Meet the keynote speakers and workshop leaders for the 2026 Southern Christian Writers Conference

We are thrilled to have such a knowledgeable, inspiring faculty for the 2026 Southern Christian Writers Conference. Learn more about all of our speakers below!

The 2026 SCWC is June 19-20 at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama.

(Note that a schedule will be released once finalized. The conference begins on Friday, June 19 with doors opening at 11:00 a.m. and the opening session beginning at 1 p.m.  The conference concludes on Saturday, June 20 at 4 p.m.)

Registration is now open. Click this link to sign up.

The SCWC includes two keynote presentations (Friday night and Saturday), and 26+ workshops on a wide variety of writing genres and topics. 

Our knowledgeable leaders are published, prolific, and professional--and they're also  Christians who are encouraging to writers. 

2026 SCWC FACULTY

Keynote Speakers

Friday night: "Father Goose and the Power of Poetry and Picture Books" with Charles Ghigna

Saturday: "To Tell the Truth" with Cindy Sproles

Charles Ghigna is is an award-winning poet, children’s author, and nationally syndicated feature writer. He is the author of more than 5000 poems and one hundred books for children and adults ranging from the 1990 Pulitzer Prize nominee Returning to Earth to the popular children’s books The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry for Children and The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Poems. His books are published by Disney, Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster and others, and his children's poems have appeared in such magazines as Cricket, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, Ranger Rick, and many more. His poems for adults have appeared in Harper’s and The New Yorker. He is affectionately known as "Father Goose" to the tens of thousands who have met him at schools and through his books. Learn more about Charles by clicking this link.

Cindy Sproles is a bestselling inspirational novelist whose books have been published by such houses as Kregel and Revell and have won numerous awards. They include This is Where it Ends (Selah Awards Book of the Year), Mercy's Rain (IndieFab Book of the Year), Liar's Winter (Golden Scroll Book of the Year), What Momma Left Behind, and Coal Black Lies. Her newest novel, The Eyes of River, comes out this June. Cindy is also the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries and has written devotional books and devotions and articles for numerous publications; she's the Executive Editor for www.christiandevotions.us. She has previously worked as an acquisitions editor and managing editor for publishers and she now uses that experience to mentor and coach new writers through her mentoring service, WRAMS (Write Right Author Mentoring Service). She is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference, held each February at the Cove, the Billy Graham Training Center. Learn more about Cindy by visiting her website at this link.

Workshop Leaders

** A description of each workshop will be released in the coming weeks. Note that you don't have to sign up for workshops ahead of time; select workshops will also be available virtually.

"Writing for Lifeway Publications" with David Bennett

David Bennett is is the managing editor of HomeLife, the flagship magazine of LifeWay Christian Resources, and content editor for Open Windows, LifeWay’s longest running devotional. He is author of Critical Decisions: Clarity in the Journey (Serendipity House), co-author of Share Jesus Without Fear (LifeWay Press) among other books. For the past 15 years he has been a contributor for The Athlete’s Bible (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). Among other work in the Christian publishing industry, David edited the first Beth Moore student resource and co-hosted the Experiencing God Youth Video Series with Henry Blackaby. Learn more about Lifeway Publications.

Note that David will also meet in 1-on-1 consultations with interested writers.

“Writing from Personal Experiences” with Javacia Bowser

Javacia Harris Bowser is the interim editor of The Birmingham Times and the founder of See Jane Write, a website and community for women who write. She's also the author of the award-winning essay collection, Find Your Way Back: How to Write Your Way Through Anything. Javacia was included in Southern Living magazine’s list of Innovators Changing the South, alongside household names like Dolly Parton and Reese Witherspoon and was a recipient of the 2022 Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship. She's written for ELLE, Good Housekeeping, and Good Grit magazines. In 2020, her column for Birmingham magazine was awarded Best Magazine Column by the Alabama Press Association. When she isn’t writing or editing, you can find Javacia practicing Pilates, eating tacos, listening to Beyoncé or spending time with her husband Edward. Learn more about Javacia at her See Jane Write website.

