Summer Writers Conference

This conference is an annual event held in Siloam Springs, AR and hosted by the Siloam Springs Writers Guild.
Our 7th Summer Writers Conference was held Saturday July 19th 2025 with the theme “Elements of Storytelling.”
Author/Speaker M. Carolyn Steele was our keynote speaker this year with two sessions to share with us.
Her first session, Crafting a Story, from Beginning to End:
Emphasis on hooking the reader from the very beginning, building up to the inciting incident, and a satisfying conclusion. In other words, be mindful of the arc of the story while you take the reader along for the ride.
Her second session, Why Show, Don’t Tell is Important:
Show involves using the five senses and makes the story come alive. Words on the paper become visual allowing the reader to experience what the character experiences.
The president of the Tulsa Nightwriters, Merle Davenport, shared a session about Criminal Thinking – Developing Intriguing Villains:
Have you ever wondered what the villain is thinking? So do your readers. Merle Davenport outlined common thought patterns of criminals based on extensive research and 25 years of experience teaching in prisons. He dealt with how to make your villains sizzle with dialogue and behavior consistent with the most notorious criminals in our prisons today.
SSWG president Daniel Mason shared a session on Knowing and Growing Your Strengths:
Many people know what their likes and dislikes are, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. At least, we think we do. Writing to your strengths is important. But what if we have some hidden strengths we don’t know of yet? What if some of the things we “know” about ourselves are actually holding us back? We dug deeper into these thoughts and more.

PAST SUMMER WRITERS CONFERENCES:

JULY 19, 2025 “ELEMENTS OF STORYTELLING”
Speakers: M. Carolyn Steele, Merle Davenport, Daniel Mason

JULY 20, 2024 “WHAT DO WE REMEMBER?: WRITING MEMOIRS AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES”
Speakers: M. Carolyn Steele, Michael Ross, Cheryl Ellicott

JULY 22, 2023 “MISSION OR MUSE: WHAT DRIVES YOU TO WRITE”
Speakers: Dr. Paul Linzey, John McPherson, Sharon Rose Gibson

JULY 23, 2022 “MAKING PEACE WITH MARKETING”
Speakers: RJ (Rebecca) Thesman, Kent Wyatt

JULY 27, 2019  “CULTIVATING YOUR IMAGINATION”    
Speakers: Linda C. Apple, Elece Hollis, Dennis Patton, Erin Marshall

JUNE 16, 2018  “CHASING THE DREAM: THE ROAD TO SUCCESS!”    
Speakers: Patsy Watkins, Jennifer McMurrain, Carolyn Steele, Roy Lessin

JULY 7-8, 2017  “FANNING THE FLAME: KEEPING THE PASSION ALIVE”    
Speakers: Paul Linzey, Dennis Patton, Traci Manos