The first writers’ conference I attended was the Maui Writers’ Conference in 2005. You’re probably thinking that that is a really rough place to go for a writers’ conference. You’d be right. It was wonderful on so many levels. The thing you need to keep in mind is to enjoy what ever location you choose to go for a conference. More important than location are fellow aspiring writers and the variety of workshops.
I know many writers think a writers’ conference is a place to find the agent who will lead you your dream of being published. That to a small part is true, but let me tell you about some of my experiences. As noted above I have been going to writers’ conferences for about eight years. The greatest benefit I have reaped is the education from the workshops.
Amazingly, the workshops at writers’ conferences are presented by participating authors, agents and publishers. What better way to gain information about how to do anything, than from the very people who are doing it. I’ve benefited from workshops presented by the likes of Karen Joy Fowler, Robert Dugoni, Donald Maass, Arthur Slade and Jacquelyn Mitchard. I could go on and on, but I believe you understand what I mean.
Now I’m getting ready for another writers’ conference, the Surrey International Writers’ Conference inSurreyBC,Canada. This time I will pitch to Nephele Tempest who works with the Knight Agency. My hope is that she will see something in my writing that will inspire her to offer me representation. As much as this, I am looking forward to the master class with award winning Science Fiction writer Robert Sawyer on Thursday, and the many workshops offered over the weekend.
Let me know if you are interested in hearing more about my particpation at this conference. I’ll happily report my experiences in the different workshops. In the meantime keep writing.
Jodi