Karin Beery owns Write Now Editing and is managing editor for Guiding Light Women’s Fiction (an imprint of LPC Books). Her specialty is fiction substantive editing. She’s also a published author, writing hopeful fiction with a healthy dose of romance.
Erin K. Brown, owner of The Write Editor, is a professional editor, proofreader, writer, and instructor. Her training in editorial practices along with her experience in retailing, education, and as a Christy Award judge afford her a broad knowledge base. She is also the director of The PEN Institute, the premier online educational institute for Christian editors.
Laura Christianson helps writers confidently create a polished, professional online presence. She owns Blogging Bistro, a business that builds custom WordPress websites and provides brand, blog, and content development coaching. Laura is the host of The Professional Writer podcast and has authored several books and thousands of articles.
While Sue Fairchild started out as a devotion writer, she now also claims the titles of editor, proofreader, speaker, and writing coach. She is a fiction and nonfiction editor with Elk Lake Publishing, proofreader for Iron Stream Media, blog coordinator for the PEN Tips Blog, and webmistress for St. David’s Christian Writers’ Association. Learn more about her at www.SueFairchild.wordpress.com.
Aaron Gansky wears many hats. He is a husband, father, award-winning novelist, and teacher. In years past, he has been an editor and a podcast host. He is a reader of Marvel Comics and a bit of a geek culture aficionado. www.AaronGansky.com
Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, and certified writing and speaking coach. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of communicating with excellence and helping writers make their manuscripts shine. Linda speaks at many conferences and women’s and writing groups annually. www.lindagilden.com
Dori Harrell edits full time, and her top-selling service is her Content Editing Package. As an editor, she releases more than twenty-five books a year. Her client list includes USA Today, NYT, and Publishers Weekly best-selling writers; indie authors; and publishers. A multiple-award-winning writer, she indie published her first novel in 2017, and she has published more than a thousand articles. www.BreakoutEditing.com
Bethany Kaczmarek loves to get lost in a good story (and fantastic story world). As an ACFW Editor of the Year finalist, she aims to help hard-working writers sound like gifted writers—and she believes a healthy dose of humor can make the revision process fun. www.BethanyKaczmarek.com
Keynote Speaker
Bob Hostetler is an award-winning author, literary agent, and international speaker. He has been a magazine editor and freelance book editor. Bob is the executive director of the Christian Writers Institute and an agent with The Steve Laube Agency. His more than fifty books include Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (co-authored with Josh McDowell) and The Bard and the Bible: A Shakespeare Devotional. www.BobHostetler.com
Robert Hudson is a veteran editor who has worked with a number of best-selling authors, including Philip Yancey, Walter Wangerin Jr., Leonard Sweet, and Lee Strobel. He is the author of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style and five other books. His articles and poetry have appeared in Christianity Today and other magazines and journals. To sign up for his newsletter, contact him at RobertHudson21@icloud.com or visit www.RobertHudsonBooks.com.
Rachel Newman is a freelance editor and indexer with Revisions by Rachel, LLC. She is a gold member of The Christian PEN, is established with Christian Editor Connection, is an instructor with The PEN Institute, and serves as a judge for the Excellence in Editing Award.
As the managing editor for Decapolis Publishing in Lansing, Michigan, Cristel Phelps supervised over forty editors for seven years, and then God called her to manage a Christian bookstore. Her experience in both publishing and retail is an asset to her current employer, Elk Lake Publishing, where she is the managing and acquisitions editor for fiction.
Amy Simpson is an acquisitions editor for Moody Publishers. She’s also an author and a leadership coach. She has more than twenty-five years of experience in Christian publishing. Amy holds an English degree from Trinity International University, an MBA from the University of Colorado, and CPCC certification from Coaches Training Institute. Learn more at www.AmySimpson.com.
Susan Stewart is the nonfiction managing editor for Elk Lake Publishing. She also teaches, writes, and edits nonfiction. Susan’s passion is to inspire readers with practical, real-world solutions. Her books include Science in the Kitchen, Preschool: At What Cost? and the award-winning Formatting E-Books for Writers. Her latest book, Donkey Devos: Listening to Your Donkey When God Speaks, is scheduled to be released spring 2021. www.PracticalInspirations.com
Julie Williams works with independent authors to create book layouts and cover designs for print and electronic publication. She enjoys working one-on-one with clients, both walking through their self-publishing journey and teaching them how to use various Microsoft Office and Adobe programs.
Faculty is subject to change.
