Following up on its well-attended 2009 event, the Presbyterian Writers Guild has announced that the Presbyterian Writers Conference for 2010 will be held April 28-29, at the Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn.

Online registration is available at the Presbyterian Writers Guild Web site.

The conference, which is aimed at helping writers produce marketable articles or books, develop a freelance career, and “impact the world with their words,” will again feature prolific Presbyterian author, Cecil Murphey.

Murphey’s most recent book, written with Don Piper, is 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life. It spent nearly three years on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list.

The Presbyterian Writers Guild is a support network of and for Presbyterians who write as a form of Christian ministry. Any Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) writer may belong to the Guild.

The other keynote speaker, who along with Murphey will also teach classes, is H. Michael Brewer, author of five books as well as curriculum, comic books, Bible studies, devotionals, short stories and more than 100 articles. His upcoming book is Gotta Have God, Vol. 3.

Other instructors for the conference include Anita Higman, an award-winning writer, author of more than 20 books, novelist and member of Windwood Presbyterian Church in Houston; the Rev. Jerry Van Marter, who has served on the staff of the Presbyterian News Service since August 1988 and been its director since 1994; Twila Belk, the conference director and writer/speaker/publicist/keeper of Cec Murphey; and Greg Daniel, a Nashville-based literary agent.

The conference schedule includes 20 classes and a panel discussion on the writing life. There will be opportunity for one-on-one appointments with the instructors.

Classes will cover such topics as basic manuscript preparation, writing devotions, writing fiction, writing personal experience and other types of articles, song writing, screen writing, stringing for Presbyterian publications, proposals, social networking, how to find a good agent and more.

PWG members will receive a 10% tuition discount. To join, send $25 to Duane Sweep, 286 River Road Lane, Burnsville, Minn. 55337) will receive a 10% discount on the tuition.

A few partial scholarships are also available. Contact Jane Hines for scholarship information. 

Emily Enders Odom is a member of the Presbyterian Writers Guild Board and an Associate for Mission Communications, General Assembly Mission Council.