Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
If you’re an unpublished/unagented writer, then you probably know that writers’ conferences are a great place to meet agents and editors. But today I want to make clear: There are plenty of other good reasons to attend a conference – even if you already have an agent and/or a publisher.
1. The workshops can be valuable.
Teacher, doctors, lawyers, financial advisors and many other professionals are required to take a certain number of hours per year of ongoing instruction. Think of yourself as a professional engaged in this kind of continuing education. You might be brushing up on some skills you already have or you might learn something new; you might get updated information on the latest trends in your industry; you may hear interesting discussions about the future and what to expect. You can gain new insights in your writing, and gather interesting marketing or social networking ideas. At the very least, you can get inspiration and encouragement.
2. It’s nice to know you’re part of something larger than yourself.
Writing is such a solitary endeavor, and it helps to be reminded that “the industry” is not a big scary impersonal thing, it’s a community populated by real people who are passionate about writing and publishing. When you spend most of your time sitting alone at your laptop, it helps to feel like you’re part of this community. Conferences are one of the best ways to become a part of it.
3. You can make real, long-lasting friendships with other writers.
Conferences can introduce you to a whole world of like-minded people, and when you go back home, you can stay in touch via the Internet. Many writers don’t have anyone in their “real life” who gets it—who understands what it means to be a writer. It’s crucial to make those friends who can be there for you, year round.
4. Ongoing networking is crucial—and fun.
Even if you have a publisher, don’t underestimate the value of continuing contact with writers, publishers and editors. If you go to conferences repeatedly, your face and your name may become familiar to people in the business. And you never know what might come of that. One day your publisher might decide they don’t want to publish your genre any more; being on a first-name basis with a dozen other editors can’t hurt.
Of course, there is some protocol involved. If you have an agent and you’re happily contracted with a publisher, you might socialize with other agents and editors, but you won’t want to be seen in those one-on-one appointments with an agent or editor. (Except for your own.) Tongues will wag, your loyalty will be questioned, and you may get a negative reputation. (Even if you’re looking for a new agent, this is best done discreetly.)
If you’re an agented author, it’s a good idea to discuss the conference with your agent before you go. She’ll let you know if you should be having meetings with editors, and if so, she can help you determine which ones to target.
One caveat: Authors sometimes ask me if they “should” go to a conference. I say, first and foremost, take care of your own needs. If it’s a financial hardship, or it’s simply too difficult for you to be away from your family for a few days, then DON’T feel pressured to do it. But if you have determined that it’s a priority, and you can swing it, I recommend one conference a year for most writers. Some attend two or more. Some go to one every other year. Figure out what works for you.
Are you going to any writer’s conferences this year?
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Should published authors go to conferences?
YES!!
For me, networking is one of the biggest values. One of the benefits of networking includes increasing the familiarity of your name to others.
I once met a lovely author at a convention. I’d never read her stuff, but she was charming. Six months later I was browsing an online bookshop when I came across her name. I remembered her and bought her book.
I would never have done that if it wasn’t for name recognition.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I’m hoping to go to She Speaks this summer. A lot of logistics to take care of to make it happen, but it’s a priority!
I’ve had my eye on She Speaks for several years. Hopefully, one year the logistics will align so that I can go. It would be fun to meet you there.
* Meanwhile, I’ve twice enjoyed the Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference–closer to home and much cheaper, because I stay with relatives. Leaving every night cuts down on the networking, but 3/4 of a loaf is better than none!
Something is better than nothing!
ACFW Nashville!! Already counting down!!
For all of the above reasons, I’d never dream of missing a conference unless I simply couldn’t go that year. Conference is where I re-charge, re-connect, re-focus, kick back and have fun with my friends. Before I was agented or contracted, conferences freaked me out. But they were invaluable in putting myself out there, pitching and making important connections. And of course the teaching is always beneficial, no matter what stage of the publishing journey you are at. It’s also great to now be able to encourage other writers, just starting out perhaps and overwhelmed at the thought of all that is ahead. Conference is a great place to make those connections and give back a little.
Since I live on an island and pretty much interact with everyone I know through a computer screen, it’s a huge blessing to me to be able to walk up to a real live person and get a hug. 🙂
Thanks for the raving endorsement of conferences, Cathy!