“Writing for Denominational Publications” with Dianna Cagle

Dianna Cagle is special assistant to the editor for the TAB Media Team which includes the nationwide publication The Baptist Paper. She was previously assistant editor for North Carolina’s Biblical Recorder, staff member of several daily newspapers (Milledgeville, Georgia's Union-Recorder, The Decatur, Alabama, DAILY and the Birmingham Post-Herald) and a US/C-2 missionary with the North American Mission Board. She has degrees from the University of Alabama Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She's also the TAB representative to the Southern Christian Writers Conference; The Alabama Baptist serves as a partner with the conference. Learn more about TAB Media here.

Note that Dianna will also lead a "Brainstorming with SCWC authors" session.

“Feature Stories that Shine” with Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Solomon Crenshaw worked almost four decades for the Birmingham News and its AL.com entity writing primarily sports features; since 2018 he's worked as a freelancer writing features articles on not just sports, but entertainment, politics, and a myriad of other topics. He especially enjoys writing profiles of interesting individuals, and is a regular contributor to The Birmingham Times, Alabama NewsCenter, and other publications. Solomon was named the 2022 Communicator of Achievement, the highest annual award given by the Alabama Media Professionals organization. Learn more about Solomon here at his website.

“The Gifted Pen: How Spiritual Gifts Shape your Words” with Shirley Crowder

Shirley Crowder was born in Nigeria, West Africa, to missionary parents. She is passionate about disciple-making through writing, biblical counseling, teaching, speaking, and music. As an award-winning Christian author, she has authored, co-authored, or contributed to nineteen books and numerous articles. She's also a SCWC staff assistant. A gifted pianist, Shirley shares Christ’s love through music and has influenced lives worldwide, with her spiritual children and grandchildren serving in ministry and beyond. Shirley's devotional books include ones in the "Glimpses of God" series and the "Wonder and Worship" books (co-authored with Harriet E. Michael). Learn more about Shirley at her website.

Note that Shirley will also lead a "Brainstorming with SCWC authors" session.

“Creative Marketing Techniques” and "Newsletters for Authors" with Tanya Eavenson

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning author and cofounder of Write Start Fiction Studio, where she focuses on helping authors build visibility, strengthen their platforms, and develop practical marketing strategies; she's also worked as a virtual assistant and consultant. Her fiction books are heartwarming stories about love, grace, and redemption and include the Cascade Award-winning The Rescue and other novels and novellas in the "All Roads Lead to Texas," "Georgia Peaches," "Whispers in Wyoming," "Gaining Love," and other series and solo releases. She's also written books specifically for writers, including The New Author's Road to Publication. Learn more about Tanya at her website. 

“Persistence in the Writing Journey” with Kristy Ensor

Kristy Ensor is an award-winning, multi-genre author who writes stories of grit, grace, and Southern soul. Her next book is a short story collection, Beneath a Southern Sunrise, being released this November. She’s a contributor to “The Ready Writer” Substack for the SCWC and has written articles for magazines and newspapers. She's the co-author (with Sue Mohr and Dee Ann Starling) of the devotional book Hope Is... A wife, empty nester, and writer—aka the Back Road Diva—Kristy can be found online at kristyensor.com and on social media @thebackroaddiva, where she shares her Monday Motivations.

“Organizational Skills for the Writing Life” with McKenna Erwin

McKenna Erwin first served as an SCWC assistant in her youth as a granddaughter of founders David and Joanne Sloan, and continues that work today. She has a degree in education from the University of West Alabama and works as a camp director for a nonprofit organization; she writes grants and promotional material in her job, and has also been published in blogs and books on parenting topics. She and her husband Jake operate Vision Press, which publishes communication textbooks and also offers hybrid publication opportunities to authors. She lives outside Birmingham with Jake and their six children.

“Christian Book Publishing Today” with John Herring

John Herring is CEO/Owner of Iron Stream Media, a media company that includes the imprints Iron Stream Books, Iron Stream Fiction, Iron Stream Kids, Life Bible Study, and Brookstone Creative Group. Books published by Iron Stream include fiction in a variety of genres, nonfiction, devotionals, Christian living, Bible study, children's books and more; the company is pleased to offer submission opportunities to authors who attend writing conferences including the SCWC. John started his career serving local churches as an executive pastor, discipleship pastor, and consultant and has been in the publishing industry since 2006. Learn more about Iron Stream Media and its imprints at its website.

Note that John will also meet in 1-on-1 consultations with interested authors.

