Picking and Choosing...Which Writers Conference is Best for Me?

Ah...the time of year for conferences. Any time of year is good for a writers conference. Blurbs on social media announce upcoming events. Early bird discounts, critique opportunities, bring a group and get another discount, query agents and editors, meet new people, share business cards, have professional photographs taken and visit the bookstore. This and more are things to experience at a writer’s conference.

Questions arise.“Should I go? How can I afford a hotel and the conference? I don’t have anything published. Is there a place for me? I have one story finished. What about all those writers who are multi-published? Won’t I feel out of place?”

Fear tries to creep in. Excuses fill the mind. The “No, I won’t bother trying to go.” scenario keeps tugging. Maybe next year. Maybe when I am published. Maybe when my name is well known. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

If you are on the fence and trying to decide whether or not to attend a conference for writers, let me encourage you to put those fears aside and take a leap of faith.

When I learn about an event for writers, the first thing I do is pray. I ask God to guide me in the decision of whether or not to attend. There are many conferences and some are better than others.

The great conferences I have attended have several things in common. First, a faith element. These particular events offer prayer before, during and after the conference. There is worship music or worship time at some point. Workshops and visiting with editors and agents provide a chance to meet industry experts. Also, plenty of time for fellowship and having conversations with other writers. Exchanging business cards helps people get to know each other.

Scholarships are offered at many conferences. Don’t be shy. Apply for a scholarship if needed.

At each conference, one important thing to remember is that writers are on different and unique journeys. Some people have published numerous books in different genres. Some people are thinking about writing and looking for more information. Some people are in the middle and looking for inspiration.

Wherever you find yourself in the writing journey, please know you are not alone. Research each event. Ask questions. Ask people who have attended the conference in the past. What were there likes and dislikes?

Writing conferences can be a place of encouragement, inspiration and prayer. #seriouslywrite #writing @mimionlife

Writing conferences can be a place of encouragement, inspiration and support. Pray first and ask God to guide you in deciding to attend.

Most of all, enjoy the conference. Put a smile on your face and be ready to meet great people.

Blessings,
Melissa Henderson

Melissa Henderson is a writer of inspirational messages. Her first book for children, “Licky the Lizard”, was released in 2018. She also has a story in the compilations “Heaven Sightings” and “Remembering Christmas”. She contributes articles and devotions to various magazines and websites. Her passions are helping in community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon and Stephen Minister. She and her husband Alan moved from Virginia to South Carolina to be near son, daughter-in-love and first grandchild. The family motto is “It’s Always A Story With The Hendersons”.
Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and at http://www.melissaghenderson.com

Website and blog : http://www.melissaghenderson.com
Amazon link to "Licky the Lizard"
Facebook : Melissa Henderson, Author
Pinterest : Melissa Henderson
Twitter : @mimionlife

Why You Should Attend a Writing Conference by Susan Anne Mason

Susan Anne Mason

In light of the opening of registration for this year’s ACFW Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, I thought I’d share my views on the benefits of attending a writing conference.

Before I ever attended one, I was fascinated by all the pictures posted on Facebook of writers having what looked like a fabulous time at the annual conference! But the thought of facing such a large event felt too big, too scary. Thank goodness in 2011, I overcame my fears, and with the right motivation (meeting my favorite authors), finally took a leap of faith and booked my flight to Missouri. This year will be my 4th conference and each one has been a unique experience. 

Here are some of the advantages I’ve found:

