Alright. So I confess that I'm a conference junkie. I go to as many as I can fit into my schedule and afford (yeah, that's me in the posted pic at a conference in Oregon). And it's not just because I get to stay in some really great hotels and eat out at some awesome restaurants. Don't get me wrong. The retreat part of it is great. But the reason I'm addicted is because of "the share." Now, I'm not big into human contact. I guess I'm just used to sitting in my study with only me, and occassionally my cat, and doing my writing thing on the computer. But once I do that, I need somewhere for that writing thing to go. That's where the share comes in. "The conference share" consists of:
- Soaking in super valuable info about the writing biz, including inside, covert stuff like what goes on behind an editor's office door or an agent's planning meeting.
- Meeting tons of people, writers struggling and wanting that contract as badly as me, many of whom I contact regularly about their writing progress or hook up with as a roommate for the next conference.
- Networking in a big way by shaking hands with big wigs in the field. And while I'm not the world's most outgoing individual, I feel awesome when I've pushed myself to put my face in front of an editor from a huge publishing house and have a conversation about the latest trends, what that house is looking for, or even whether my book is something they care to review.
- Sitting one-on-one with an agent or editor and listening to how they respond to your writing. This depends on the conference, but if you snag this, you're golden! Even if you don't get that contract, they know you, they'll hopefully remember you, and the feedback is invaluable.
- Getting your questions answered by the experts. Where else can you find agents and editors in packs? It's like a literary field safari!
Conference prices can be moderate or mega-exorbitant depending on the conference. So you have to choose what will maximize your benefits (more editors and agents, critique sessions, break-out sessions, first page critiques, etc.) without minimizing your finances. But in the end, it is worth the money. And if you get published, you get to write it off on your taxes! It's a business expense, don't you know. So save those receipts. If you're looking for a conference to go to, I usually try to get recommendations from other writers about where to go. But here's an extensive list to get you started.
And if you end up going to a fabulous conference, post all about it and let us know!
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