Funny how Erynn's post Monday was on conferences, because I just finished teaching at one conference last weekend and about to dive into another even bigger one this weekend!
I said this at the conference last Saturday, but it's so true: I don't really get nervous anymore when speaking, and I realized recently its because I'm so overwhelmed by the joy of having a group of people be forced to listen to me speak for 30-45 uninterrupted minutes, that the nerves take a backseat. Ha! Can you tell Little Miss is in an interrupting stage??? It takes me an hour to ask my husband to take out the trash. *not that he minds the delay*
Anyway. Erynn had a great point about conferences and about never giving up, because seriously, we NEED those shredded proposal tips. I know we wish to get the top without having to pay our dues, but that's just not typical. We learn and grow (and get a little thicker skin) with each rejection, each critique, each "what were you thinking", each swallowed-cough-laugh from an editor or agent who stares at you across the table after you pitch your "Harry Potter meets When Harry Met Sally" idea.
::grin::
So to piggyback on Erynn's fabulous advice - do it. Sign up for conferences. (preferably the one I'm teaching this weekend in Shreveport ::wink::) GO to the conferences. Learn. Absorb. Pitch. Cry. Eat chocolate. Revise. Pitch again. Take more classes. Get more critiques. Attend another conference. Pitch. Rinse and repeat until....CONTRACT :)
I bet most or all of us Scribble Chicks were published or acquired an agent because of conferences, whether it be directly or indirectly. And not just us SC's, but majority of the published authors I know. They MATTER.
But so does having a finished story. So quit reading about me blabbering on and go write! :)
PS - We harp on conferences so much because they matter so much. But they're also FUN. They make you feel like a real writer. It's priceless! (and tax deductible)
PPS - I wrote this with Tangled playing in the background while Little Miss eats Sour Patch Kids from her Lunchable. I had to keep pausing to sing the songs. Fabulous movie. So if anywhere in this post there's a random line of lyrics, I apologize.
"And I'll re-read the books if I have time to spare, I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room soooomewheeeere...."
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Ha! You make me laugh about Tangled. Also, conferences rock. It's the only place where you can meet people just as crazy as you are. Ahem... I mean, where I can meet people just as crazy as I am.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I wanted to mention that people shouldn't be deterred by the price of a conference. There are scholarships, folks! Mostly partial, but still...
ReplyDeleteAnd it's an investment! You wouldn't become a surgeon without going to school. You're probably gonna need to pay your dues, although a lot less hefty and brilliant, if you want to write a book!
I've been really praying I'll be able to & have the courage to go to a conference this fall. There are some extenuating circumstances though. One day I'll get to one
ReplyDeleteOh yes. We're all crazy ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd yes to scholarships! The ACFW offers them every year in different levels. Definitely worth attempting.
I hope this is your year Tonya :)
I hope it's my year, too. I've been praying it is but I won't know till it's closer
ReplyDelete