You hope to attend a writing conference. You long to meet new faces and learn more about the writing craft. You crave a plastic name tag and a notebook full of inspiring words. You yearn for a typed schedule complete with details about breakout sessions and Q and A forums.
But where, oh where, should your hunt for a writing conference begin?
1. Ask your peers. Writer friends, peers, and authors you meet online are valuable resources for discovering the inside scoop on the big-boy conferences and local gatherings as well. Reach out, and ask. By practicing this first step, I learned about the next resource from a friend. Hello, see how quickly that works?
2. Try Shaw Guides. This comprehensive list allows you to enter specific locations, and then search out conferences based on your needs.
3. Search NewPages.com where conferences, contests, and all kinds of other writing related goodies are found.
4. Consider attending a Virtual Writers' Conference. One of the best parts of attending conferences is connecting with others who are wading through the world of writing too, but virtual conferences make it possible to glean new ideas without leaving your house.
Yesterday, John Maxwell and Michael Hyatt (talk about dream team) released a virtual version of "A Day About Books".
5. Seek out organizations and discover the conferences they put out. American Christian Writers published a list that includes both conferences and mentoring opportunities.
Now, I will practice Tip #1. Have you ever attended a writing conference? Where was it held? How did you hear about it? If you haven't been to a writing conference, what is holding you back?: :
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12 comments:
I have been to two conferences and at my first one, I met the coolest girl....
I can't wait to read your book, in print, one of these days. :)
FPF,
No, lucky me to sit next to you in my first session!
Mariah,
Thanks for cheering me on, girl.
I went to Relevant last year, it was awesome, but you already know that because I keep bugging you to attend this year :)
PS I did get your email, will pray your fall schedule goes as planned!
Never heard of New pages before; will check that resource out. Thanks Amy!
never been to one, mostly because i'm so new to all of this, then after that due to timing. but now, this week, i'm thinking of definitely getting to one next year and taking my daughter who will be sixteen and is venturing into the writing/blogging thing, herself. how cool would that be???
love all the resources you've listed here. thanks!
steph
I attended Write to Publish in Wheaton, IL,-went to get a "yes" on a book and instead made a soul sister. Love how God pulls writers together just when the publishing journey gets long and lonely.
I want to go to one. Soon. Although I just got back from two trips so I should either go to one semi-local or wait a few months:). I think we should happen to pick the same one to go to!
Hey, I learned some stuff here today, Amy! Yes, I've been to one writers conference five years, and I got great encouragement, connections, friends... invaluable!
can't wait to see what you find
Karrie,
Awww, yeah. Something good will be discovered.
Great encouragement and resources, Amy! Some of it depends on a person's goals--a brand-new writer may not need a networking-type gathering where all the publishers are represented. A new writer may need just the basic information to get started in this publishing life. Others who already know how to put together a one-sheet and proposal, ready to present, may want to go for a conference with agents and acquisitions editors on hand. So one conference might be a good fit at one stage in a writer's life; another...well, you see what I mean.
I always found them inspiring, since I was working alone at home with kids. This was pre-Internet, when I felt isolated. Things are different now, and networking is so much easier.
Years and years ago I went to Write to Publish, which was perfect for a young writer who knew little about the industry.
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