Five Things I’ve Learned from Attending a Writer’s Conference
I’m always so inspired after spending time with authors, and I strive to hone my craft with each book I create. A writer’s conference is a great way to combine these activities. This is why I designated 2018: The Year of the Writer’s Conference.
The first conference of the year was in April—The Muse and the Marketplace in Boston. It was my inaugural overnight, multi-day conference. I’m happy to report that I left the event impressively more knowledgeable in the ways of marketing and craft than when I arrived.
But I also learned a few things not specifically taught in any of the sessions I attended. Here are five of them:
Attending a conference alone is very daunting for an introvert.
I’m extremely independent and I thoroughly enjoy my alone time, but I was overwhelmed by the number of attendees. When it sank in that I didn’t know anyone, the prospect of three consecutive days eating every meal alone and spending countless hours by myself at night made me feel lonelier than I ever imagined.
I was close to tears on my first day and frantically emailing/texting other friends for assurance it would all be okay.
The author community is warm and welcoming.
In the midst of my freak out, I had exchanged numbers with two women I’d recently “met” online who were also attending the conference. They both told me to look for them at the conference-sponsored happy hour that evening. It turned out they knew each other and introduced me to all their friends, who invited me to join them for dinner two nights in a row. I entered the conference a loner and left with several new author friends.
Talking incessantly about writing does not make me weird; it makes me a writer.
My non-writer friends would roll their eyes and tune out if I talked about my writing process, comps, agent and publisher submissions ad nauseum over dinner. Not my new writer friends. We had the best time discussing the three “Ps” —plotting, POV, and pacing—over food and drinks, and I swear I got more buzzed over the conversation than I did from my martini.
I know a lot more than I give myself credit for, but there is also a lot left to learn.
Some of the sessions repeated things I already knew, which I found validating and reassuring. But even after eight novels, I was delighted to pick up new tricks. I’ve come so far from the writer I used to be, yet I’m not nearly the one I hope to become.
Spending time with bestselling authors, and writers who aspire to be published for the first time has the power to motivate me and invoke self-doubt in equal measure.
It was hard not to compare myself with so many authors who have met with more success than me and wonder if I will ever come close to their level. I also listened to the elevator pitches of new authors and thought, “Wow. That book’s going to be huge.” It made me doubt whether my work-in-progress was “enough.”
The truth is, it wasn’t enough then and it isn’t now, but I won’t quit until it gets there. Being around folks who share my passion, regardless of what stage they are in their career, inspires me to work harder and push further beyond my comfort zone.
Next on the calendar is the July Romance Writers of America Conference in Denver. I can’t wait to meet new friends, reunite with old ones, and continue to learn!
A born-and-bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning children’s stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling writing smart, sassy romantic comedy and humorous women’s fiction. Meredith is a loyal New York Yankees fan, an avid runner, and an unashamed television addict. To learn more, visit her at www.meredithschorr.com.
Social media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MeredithSchorrAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/MeredithSchorr
Website: www.meredithschorr.com
BRIDAL GIRL, Meredith Schorr
Sassy book blogger-turned-author, Kim Long, thought her life couldn’t get any pinker when she received a two-book publishing deal and a marriage proposal in the same night.
If only she could drown out the conflicting opinions of her overzealous bridal party.
If only everyone would adore her first book—or she’d take Nicholas’s advice and stop reading reviews.
If only Nicholas’s past would remain there rather than threaten their future.
The pressure is on and the clock is ticking. Will Kim ever write “The End” on her sophomore novel? And, will she and Nicholas make it down the aisle to say those two precious words: “I do?”
Put on your reading glasses, fill your champagne flute and prepare to laugh with (and sometimes at) Kim as she rewrites her happy ending until it’s worthy of five pink champagne flutes.
“Meredith has a flair for chic lit that is just unparalleled. Her blend of quirky characters, romance, and comedy is magic, Every. Single. Time. ” Rebecca
“all her books seem effortless. Like she magically conjured something amazing out of thin air each time. ” Melissa
“I love this genre for its humor and escapism and I really think that Meredith Schorr will forever be a part of my favorites list. I just feel good after I read her books.” Stacey
“A fantastically fun laugh out loud chicklit. Romance and chicklit fans will absolutely love this. It’s fantastic. ” Karen
Buy the book HERE
Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
