Writing is a gift from God, and writers need to put the gift to work instead of burying it in the ground, Marcus Yoder believes.

“When [God] wants to express love, he . . . entrusts us to write,” said Yoder, keynote speaker at the Plain Community Writers Workshop in Berlin, Ohio, March 13-14. “If you aren’t going to communicate what God gives us, then who’s going to do it?”

The writing conference drew over 250 people for two days of inspiration, practical advice and fellowship. Several Amish groups and other conservative Anabaptists attended, as well as those from nondenominational backgrounds. Publishers and sponsors included The Budget, Plain Communities Business Exchange and The Vendor. Some authors brought books to sell.

“Writing is not a high priority” among Plain communities, said former workshop committee member Reuben Shetler in an interview, but the organizers hope to change this. The event is designed to support beginning writers and to engage more experienced writers in focused three-hour classes, as well as to encourage writers to meet other writers and publishers.

The seeds of the conference began in 2019, when Amish writers in Ohio discussed possibilities to create a space to learn more about writing and to talk with each other. The first conference occurred in 2021 at a local home, and presentations were given in Pennsylvania Dutch. The event drew about 100 people.

In 2022, committee members noticed non-Amish people attended the workshop, despite being unable to understand the language, just to spend time with other writers. In 2023, the gathering moved to Dayspring United Mennonite Church, and presentations were given in English. As the years pass, more people attend.

Speakers at the 2026 event presented on a wide range of topics. In a plenary session, Elizabeth Lehman of Indiana shared her experiences of self-publishing and traditional publishing. Carita Keim of Ohio encouraged attendees to become good at looking at the world around them and to write from that place, whether it be the outdoor landscape or the laundry room. Publisher Ray Miller spoke about starting The Vendor, a biweekly magazine in Holmes County, Ohio, that includes editorials, community news, recipes, puzzles and business advertising.

David Kline, author of several books, editor of Farming Magazine and workshop committee member, told attendees that to be good writers, they must also be good readers. Read a book the first time for enjoyment, he said. But the second time, read with a pen in hand and take notes on construction of the text: pacing, dialogue, word choice.

Breakout sessions allowed writers to explore different kinds of writing in more detail. Sessions included how to conduct historical research, how to write poetry and how to interview people. Attendees who desired three-hour classes on these and other topics registered separately for pre-conference sessions.

Accepting feedback and allowing community to steward writing came up several times during the weekend.

“Allow others who are experts to help you,” said Marion Kuhns in his talk about the growth of the writer. “Pay for an editor and listen to them.” He urged people to take advantage of writing groups for critique and feedback.

“Editor[s] can be a bear,” said Lehman, but writers can learn from them.

Non-Anabaptists also attended and even taught workshops.

Erik German, from Brooklyn, N.Y., said he got an invitation to give a workshop on interviewing techniques when he wrote an article for Fortune about the use of robots in Amish welding shops. He worked hard to create a session that would be helpful to Plain Anabaptists. He said he was “extremely welcomed” at the gathering.

Joanne Lehman, an Ohio writer from a Mennonite Church USA congregation, has attended the event for three years. She was impressed with the quality of the workshops and the seriousness of the writers. “I feel like I belong,” she said.

Pauses for prayer and singing occurred frequently. Conference organizers announced a writing assignment based on three images: a swamp, the universe and a castle. Attendees were encouraged to write, using the images as prompts, and to submit their stories and reflections to the Plain Community Writers Workshop 2026 Storybook.

The atmosphere of being grounded in the faith, while promoting learning and having fun, is what makes the conference unique, said Amy Schlabach and Rosanna Miller, committee members.

For Kline, it’s the fellowship. “It’s nice to get together with people who have a common interest” in reading and writing, he said.