What steps should I take if I want to start a KWA Chapter in my area?

1. Pray:  Prayer is always the first step. Seek the Lord and ask Him if this is what He’s calling you to do.

2. Contact Brae Wyckoff: Contact Brae via KWA website or email braewyckoff@gmail.com. Tell him where you’re located and a little bit about yourself and where you’re at in your own personal writing process. Brae will contact you in return.

3. If you haven’t already, become a member of KWA. Only KWA members are allowed to lead KWA Chapters.

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Do I need any special training?

 You do not need any special training, you just need a heart to encourage people in their pursuit of writing for God; and a commitment to gather and lead a group of people on an ongoing monthly basis.

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Do I need to know all the ins and outs of writing and publishing in order to lead my group?

No. That’s the beauty of being connected to the KWA organization. We have numerous training videos available as well as KWA monthly gatherings accessible on our KWA YouTube channel. Chapter Leaders also have personal access to Directors Brae & Jill for ongoing support as well as The Kingdom Writers Devotional to give you talking points for interactive group discussion. The main thing is to create space for God to speak to His scribes.

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Do I have to be a published author to lead a Chapter?

No. At KWA we believe that writing is not a hobby, so it’s important to be actively writing. That said, Leaders can be anywhere within the writing process (even just beginning) as long as they are actively and intentionally pursuing their writing and operating in alignment with the mission and vision of KWA to effectively lead their Chapter. Our mission is to Build a community to encourage, equip, and empower  Christian writers to pursue their creative destinies and to publish award-winning material across all genres for the purpose of reaching more people for Christ. Our vision is to advance the Kingdom of God and impact culture through scribal anointing; writing from heaven to earth. 

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Where do Chapter groups meet?

Groups can meet in coffee shops, parks, libraries, churches, etc. We encourage meetings in public places rather than in private homes, but we leave that to the discretion of the leader.

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What does a Chapter Gathering typically look like? 

 We do not mandate the way meetings are run, except that we gather and give Holy Spirit room to speak. Leaders have the autonomy to create their own community in their own way.  Some elements you may wish to include (but are not required):

• Introductions: names, genres, where people are at in their writing process, etc.

• Share one of the devotionals from the Kingdom Writers Devotional and do a writing prompt

• Share the results of the writing prompts with each other

• Encourage each person through the process while at the same time letting God challenge us to push further into our calling

What about the online community? Leaders typically start online communities through Facebook but can use any platform that works well for their community. You may choose to...

• Start your own chapter Facebook group page

• Post daily or several times p/week: memes, quotes, pictures with writing prompts attached, encouraging words, scriptures, share postings from the main KWA group page, etc. 

• Encourage others to post and interact with each other

• Use your online community to foster interaction with the main KWA group as well. It is important for your group to know they’re an integral part of a larger organization. 

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What if my Chapter gets larger than I can handle?

We encourage Chapter Leaders to raise up Vision Leads within their chapter. Vision Leads are those who catch the vision of the organization and have a passion to come alongside their leader and use their strengths to assist wherever/whenever possible. With guidance, Vision Leads can grow to become Chapter Leaders themselves which leads to the possibility of a number of KWA Chapters in your area. Chapter Leaders can also start out as Co-Leaders and team up with a partner.

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What are the most important characteristics of a Chapter Leader?

Most importantly, to have a heart for Jesus and a passion to see others succeed. They are passionate about community and creating a safe space to be seen, heard, and appreciated in a culture of kindness and honor. Chapter Leaders also carry a clear understanding that they are not lone rangers, but that their group is an integral part of the larger KWA community and they have the support of KWA Leaders. Chapter Leaders are not necessarily extroverts and may not have prior leadership experience but they have the ability to organize gatherings and share information in person and online. They are those who are passionate about Jesus, their craft, raising up others in their identities as creatives, and seeing the Kingdom of God advance through the written word.