“Telling & Writing Stories for Children” with Linda Holloway

Linda Holloway is an award-winning children’s book author, spoken word artist, and story activist. Her children's books include eight in her "Little Miss Linda" series, and her work has also appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers. She was one of Alabama's 2024 "Women Who Shape the State" and is also a poet who has been recognized by the National Association of Poetry Therapy. She's been featured in such media outlets as Zoom into Books, Story Monster, Resilience magazine,  Essence, Black Enterprise, Spectacular, KISH magazine and The Legacy Magazine MS. She holds a doctorate from Mississippi State University, is a retired Colonel in the Army Reserves, and is a Counselor Educator with over 30 years’ experience; she currently teaches at Alabama State University. Learn more about Linda and her books.

“Writing Bible Studies that let Scripture Speak for Itself” and "Understanding Rights" with Heather Iseminger

Heather Iseminger is an acquisitions editor and author who currently works as a consultant at Brookstone Creative Group, the hybrid publishing arm of Iron Stream Media. Heather holds a BA in English Writing from Florida State University and an MA in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and serves as the chaplain for the Florida Christian Writers Conference. At Brookstone, she specializes in nonfiction acquisitions including Bible studies, Christian living, church growth, culture and contemporary issues, curriculum, discipleship, personal growth, marriage & family, prayer, and more. Learn more about Heather here, and also find out about Brookstone Creative Group.

Note that Heather will also meet in 1-on-1 consultations with interested authors.

"Road Map for Travel Writing" with Valerie Luesse

Valerie Luesse is an award-winning magazine writer perhaps best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she retired as senior travel editor in 2022. While at Southern Living, she won awards for her work on Hurricane Katrina and directed a department that covered a wide variety of travel topics. She also has authored six novels set in the South: Christy Award winner Missing Isaac (2018), Almost Home (2019), The Key to Everything (2020), Under the Bayou Moon (2021) which was honored by the Alabama Library Association as its 2023 Adult Fiction Boo of the Year, Letters from My Sister (August 2023), and The Light on Horn Island (2025), all published by Revell Books. The Alabama native is a graduate of Auburn University and Baylor University. Learn more about Valerie at her website.

“Creating Cozy Mysteries” with Deborah Malone and S.A. Merritt

Deborah Malone is the author of the Trixie Montgomery cozy mystery series including Death in Dahlonega (which was nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award in the Novel Category in 2012), Murder in Marietta, and Terror on Tybee Island; her Skye Southerland series incudes Buckhead Dead and Decatur Dead. Her newest book is A Wedding to Die For, the first book in the Paradise Cove series co-written with S.C. Merritt. Deborah has also authored inspirational books, including Bloom Where You Are (which won second place in the Selah Awards). You can see all of Deborah's books here.

S.C. (Sarah) Merritt writes The Sweetwater Springs Southern Mystery Series (small town characters, a lot of gossip, a sprinkle of romance and a pinch of murder; includes such titles as Moonshine and Murder and Potluck and Pandemonium), The Bucket List Mysteries (two friends hit the road on a bucket list vacation but can’t steer clear of murder; includes the books Dead in the Water, Boot Scootin' Bump Off, and Double Crossed Bones) and her newest series, in collaboration with fellow cozy author Deborah Malone. Learn more about here cozy mystery books at her website.

 “Substack Simplified” with Stephanie Miller

Stephanie Miller is an author, editor, speaker, and coach passionate about helping faith-filled writers conquer fear, find their voice, and transform their writing. She is a certified Spiritual Growth and Writing Coach and the owner of Butterfly Beginnings Coaching. Her book, The Butterfly Blueprint, reflects her belief that when we lean into God’s call, our words can change lives. She's on Substack at "Live and Write Transformed," (https://liveandwritetransformed.substack.com/) and loves teaching writers how to use and grow the platform. 

Note that Stephanie will also meet in 1-on-1 coaching consultations with interested writers.

"Group Coaching Workshop" with Sue Mohr

Sue Mohr is an award-winning author, multi-faceted life/business/writer’s coach, and an ordained minister. She has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, including devotionals for Guideposts. Sue leads a thriving writer's group, has authored a how-to guide on starting one, and written a book on the craft of "show don't tell." She loves co-writing and has collaborated on a traditionally published devotional and two memoirs. Current projects include a young adult novel, Emmé Rose, and a children's book series, Against the Odds. She also created a curriculum for women over 50 that parallels the lives of biblical women, which she teaches to a monthly group. Learn more about her at suemohr.com. 

Note that this workshop is a "live" group coaching experience to come up with practical strategies and "breakthrough" moments. It will be offered twice.

"Writing as Outreach: Reaching Readers with Hope" with Vernet Nettles

Vernet Nettles is an author, poet, retired educator, and parent. Highlighting the power of spiritual connection and personal reflection, Dr. Nettles’ works include prayer journeys, devotionals, poetry, journals, and children’s books. Her desire is to continue exploring more genres and branch into serving as a writing coach and publisher. She shares daily original prayers on her website at www.vernetcnettles.com (VCN Daily Pray) and has authored numerous books. Her titles include Prayers for the Journey, Sufficient Grace, Moments of Grace, Walking with Grace, Prayers for your Fasting Journey, Praying and Praising the Psalms, Why Should I be Bound?, and two children's books. Vernet is also a staff assistant for the Southern Christian Writers Conference. 

“Finding and Following God’s Purposes for your Writing” with Anna Nash

Anna Nash is an author, speaker, and connector who loves helping people notice God’s presence in everyday life. She's the author with her husband Tyler of Refreshing Hospitality: The Art of Welcoming, inspired by years of opening their home and creating meaningful gatherings along with owning a popular Birmingham coffee shop. Anna's also the author of Bible studies, interactive courses, the devotional books Christmas Matters and Easter Matters, and the children's book You Can See Him. Learn more about Anna here.

Note that Anna will also meet in 1-on-1 coaching consultations with interested writers.

 “A Novella Approach” and "SCWC 101" with Stephanie Rodda

Stephanie Rodda is a wife, mother and grandmother who lives with her husband of 43 years in the Birmingham area. She takes great joy in encouraging others to pursue their God-given callings and dreams. Her favorite subjects to write and speak about are faith and family. Stephanie is a support staff member of the SCWC, workshop leader, inspirational speaker, devotional writer and librarian. She’s written magazine articles for publications including Focus on the Family and Birmingham Parent, devotional books, the children’s book Backyard Betsy, the novel How Then Shall We Live? and an upcoming novella titled Dear Library Lady. Her book, Words of Excellence: Called to Write, is part of the "Equipped to Write" series of books on writing. See all of her books here.

“Plotting and P.O.V. in Fiction” with Ellen Sallas

Ellen Sallas (under the penname of Ellen C. Maze) has authored a dozen award-winning Christian fantasy fiction novels that enjoy a worldwide audience. “A smooth narrative,” “authentic characters,” and “breathtaking suspense,” are phrases often seen in her hundreds of five-star reviews. It is Ellen’s goal to help anyone who wants to be a better writer and even set up a company dedicated to that very thing (www.theauthorsmentor.com). Ellen founded and owns (with Stephanie Bain) Little Roni Publishers, LLC, a boutique traditional publisher based in Clanton, Alabama. She is active in volunteerism and is currently training her White Labrador puppy as a mental‑health service dog. She lives happily with her husband and a very bossy cat.

Note that Ellen will also offer 1-on-1 consultations with interested authors.

“The Joy of Creativity: Tips for Enhancing Productivity & Finding More Joy in Your Writing"  with Christopher Sloan

Christoper Sloan has a multi-faceted background in writing and has specialized in niche areas such as strength conditioning, fantasy fiction, and spirituality in both books and magazine articles. He has published scores of articles focusing on strength building and fitness in national magazines and been a contributing editor for Planet Muscle and Ironman magazines, becoming one of the most respected voices in the industry. He's also the author of the fantasy novel The Forgotten Heroes and the recently released The Strongest Shall Always Survive: Lifting Lessons from an Iron Legend. He worships in the Orthodox Christian tradition, has a passion for spirituality and often writes about the topic on his blog and in articles.


“Generating Ideas for your Writing” with Joanne Sloan

Joanne Sloan is the founder of the Southern Christian Writers Conference alongside her husband David and daughter Cheryl. She first envisioned the SCWC's goal to both educate and encourage writers and today has the Joanne Sloan National Award for the Encouragement of Writers given in her name. She's a former high school English teacher who has worked as a freelance writer with hundreds of publication credits to her name. She's written for numerous national magazines, served as a columnist for "The Alabama Baptist," and has authored both nonfiction and fiction books. Her nonfiction books include Faith Stories: Devotions from the Lives of Missionaries and A Life that Matters: Spiritual Disciplines that Change the World and fiction works include the novel The Widows' Tea Challenge (and its upcoming sequel). Her newest book is the guide Generating Writing Ideas, which is part of the "Equipped to Write" series on writing topics published by SCWC Books. See that book here.

