Guest blogger and First Book supporter Mindy Klasky is the author of ten novels. Her most recent release, HOW NOT TO MAKE A WISH, launches the As You Wish series, which chronicles a mischievous genie and his effect on various theatrical productions and the people who run them. Mindy also wrote the Jane Madison series, about a love-struck D.C. librarian who discovers that she’s a witch. Visit www.mindyklasky.com to learn more about Mindy’s work and her support of First Book.
When I was a lawyer, I attended conferences regularly, to keep up to date on developments in the legal field, thereby avoiding legal malpractice. When I was a librarian, I also attended conferences, to learn about new technology, new trends in customer service, and to reinforce my worth to my attorney-clients, helping them to avoid legal malpractice.
But why should I go to conferences as a writer? Especially when I no longer have an employer paying my way? Especially when every day that I spend at a conference talking about writing is a day that I don’t actually spend, you know, writing?
The first – and by far most important – reason to go to a writing conference is to visit the people. At a writing conference, I can talk about the joys and jeremiads of a full inbox, and all the people around me understand. I can discuss the terror of staring at a blank computer screen, and people share their strategies for coping with their own horror-inducing screens. I can grumble about deadlines and or chatter about goals and aspirations, and every single person in the room has something to contribute, sharing their stories about the same. A few business meetings take place at conference — I can see my agent and my editor face to face, conveying my excitement about current and upcoming projects. Also, my closest writer friend is still the first one that I met at my first conference – there’s some bond there that can’t be broken.
The second reason to go to a writing conference is to attend structured programming. At most conventions, there are panels where writers discuss specific topics for an hour or more. I’ve attended panels to learn about new trends in my genres, about historic works in my field, about tangential scientific or social developments that relate to my books. More often that not, I dig out my notebook during panels, sketching out new ideas for short stories or novels, inspired by the speakers. Many conferences include other types of programming — readings (where authors read from recent work, which often results in my purchasing too many new books!), autographing sessions (where I can get those new treasures signed), and special sessions (such as one memorable “poison tasting” seminar, where an author used different brands of chocolate to encourage sensory analysis, all the while promoting a book about a woman who serves as a nobleman’s poison taster.) Structured convention programming feeds my mind with new story ideas.
The third reason to attend a writing conference is to learn more about the place where the conference is held. I’ve had the opportunity to explore major cities while attending conferences — Atlanta, Dallas, Montreal, Toronto…. The list goes on. Leaving the convention hotel and getting out to the “real world” reinforces the power of the convention itself. I can visit museums or simply people watch, and more story ideas flow, triggered by the swirling thoughts already stirred up by the conference.
Do you attend conferences for your job or your hobby? If so, what do you get out of them?
I attended my first writer’s conference this year (RWA Nationals–start big, that’s my motto) and discovered all of the above, and more. My favorite part was finally getting to meet in person many of the fabulous authors I’d been corresponding with for ages–including the incredible Mindy Klasky :-)
But I also took a writing workshop given by one of my idols, Jennifer Crusie, that changed the way I write. That one hour session will, I hope, make every book I write from now on much better than it would have been otherwise. That alone is worth the price of admission.
Of course, as a still-unpublished-in-fiction author, I had the opportunity to meet agents and editors, pitch my books, and mix and mingle with folks at every stage of a writing career.
It was fun, exhausting, inspiring, and I came home with way too many books to add to my TBR pile.
Would I do it again? You bet. In fact, I’m hoping to go to the RT convention in Ohio at the end of April.
Just out of curiousity–was the chocolate workshop given by Maria V. Snyder? Her book, Poison Study, was one of the best I’d ever read, and I know her protagonist was a food taster…
I’ve been to one writer’s conference – Surrey International Writer’s Conference, in 2007. It was fabulous, and the only thing that’s kept me from going back is knowing that my novel is not yet pitch-worthy, and thus I wouldn’t be able to take best advantage of the opportunities with agents and editors. I’m going back in 2010, though; it’s in my own back yard!
Deb – Yep, the poison tasting was done by Maria – fun, fun, fun! (And I’ve had a preference for Dove chocolate, ever since.)
Wendy – I’ve never been to Surrey, but I’d love to go. I’ve heard great things about it from many different people, at various stages of their careers.
I love conferences for all the reasons you suggested, but I also love them because I make beneficial contacts (I found my publisher at one) and I always come away with my mind buzzing with new ideas.