Executive Overview
The 25th annual American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference, hosted at the landmark Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, concluded its three-day summit (August 27–29) having convened 328 delegates—ranging from aspiring novelists and award-winning authors to high-level publishing executives and literary agents. Marking a quarter-century of operation, the silver-anniversary gathering served as both an educational incubator for emerging creative talent and an active marketplace for book acquisitions.
Over the course of the event, an estimated 500 formal pitch appointments took place, driven by six literary agencies and acquisitions editors representing 14 publishing imprints. These included industry heavyweights such as Tyndale House Publishers, Bethany House Publishers, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, as well as prominent independent houses including Scrivenings Press and Whitefire Publishing.
Beyond its core function as a professional networking hub, the conference highlighted significant shifting tides within the Christian fiction landscape. While historical romance has long served as a dominant foundation for the sector, discussions and pitch trends at this year’s conference revealed an escalating commercial demand for contemporary romantic comedies, high-stakes thrillers, mysteries, romantic suspense, and emerging crossover subgenres such as "romantasy" (romantic fantasy).
Through a rigorous schedule of craft workshops, industry networking sessions, and prestigious award ceremonies—including the presentation of the Carol, Genesis, and First Impressions awards—the 25th ACFW conference underscored the enduring vitality and structural evolution of faith-based fiction publishing.
Detailed Chronology & Event Architecture
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| ACFW CONFERENCE TIMELINE |
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| DAY 1 (AUG 27) | Opening Keynote & Pivot | Angela Hunt steps in for Karen |
| | | Kingsbury; story structure focus |
+------------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| DAY 2 (AUG 28) | Pitch Marathon & | ~500 appointments across 6 agents |
| | Professional Networking | & 14 publishing houses |
+------------------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| DAY 3 (AUG 29) | Workshops & Gala | Educational tracks conclude; |
| | Awards Presentation | Carol, Genesis, & First |
| | | Impressions Awards presented |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Day 1: Opening Keynote and Contingency Adaptation
The conference commenced with registration and opening plenary sessions designed to set the pedagogical and spiritual tone for the weekend. The schedule encountered an early hurdle when featured keynote speaker Karen Kingsbury—a multi-million-copy bestselling author scheduled to receive the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award—was forced to step down from her address due to sudden illness.
Exemplifying the adaptiveness of the organization, veteran author and writing instructor Angela Hunt filled the keynote vacancy. Hunt delivered an impromptu masterclass focused on narrative architecture and the foundational mechanics of story structure, which earned a standing ovation from the assembled delegates.
Day 2: Pitch Marathons and Workshop Tracks
The middle phase of the conference operated on a dual track: intensive professional pitching alongside structured professional development workshops. Pitch Logistics Coordinator Casey Miller directed an appointment system that facilitated nearly 500 individual one-on-one sessions between attendees and industry decision-makers.
Concurrently, attendees participated in specialized instructional tracks designed to address various stages of a writer’s career. The workshop curriculum encompassed a wide spectrum of craft and strategy, including:
- Narrative Architecture & Technique: Your First Five Pages (focusing on opening hooks and pacing) and The Austen Method: Writing Romance According to Jane Austen (analyzing classical tropes and character arcs).
- Research & Methodology: Research Like a Pro (emphasizing historical and procedural accuracy).
- Career Sustainability & Business Operations: Enduring on the Writer’s Journey (addressing long-term creative resilience) and Get a Great Start as an Indie (navigating self-publishing platforms, distribution, and independent marketing).
Day 3: Industry Dialogues and the Gala Awards Ceremony
The conference culminated in its annual Gala Awards ceremony, celebrating excellence in both published works and unproduced manuscripts. The evening served to bestow the Carol Awards across 11 distinct published categories, alongside awards for promising works-in-progress via the Genesis and First Impressions competitions.
Supporting Context & Industry Metrics
The 25-Year Trajectory of ACFW
Founded to elevate the quality and market viability of faith-based storytelling, ACFW has grown over 25 years from a modest network into an influential professional trade association within the publishing ecosystem. The annual conference acts as a primary pipeline through which major houses source talent, test genre viability, and monitor reader sentiment.
