by Bruce Brady
@BDBrady007
I’ve just
returned from the Florida Christian Writers Conference where I once again, learned
many things.
One was the fact
that new and seasoned writers have a misconception of the main reason for
attending conferences. They think the most important reason is to pitch their
work to agents and editors. While important, it’s not the main reason.
The most
important reason to attend a conference is to network. I prefer to think of it
as creating new, and nurturing established friendships. God considers
relationships to be most important, especially the one with Him. He created us
in His likeness, so building relationships with each other is the most
important reason for everything.
Why, you may ask,
is networking more important? Because we’re all human, and we prefer doing
business with people we know and trust. That’s why focusing on friendships is most
important. Ask any agent or editor, and they will tell you they give priority
to writers they’ve met. Some won’t even consider submissions from writers they
don’t know.
If we’ve
established friendly relationships with agents and editors, they’ll be much
more open to considering our work and helping us improve it. This, alone, is
worth the price of admission. Having helped during the early stages, they look
forward to seeing our results when it comes time to submit our work for their
consideration.
There are many
agents and editors whom I consider friends, and they have been very helpful
with the progression of my novel. A novel I’ve only presented in concept, never
formally. When they ask, I can’t yet tell them how it ends. But they’re all
more than willing to help me with story, plot, and character ideas because they
truly are interested in my success—and that of all writers. This is the result
of my taking the time to befriend them. If my work is never accepted by them, I
don’t care because they are my friends, and that’s more important to me.
Given the above,
I think education is next in importance. As professional writers, it’s our
responsibility to improve our craft as much as possible. Our readers expect a
certain level of quality from us, and they anticipate improvement with each new
offering. So we owe them the courtesy of becoming the best writers we can be.
Yes, it’s hard, sometimes frustrating work, but the rewards are worth it.
If you just can’t
get to a conference, I recommend using social media and blogs to develop
relationships and hone your craft. This blog site is an excellent resource for
connecting and learning. You connect by commenting or replying to them. And you
learn from the posts. There are several other great writer, editor, and author sites
that will serve your needs as well.
Whether you agree
with me or not, or if you just have questions, please share your thoughts
below. Let’s keep the conversation going.
TWEETABLES
#Writing conference, they're not just for pitching - via @BDBrady007 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Bruce Brady is an author, writer and playwright. His work has appeared in Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, www.ChristianDevotions.us, and on stage. Currently, Bruce is working on a Young Adult Novel about a boy who must deal with the death of his dad, being bullied, and helping his mom through her grief. His first five pages took third place in the ACFW South Carolina Chapter’s “First Five Pages” contest.
When he’s not writing, Bruce spends time learning from and helping other writers. He serves as Mentor of Word Weavers International’s Online Chapter, and as a member of Cross ‘N’ Pens, The Writer’s Plot, ACFW’s National and South Carolina Chapters.
“My dream is to entertain my readers and give them hope as they travel the rocky road of life.”
