Hello writers!

It’s been too long since my last blog post, but it’s been SUCH a fun and interesting year!

In addition to writing and revising, I’ve been getting more immersed in the writing community, which brings me to this blog post topic:

Writing conferences!

Over the past month, I’ve been to two writing conferences, one that I presented at (a dream come true!). I’ve been to plenty of virtual conferences, which are fun and informative in their own way, but these two were in person, and invaluable. Why? Well, let me tell you…

Informative Sessions

One of the most obvious benefits of a conference is the sessions. They span all topics of writing, from craft to publishing. But my favorites were the surprising ones that seemingly had nothing to do with writing at all.

For example, I took a class on how to negotiate. The presenter was incredible, and made everyone in the room feel more confident about making contract decisions (and how to negotiate them!). I also attended a session on how to “write your ghosts”. I thought it would be a horror panel. Instead, it was a panel of authors who wrote about traumatic events on their past, their “ghosts”, and how they used writing as a tool to help them through it. It was incredibly inspirational, and a very cool and unique panel.

Sessions provide an insight into another writer’s head, making you think in a way you haven’t thought before. I can’t tell you all the nuggets of wisdom I got from some sessions!

Discussions with industry professionals

A lot of conferences give you opportunities to talk to industry professionals, and some even let you pitch your book to agents or editors. Before I found my lovely agent, I paid for a few opportunities to pitch my work to agents. It was a (scary) fun experience, that really helped me fine tune my pitch. A query letter is one thing, but when you pitch it out loud while looking into someone’s eyes, it’s a whole different ball game! It can help you find holes in your query as well.

The in-person conferences I recently attended were small and didn’t offer pitching to agents, but they had a book fair FULL of industry professionals excited to chat! I was walking past a booth of a small press, and a woman started up a conversation stating, “I love your glasses!” Once we got off the topic of eyewear, we started talking about her press and what they published, along with the small press landscape in general—from someone who was in it. It was great to get an organic, insider’s view (AND make a new friend).

The book fair also has booths from local bookstores, who can provide valuable information on what’s selling. They often have events at their bookstores as well, like book clubs or writing sessions, which are great opportunities to get involved in the writing community. I learned about so many local bookstores I didn’t know about (especially since I recently moved!).

Meeting fellow writers and making connections

My number one, favorite thing about going to a conference, is meeting people. I’ll admit, while I’m active on social media, nothing compares to meeting people in person. Everyone I met at the conference had their own story, their own passions, and their own message they want to share with the world.

Being around people who love writing, whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or memoirs, is invigorating. Not to mention inspiring. Hell, I met a woman in the bathroom line who’s writing an amazing, witchy story. We attended the next session together, and now we support each other on Instagram. The friendships you can make while waiting to go to the bathroom! There’s no other location where you can walk up to someone and ask them, “What do you write?” and see their faces light up.

Whether you’re in the thick of writing, querying, or on sub, it can be easy to lose track of why you’re writing in the first place. Talking to other passionate writers is a fantastic way to remind yourself of what made you fall in love with the craft.

Getting out of your comfort zone

It’s easy to write behind a desk, but going out in the world, and having people asking you about your projects, makes your little “hobby” feel real. Which can be the first step in fully embracing the fact that you’re a writer.

I took this a step further and sent in a proposal to be a presenter. I submitted two proposals, one on querying post-pandemic, and one on the importance of having an author brand. I own a marketing firm, so my proposal combined my day job and my love of writing. A month later, I got the email that my proposals were accepted! They liked the idea of both, so they asked if I could combine them into one. It was called: FROM PEN TO PIXEL: Unveiling the Significance of Queries, Author Branding and Websites in Today’s Literary Landscape.

I covered the querying journey, how to decide what your author brand should be, and why it was important. It was fun to put all my thoughts together in a presentation. I can give a full rundown of my presentation in another blog post, if anyone is interested!

Conclusion

Overall, I highly recommend attending a writing conference! I know the big conferences can be expensive, but you might be surprised at what’s happening in your hometown. Both in-person conferences I went to were less then an hour away (but people came from all across the country to attend, so I still met people from all walks of life!). One was free, and the other was under $50. If you can’t get to one in person, there are plenty of online conferences out there (even some that are free!). I’ve learned some incredible things from online sessions.

No matter the size or location, you’ll find yourself surrounded by writers, full of passion and inspiration!