How To Make a Dynamic One-Sheet by Emily Wickham

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29, NASB

Attending a Christian writers conference ranks near the top of my favorite activities. I’ve gained treasured friends at such events, and I’ve also benefited from the valuable learning opportunities, industry networking, and spiritual encouragement that conferences offer. Whether we’re anticipating our first or fifteenth conference, each of us can approach it by preparing well.

We should carry a dynamic one-sheet with us to each conference. This page highlights the details of our work-in-progress, enabling faculty members to evaluate our material without much effort. While the thought of creating a handout of this magnitude can feel daunting, there’s hope!

Making a one-sheet on Microsoft Word is simple plus cost-effective.

As a side note, I realize you might be wondering whether you’ll even be able to attend a conference because of the coronavirus pandemic. Creating a one-sheet right now might appear unnecessary, but you likely have additional time at home these days. In that light, this might be the perfect occasion for you to make your one-sheet.

The following instructions contain four easy steps. As you work on each one, please leave any questions in the comment section. I’ll do my best to help you succeed. Also, you can review my sample one-sheet, which includes comments and notes, at the end of this post.

STEP #1
• Open Microsoft Word
• Click FILE in the upper left-hand corner
• Click NEW FROM TEMPLATE
• Click the NEWSLETTERS option and double click on the style of your choice (see photo below)

STEP #2
• Select the page that contains the best layout for your text and photos
• Insert your information in the various sections:
• Book Title
• Genre
• Word Count
• A two or three-sentence book summary
• Endorsements – who recommends you and your writing? Why?
• Contact information (e-mail address, website, cell #)
• A one-paragraph description of your book that answers why it’s necessary in today’s market
• Author Bio plus a professional headshot
• Photos (Pixabay and Unsplash are excellent resources for free images)

STEP #3
• Save the entire “newsletter” as a Word document so you can make changes later if needed
• Next, save the entire document in PDF format
• Open your one-sheet in PDF format
• Select and delete the unnecessary pages on the left-hand side, then re-save the document

STEP #4
• Save your one-sheet on a flash drive or e-mail it to your local printing shop (I take mine to Office Depot)
• Print 5-8 copies to share with editors, agents, and other conference faculty members

We honor the Lord when we do our best, plus industry professionals appreciate excellence.

May God bless your creative endeavors, using your one-sheet to interest others in your writing.

What tips would you like to add? Please share them below.

Making a one-sheet on Microsoft Word is simple plus cost effective. Follow Emily’s four steps to create your own before attending your next writers conference. via @emilywickhamPH @MaryAFelkins #WritingConference #SeriouslyWrite

Note: A previous version of “How to Make a Dynamic One-Sheet” first appeared on February 5, 2019 at www.proclaiminghimtowomen.com.

EMILY WICKHAM seeks to stir hearts toward Jesus. She writes for LifeWay, speaks at ladies’ events, and shares  “Devotions for Women” videos on social media. Emily encourages Christian women plus equips Christian writers on her blog, www.proclaiminghimtowomen.com. She is the author of one Bible study, which was translated into Spanish in 2016. 

Emily, a resident of North Carolina, is Mark’s wife of 30+ years. They are the blessed parents of four adult children and two daughters-in-love. God’s faithfulness and love inspire Emily on her journey through life as she purposes to exalt Christ through written and spoken words. 

Connect with Emily:

Website: www.proclaiminghimtowomen.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/emilywickham.author

Twitter: www.twitter.com/emilywickhamPH

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/estherstudy

Instagram: www.instagram.com/emilywickham.author

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-wickham-8425b2191/

Book Blurb:

Do you know any missionaries to Spanish-speaking women? Or, is your church involved in outreach to the Hispanic community? Emily would love to put her Bible study on Esther into their hands, and she’s willing to fundraise for this purpose. Please see her website for more information. You also can purchase Alcanzando la Justicia on Amazon.

How is a Writers' Conference like a Pumpkin-Spice Latte? by Angela Arndt

Warning: the following topic of pumpkin-spice lattes may be divisive and controversial. Take care when mentioning this post in mixed company or among family members.

Time for Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Autumn is Here

The calendar says that autumn began Saturday, September 22nd, but the leaves won’t change until November in my neck-of-the-woods. Here we have two seasons, Unbearably-Hot-and-Muggy followed by Cold-and-Rainy. Our autumn separates the two for about week-and-a-half. But it’s my favorite season, I've already indulged in one of my favorite drinks: pumpkin spice latte or PSL. I love the color with its pumpkin orange and autumn leaf brown swirls in that creamy goodness. But I think the spicy clove-cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg blend tastes like autumn-in-a-cup.