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| 25th ANNUAL ACFW CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE |
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| Total Registered Attendees | 328 |
| Pitch Appointments Conducted | ~500 |
| Participating Literary Agents | 6 |
| Participating Publishing Imprints | 14 |
| Carol Award Categories | 11 |
| Notable Key Imprints Represented | Bethany House, Tyndale House, |
| | HarperCollins Christian, Scrivenings, |
| | Whitefire Publishing |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+Shift in Genre Demands and Acquisition Trends
Insights provided by acquisition editors during pitch sessions revealed a noticeable shift in reader demand and publisher requirements:
ACQUISITION PITCH TRENDS & MARKET DEMAND
High Demand / Emerging Baseline / Established
+---------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------+
| * Suspense & Romantic Suspense | | * Historical Romance |
| * Thrillers & Procedural Mysteries | | (Maintains steady market share, |
| * Contemporary Rom-Coms | | seeking fresh narrative twists) |
| * Romantasy & Speculative Fantasy | | |
+---------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------+Data gathered from pitching floors showed a sharp increase in manuscripts blending high-stakes tension with romantic subplots. Simultaneously, publishers reported a rise in pitches for lighthearted contemporary romantic comedies, signaling a market desire for upbeat, character-driven narratives to counterbalance heavier suspense titles.
Particularly notable was the open interest expressed by traditional publishers in subgenres historically underrepresented in Christian retail, such as "romantasy" (fantasy romance) and broad-scale speculative fiction.
Official Statements & Critical Perspectives
Executive Leadership on Institutional Mission
Addressing the overarching mandate of the organization, Kathleen Y’Barbo Turner, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACFW, emphasized the dual mission of skill development and relational networking:
"ACFW plays a big part in training up professional, talented writers. We are helping take what God gave these writers and giving them direction and encouragement. Connections have always been our strength."
— Kathleen Y’Barbo Turner, President & CEO, ACFW
Publisher Perspectives on Genre Evolution
Acquisitions editors highlighted how market dynamics are reshaping publisher portfolios. Rochelle Gloege, Senior Acquisition Editor for Bethany House, noted the volume and variety of pitches received during the event:
"The majority of pitches were for suspense, romantic suspense, and thrillers and mysteries. We’re known for historical romance and intend to keep publishing in that category, but we do want to publish more contemporary romance of all kinds. We are also seeking romantasy and are entertaining the possibility of publishing fantasy once again."
— Rochelle Gloege, Senior Acquisition Editor, Bethany House
Gloege’s observations were echoed by fellow Bethany House editor Jessica Sharpe, who noted a concentrated surge in submissions for contemporary romantic comedies, reflecting an intentional pivot by imprints to capture younger demographics and cross-market readers.
Breakthrough Voices and Career Milestones
For emerging authors, the ACFW award system provides critical industry visibility and validation.
Alisa Hall, a first-time attendee from Chattanooga, Tennessee, secured victory in the First Impressions award category for contemporary fiction—a contest evaluated on the opening five pages of an unpublished manuscript. Her entry was also named a semi-finalist for the Genesis Award, which reviews 15-page submissions. Reflecting on her experience, Hall noted:
"Writing is such a solitary thing. I really enjoy meeting other people who think like me and see the world like I do."
— Alisa Hall, First Impressions Award Winner
Similarly, Jen Brown, writing under the pen name Elise Browning, took home the Genesis Award in contemporary fiction for her manuscript Chasing Light. Attending her first ACFW conference from Hastings, Michigan, Brown reflected on the professional momentum the win provides:
"[The award] feels like a validation that I should keep going with my writing. God gave me a story that I feel like needs to be told."
— Jen Brown (Elise Browning), Genesis Award Winner
Veteran Author Perspectives
The conference’s dual appeal to both novices and seasoned professionals was underscored by Dana Mentink, a veteran author with nearly 60 published books, including her recent release Murders in the Marquee (Love Inspired Trade). Mentink, a 20-year veteran of ACFW, highlighted the long-term value of the community:
"There is nothing like spending time with a group of writers where we’re all kind of the same in our quirky ways."
— Dana Mentink, Author
Future Outlook & Strategic Roadmap
The 25th annual ACFW conference demonstrated that the faith-based fiction market is actively adapting to broader publishing trends. The strong showing of contemporary comedy, thrillers, and speculative genres suggests that the next several years will see a more diversified lineup from major Christian publishing houses.
Furthermore, the balanced presence of legacy traditional houses alongside indie publishing workshops demonstrates that ACFW is fostering a hybrid ecosystem. Authors are increasingly equipped to pursue traditional acquisition deals or build direct-to-consumer independent publishing models, depending on their strategic goals.
Next Steps and Upcoming Gatherings
With the 2026 gala and award cycles concluded, organizers have finalized plans for the next annual gathering. Complete lists of all Carol, Genesis, and First Impressions award winners have been archived on the official ACFW awards platform.
The American Christian Fiction Writers conference will return to the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, for its 26th annual meeting, scheduled for August 26–29, 2027. This return signifies a commitment to maintaining Memphis as a strategic hub for the organization’s ongoing educational and professional initiatives.