• Being able to meet with editors and agents to pitch your book! This is a huge and likely the most important advantage gained by attending a conference—the opportunity to get your work in front of experts and receive valuable input from someone in the industry. Granted it takes a lot of courage to make that appointment, but there’s comfort in the fact that you are not alone!
• Paid critiques! For a very reasonable price, you can have your work critiqued by a seasoned author. Pick someone from the list that you like, someone who perhaps writes the same genre as you, and be open to their suggestions. I will always be so grateful to Karen Witemeyer for the wonderful advice she gave me on the opening pages of “Irish Meadows”.
• Meeting other writers and feeling like somebody really understands you! It was such a blast meeting other aspiring writers like myself, people who understood the struggles of trying to write while juggling the responsibilities of a part-time job, a home, and a family. It was also a huge thrill to meet my favorite authors and to find they were all so gracious and approachable!
• The great workshops! No matter what stage of your writing career you’re at, you can learn something new, and there’s a great selection of workshops to choose from.
• The worship. I must admit I was a little afraid of what this might entail. I pictured loud, evangelical-type gatherings, and for this reserved, private person, it seemed very intimidating. I’m happy to say that even if I didn’t know the songs, or the words to certain prayers, I never felt out of place. Only wonderfully blessed! And the music is fantastic! (Thanks Rachel Hauck and team!)
• Last, but not least—THE FOOD! Yes, prepare to go on a diet after the conference. The food is so good, you won’t be able to resist temptation! Especially the desserts!

A Worthy Heart
by Susan Anne Mason

If you’ve ever wondered if spending the money to attend a conference is worthwhile, I urge you to set aside your fears, save your pennies and plan to attend. You won’t regret it! You’ll probably make a new friend or two, and who knows, you might even sell your story! Hope to see you in Nashville!

About the Author

Susan Anne Mason describes her writing style as “romance sprinkled with faith.” She loves incorporating inspirational messages of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness into her characters’ journeys. A Worthy Heart is her second historical novel in the Courage to Dream series. Irish Meadows won the Fiction from the Heartland contest sponsored by the Mid-American Romance Authors chapter of RWA.

Susan lives outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She loves red wine and chocolate, and is not partial to snow even though she’s Canadian. Learn more about Susan and her books at www.susanannemason.com.

A Worthy Heart
Maggie Montgomery’s dream of seeing America has finally come true. While visiting Irish Meadows, Maggie meets an intriguing man whom she thinks is a stable hand. Only when her brother, Rylan, demands she stay away from Adam O’Leary does she learn he is Rylan’s brother-in-law, recently released from prison. Nonetheless, Maggie can’t seem to make her stubborn heart conform to her brother’s request. Adam O’Leary has never felt worthy of his place in the family. Now a free man, Adam’s only desire is to earn back his family’s trust. Falling in love with the newly arrived Maggie, however, was never in his plans. Despite everyone’s effort to keep them apart, the two develop a bond it seems nothing can break—but they soon discover the past isn’t easy to overcome.

Cultivating Contacts from Conferences by Bonnie Doran

Bonnie Doran

Have you attended a writers' conference this year? Plans to attend any in 2014? Hey everyone, Annette here. Conferences are a great place for networking and fellowshiping with other authors. Bonnie Doran is here to share advice for what to do with those contacts you make. Enjoy!

Cultivating Contacts from Conferences

 by Bonnie Doran

            You’re a published or pre-published author and you’re headed to a writers' conference. Here are some tips to cultivate the contacts you make:

            Arm yourself before you go. Print some business cards that introduce yourself. They don’t need to be fancy. I suggest your name, head shot, email address, and links to your website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook if the thing doesn’t get so crowded you have to use an eight-point font. Your cell number is fine but don’t put personal information like your street address or home number. Keep the cards handy.

            You’ll meet a lot of fellow writers at meals and workshops. Exchange cards. When you get home, hunt down those contacts. Send an email, “Nice to have met you.” Friend them on Facebook. Follow them on Twitter. Comment on their blog.

            Confession here: I didn’t do this until September. The Colorado Christian Writers Conference was in May. Don’t do that.

            You’ll also hopefully meet some editors and agents during appointments. Ask for their cards and explain you want to send them a thank you. Send a handwritten note. These professionals seldom get a thank you from writers, so make yourself stand out. Enclose your business card—you know, the one with your photo on it.

            If you have a published book or one that already has a cover design, ask the publisher for bookmarks. They may not print them for you, but they should provide the artwork so you can print them yourself. Hand them out with your card.

            If you’re self-published, design the bookmarks yourself. It’s not hard with the templates and options the printers provide.

            Another contact tool is to hand out writing pens with your name and website engraved on them. These are a bit more pricey but well worth it. I’ve had people at conferences ask me for another pen because the one I gave them sprouted legs and ran away.  

