Kelsey has spoken many times throughout her life, especially at church about her testimony and now professionally as a writer and as an editor. She first spoke at her local ACFW chapter in 2021 on “Crafting Sensational Scenes in Our Stories,” in 2023 on how fiction books can translate well into films, in 2025 on “Learning the Layers of a Narrative,” and in 2026 on “Becoming a Canva King and Queen to Market Your Book.” In 2025, she spoke via a Zoom recording at ACFW’s (formerly named) At Home Conference about “Crafting Sensational Scenes in Our Stories.”
As an editor, she became an emcee and the prayer partner for PENCON for their 2023 and 2024 online conferences. In 2025, she became a speaker presenting on the topic “Find the Fun in Editing YA Fantasy.” She turned this session into a four-week online intermediate course she just taught this September through The Christian PEN she renamed “Defeat the Dragon: How to Edit YA Fantasy.” For 2026, she presented two sessions: “Narrative Layers: How to Cultivate the Garden of a Story” and “The Diamond Diagram: A Model for Deep Content Editing” which is for fiction and nonfiction.
Most recently, as a member of 540 Writers Community, an online Christian writers group, she presented “Crafting Sensational Scenes in Our Stories.”
Now as the Assistant Director of PENCON, Kelsey will speak again at the 2027 online conference on “Crafting Christ-Centered Christian Nonfiction” and “Character-Driven Romance.” She will also return as an instructor for The PEN Institute next fall to teach another four-week online intermediate course about deep content editing.
She has but modified topics geared toward editors to be for writers, and vice versa.
Kelsey’s other speaking topics include:
- finding the right editor (or writer) for you and what to expect from your editor (or writer)
- how to be a confident Christian writer (which includes dealing with mental health)
- how to craft conflict into our stories no matter your genre
- how to write your life and share your testimony
- how to be a creative Christian in a consumerist society
- how to view God as the author of our stories
- how to craft charming character arcs
- how to write with emotion to move your reader
- how to turn your readers into Bible nerds as your write Christian nonfiction
- how our Christian walk is like the hero’s journey
- pursuing your creative dreams while struggling disabilities
- being homeschooled and my unconventional educational journey
- juggling being an panster and plotter as your write
- her testimony of how she uses her voice as an artist, editor, and author to give hope to others with disabilities
- finding your identity in Christ alone and not your work or writings
Each of her speaking engagements have been for one hour time slots with time for Q&A and were presented with slides and handouts for attendees. She has spoken in-person and online. She is currently open to speak at groups and conferences online.
For topics she’s already created, she charges from $125 – $300.
For new topics, she charges $350 – $500.
Please note, as her experience grows, so do her prices. Contact her to see how she can present at your group or conference!
