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2018 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS & classes 

Last minute changes are still possible in the times of individual classes. 
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11
5 p.m.    Shuttle leaves hotel for workshop     Holiday Inn Express
5-7 p.m.    Registration/Check In    Atrium
6 p.m.    Master Class Concert    Worship Center
7 p.m.    Worship, Welcome and Introductions    Worship Center
7:30-8 p.m.    Compass Groups (Registrants will be assigned to a Compass Group when you check in at the workshop.)



LIVE CO-WRITE with Joel Lindsey and Jeff Bumgardner  

PANEL: MAKING YOURSELF MORE PRODUCTIVE    
Holly Zabka (Moderator), Lee Black, Simon Hawkins, Donna King, Jason Clayborn

PANEL: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS WEEKEND 
Dennis Dearing (Moderator), Dave Clark, Kenna West, James Tealy

PANEL: THE LIFE AND HABITS OF A PROFESSIONAL SONGWRITER 
Joe Dan Cornett (Moderator) Tony Wood, Cliff Duren, Zane King

PANEL: NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST CO-WRITES 
Phil Mehrens (Moderator) Belinda Smith, Krissy Nordhoff, Michael Farren

9:10 p.m.     DISMISS

9:30 p.m.     SHUTTLE LEAVES FOR HOTEL


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

7:45 a.m.    Shuttle leaves hotel for workshop

8 a.m.     Breakfast     Chapel
    Late Registration    Chapel

9 a.m.    Worship, Announcements and Devotions     Chapel


9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.


PANEL: FANNING YOUR CREATIVE SPARK INTO A FLAME    
James Tealy (Moderator), Krissy Nordhoff, Kenna West, Jason Clayborn

LYRIC WRITING: THE BASICS AND BEYOND 
Tony Wood

WRITING GREAT MELODIES 
Lee Black and Belinda Smith

GETTING ORGANIZED: Strategies for making every minute count in your writing.
Simon Hawkins

LEARNING STRUCTURE FROM THE SONGS YOU ALREADY LOVE 
Sue C. Smith

OPEN CRITIQUING
Sign up at the registration table and get a song heard and evaluated by one of our professionals. This is not part of the WAJ competition, but it’s your chance to get great feedback in a relaxed setting. 

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     
Write About Jesus alumni will get valuable career counseling from one of our publishers or music industry pros (by appointment and for alumni only). Sign up during registration.


FRIDAY 
11 a.m. - NOON
 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GENRES    
Holly Zabka, Joel Lindsey

WRITING GREAT MELODIES 
James Tealy, Jason Clayborn

LYRIC WRITING: DIGGING DEEPER    
Dave Clark

HOW TO TAP INTO YOUR CREATIVITY (EVEN WHEN YOU BIG FAT DON’T FEEL LIKE IT)
Belinda Smith

OPEN CRITIQUING

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     


12:15 p.m.     Alumni Café     Chapel
    
12:30 p.m.    Lunch    Chapel


FRIDAY

1:15 - 2:15 p.m. 


PANEL: BUILDING A SONG PEOPLE WANT TO SING 
Simon Hawkins (Moderator Jason Clayborn, Michael Farren, Krissy Nordhoff

MAKING THE MOST OF THE KEY MOMENTS IN YOUR SONG    
Sue C. Smith

ROYALTIES, PRO’S, PUBLISHING, AND WHAT YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST KNOW 
Joe Dan Cornett

SONG PAINTING 
Joel Lindsey

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD IN YOUR SONGS   
James Tealy

KIDS WRITE ABOUT JESUS PANEL - The Grid
Tony Wood, Belinda Smith, Donna King

OPEN CRITIQUING

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     Chapel

    
FRIDAY

2:30-3:30 p.m. 


