speak Up family.
After my first year with Speak Up, I realized that the doors of access were still very much closed to my military spouse community. I met with the executive leadership and a scholarship fund was created. Now, the Speak Up Norsworthy Military Scholarship provides military community members with scholarships to attend the annual event. Applications for the 2021 Virtual Speak Up Conference will open in January 2021.
I have served on faculty as a mentor author, keynote speaker, and the official Military Spouse Liaison for the conference for the last two years. I can honestly say that this journey would never have started without the guidance, direction, and instruction that I received at my first year’s event.
There are so many amazing conferences out there. Do your research and find a conference that meets your needs. There are regional writers’ conferences, as well and nationally recognized events. Look online to see if there is an event in your area, or virtually available in this season.
Believe me. You won’t regret it!
Megan B. Brown is a seasoned military spouse and military missionary. She is the Military Liaison for the Speak Up Conference Global Missions Military Scholarship and the 2019-Armed Forces Insurance Robins AFB Military Spouse of the Year. She is passionate about military mission work and teaching and preaching about Jesus in and out of the local church. Her Bible study, “Summoned: Answering a Call to the Impossible,” published by Moody Publishers in Chicago, will release in April 2021. She lives in south Mississippi with her husband, Keith, and their energetic kiddos. She is a Bible teacher, speaker, and freelance writer. To learn more or connect with Megan, visit www.meganbbrown.com.