Painting With Light

Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan

I’ve pointed it out before, and all of you who have been there know it’s true. Writing is often a solitary endeavor.

But you don’t have go it alone. You can always do what I do … attend a writing conference, and meet some of the other members of that loquacious tribe called writers.

Tomorrow, on Saturday, March 30, I plan to again attend the Rochester Writers’ Spring Conference at Oakland University, something I’ve done for all but one of the years it’s been in existence.

It’s a marvelous conference. This spring, the theme is self-publishing. How cool is that? You’ll find loads of interesting lectures, workshops and panel discussions … and swarms of writers of various levels, all packaged neatly into a nice, affordable, single-day event.

Workshops
Conferences like this are a great way to learn about all aspects of indie writing. You can attend a variety of sessions, choosing those tailored to your own comfort level, gathering methods to turn your ideas into finished stories.

You’ll also learn more about trends in the industry and the business side of writing, comparing indie to traditional.

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to gather advice on developing your writing career and marketing your stories to readers.

Networking
I decided long ago to go the indie route with my fiction and, even if you discover the conference itself doesn’t offer all the answers, you usually need to look no further than those around you.

Talking to, and connecting with, other writers can be one of the most valuable things about attending a writing conference.

As I said, they’re a loquacious bunch … they love to talk.

So talk to the other attendees, be friendly, ask questions. You’re with your tribe, after all.

Make the Most of It
Here are some suggestions to ensure a productive experience. First, take a few minutes to plan for the workshops you want.

A word of warning … you probably won’t get to all of them, due to time constraints. So, pick wisely among the sessions you know will give you the most help.

But go beyond that. Challenge yourself and take at least one session on a topic outside your comfort zone. You’ll be glad you did.

If you’re a beginning author, with more questions than answers, don’t fret. Most of the sessions are geared to accommodate you. Plus, you’ll find many experienced authors in attendance who will be happy to share what they’ve already learned.

Don’t be afraid to talk about your own books. Give the people you meet your elevator pitch. You should be able to tell your whole story-line in 30 seconds.

Other attendees will want to know about your work, and your elevator pitch should always be ready to go. Just remember to keep it short. You don’t want to frighten anyone away.

Be Professional
Have a business card. A business card, with your contact information, is an easy, professional leave-behind to give to lecturers, speakers, panelists and other writers. I actually prefer a bookmark, because I can list my books, too. Besides, I’ve learned they’re harder to lose.

When you attend any conference, you’ll be making a lot of first impressions. Not only with professionals in your industry, but a host of your peers. It’s okay to show your personality a little, because that can reflect your writing style.

Just make sure people think it’s a good one.

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I’ll be joining a host of other authors signing books at SterlingFest in Sterling Heights, Michigan on July 27.

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Gentle Readers, my books have all garnered some terrific reviews. You can see all of them by using the Amazon link below. Check them out. Better yet, buy one and read it. You just might like it.

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You’re invited to visit my author’s website, BROKEN GLASS to hear the remarkable radio interview about my novel “Blood Lake” on The Authors Show. You can also like my Book of Face page, find me on Goodreads, or follow my shorter ramblings on The Twitter.

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Comments posted below will be read, greatly appreciated and perhaps even answered.

Tags: award-winning writing, indie writers, Rochester Writer's Conference

This entry was posted on March 29, 2019 at 9:15 am and is filed under Storytelling, Writing Conferences. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.