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Conference Advice for a First Timer & Giveaway

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Blogger: Rachel Kent

With ACFW happening next week, many of you will be flying to Nashville to participate. ACFW is a big conference and I think it can be a bit overwhelming for new writers. Because of this, I thought it might be nice for us to pass along our best conference advice for the “first timers.”

Here are a couple of tips that I have:

  1. Remember that editors and agents are people too, so you don’t need to be so nervous while meeting with them. Take a deep breath and try to enjoy your appointment time. Feel free to ask questions during your meeting time, too.
  2. Try to get some sleep. It is tempting to stay up all night chatting with friends, but this can really harm your time at the conference during the day. Stay up awhile to mix and mingle, but make sure you are getting the rest your body needs.

Please share a tip or two that you have for a first time conference attendee.

Or share a story about your first writers’ conference. 

If you haven’t been to a writers’ conference yet, please tell us which conference is your dream conference.

Anyone who comments today will be entered into a drawing for a copy of The California Gold Rush Romance Collection, with a story by my client Amanda Barratt. I met Amanda at the ACFW conference many years ago. 🙂

I will draw the winner Monday morning and will announce the winner on Monday’s blog comments, so please leave your comment on this post before Sunday night!

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  1. a writer’s conference, you say? Are there such creatures in the world? Never tried them. Are. There different kinds? And do they go well with chocolate?

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  2. I don’t think we have them quite the same in the UK. We have a few literary festivals, but they seem to be geared to readers as much as writers. I have heard that the Winchester festival is supposed to be the best for writers. Winchester is home to King Arthur’s round table and also used to be the capital of England.
    I’m hoping to go next year!
    Hay on Wye festival is another famous one, but that is definitely aimed at readers. To be surrounded by so many books!! Ah, that would be truly heavenly 🙂

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  3. I’ve been to the Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference twice. The first time I went with my sister-in-law. We were both newbies–and nervous. We got dressed the first morning, looked at each other and giggled. We’d never discussed what to wear, but there we were–in nearly identical denim jumpers. The Abbott twins.
    *I highly recommend starting your conference day with a good laugh.
    *As a non-fiction writer, I hope you fiction writers with your glorious plots and fascinating characters have much fun mingling together!

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  4. Pre-planning is a great idea, but don’t think it’s the end of the world if your expectations aren’t met. God may have something even better in store for you. Make friends, have fun, and remember why you write.

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  5. I’ve been to my dream conference … ACFW. Last year. Once. I hope to go again next year when it’s in Dallas. The highlights … meeting the B&S team was one of them (I missed meeting you, Rachel). Rooming with Jennifer Major, loving her guidance and everything about her. Jeanne Takenaka’s hugs and prayers. There are just too many to mention. Let me just say, I felt loved. No place like it, even for a first-timer.

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    • I’m sad I missed meeting you, too. I’ll get back to ACFW one of these years. I like it better in August, so I hope it stays that way.

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  6. I’ve been to several workshops and conferences across the U.S. and each one was both rewarding and informative in their own right. I live three hours from Nashville so a goal is definitely ACFW.
    *Good luck to all who are attending!!!
    * A tip for first timers: Relax and just be yourself. Pretending to be anything else will fail.

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  7. I don’t have any advice but I’m headed to ACFW in a few days! It will be my first time attending. I’ve been to other “big conferences” before, but never to one focused on writing. We shall see…

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  8. I’d love to go to ACFW, but it’s not going to happen.
    * The best advice I could give is to build in time for exercise, even if it’s just a brisk walk, and avoid high-carb snacks. Conferences engender a lot of sittin’ and munchin’, and the way those can combine to throw off one’s metabolism is often quick and discouraging.

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  9. I think it’s important for writers to also know that the ACFW Conference is quite different from secular conferences. I’d attended quite a few secular conferences prior to my ACFW Conference, so I wasn’t prepared for a variety of differences — wonderful in some cases and difficult in others.
    1. The friendliness. Fantastic!
    2. The spiritual lift. Incredible!
    3. Woman dominated (as far as attendees), which sometimes gave a bit of a whining, unprofessional aspect to some events. Yep, I know I’m probably hated right now for saying that, but that did hit me as a difference I didn’t appreciate.
    4. A lot of writing rules. I’m not talking about moral rules. Those are necessary for writers who want to reach Christian audiences, but I think we could relax some of the rules about literary devices and choices. Sometimes writing rules need to be broken without an accompanying moral outrage.
    5.The variety and quality of events. Wonderful!
    6. The willingness of volunteers to go above and beyond in helping attendees. Heart warming.
    7. The spontaneous outbreak of prayer. LOVE IT!

