Sauder Village Storyteller Conference

Ink out the date!

Fiction and non-fiction writers alike won’t want to miss the inaugural Sauder Village Storyteller Conference on Saturday, April 5 from 9am – 4pm at the Heritage Inn. Join us for a day full of learning, shopping, door prizes, and chatting all things literature. Between sessions, curl up with a good book on the couches by the Heritage Inn fireplace, or grab a special writing-themed drink from the Doughbox Bakery (not included with your registration). Full schedule and list of vendors coming soon!

Date: Saturday, April 5

Time: 9am – 4pm

Registration fee: Registration is $60/$55 for Sauder Village members. Lunch not included.

Register online today! 

Conference details:

9:00am - 9:15am – Introduction and Welcome

9:15am -10:00am – The Art of Observation – Beth Baus

Short break

10:15am - 11:45am – What I Wish I’d Known– Kate Michaelson

Lunch on your own

1pm - 2pm – Advanced Writing Techniques for Maximum Impact – Kimberly Wyse

2pm – 2:30pm – What’s Holding You Back & What Are You Going to Do About It – Dawn Hauter

2:30pm - 3:45pm - Free write by the Heritage Inn fireplace

3:45pm - 4:00pm - Concluding remarks and door prizes

Workshop Descriptions

The Art of Observation 
In this fast-paced world with shortened attention spans and demanding devices, we miss out on the world around us. In this session, Beth Ann Baus explains that observation is a skill that should be practiced and honed. We all need to better learn the importance of slowing down, looking around, and engaging with all our senses. Writing that goes to the next level--enhanced dialogue, character development, and settings--has its foundations in these skills.

What I Wish I’d Known
When we’re starting out on a writing journey, it can be hard to know what questions to ask. Join award-winning mystery writer and poet Kate Michaelson as she shares the most valuable lessons she has learned as a debut author. She’ll discuss everything from finding a community of writers, to using storytelling techniques that keep readers engaged across genres. This workshop will include hand-on activities and help you set yourself up with the support, skills, and mindset to get your best work in the hands of readers.

Advanced Writing Techniques for Maximum Impact
In this workshop, Kimberly will walk you through how to make your writing dynamic, polished, and fascinating. You can learn to write a book (or essay) your readers won't be able to put down!

What’s Holding You Back & What Are You Going to Do About It?
All writers face obstacles – some we easily acknowledge while others silently hold us back from sharing our stories. This workshop will help you uncover your personal obstacles, realize you’re not alone in your struggles, and gain clarity for your path forward! Through reflection and discussion, you’ll identify roadblocks and develop actionable steps to break through barriers and confidently pursue your writing goals.

Speakers:Beth Ann Baus - 
is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is a contributing writer for Crosswalk.com and author of Sister Sunday,  My So Much More and His Power, Our Weakness - Encouragement for the Biblical Counselor. Beth Ann is an ACBC-certified Biblical Counselor, public speaker, and avid reader.  In her writing, Beth often pulls from her own experiences of abuse, anxiety, depression, and OCD. You can find more from her at www.bethannbaus.com.

Dawn Hauter - 
has been a lifelong writer, recently entering the world of publication with an essay in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone. She finds meaning in life’s small moments and writes about the lessons hidden in everyday experiences. She has been active in writers’ groups and is currently working on a memoir. Dawn is passionate about uncovering poignant stories in the ordinary and encouraging others to share their own – because the stories that matter should not go untold. 




 

Kate Michaelson - 
has a PhD in Educational Psychology, an MFA in poetry, and has taught creative writing workshops at Ohio State and St. Petersburg College. Her debut novel, Hidden Rooms, won the Hugh Holton Award from Mystery Writers of America Midwest and was published in 2024. Her articles, short stories, and poems have appeared in academic and literary journals. She lives in Toledo with her husband and, in her free time, loves doing anything that takes her outdoors and away from her laptop.

Kimberly Wyse - 
is the author of Looking Up When Life Looks Down, a life-changing memoir of triumph over crisis, Kimberly Wyse has been blogging since 2008. She writes creative non-fiction, focusing on faith-based stories of personal growth and challenges that encourage and entertain her readers. She is a farmer's wife, classroom presenter for Project Respect, and mother of three.