Shoutout Post II

[annathepiper]

Writer's Weekend deserves a whole separate shoutout post for contributing to the care and feeding of Faerie Blood. Here now is that post.

More than anything short of actually sitting my ass down and writing, the Writer's Weekend conference in the years that I attended it (2004 through 2007) helped give me what I needed to get a novel not only finished but also ready to send to editors and agents. Attending a conference where I could see actual industry professionals face to face, hear them speak, and even pitch my projects to them made the entire process of submitting a book for publication way less scary and way more real.

Folks, I cannot stress enough the value of going to a writer's conference if you're lucky enough to have one near you and can spare the necessary money to attend. Even aside from the chance to put faces to industry names and to learn from them, even aside from getting to hear and in some cases meet favorite authors, the opportunity to network with fellow writers is amazingly invigorating. I still very fondly remember spending most of the 2004 conference plowing at top speed through editing Faerie Blood, even as I pitched it to Evan Fogelman and Nadia Cornier. It's not like I had to edit the book right then; it's just that I was so inspired by being surrounded by a crowd of people who were trying to do the exact same thing I wanted to that I couldn't help it.

So many kudos and thanks go out to karenjunker for all the work she put into running that conference, and dr_pretentious as well for being one of her main assistants. Shoutouts as well to those who I've met through it, and who are listening in here still. Love you all. <3

Comments

[karenjunker.livejournal.com]

Your success is the kind of thing that makes it all worth it...

We're not doing the full-on con this year, but we are doing a small, intimate writing retreat - see www.IronSpringsWritersRetreat.com - I hope you can make it!

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Yes, Anna, come to Iron Springs! I'm flying out for it, spouse and baby in tow.

I'm so delighted that Faerie Blood is going to get out into the wide world.

[annathepiper]

Hee, I shall see what I can do; what with all the medical crap I've had to deal with, it's anybody's guess what my and solarbird's finances are going to be like next year. Or next month, for that matter!

But it would be great to see you again, and to meet your little one. ^_^ And thanks!

[annathepiper]

I've kept half an eye on that, yeah; much will depend next year on how my and solarbird's finances stabilize, and if the medical crap gives us a break. But I will very much continue to keep an ear out and see whether I can squeak in before you run out of registration slots!

[mari-mac1109.livejournal.com]

AWP is in Chicago this coming year and I have a decent chance of going through my department. I just wish it was happening in Chicago a year or two from now, instead of this year. I'm just starting to develop a more adult body of work, and I know I need to start networking in the industry soon--but I'm still such a fledgling little thing with no publishable, full movements yet. :)

Looks like they'll be back in Chicago by 2012, but I'll have moved on by then. Sigh.

[karenjunker.livejournal.com]

I don't know what you write, but I've found Romance Writers of America to be very helpful to the fledgling writer. The info can be useful, no matter what type of work you do. They have a conference every other year in Chicago - see http://www.chicagospringfling.com/ The next one is 2010. That gives you a deadline to get something publishable - no problem, right? :)

[annathepiper]

I dunno, I kinda think that even if you don't necessarily have something publishable as soon as you attend a conference, you can get something out of it. I highly recommend any panels that let you practice how to write a pitch, and ideally, practice doing them with others. That was invaluable to learn and helped make the actual pitches at Writer's Weekend a lot less nervous-making. :)

(Though I have heard different people give different takes on the "ideal" way to give a pitch, so it's nice to do this a few times to find out what works for you.)

I'm not familiar with AWP, what is that?