Last weekend I attended the North Texas SCBWI Conference and here’s what I learned.
Conferences are important to attend. You not only get to meet and chat with other writers who are at different stages in their writing journey, but there are craft and industry workshops that are super helpful.
You can sign up for critiques. Many conferences offer critiques with other writers, already published authors, agents and editors. It’s a great opportunity to have your work seen and read.
Attend the workshops that interest you. You might be sitting at a very social table or have lost track of time and decide to walk into the popular workshop everyone’s heading to. While it’s nice that you want to be social and hang out with others don’t forget that you’re there for you. Attend the workshops that interest you not anyone else.
Take Notes. Don’t forget to bring a notebook and some pens just in case there are none available at the conference and take some notes. You want to be able to go back to the notes for future reference, you’re there to learn. Also often times, speakers give out their direct email or contact information, discount codes, as well as dates to other workshops and webinars. Be prepared.
Be Social. While you might be shy, I mean what writer isn’t, right? It’s crucial to actually talk to other people. Be friendly, reach out, and make friends. It’s a breath of fresh air to learn about others journey and their works.
Network. Exchange social media, keep in touch, do a writing meet up, get coffee…keep in touch.
Now I know most of the conferences out there are not free. There is a cost to setting up a big event where a lot of people are coming; however, I can’t stress how important it is to at least attend one. It is so worth it if you’re serious about writing.
Lemmon Avenue 