PANEL: WHO DOES WHAT IN A SONGWRITER’S WORLD
Joe Dan Cornett (Moderator) Holly Zabka (Publisher), Zane King (A&R), Donna King (Producer)

THE ALWAYS AND NEVERS OF CO-WRITING 
Kenna West

HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE UNSIGNED 
Kristi Fitzwater, Gina Boe 

HOW TO WRITE ANY TITLE   
Simon Hawkins

KNOWING YOUR IDENTIFY AS A WRITER: THE SONGWRITER PERSONALITY TEST
Krissy Nordhoff

OPEN CRITIQUING

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     


FRIDAY 
3:45-4:45 p.m. 


PANEL: THE HOW TO’S OF PITCHING YOUR SONGS    A-201
Lee Black, Kenna West, Donna King

WRITING FOR YOUR CHURCH AND RECORDING YOUR SONGS    O-104
Holly Zabka, Jeff Bumgardner, Cliff Duren

WRITING FOR THE BRIDE 
​
Michael Farren, Krissy Nordhoff

WHAT I KNOW NOW THAT I WISH I’D KNOWN THEN    
Dave Clark

HOW TO BE YOUR OWN PUBLISHER
Zane King

OPEN CRITIQUING

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     

   
5 p.m. - GATHER FOR A GROUP PICTURE - DON’T MISS IT!     WORSHIP CENTER

5:15 p.m.    Alumni Café     Chapel

5:30 p.m.    Dinner     Chapel

6:15-6:40 p.m.   Compass Groups    

7 p.m.    Writers in the Round Concert    Worship Center

9:45 p.m.    Shuttle leaves workshop for hotel


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13


7:45 a.m.    Shuttle leaves hotel for workshop

8 a.m.    Breakfast    

9 a.m.    Worship, announcements, devotions    

10 a.m. - noon - Songwriting Competition
    Group 1 Worship 
    Group 2 Worship 
    Group 3 Worship 
    Group 4 Pop/AC/CCM 
    Group 5 Pop/AC/CCM 
    Group 5 Southern Gospel 
    Group 6 Southern Gospel 
    Group 7 Country/Southern 
    Group 8 Print/Choral 
    Group 9 Kids/Novelty/Special Occasion 


12:15 p.m.    Alumni Café    Chapel

12:30 p.m. Lunch     Chapel


SATURDAY
 
1:15-2:15 p.m.


PANEL: THE ALL-IMPORTANT RE-WRITE    
Zane King (Moderator), Jeff Bumgardner, James Tealy, Belinda Smith

WRITING FOR KIDS    
Gina Boe
WRITING THROUGH THE DAILY STRUGGLES    
Joel Lindsey
.MAKING IT SOUTHERN GOSPEL 
Kenna West
WRITING FOR THE BRIDE: HOW TO WRITE A WORSHIP SONG 
Cliff Duren/Phil Mehrens
OPEN CRITIQUING
ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING     

SATURDAY

2:30-3:30 p.m. 


PANEL: WHERE WE’RE HEADED WITH CHRISTIAN SONGS 
Simon Hawkins (Moderator), Krissy Nordhoff, Tony Wood, Michael Farren, Joel Lindsey

TRADITIONAL GOSPEL VS. CCM: HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT—AND ALIKE 
J
ason Clayborn

MAKING A DEMO THAT HELPS YOUR SONG GET CUT 
Dennis Dearing

WHEN IT’S COUNTRY AND CHRISTIAN 
Donna King, Lee Black

THE STATE OF THE SONG 
Dave Clark

OPEN CRITIQUING
​

ALUMNI ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING


SATURDAY

3:45 - 4:45 p.m.
WRITE YOUR LIFE
Tony Wood
HOW TO WRITE A MUSICAL 
Joel Lindsey/Jeff Bumgardner/Cliff Duren 
SOCIAL MEDIA, PROMOTING YOUR BRAND, AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Mary Alice Lovelace
SETTING UP YOUR HOME STUDIO 
Pete Buchwald 
WRITING FOR THE CUT
Lee Black

OPEN CRITIQUING
Alumni One on One 

5 p.m.    Compass Groups    

Final Judging    WAJ Office (PRIVATE)

5:30 p.m.    Alumni Café, featuring Kids Write About Jesus    Chapel

6 p.m.     Dinner, Awards and Goodbyes    Chapel


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