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| Dawn Kinzer |
Like people, writers conferences come in all sizes. I’ve
attended smaller, but still awesome,
conferences like the Northwest
Christian Writers Renewal conference held every spring in the
Seattle area. I’ve also enjoyed the benefits of larger gatherings for a number
of years.
Some of you might be preparing to attend the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW)
conference next week, which will be held in Dallas, Texas. If so, maybe it’s
your first time—or perhaps it’s become a yearly event on your calendar.
Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or a conference pro,
along with the excitement of what could happen, it’s not surprising that many
attendees are also a little nervous about what might happen.
Most of us like to remain in our comfort zones, don’t we?
It’s easy to stay with what’s familiar. So, we may opt to play it safe rather
than risk failing and feeling disappointed or looking stupid.
But what if we were willing to leave that protected space?
In 2005, I found the courage to travel from Seattle to
Nashville for my first ACFW conference. I hadn’t been a part of the
organization for long, and the only member I’d had any personal contact with
lived in Arizona. We shared interest in a particular story topic and had
communicated a bit through e-mail. She was attending the conference and had
already committed to sharing a room, so she connected me with an author who was
looking for a roomie.
This nervous introvert got off the plane alone, determined
to step out of her comfort zone and be intentional about meeting people. It was
one of the best decisions I ever made. That trip changed my life.
My roommate turned out to be an outgoing person (as you
know, many of us writers are introverts) who not only knew tons of people, but
who was willing to take me under her wing and introduce me to her friends and
professional acquaintances. I had an amazing time, it was a huge growing
experience, and the result was that I attended six national conferences after
that one. Those events helped me create close friendships with other writers,
taught me to network with professionals in the industry, and gave me a strong
foundation for knowing what it takes to make it in the publishing world.
If I’d never ventured into that scary territory, I might
have given up on pursuing a writing career.
Instead, I did the following:
- Challenged myself as a writer
- Survived—and even learned to enjoy conference appointments with agents and editors
- Learned how to set up and manage my blogs and websites
- Taught several workshops at local writers conferences
- Left one job to start an editing business
That’s just a small list, but the point is, my life would look completely different now if I hadn’t taken any risks. So, I try to be brave and leave my comfort zone
when opportunities arise. I’m not always successful, but I’m getting better!
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not
be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you
wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
You never know what might happen when you attend a writers
conference. You might experience some disappointment—but you might also have
the time of your life!
Are
you attending a conference this coming year? What concerns do you have? What
are looking forward to?
Dawn Kinzer is a
full-time freelance editor. Her own work has been published in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Backyard Friends, The One Year Life Verse Devotional (Tyndale), A Joyful Heart: Experiencing the Light of His Love (Guideposts),
and featured on the radio ministry, The
Heartbeat of the Home.
A mother with two married daughters and one grown
stepdaughter, she lives with her husband in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
With great joy, they welcomed their first grandchild into the family and are
looking forward to another addition in 2016. Some of her favorite things: dark
chocolate, popcorn, the mountains, family time, and Masterpiece Theater.
You can learn more and connect with Dawn at these sites:
