During its first in-person gathering since 2019, the 2022 American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference took place in St. Louis, Mo. from September 8-11, attracting over 300 attendees. The event is an opportunity for authors to meet with editors, aspiring novelists to meet with agents, and for professionals from across the publishing industry to share insight on the genre of Christian fiction.
Workshops included Unleash Your Writing Superpowers, Landmines in Your Book Contract, How to Make Money in Publishing, From Story to Manuscript to Published, and The Changing Landscape of Fiction Publicity—Why Publicity Matters More Than Ever, among others. Spotlight sessions included a Q&A with Tyndale Publishing’s acquisition editors Stephanie Broene and Elizabeth Jackson as well as one with Bethany House editors Rochelle Gloege and Jessica Sharpe. Literary agents Linda Glaz, Steve Laube, and Barb Roose also hosted a discussion panel during the conference.
The ACFW Awards Gala concluded this year's event and recognized Christian fiction authors with Carol Awards for outstanding titles published in the past calendar year. Winners included Chris Fabry, author of A Piece of the Moon (Tyndale House), in the contemporary category, while Elizabeth Camden took home the historical romance award for The Prince of Spies (Bethany). For a full list of the winners, click here. The evening also revealed winners of ACFW's Genesis Contest, which recognizes the work of unpublished Christian fiction writers awaiting discovery.
New to the ACFW conference this year was Storyfest, a reader-fan event featuring a meet-and-greet with Christian fiction authors such as Rachel Hauck, Kimberly Witemeyer, Cara Putnam, Toni Shiloh, and over 40 others.
Find photos from ACFW’s 2022 conference and more details about the event below. Next year, the conference is slated for August 24-27, and it will be held in St. Louis once again.