I love all your reasons for attending, and I heartily agree. I sat beside a few published authors, just loved their sweet hearts, their sweet accents, and came home and bought their works … and learned from them, and have become friends with them now. I am going to pull every string I can find to get to ACFW this year–I’m already praying about it–because it felt like a family reunion … a family gathering … and I can’t wait to see those people again.
+1 Shelli, who’s said it well.
Thank you, John.
Oh, Shelli, ACFW would not be the same (for me) without you! Let me know how I can help make that happen. 🙂
Thank you, Teresa! 🙂
Andrew, you are definitely an author. I’m glad Michelle chimed in. I was thinking about her post from last week. I hope you do make it to ACFW. I’ll be looking forward to meeting you!
I’m sure Shelli doesn’t mind! Jeanne, thank you so much…and having read your work, I hope you won’t mind my saying this…that you are the kind of author, with your clarity, heart, and faith, that I hope I may one day, by God’s grace, become.
* When we meet…and I pin hope to ‘when’…I will ask you for your autograph. You’re a literary and faith giant, and I stand in awe.
If I am physically and financially capable of making to ACFW – and if I’m still alive – I will be there. In a wheelchair or not, able to speak coherently or not – it’s a priority.
* Funny thing about the ‘published author’ thing. When “Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart” was published under a standard royalty contract by a subsidy publisher, I didn’t really quite know WHAT I was. It felt wrong to feel like I could stand with TradPub dudes, and I didn’t feel like having to explain myself..
* Plus, I had to go into personal bankruptcy at the same time. There did not seem to be much point in pushing the book, since if it did well I’d just lose ownership. I could never give it a chance in getting traction; I don’t know if that was the right thing to do or not (but life was so hard then, there may have been little choice).
* But there were good moments that made me feel like I’d arrived…a number of book signings that did way better than any the stores had ever held, to the point that I was asked back…for the same title. And I loved it.
* So whether I’m a ‘real author’ or not, I don’t know. But I do have the memories and the kind words or readers, and I can still go on Amazon and see that there are real reviews by real people for a story I decided to write, starting on a day in 2007 when I saw a roadside memorial cross and decided that since I’d never know the real tale, I’d ask God to give me one to tell.
Certainly you’re a real author, Andrew–see my post from last week.
Besides, I’ve got a copy of Blessed are the Pure in Heart right here, and up next on the to be read pile! 🙂
Rachelle might have mentioned that for many, a writer’s conference can be tax deductible . . .
Michelle, yes…your post did help me, and I have saved it for revisits, for when morale is low. And I so hope you’ll enjoy BPH!
Andrew, to see you at ACFW this year would be a huge highlight! I’ll be praying.
Teresa, thanks. It will take a miracle, but I will not give up hope.
* I would LIKE to say, “Look for the Chinaman in the wraparound Oakleys, with a Heeler perched on his shoulder.” (When I was better, Ladron, my PTSD service dog, rode on my shoulder…she weighs about 50 lbs.)
* But the reality is, look for the Asian dude in the wheelchair.
* But I’ll still have the shades…The Second Elvis would not be caught dead without them.
Oops! Somehow my comment for you ended up under Shelli’s post. 😉
Ha ha! You know I don’t mind. 😉 Made me smile.
When I was a practicing physician, I found my reasons for attending the annual meetings of our professional societies changing. Early on, I attended primarily to take courses and to learn. Later, although I still took some selected courses, I began to network. In the last stages of my attendance, after achieving professorship and writing a number of textbooks and papers, I found that I was mainly interested in seeing friends, renewing acquaintances, finding out what was going on “behind the scenes” in my specialty, and things like that. But I never stopped going. Neither should a writer.
Richard, it’s interesting to see how your reasons for attending conferences changed as you grew in your profession. Do you find the same to be true as an author?
Sort of. At first I wanted to know everything I could about writing. Then I began to network. Now I don’t attend many classes, but I like to give back so I teach when invited, and I enjoy seeing friends and colleagues who only gather once a year or so.
You are a blessing to those privileged to learn from you, Richard, as you are a blessing to this community.
Doc! One of the highlights of ACFW last year was finally meeting you and spending a few minutes chatting with you.