But PSL is understandably a byword for overindulgence to some, especially with all the new and ridiculous pumpkin-spice products that come out each year. There are sweet things of course, like pumpkin-spice cookies and shakes, but can you imagine pumpkin spice kale chips, pumpkin spice pretzels, or even pumpkin spice salsa?

Too much of anything, even something wonderful, is sickening. As much as I love this recipe for PSL, I only buy one can of pumpkin. When the can is empty, there are no more seasonal coffees in this house.

Too Much is Too Much

Laundry, laundry, laundry

Conferences not only teach writers new things, but they all help refresh us. Remember that one conference you attended where you stayed at that gorgeous hotel? People from all over the world gathered and everyone talked the language of writing. And those amazing sessions! Afterward, you talked with friends until the wee hours.



It was as great as that first sip of PSL.

 

When you returned home, you were exhausted. Thoughts of how to update your website, create tweets and memes, ask engaging questions on your blog posts, plus all the ways you could fix your novel filled your head until it hurt. The list was as enormous as the stack of laundry that somehow doubled in size while you were gone.

Where do you begin? 

Some teachings are full of sweet PSL-ness and while others go down like pumpkin-spice kale. How do you decide which advice to take? Here are a few tips I use:

• Create a list of Action items from the handouts and your notes, then prioritize. 
• Is it more important to update your website or should you finish editing your book and in the proposal that agent requested? 
• If you’ve finished your final edits and you have 27 followers on Facebook, it’s probably time to start making memes. 

Beat the Doubts Before They Begin

I have the habit of attention to such excess, that my senses get no rest - but suffer from a constant strain. Henry David Thoreau**


What did Thoreau mean? His mind is under a constant strain from worry and you may be, too. There's always a “honeymoon” period when you get home. Ideas for your book come free and easy. You'll find time for social media. You may even start making those changes to your website or crafting that proposal.

But, around the time I put the last spoonful of pumpkin in my coffee, you’ve probably begun to fall back into your comfortable habits. Worse yet, doubts creep into your mind. “Who do I think I am? I can't do this.” 

Stop worry. Squash those doubts. Keep going. 

Nothing stifles creativity faster than guilt.

Here’re a few tricks that help me when I'm doubting:

• Create a schedule and try to stick to it. Are you a morning person? Try to find a time to write in the morning. Night owl? Stay up a little later to get a few words in.
• When you're fast-drafting, words are words, don't worry so much about quality until re-writes.
• Find a writing friend or two and encourage each other.
• When you get an encouraging note, email, or message, put it in a special folder so you can re-read it when "the doubts" come.
• If you see something online that encourages you, share it on your favorite social media. Then, take ten minutes a day to like or comment on your followers’ posts. If you try to encourage someone else every day, you'll be encouraged.
• When Christmas or a family emergency interrupt, take the time you need to be with your family. Nothing stifles creativity faster than guilt.
• Write down the reasons you fell in love with writing.

My pumpkin spice lattes are refreshing to me, a signal that change is coming. Writers conferences are meant to renew and refresh writers through teaching, fellowship and even pampering. It's my hope each time I attend one that my writing will change for the better and that I'll be one step closer to my dream. 

Click to Tweet: Writers, when you’re discouraged, try to remember why you fell in love with writing. @aearndt #amwriting

Click to Tweet: How is a writers conference like pumpkin spice latte? Angela Arndt shares the comparison on #SeriouslyWrite. @aearndt #amwriting

What’s the best tip you ever got from a writers conference? 

I've got to ask: how do you feel about pumpkin spice lattes? If you hate them, what's your favorite Autumn tradition? Leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

About the Author

Angela Arndt

Angela Arndt is Jesus-follower and God-lover. She loves to write women’s fiction with a thread of romance and tell stories of strong, independent women in difficult situations. Her biggest hope is that she will encourage others to overcome their own “back roads” to find their joy in the Lord.


She and her husband, Charles, live on a bee farm in the middle of a big wood with their three dogs, Beau, Harley, Buddy the Wonder Dog, and their new kitten, Poppet.

She's also team-member of Seriously Write. Click here for more posts by Angie. By the way, she'd love for you to join her on her website, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. 



*  TwainQuotes 
**BrainyQuotes