Is a Writing Conference Worth It? A Case for Going, Even If You’re an Introvert
Writing is a solitary activity, which is why it’s so helpful to find community wherever and whenever you can. A conference is one of the simplest ways to do that. I’m talking here about conferences with author keynotes, panels, and a hotel full of people who care about the same kinds of books you do. Workshops and retreats can be great too, but they’re a different animal.
Here’s what makes the ticket worth it.
You hear that everyone’s path looks different. Sit in on a panel of six massively successful authors and you’ll find that half of them are plotters, half are pantsers, and a couple are somewhere in between. (At one panel there was a discussion of multiple whiteboards with multicolored magnets representing plot beats. It was mind-blowingly next level for this former project manager.)
This is a fundamental lesson worth remembering and is reassuring when you’re home alone with a draft that isn’t behaving.
You discover or remember how big the tent is. An enormous number of books come out each year for all kinds of audiences, and there’s more room than it feels like when you’re working away at home or deep in the query trenches. (Do we need to keep doing better on diversity and equity? Absolutely.)
You find your people. At a genre conference you’ll meet a lot of folks who proudly call themselves weird. I love thrillers, mysteries, and spooky books and the people who write them, and I felt at home right away at my first ThrillerFest.
If you’re an introvert
Same. There are moments at every conference when I want to run up to my hotel room, order room service, and stay there until it’s time for my train home. A few things help:
Take breaks. A power nap or a reading break restores your equilibrium, and you’ll be a lot less mad at yourself than if you’d hidden all weekend.
Sit by yourself at a table in the back. It will fill up before you know it, and you’ll meet people you wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ll meet you there. :)
Volunteer. Conferences need help to run smoothly, and being part of the machinery is the fastest way to belong.
Pick the right event. Look for one built around your genre, or a general craft-and-commerce conference near you if travel isn’t feasible.
Bringing pages? Know what they’re signaling first
Many conferences offer agent pitches or page critiques, and those slots are precious. Before you spend one, it helps to know what your first ten pages are signaling to a reader. That’s what a Mirror Read is: a diagnostic read on your opening pages.
Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to stretch and go out of your comfort zone (you can always strategically retreat for a bit when needed).
Cake courtesy of Muse and the Marketplace, 2019
Couldn’t have said it better myself!