Giving Place to Teens
by Shannon Dittemore
Why do we tell stories? Why does it matter? And what does success truly look like?
Young people are telling stories and they want to do it well.
If you are one of those courageous young people, Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference has created a weekend track just for you.
Authors Jill Williamson, Paul Regnier, and I could not be more excited about our time together. The three of us have different backgrounds and different styles, but we’re united by a passion for the art, a desire to honor God with our writing, and a love of all things fantastical.
Together, we’re prayerfully crafting a series of lessons that will not only dig into the mechanics of writing fiction but also the purpose driving what we do.
We’ll talk about building worlds and developing characters. We’ll do our very best to unravel the mysteries of structuring a story. We’ll brainstorm and we’ll plot, and because you’ll be learning from three different instructors, you’ll get an extended look at the various ways authors create, and perhaps find some things that work for you.
When you leave Mount Hermon, we want your hands full of tools to try out and your heart overflowing with inspiration. We hope to provide you with the kind of encouragement that has you excited to sit down in the chair and turn those ideas into stories. And we’d like to give you enough information so that you can begin to consider whether or not writing as a career is something you’d like to pursue.
To that end, we’ve carved out time in our schedule for plenty of personal interaction. In our three Night Owl sessions, we’ll share our own publication journeys and answer any questions you might have about the process. If you have work you’d like us to look at, send us the first five pages in advance, and we’ll be happy to provide you with feedback.
We know there are many factors to consider when selecting a conference and, this year, Mount Hermon has made it easier than ever for young writers to attend. A 20% discount is available for teen registrants, while the adults who accompany them may pay the full amount and participate in everything the conference has to offer, or skip the instructional sessions and appointments altogether and take $500 off the total price. Please see the full website for details. We hope you’ll prayerfully consider joining us this March.
Until then, teen writers, know you have authors cheering you on, praying for you, and hoping the best for the stories God has placed in your hearts. Here’s hoping we get a chance to meet you this year at Mount Hermon.
Register for the Teen Track today.
Shannon Dittemore is the author of the Angel Eyes trilogy. She attended Portland Bible College, has performed with local theater companies, and has an affinity for mentoring teen writers. Since 2013, Shannon has taught mentoring tracks at a local school, where she provides junior high and high school students with an introduction to writing and the publishing industry. She blogs weekly for Go Teen Writers, posting instruction and encouragement for aspiring authors while emphasizing the importance of community. Shannon, her husband, Matt, and their two children make their home in Northern California.