What I've learned at Writing Conferences

So. Last year I went to my first writing conference. It was this one and it was amazing. Here's what I learned:
My MS needed more work than I thought.
The hook is the hook, so don't introduce it thirty pages later. Introduce it on the first page.
My MS was better than I thought.
How to critique others' writing in a way that's helpful to them.
Published authors are very generous with their time and advice. Always take notes.
Also, published authors are people.
Editors and Agents are only slightly less scary than I imagined. (Okay, they're cool. And people too.)
How to bring a book full circle.
But the greatest thing about going to this conference, hands down, was meeting my critique partners. Meeting them has been the greatest thing for my writing since I learned how to write in first grade.

This conference put me six months to a year ahead of where I might've been if I'd only had books, blogs and articles to direct me.

I'm going again this year as a seasoned veteran and am so excited for what more I can/will learn.

Now, having said all this, it is possible to attend a conference that may not be as fantastic. I attended a different conference (which will remain nameless) that was not as helpful. The agents there were not as accessible and the crit groups not as useful. Also, there was a query session that was downright unprofessional and, well, rude. In fact, one of my contacts from this conference recently emailed me and told me she quit writing after the query session because it was "confusing and intimidating." And, if anything, conferences should encourage and teach, not discourage.

However, I also met some great writer friends (conference attendees and published authors) who were amazing people and generous with their advice. And for that reason alone, the conference was worth it.

Definitely my favorite part of both conferences was meeting people like me. People who understand what it's like to cry over made up characters and stay up until all hours of the morning to get that scene right. I loved that we would discuss for hours about people and situations that had found its genesis in one of our heads. That, to me, was priceless.

So, what are your conference stories? Have they been good experiences, not so good experiences, or horrifying? I want to know.

Meanwhile, can't wait to see anyone who will be attending WIFYR this year!!!

What I Learned At Big Sur.

I recently returned from a writing conference in Big Sur with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. It was an amazing experience and I could write about it for hours, but I really should be doing other things like writing a book and/or wrapping Christmas gifts for my children, getting Christmas gifts for my family and forcing myself off the laptop for a few days.

So, here’s the quick version:

· Living on the beautiful redwood coast for a few days.

· Meeting amazing writers and really nice people.

· Having five to one crit groups with Jennifer L and Eric Elfman. Both had great insights and were very professional and helpful.

· Listening to Ellen Hopkins and Jeff Stone speak about their publishing process.

· Being able to accost editors and agents at lunch and ask them questions about publishing, how to tweet, their pets or anything really. Guess what, they’re regular people. Just like us.

· Having no internet or phone service kept me writing and focused.

· Lots of tea and brownies.

· Good meals with writers where we’d talk about writing and practice our pitches.

· Winning the luck of the draw and getting to room with author Joy Preble. She’s written a paranormal trilogy, beginning with Dreaming Anastasia (which I'm reading and love) and she had a sit down with me and asked me some hard questions that led me to an “aha” moment. What I’ve been most impressed with, as I begin to follow more and more of the YA writing community, is how generous and giving all these authors and writers are. (Thanks Joy!)

· Leaving the conference with a handful of new friends and feeling encouraged about my writing journey.

So, now I’m off to work on being a mom and the Christmas chores this role involves, including wearing a sweatshirt my daughter made for me with her palm and footprints (strategically placed to look like a moose with antlers) and may or may not say the words “Merry Christ-moose!”

I hope you all take a little break from writing and enjoy some holiday time with your family. And then, as New Year approaches we’re going to talk about goals. Big writing goals. Are you with me?

P.S. How do you balance the crazies of the Holidays with writing?