2009 Keynoter:

Bill Butterworth’s extraordinary ability to blend humor, story-telling, wisdom and practicality has made him one of the most sought after speakers in venues throughout North America. Through his wit, warmth, insight, and realism, he brings help and hope to his audiences everywhere.

Bill taught at the college level for thirteen years and was a counselor for six years prior to his current passion for motivating men and women in the workplace. Because of his remarkable abilities, Bill was awarded The Hal Holbrook Award by the International Platform Association, whose past and present members include Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bob Hope, and Elizabeth Dole. They consider him one of the select few to be named a Top Rated Speaker.

In 2004, Bill established the Butterworth Communicators Institute to train men and women to find their speaking voice and raise their speaking ability to the next level. The response to the three-day institutes has been overwhelmingly positive.

In the writing world, Bill’s latest contribution is a series of business books with the overall title On The Fly. The first two books are On The Fly Guide to Balancing Work and Life and On The Fly Guide to Building Successful Teams. They are published by WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House. Besides the On The Fly series, Bill has written over a dozen books, including The Promise of the Second Wind and When Life Doesn’t Turn Out Like You Planned.

NOTICE!  Time-Sensitive Announcement
Mount Hermon-Zondervan First Novel Competition

In celebration of Mount Hermon's 40th anniversary, Zondervan Publishing  is sponsoring a First Novel Competition for unpublished writers. Only full-length novels will be considered; the final work must have a word count of at least 75,000 words.  Defined broadly, this will be a work of fiction written for a popular audience.  In addition to the opportunity for a work to be published by Zondervan, the writer has the opportunity for unbiased feedback on their work by editors and experienced judges.  Zondervan will announce the winner at the April 2009 Mount Hermon Writer's Conference.  The author winning the prize will enter into a publishing agreement with Zondervan and receive a $10,000 advance against royalty, subject to the terms of the publishing agreement.

Submissions for the 2009 Mount Hermon/Zondervan First Novel Competition will be accepted from September 1, 2008 through November 1, 2008.  Specific requirements and a downloadable application can be found on Zondervan's website during the last week of August.

CD/MP3 Order Forms of Past Conferences

News Flash!  2009 Conference Details
Spring Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon
April 1-3, 2009 Pre-Conference Mentoring Track
April 3-7, 2009 Main Spring Conference

For 39 years, Mount Hermon has created an exhilarating laboratory for training writers, whether beginning or professional.  This year we've combined our popular Mentoring Track with our main Spring Conference to provide three options: attend the mentoring pre-conference track alone; attend the main spring conference alone; or attend both at a bargain rate.
 
BROUGHT BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR:

• Eleven Major Morning Tracks, including every major genre
• Children’s Track
• Mentoring Tracks for Intermediate Fiction & Non-Fiction writers:  small groups (application only & limited), offering individualized help
• Career Track for professional writers, covering marketing and publication
• Teen Writing Track for teens  

Another 70 individual afternoon workshops round out the offerings. In an intensive five or seven days together, there’s something for every writer at every skill level.

We provide a rare opportunity for writers to test their skills under the guidance of professional writers, to check their message alongside Jesus’ teachings, as proclaimed by our keynote speakers and faculty, and to challenge the marketplace by sharing and placing their manuscripts with our editors and publishers. All this is offered in a spectacular redwood setting, with excellent meals from the kitchen of our professional chef and attention to detail that will make your stay refreshing and personally worthwhile.

FULL DETAILS, including costs, attendance options, workshops, and faculty roster, will be posted by November 1, when registration opens for the 2009 events.

WHY WE’RE SO CONFIDENT YOU’LL BE SATISFIED

Compare our experience and know-how. Mount Hermon’s record of customer satisfaction is unsurpassed—39 years of timely conferences and over 7,000 participants from some 40 states and several foreign countries clearly attest to our ability to deliver what we promise. Our customer satisfaction rate speaks for itself!
 
In addition, registrants receive a free manuscript critique service that would cost $25 to $50 per manuscript at other conferences. Hands-on suggestions by people in the industry can really make a difference for writers at any stage of their careers. One-on-one manuscript reviews continue all five days.
 
We continually research the latest trends in writing and seek out the foremost experts. Our programs have proven themselves, time and time again, as effective tools in helping Christian writers. We hear from many each year crediting this conference with the effective start of their writing careers. And many publishers and editors encourage writers to attend our conference.
 
Come and spend Palm Sunday weekend with us. You’ll soon discover why Mount Hermon has earned the reputation as the premier Christian writer’s conference in the nation.
 
We look forward to your participation in Mount Hermon’s 40th anniversary Christian Writers Conference!