"Writing Devotionals that Speak to the Heart" with Cindy Sproles

See Cindy's full bio above. She'll be leading the Saturday keynote address titled "To Tell the Truth," will lead this workshop on devotional writing, and will also be available for 1-on-1 private consultations.

Learn more about Cindy at her author website. You can also visit her devotional site here.

“Querying & Writing Magazine Articles” with Cheryl Wray

Cheryl Wray is the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference and has worked in the writing and publishing industry for three decades. She has degrees in journalism from the University of Alabama and has worked in a variety of capacities, including as a copy editor at a book publishing company, editor of a small town newspaper, and sports reporter for AL.com and The Birmingham News. She's published more than 2,000 articles in a variety of newspapers and magazines over the years, and currently writes for Red Clay Media and serves as the cover story writer for Christian Family Publications, Inc. Her writing books include Writing for Magazines: A Beginner's Guide which was published by McGraw-Hill and was a Featured Selection of the Writer's Digest Book Club; her latest book on writing is Writing and Publishing Magazine Articles from the "Equipped to Write" series. She combined her love of sports and travel for her latest book, Southern College Football Road Trip, and also writes fiction. In her SCWC capacity, she serves as the editor of Anchored Magazine and the publisher of SCWC Books and Southern Story Books.

“The Nuts and Bolts of Self Publishing” with Steve and Laura Young

Steve and Laura Young have been writing and publishing their own books since 2010. They have self-published over 20 of their own and have worked with almost 50 authors to get their works published and available to the public. They served on church staff for many years, as well as over 12 years as missionaries to Mexico. Though no longer in vocational ministry, they continue to find ways to serve, including teaching and ministering in their home church. Steve and Laura have four children and five grandchildren who live across two time zones. They live in Nashville where they share their home with their giant labradoodle, Valentino. Learn more about them at the website for their company, YesBear Publishing.

Note that Steve and Laura will also be meeting in 1-on-1 consultations with interested authors.

Breakout Sessions

In addition to these workshop sessions, the conference will include breakout sessions on Friday night with the opportunity for attendees with similar interests to gather together. Breakout topics will include time management, audiobooks, podcasting, publishing your own book, social media, writing church histories, and more.

Publishers, Editors, and Coaches

SCWC attendees will have the chance to meet in 1-on-1 consultations with different book publishers (both traditional and hybrid), editors, and writing coaches. 

Those meeting with interested writers are: David Bennett (Lifeway Publications), John Herring (Iron Steam Media), Heather Iseminger (Brookstone Creative Group), Ellen Sallas (Little Roni Publishers), Jake Erwin (Vision Press), Laura and Steve Young (YesBear Publishing), Cheryl Wray (SCWC Books & Southern Story Books), Anna Nash, Stephanie Miller, and Cindy Sproles.

SCWC Staff

The SCWC was founded in 1991 by David and Joanne Sloan and Cheryl Wray. Today, Cheryl serves as the coordinator of the organization.

Our group of SCWC staff members are pleased to serve you at the annual conference in a variety of ways. Staff members include: Coordinator Cheryl Wray; Tech Director Scout Wray; SCWC Assistants Shirley Crowder, McKenna Erwin, Jake Erwin, Dylan Holloway, Vernet Nettles, Stephanie Rodda, and Christopher Sloan; Worship Leader Delaney Holloway; TAB representative Dianna Cagle; photographer Tracy Frontz; junior assistants Peyson Erwin, Piper Erwin, and Ramsey Erwin; "The Ready Writer" contributors Kristy Ensor and Miranda Herring; and founders David and Joanne Sloan.

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We can't wait to see everyone at this year's Southern Christian Writers Conference, and know that it will be a meaningful time of learning and fellowship. We are already praying for your experience, as well as lifting up our leaders as they prepare for the conference.

If you'd like to register for the 2026 SCWC, you can do so using this registration form: CLICK HERE. You can also email SCWC staff with any questions at scwritersconference@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham this June!

(Learn more about our 2026 verse and theme here.)