Nan Rinella & Malcolm Guite at the 2010 C.S. Lewis Southwest Regional Retreat. Copyright 2011 Lancia E. Smith and the C.S. Lewis Foundation

The C.S. Lewis Southwest Regional Writers Workshop was born on October 29, 2009, as an addition to the C.S. Lewis Foundation’s Southwest Regional Retreat at Camp Allen Conference Center, Navasota, Texas.

It was a direct result of my reading Diana Pavlac Glyer’s book on The Inklings, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community. Dr. Glyer was speaking at a foundation conference in San Diego in 2007. I read her book in preparation.

Her chapter on “Resonators” jettisoned me out of a four-year writing slump, sending me back to my local writers’ group. Encouraged, at last, and revitalized, I started writing again. I visited with Diana at the conference, and Diana gave me permission to speak on encouragement based on her book.

My title, The Six Essential Elements of Encouragement: Making Your Writing More Than a Hobby, came from Tolkien’s quote of Lewis, that it was Lewis who gave him the idea that his “stuff could be more than a hobby.”

PRAISE is the secret of encouragement.

P –   Praise – express praise

R –   Return – provide feedback

A –   Advocate – promote the work of others

I –    Interest – show interest

S –   Support – contribute practical help

E –   Encourage – give encouragement

When I attended the Southwest Regional Retreat in 2008, it was announced that Dr. Glyer would be keynote speaker for 2009, and the theme was community. Well…who needs encouragement and community more than writers? The C.S. Lewis Foundation extended this event by creating a writers workshop. The C.S. Lewis Writers Workshop has adopted our motto from the spirit of Dr. Glyer’s book—“Creating in Community.”

Do you want your scribblings—your stuff—to be more than a hobby?  Do you need encouragement? All writers need encouragement—pros, published, mid-list authors, novices, and want-to-be’s. Join our community—be inspired and stimulated to new creative expression.

We offer teaching & writing sessions, consultations with writers, editors, and agents, and the newest on the web technology and marketing front just like many other writers conferences…but we also offer so much more. If you desire fellowship within a community of fellow writers like Lewis and Tolkien did…this is an experience that will stay with you and provide lasting friendships.

Don’t miss this wonderful and unique opportunity. Register now!