What do you attend a writing conference for? To rub elbows with noted authors? Attend writing workshops? Get free books? Agent/Editor appointments?
Or all of the above? Everyone has their own reasons for attending conferences. Mine last weekend was to get my book out there. I attended a book signing and found it fun. I met a wonderful lady who sat beside me. She has an infectious positive attitude and a hunky book cover! Her name is Jackie Ivie. I also attended her workshop on "Creating the Yummy Hero". It was fun and enlightening.
But I think the highlight of my conference was hearing people say, "It's about time they started printing westerns again." And having people I met at the conference buy my book just because I had talked to them. I'm proud of myself that all except for one meal, I actually reached out to others instead of hiding in my shell as I have at previous conferences. I'm making slow steps, but steps none the less.
Are you a wall flower at conferences or can you start a conversation with a complete stranger and not have knots in your stomach?
1 comment:
I go for networking. Pure and simple. Everything in this business is who you know - writers, editors, agents...everyone. Putting names with faces also helps me. I'm like you though - with my normal group I'm outgoing, but in situations where I don't know people I tend to clam up. That's something I really worked on in Atlanta and will work on at the next conference as well.
Way to go on putting yourself out there!
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