As I celebrate some writing anniversaries this month, I’m thinking of those people and connections that have made a difference in the journey. Naming individuals is always risky, but the most influential groups of people are my local critique group (members past and present) and my online communities of InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship and The Word Guild.

In Canada, there are some valuable conferences coming up for writers who are Christian:

His Imprint Saskatoon, SK, April 12-13

Write! Vancouver Vancouver, BC, May 25 (designed for Christians and non-Christians)

Write! Canada Guelph, ON, June 13-15

InScribe Fall Conference Wetaskiwin (near Edmonton), AB, September 27-28

In the US, the major ones I know of are Mount Hermon (Santa Cruz, CA, March 20-26) and American Christian Fiction Writers (Indianapolis, IN, September 13-15), but there are plenty more, both conferences and writers’ retreats.

If you’re a beginning writer, don’t wait to “earn the right” to attend a conference. There’s so much to learn, and learning from others is faster than discovering everything on our own. A quick Google search will turn up a slew of conferences. Pick what works for you geographically and interest-wise.

You may not even have to travel. The Bestseller Society bills itself as “a writers’ conference in a box”. And WANA International (WANA= We Are Not Alone) pioneered an online conference in February. I hear rumours there will be more.