On Saturday, Feb. 25, I had the opportunity to moderate an event I organized with my author friend, Emily B. Riddle, called “Bookstraps Writers Workshop” at Bear Den Books in Knoxville, Tennessee.
It was a rewarding experience, not only because of the successful outcome but because of all the work behind the scenes.
To make a big splash, Emily and I spent the last couple of months planning and plotting fun surprises, strategizing a marketing plan, connecting with the community and recruiting local authors to participate in our project. We also have been maintaining an Instagram page that continues to grow as we grow.
The event was so well attended that the bookstore didn’t have enough chairs.
An incredible lineup of panelists, including Lauren Morrill, Morgan Hubbard, Brian Canever and Emily B. Riddle, came together in a vibrant conversation, sharing wisdom about the various stages of publishing, including writing, editing, design, printing and marketing. Each author had a unique perspective representing different genres, backgrounds and writing styles.
We organized “Bookstraps” to be a digital and physical presence in the community for local writers to gather and grow together.
Our Instagram page keeps us connected to other writers and is a place to find resources and information about upcoming events. When we gather at various bookstores in Knoxville, we provide a physical space for people to come and interact, learn new skills, ask questions, check in and network.
We accomplished what we set out to do on our first try and hope to build this out more in the future.
Throughout this process, I have learned that the writing journey can be isolating and overwhelming. This is especially true for independent authors who are essentially the project managers for their own books. They must perform many non-writing tasks, such as wading through Google searches and YouTube tutorials to locate editors and cover designers.
It felt good to bring experienced authors together to offer answers and solutions to issues that new writers face. We hope to see those same attendees come to our next event and report back on how far they have come.
In addition to this ongoing project, I am excited to participate in another reading and writing event through Good Faith Media. We are offering a retreat for those in our orbit who want to be inspired and motivated in their writing journey.
You don’t have to be a published author to join in, although we would love to have some of those with us as well. Attendees can be new writers, curious individuals wanting to learn more about publishing or just someone wanting to get away from the busyness of life to accomplish a reading goal.
Bruce Gourley, Tony Cartledge and I will host the Good Faith Media Writers & Readers Retreat at St. Francis Springs Retreat Center in North Carolina on October 9-11. This will be a wonderful time of fellowship with friends.
Let us know if you want to attend the retreat by filling out the interest form.
Writing a book, navigating the publishing world, and growing in your skills do not have to be lonely or isolating experiences. Finding the right community can help you accomplish your goals.
I look forward to sharing more about what I learned in Knoxville and what I have learned on the Good Faith Media team with our Nurturing Faith friends in the fall.
Creative coordinator for publishing and marketing at Good Faith Media. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Missouri Southern State University and her Associate of Arts degree from Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, Missouri. Chisholm was an Ernest C. Hynds Jr. intern with GFM for the summer of 2021.