by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
“Tell me why I should go to
a writers conference,” my friend Melissa said. “I’m swamped at work, discouraged
about my writing, and behind on my W.I.P. (Work In Progress). I’m not sure I
can afford the time away.”
Melissa and I have
commiserated on the ups and downs of the writing life for years. She’s a
seasoned writer who could probably teach most of the conference workshops. She
doesn’t need another class on self-editing or how to write dialogue. Yet I
still encouraged her to attend.
Here’s why:
1. A writer’s life is hard. We get weary. We lose sight of the big picture.
Sometimes we’re not even sure what the big picture is. A strategically timed
Christian writers conference reminds us that we are not the genesis of our
work—God is. It is “God, who is working in you, enabling you, both to will and
to act for His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).
I get discouraged when I
think it’s all up to me—that it’s my ideas, my creativity, and my energy that
propels my writing life forward. The wise mentors at a good Christian writers’
conference remind me this is backward. My responsibility is to pray hard, work
hard, and trust God with the results.
2. If left to myself, I would work all day every day,
always pouring out, and never taking in. And I would be an empty vessel with nothing left to give. Writers’
conferences fill me up again. Instead of wasting time, I’m actually investing
time in my future writing. I come away inspired, encouraged, and filled with enthusiasm.
I think I’m losing time, when in reality, I’m gaining time, because the energy
and inspiration I receive empowers and propels me forward.
3. Writers’ conferences remind me of why I love being a
writer. From the starry-eyed newbies
who just wrote their first blog post to the seasoned authors working on their
tenth book, my fellow writers share the crazy desire to change the world
through the written world and help me believe it can be done.
Who else cares whether I use
a serial comma? Who else spends 30 minutes combing through a thesaurus to find
THE word? Who else goes without sleep, food, or showers to birth a book baby?
Only crazy writers, God-called writers, God-inspired writers who get it and
really understand that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God and the Word WAS God,” and God is still using words to change the world.
4. Writers conferences give me space to breathe, and
dream, and hope. The grind of the
daily writing life squeezes this out. The beautiful setting of a writers
conference lifts my eyes beyond the page, my desk, and my life. It reminds me
that the world is big and beautiful, God is even bigger and more beautiful, and
he created me to be part of his big, beautiful work in the world.
5. Writers’ conferences provide an opportunity to give
back. Eddie Jones, one of the
founders of Writers Advance Boot Camp, was the first person who said to me, “This
could be a book.” Two years later, it was. Also at that conference I learned a
simple method for writing a Christian devotion. Within a year, magazines were
paying me for my writing. Fellow writers I’ve met at conferences have become my
mentors, colleagues, and friends. I wouldn’t be where I am today in my writing
life if I hadn’t attended at least one writers conference every year since 2011.
Whether I’m volunteering at
a registration table, leading a workshop on how to use Pinterest to grow your
blog, or praying for the conference leaders and directors, attending writers
conferences gives me a chance to pay it forward. It allows me to invest in
others the way others have invested in me—and repay a debt of gratitude.
6. Writers’ conferences introduce me to friends... friends who are interested in what God has called me
to do. Friends who will talk me off the ledge when I’m ready to end it all.
Friends who will snatch my manuscript out of my hands the second before I toss
it into the flames. And friends who will help me feed it into the flames when
necessary while simultaneously helping me plan the next, better, stronger
project.
I don’t have the time or the
money to attend a Christian writers’ conference every year, but I go anyway. The
way I see it, I can’t afford not to.
TWEETABLE
I LOVE writing conferences, especially for reason #2. It's when I see my crit partners (we live in different states) and my editor, etc. I always learn a new golden nugget, whether craft related, marketing, or career. And I fill up on my hugs quota. ;)
ReplyDeleteThose are all EXCELLENT reasons to attend, Anne. Next time we're at the same conference, we'll have to exchange hugs :)
DeleteThese are all excellent reasons to attend a conference. Many writers go with the intent of just learning about the craft, but a conference is so much more. The networking alone is worth the cost.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Tracy. Sometimes the relationships that begin at a conference are my single greatest takeaway.
DeleteI loved attending Writers Boot Camp last year. It was my first conference and I learned so much and made such good contacts. I am looking forward to the conference this year!
ReplyDeleteYes, Barbara, that's where we met! Excellent proof of my point :) see you again soon.
DeleteWhen is the next conference please
ReplyDeleteHi Fiona,
DeleteThe next one that still has open registration (in the Southeast, at least, where I am) is an excellent 2-day conference, The Carolina Christian Writers Conference. I'd encourage you to check it out.
When is the next conference please
ReplyDelete