Tell us which conferences are your favorites and why
you like to attend them.
-from Susan
A déjà vu moment. I’m sure I’ve answered
this one before. My memory is of starting by pointing out the differences
between those events that are geared specifically to help writers write better,
or market their work successfully, and those that invite readers to come and
schmooze with authors. I praised Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon last time
around, both events where authors and readers mingle.
I’m going to talk about the writers’
conferences this time. What makes a writers’ conference worth your time,
money, and energy?
I’ll start with a salute to
much-published, award-winning mystery author Hank Phillippi Ryan, who just
posted on Facebook about her day-long attendance at a writers’ conference where
she was absorbing as much good advice as possible toward improving her writing.
Her openness and enthusiasm for taking a day to become a student at this point
in her career highlights the value of a good conference/workshop/class. At any
point in your writing process, it will include a nugget – or maybe a lightening
strike – that can change your understanding of what makes a good story and how
to make yours work. Hank is a pro and she knows we can always be better if
we’re willing to park the ego at the door!
You don’t need to spend five days to
find that magic moment, and it isn’t necessarily going to come from the most
famous author at a prestigious retreat. It might be an online or community
college course, or a half-day seminar. The trick is to be open to recognizing valuable
insights in the context of what you’re trying to achieve. Scribble whatever it
takes to remember – amazing how precious ideas can get lost in the woods! When
you get back to your manuscript, keep going back to re-engage with the ideas honestly
as you work.
Right now, I have a couple of lightening
strikes jotted on Post-Its on the white board in front of me. One came from an
online seminar, the other from a workshop, but I’ve heard versions of both
many, many times since.
Put your protagonist in a bad situation, then make it
worse.
Why write this scene? Every scene has to move some
part of your story forward, even if that movement is deliberately hidden from
the reader.
How to choose a writers’ conference? Try
answering these questions: Where are you in your writing – 50 pages into your
first novel or finishing up your third? Are you shy? Are you self-confident
enough to talk about your work and share it with others? Are you already
published – anywhere, in any format? And, what’s motivating you to invest this
amount of money and time in your career right now (your goals, your dream, your
promise to yourself)?
Everyone’s different, but here’s the
template I use to make the call for myself: What
three goals will make it a good investment? The first year, they included getting
to know five people I could stay in contact with, people who were at the same
early stage of their writing career. Next time, one was getting all the tools to
write a damn good query letter. Later, the most important was learning how to ratchet up
tension in a plot. There’s always
something to learn, ways to improve my stories or my marketing of my books. My job in choosing a conference is to set
specific goals and promise myself I will come away having done everything I can
to reach them.
So, what are your goals, and how will
you invest in your writing life this year?
5 comments:
Great advice, Susan! I think writing conferences can be great for writers at every stage of their career--if they're open to new experiences and ideas, just like you mentioned.
Great post, Susan, and terrific advice. As writers we forget that honing our craft never stops. It's been awhile since I attended a writers session. I think I just might sign up for one.
Robin, I'm thinking the same thing, and it was when I began pondering my blog assignment that I made up my mind. Now, which, is still up in the air....
Thanks, Meredith, and thanks for spreading the CM blog news via Twitter.
Aw. Thank you! SO lovely of you. And yeah--isn't it amazing how we often hear the one perfect nugget that we need? See you at the next conference!
These are actually wonderful some ideas in the blog. You have touched good quality points here. In whatever way continue writing.
DUI
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