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  10. Write down one or two very specific “takeaways” before you leave the hotel. You’ll have 68 fantastic ideas over the course of the weekend and will forget most of them by the time you wake up on Monday. Come up with just a few items you really want to act upon and write them down. In big letters. Where you will see them a week later.

    And beware the post conference doldrums. It’s typically such a writer high that it takes two days to come down and then you feel lost and alone. Don’t, cause you’re not.

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  11. I have yet to go to a writers’ conference. However if I were to go to one, one of the first ones would be the Midwest Writers Workshop held annually in July in Muncie, IN. That’s mainly because I live in the Midwest.

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  12. I’ve attended the Mount Hermon conference for years, and spoken at smaller ones. I love the way people who are both writers and Christians share two of the most important things in their lives, so we bond easily. Newbies can make new friends and connect with others who live near them so they can form critique groups.

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  14. Colorado Christian Writers Conference on Estrs Zosrk was wonderful. I met three true kindred spirits and learned a great deal in the sessions and workshops. I’m ready for the next step because I went.

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    • Estes Park. Typing accurately on a cell phone in a 4×4 pickup without spell check for capped words in a space that won’t scroll down for check before send while trying to beat the loss of cell service-not easy.

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  15. My bit of advice: Focus on others, not yourself.
    .
    I think the conferences I enjoyed most was when I went with no expectations of something I wanted to accomplish, deciding instead to get to know people and to help people out who seemed to be new to conferences. This worked well. I still got my networking in, still had appointments with editors or agents, still ate at tables with a strategic plan, still came away empty handed as far as offers for publication.
    .
    But, with the focus being on others, it was more enjoyable.

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    • Forgot to mention – that was in 2012. I’m going back for the first time this year. So excited for next week!

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  18. I’ve been to a GRW Conference, and to be quite honest, it was overwhelming. I should’ve taken a break every now and then, rather than attend everything I could. An hour break here and there for some alone time would’ve given an introvert like me a much needed respite. 😉 All in all, it was a fun and informative time.

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  19. Put a vibrating reminder on your cell phone for your appointment time or wear an actual watch. 🙂 Appointments are scheduled all day during workshops you’ll attend.

    I was checking my time every so often, but then got caught up in the speaker and was late to my appointment. It upset me to be late and although the agent was polite, I think it spoiled the meeting. Learn from my gaff. 🙂

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  20. The drawing winner is SHIRLEE ABBOTT!!! Congratulations, Shirlee. I will try to track down your email to request your mailing address, but if you see this first, please email me at [email protected] booksandsuch.com. Thank you!

    Reply

  21. I have never attended a writers conference before, and I had never heard of the American Christian Fiction Writers or its conference until today. I decided to finally buckle down and send out a query letter. While researching literary agencies and agents, I learned of this conference. I would love to attend the ACFW Conference.

    However, as I am unemployed and low on funds, I guess it will be my dream conference for now. I will try to attend a mentoring retreat in November, which will give me more time to raise the funds. One day when I finally make it to the conference, I hope to meet you there.

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  22. ACFW is wonderful, and I’ve attended SCBWI (for YA through children’s writers) as well as the Colorado and San Diego Christian Writers conferences many times. Early on, it was to work on my craft and led me to great training and mentor relationships. Mid-way through projects, it’s been wonderful to connect with other writers and trade encouragement and wisdom from “the trenches.” Now I’m watching many friends spread their wings or win awards, and it’s exciting. I’d recommend bringing snacks in case you have those divine moments in the hallway and miss a meal but get a chance to get feedback on your “big idea.” I also recommend connecting with other writers in your genre and target market. For me this is middle grade through young adult and I enjoy trading the joys of honing our craft and ideas together. ACFW is one conference where we really build one another up and make friends. I’ve loved knowing Jeanne and Shelli and many more, they buoy you for the challenges ahead.

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