            Be sure to order your stuff early. My bookmarks shipped to another customer. The printer rushed a new batch to me, but don’t put yourself through that anguish.

            Building relationships requires more than handing out contact info. Talk to the people you meet. Listen to them rather than spouting off about your latest novel. Be an encouragement to others and let them encourage you.

            I met a new friend at a conference because we didn’t just yak at lunch and go our separate ways. We spent the afternoon talking and laughing.

            Remember, the purpose of connecting with people at conferences is to cultivate lasting relationships, not to build your career by adding followers to your Twitter account.

            Pray for the people you’ll meet. You never know what divine appointment God has in store.

            Prepare, connect, and follow up. It’s that simple.

~~~~~

            

Bonnie Doran’s heart is in science fiction. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, and Sudoku puzzles. Her husband of thirty years is a Mad Scientist who owns a 2,300-pound electromagnet. They share their Denver home with two Siamese cats. 

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Dark Biology

Dark Biology

Renowned vaccinologist "Hildi" Hildebrandt has set her sights on beating her brother to a Nobel Prize, and the opportunity to conduct experiments on the International Space Station might just provide the means to obtain that goal. Chet Hildebrandt should have had that opportunity. But now he'll teach a lesson to them all: his hot-shot astronaut sister, his philandering hypocritical father, and the CDC for not properly appreciating his work. One vial of a virus purloined from the CDC labs and released at his father's marriage seminar should do the trick, without hurting anybody. After all, it's only a mild influenza strain... Or is it?

Conferences, Retreats and Workshops! Oh, My!

Imagine you’re traveling down your own yellow-brick road to publication when suddenly before looms a gleaming building filled with other writers, classes on topics that will help your writing with agents and editors waiting to hear from you! It’s as if you been transported to the wonderful city of Oz!

Attending a writers’ event is one of the best ways to build up your writing life and well worth the expense. Conferences, retreats and workshops not only increase your knowledge and technical skills, it sorta acts as a support group. Imagine being surrounded by others that are just as excited about writing as you! You can’t beat the feeling.

This week, I decided to let you know about some upcoming conferences throughout the country. This is not an exhaustive list. Be sure and check your local writers’ groups to find out about other conferences that may be available.

October 28 – 29, 2011; East Texas Christian Writing Conference; East Texas Baptist University, Marshall, Texas. (Registration until the 21st is only $80!) Presenters include Becca Anderson, freelance writer and published novelist; Terry Burns, award-winning novelist and literary agent; and Mike Farris, literary agent, entertainment attorney and award-winning screenwriter.

November 2 – 6, 2011; CLASS Christian Writers Conference; Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico. Workshops include Fiction A to Z with DiAnn Mills, Writing to Reach the Unbeliever with Terry Burns, Plotting not Plodding with Eddie Jones, and Writing for Children with Sheila Seifert.

February 16 – 19, 2012; Writing for the Soul sponsored by Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild; Grand Hyatt, Denver Colorado. Keynote speakers include Anne Graham Lotz, T. Davis Bunn and Todd Starnes. Classes include Building Your Platform with Randy Ingermanson, Jesus in the Newsroom with Todd Starnes, and the Thick-Skinned Manuscript Clinic with Jerry B. Jenkins.

March 30 – April 3, 2012; Mount Hermon Writers Conference; Mount Hermon, California. More information will be available on the website after November 1, 2011. There will be major morning tracks, afternoon workshops and specialized morning career tracks available for published authors by application.

May 20 – 24, 2012; Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference; Ridgecrest Conference Center, Black Mountain, North Carolina. Information will be online at a later date. Past conferences have included Alton Gansky, DiAnn Mills, Yvonne Lehman and Caleb Jenning Breakey as faculty.

June 6 – 9, 2012; Write to Publish Conference; Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Dennis Hensley, director of the professional writing department at Taylor University and prolific author.

Conferences and workshops are the best way to jump-start your new career or break-through your writer’s block. Prices range from less than $100 to several hundred dollars, but if you plan far enough in advance, you can squirrel away enough to cover the registration and hotel fees. But don’t forget to take some spending money because most conferences offer book-signings and CD’s of the individual workshops. And don't forget to enjoy the trip!