I’m attending two (that I know of) this year. I’ll be at ACFW in Nashville, which will be my second time attending. I was blown away by how much I took away from this event last year, and I was only able to attend one day. I made friendships I still cherish today, learned more about the industry than I ever dreamed, and left energized to keep going. But something unexpected also happened at that conference. I came away with a new identification of “author.” It made me feel legitimate, professional, committed to the effort. It solidified my calling and ushered me in to an entirely new phase of my writing, one I’ll never turn back from, I believe.
Secondly, I will be attending the Wordsower’s Christian Writer’s Conference in Omaha, NE in April. This was not on my radar, except that two of my critique group partners will be attending. Two more of us jumped on board and it will be the first chance for the four of us to meet in person. As excited as I am for the content of the conference, I’m mostly pumped to connect with these women who have become the lifeline of my writing experience. That is priceless.
Teresa, your Wordsowers conference sounds fun! How wonderful to meet your critique partners in person. I hope you enjoy it! I also hope I run into you at ACFW. 🙂
Oh, same to you, Jeanne! ACFW is great for that!!
I attend writers conferences for many reasons. To learn about craft and our industry, to connect with other writers, to meet professionals, to connect with other writers . . .
*This industry can feel isolated, and for this mostly extrovert, spending time with people who “get me” fills me up. I love the environment at conferences. And, as I’m growing in confidence and experience, God is giving me opportunities to encourage others.
*I strongly believe that I should never stop learning, growing, and improving as a writer. I need to put myself in places where I can learn and grow, and attending conferences does this for me.
*I’m planning to attend ACFW this year, and maybe one other conference. Going to ACFW is one of the highlights of my year.
Thanks for giving us your perspective, Rachelle. I would really love to go to a major conference, but so far my schedule has not allowed it. I’m hoping to change that this year.
Like Richard, I’ve gone to several dozen conferences in my scientific field, and what I enjoyed most changed over time. I always loved learning about the latest research in my field, but I could have just read the journals for most of that. It was always fun to sit in on talks about work outside my area to learn something unfamiliar. Still it was the friendships with colleagues that made the inconvenience of plane trips and hotels in strange cities worthwhile. When several female professors were just starting their academic careers and money was very tight, I let them share my room to save their grant money for taking their students to the conference. Even after they were well established and money was no issue, we would check if the other was going to a conference. I miss those “sleepovers” where we would catch up as friends. No matter how successful you are in your field, it’s the people that are the best part.
I haven’t attended a writer conference yet, but I plan to attend two conferences in Colorado that are less than 10-hour drives: Write in the Springs (Colorado Springs ACFW) and Colorado Christian Writers Conference. I’m very excited about the possibility of meeting in person some of the folks I’ve met here. Anyone going to be at either?
I love conferences! Like Doc Mabry said, my reasons have shifted. When I attended Mount Hermon for the first time in 2003, I just wanted to know if I was wasting my time in writing. Professional critiques told me I wasn’t 🙂 For the next five years, I attended aiming to sign with an agent or publisher – and to learn, learn, learn. As a bonus, I made many professional contacts and also met my VERY best friends in the world.
I received my first book contract due to a submission at Mount Hermon at 2008 and signed with Books & Such right after – due to many meetings with the agents over the years.
Now I attend for different reasons. I go to learn, learn, learn. While I take home less than I did 13 years ago, I always learn something valuable. I go to maintain my professional contacts and make new ones. I go to laugh myself silly and cry serious tears with my VERY best friends in the world. And I also go to give back – to encourage newbies, pray for the discouraged, rejoice with those who have good news, connect people with similar interests, and to teach. I’ve been blessed to serve on the faculty at both ACFW and Mount Hermon.
While I won’t be at ACFW in 2016 due to a conflict with a wonderful family event (yay!), I will be at Mount Hermon!
I’ve been to ACFW. My first (2013) was a “deer in the headlights” experience, and where I cried ALL THE TEARS when Mary Keeley offered me representation. That whole experience was akin to finally finding my family and having them whip the front door open and yell “You’re home!”
2015 was more like hanging out in the dining room and catching up with everyone and their kids. Oh, and pitching to 3 editors and not passing out.
I loved seeing multi-pubbed authors hanging out with pre-pubbed writers and not playing “kiss the ring”. Taking classes on all kinds of things, and even shaking whilst shaking Francine Rivers’ hand.
Networking and meeting people in person is hugely important.