Writing Conferences

Writer's conferences offer much to to writers on many levels. The surface benefits over time actually prove to be reasons not to attend. Here are some pros and cons to writers conferences.

For the new writer, the seminars on craft and how to "show, not tell" contain enough material to whet the appetite. Often, critical writing techniques are displayed, and if the authors are diligent to work on their craft, these techniques will serve them well. The draws to these seminars can be compelling. "Masterful storytelling techniques -secrets revealed" can easily catch the eye and actually contain some helpful instruction.

The down side of these seminars is they lure you in with wonderful promises, but they usually have forty-five minutes to accomplish their goal.  Since good writing techniques are studied and learned over time, you are not going to get enough in a forty-five minute session to do much more than fuel your appetite for more knowledge.  What you do with this motivation will define you as a writer.  If you are not one to take the nuggets from a seminar and turn them into a minor research project on your own, your writing will not move to the next level.  A writer should ALWAYS be searching out ways to improve his/her craft.

Many conferences make interviews available with agents and publishers.  These 'interviews' usually last between 10 and 20 minutes.  One of the interview upsides is you must have your book condensed into a one sentence and a thirty-second pitch.   You do not have the luxury of time.  These people are important in the writing business and they can tell within the first minute you sit with them whether they are interested or not.

The downside to the interviews at conferences with agents and publishers is that most writers get stars in their eyes and dreams of bestsellers.  The hard truth is that this is simply one of many more steps along the path to publication, and any of the successive steps that follow could derail their book completely.  There are marketing plans yet to be produces, niche markets targeted, the book itself read by the agent or publisher to determine if the hype during the ten minute interview matches the product, etc.  Catching the attention of an agent or publisher is necessary, but no guarantee of anything.  I've seen many writers catch these people's attention, but have yet to see but a couple published.

The sweet spot in any writers conference resides in the hallways during the seminars - yes, while the seminars are actually in progress.  Networking is to writing as practice is to a pro basketball player.  Without networking, a writer will languish in obscurity for years.  Outside the seminars, other presenters often hang out and talk shop with whomever else is in the hallways.  The connections an author can make during these times are huge.  You can get on a first-name basis with the organizer of the conference, get noticed by movers and shakers in the industry, and even quite possibly pitch you book in a relaxed, more productive atmosphere.  I've made many valuable connections to the business side of writing in the hallways during the seminar presentations.  Here is where the true and highest value of writers conferences lie.

The cons to being out in the hallway involve knowing what you are doing.  If you have little knowledge of the writing business, you are only going to present an ignorant (not derogatory, just fact) view of the writing life and these people will end up avoiding you until you become more savvy.  Another downside is if you do not have a product or even know how to produce one, you will come across as unready, amateurish and your potential strong connection will become a closed door.  This isn't to say you can't ask questions.  In fact, asking good, insightful questions will increase your future stock.

An author needs to leave a good impression on everyone, especially with those people who could directly affect an upward movement in the author's career.  No one likes a brown-nose nor a person who wants everything handed to them.  But the author who pursues knowledge and how to move forward in the writing business can do very well for himself in the hallways during seminar presentations.

One last benefit is contests and awards.  Winning an award obviously holds value to an author.  To be chosen as a top writer in any category garners valuable attention both by the reading public, and possibly more importantly, the movers and shakers in the writing industry.

The downside to contests and awards are that everyone cannot win.  Also, judging is very subjective and not always a reflection of the best writing in the contest.  An author must be willing to enter contests with the knowledge that, no matter how tight the writing may be, his manuscript may not win.  You sit pensive as the winners in each category are read, and you hope for your name to pop out of the announcer's mouth.  Be prepared to win, but as in any competition, also be prepared to not walk away with a trophy. 

Note I did not say be prepared to lose.  Simply by entering your work, you are a writing winner.  You took the time to create, the nerve to submit and the presence of mind to make sure you are there in case an award comes your way.  After all, when you win an award, you want people to see you.  Especially those same movers and shakers you just spoke at length to out in the hallway.