Comments on: Getting the Most Out of a Conference

By: Bernice

Bernice — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:02:52 +0000

Thank you for the wonderful advice, Mary. Last year I attended my first writing conference. I met with an editor and an agent. I prepared and polished my first One Sheets, developed and polished my first pitches, and spent oodles of time the final week finalizing details. Although neither of those appointments led to a book deal (my book proposal did make it to the Pub Board ), they were vital in gaining experience–and contacts.

I went to a conference this March without a BHAG. Sure, I entered the writing contests and submitted works for professional critiques. But I really went to glean. To rub shoulders. To make new acquaintances. I also brought two friends who’d never been to a conference, so I was focused on their needs as well. And even though I ate meals with professionals who didn’t mesh with the genres I currently write in, I gleaned a lot from the relationships and the conversations.

By: Laura Stephenson

Laura Stephenson — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:40:06 +0000

Thanks for the advice. I’m going to a conference in two months and was getting pretty worked up over it. Maybe now I can relax and calmly continue editing…

By: Alina K. Field

Alina K. Field — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:56:04 +0000

This is really great advice, and very timely for me since I’m preparing for a big regional conference next week and angsting about the manuscript I’m pitching. Thanks for the reminder to step back and see the big picture!

By: Preparing For A Conference « Laura Ann Miller

Preparing For A Conference « Laura Ann Miller — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 22:27:11 +0000

[...] and plain ol’ good, down-to-earth advice out there on getting ready for a conference. Like Mary Kole’s blog post, Getting the Most Out of a Conference and W. Terry Whalin’s great advice on the FCWC Faculty [...]

By: Brendan O'Meara

Brendan O'Meara — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:23:14 +0000

I agree with you. It’s hard to toe the line of being casual, but also leaving the door open to future business. There’s always the trading of business cards. I say, “At the very least, this business card is good for getting a stubborn piece of food out of your teeth.”

Then there’s the universal language that speaks to us all, “Can I buy you a beer?”

Works every time 60% of the time.

By: Melinda Viergever Inman

Melinda Viergever Inman — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:43:59 +0000

Thanks for the reminder. I head to a big conference out west this month. Of course, I hope for The Big Breakthrough when I pitch. But, at the last conference I attended, casual, professional, and curious proved far more effective for making friends and learning from the pros. We can all learn. Curiosity makes us better writers.

By: Peter Dudley

Peter Dudley — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 06:43:39 +0000

I kinda think that’s good advice for going out the front door every morning, too.

Listen and be open to what you hear. If you’re too stuck on your agenda, you might miss some really interesting opportunities, or you might not recognize the great advice being served to you on a golden platter.

SFWC is next month, and it’ll be my sixth time working as a volunteer. I don’t get that much from the sessions anymore (I could give most of the presentations by now), but I go for the people, the networking, the writerly “hall talk,” and just to hang out with many awesome, creative people.