Writers Conferences: 10 Lesser Known Benefits

by Ralene Burke @RaleneB

Whew! Last month flew by faster than ice cream melts in the summer sun. As Marketing Director for Realm Makers, July is always a big month as we prepare for our annual writers conference and book festival. This year, I was doing just that—while trying to move! Yes, July was indeed a blur.

While I was at Realm Makers, I realized several things I wanted to share. We all know the many benefits of attending writers conferences. Workshops from professionals, networking, pitching sessions, etc. are all great ways to move our publishing careers forward. Yet, there are some benefits I think often go overlooked.

Lesser Known Benefits of Writers Conferences

• Connecting with our tribe.One of my first posts on this blog was about the importance of finding your tribe. While the internet has provided us with many opportunities to connect with other writers online, there's just something that helps to solidify our relationships when we get to meet people in person. At Realm Makers, writers get to do this, not only on the professional level, but on a more personal and fun level with late night games and venturing out for meals and other adventures.
• Pushing ourselves!Let's face it. There's a lot about writers conferences that can make us uncomfortable. Maybe we're introverts, and the idea of being around so many people all day is stressful. Maybe we struggle with talking about our books, and yet we want pitch our story to agents/editors. Maybe we get nervous in front of others, but we have something valuable to teach other writers. Whatever our situation, we often find ourselves pushing the limits. Go us!
• Learning from those who are further in their career.Yes, conferences offer wonderful workshops. But when we get to sit at a meal or in a lobby with a publishing professional and just chat about their writing career, their experiences, publishing in general, we often garner more gems than we would from a hundred workshops, books, or blogs. And many conferences, including Realm Makers, offer mentor appointments in addition to their pitch appointments, so attendees can do just this in a more structured way.
• Getting in our steps!So, this one may sound silly, but it's true. A lot of bigger conferences are held in conference centers or hotels, where we have to walk around to find classrooms, meals, appointments, etc. We can easily work in some extra miles. I actually lost about 5 pounds at Realm Makers this year. Of course, I did a lot more running around than the average attendee. Still…
• Brainstorming power!This kind of goes along with connecting with our tribe, but conferences are a great place to throw out ideas and work through plot issues. With a host of creative minds, there's nothing we can't work through. We just have to be brave, describe our story, and state our issue. We're all writers! We love stories, and most love helping! 
•  Books, books, books!So, this is not true of every writers conference, but one potential perk is access to BOOKS! Sometimes, there's free ones. Realm Makers had one publisher send a free book to go in every attendee's bag, and ACFW has had books on the seats at meals. Some conferences have bookstores or vendor halls, which are a treasure trove of bookish fun. This year, I came home with 10 books from Realm Makers—a couple were free, and the rest I bought in the bookstore.
• A break from the family.Now, this isn't to say we don't miss our families when we're away, but sometimes a break is refreshing and motivating. When we return home, we're ready to focus and get back to life with a smile on our face!
• Getting involved!While the writers conferences are put on to help us grow and connect as writers. They are also a great place for us to give back or reach out. Most conferences NEED volunteers to help them run smoothly, and volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and meet people.
• Visiting new places.Have you ever been to Atlantic City? I haven't. Realm Makers is going to be in Atlantic City next year, though. I'll be able to go down a little early, get to know the area a bit. Maybe visit some fun places. Because of Realm Makers and other writers conferences, I've also been able to visit Dallas, Denver, St. Louis, Nashville, Reno, and many other places. 
• Experience in budgeting and ways to raise money. I'll be honest. Going to conferences is not cheap, especially if they aren't local. When I first started going to conferences, I had to get creative with how I was going to pay for them—after all, I wasn't even a published author yet. But investing in ourselves as authors is just as important as a doctor going to college or a computer tech getting certified. We want to set ourselves up for success!

Writers conferences offer a variety of benefits that go beyond what we learn from the workshops and the opportunities we get from networking and pitching. When we embrace the full conference experience, then the benefits begin to pile up and we come away with so much more than we expected. 

What has been your favorite conference so far? Or do you need to start planning for your first one?

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Writers Conferences: 10 Lesser Known Benefits - @RaleneB on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

"Writers conferences offer a variety of benefits that go beyond what we learn from the workshops and the opportunities we get from networking and pitching." @RaleneB on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a social media wand, or a freelance editor’s sword, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to help everyone #SHINE Beyond their circumstances! Her novels, Bellanok and Armor of Aletheia, are available on Amazon. More fantasy novels coming soon!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all-around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . . You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or at her website.