More than Sales to be Found at Mount Hermon

I’m the first one to admit it–I attribute most of my success as a writer to Mt. Hermon.

In 1994 I brought my first-ever book proposal to my first-ever major conference. Two publishers took it to committee and it was published a year later by Thomas Nelson. Other publishing opportunities followed, as well as the privilege of being on the faculty.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the sales and success side of things and be tempted not to attend if we don’t have a project to pitch or an agent to attain. But I’ve found the most valuable aspect of attending Mt. Hermon has nothing directly to do with contracts or career.

I return each year to connect with writers I’d never otherwise meet and editors and agents I may never do business with. There are a number of professionals I’ve never pitched to (and some I’ve been rejected by) who’ve become dear friends and treasured advisors. Sharing our hearts, our passion to communicate God’s message to a hungry world, and late nights filled with laughter and friendship is well worth the price of admission.

You can buy the CD’s for the information you’d miss, but there’s no substitute for the relationships established and grown at the conference.

Mary Pielenz Hampton (RefreshMoments–Turning the Daily into Devotion) is a regular contributor to Exemplify Online and 5 Minutes for Faith. In addition to her own books, she has had pieces included in several compilations including Stories for the Heart and A Cup of Comfort. She received Mt. Hermon’s “Most Promising New Writer” award at her second Writers Conference.