A Writers Guide to Conferencing

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

It’s conference time across the country, and that means preparation. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’m going to share some things about my first conference ever. The conference was great. Don’t get me wrong. But poor me—so green you couldn’t snap me in half if you tried.

In all fairness to me, I’d never attended a conference before. Not just a writers conference but any conference. You have to remember, I’m a mountain gal, and though I’m not stuffed into the crevice of a mountain fold, I wasn’t exposed to a lot of outside events like conferences. You could say I was naive. So, attending my first conference was a true learning experience.

If I were to suggest how and what to do at a conference, I’d suggest the following things to all writers. As they say, I learned the hard way, but you don’t have to. You can sidestep some mistakes by seeing my blunders. Here we go.

Tips for Attending a Writing Conference

Attending alone: Sometimes, we have buddies who travel alongside us; at other times, we don’t. I didn’t have a buddy, so I had a slight hesitation as I climbed into the car and laid out my Rand-McNally printed directions. (We didn’t have GPS gadgets yet.) A friend by my side would have been nice, and when you add that I’m an introvert, let’s just say I was nervous. Still, my Momma taught me to be a big girl. Straighten your shoulders, take a deep breath, and do it. So, I did. Now, here’s the kicker. My arms were covered in poison ivy. Yep, poison ivy. The doctor had wrapped them in sterile white gause, and you could say, mummy probably fit me to a tee. The itching was unbearable, even with long sleeves to cover the embarrassing bandages. I wondered if anyone would even stand close to me for fear of “getting something.”

I sat on a couch in the hotel lobby and began to people-watch. I quickly learned the questions writers asked one another. “What do you write? Are you published yet? Think I’ll find an agent this time?” I deduced I could ask those questions as well. Again, a buddy would have been nice to help ease the uncomfortable feeling, but I found out rather quickly that writers are friendly and don’t hesitate to talk to any and everyone, whether they know you or not. A sweet lady inched onto the couch beside me, smiled, and said, “I heard folks were itching to get here.” She bumped my shoulder and began to giggle. I immediately saw that writers were friendly. We became friends, even roomed together a couple of conferences later, and when she was nominated for a Christy Award, not once, but twice. It was me she called and invited to sit with her at the ceremony. Attending your first conference alone is scary, but don’t fret. Writers are friendly, and a warm smile invites them like a lit porch light at night. Attending alone is not so bad. In fact, it may be better for you because you are forced to make friends quickly and not hide behind the familiar.

Come prepared: A notebook was an afterthought for me. I started out my door and grabbed a stack of Post-it notes. Let me say Post-it notes are not the ideal note-taking item. Before you judge me, remember, I’d never done anything like this in my life. I was clueless. Go prepared. Be sure you have a notepad, a couple of pens, and a few business cards. Now! About those business cards. They don’t have to be fancy. You can print your own with some help from your local business supply store. Your business card needs to have your name and email address on it. There’s no need to add your home address, but adding your photo is especially helpful. Save those fancy cards for a later date. Folks just want a way to find you and correspond. Make your card simple but professional-looking. You don’t need embossed cards. My point is, don’t fret. Provide what is necessary, and you can upgrade as you grow in the industry. 

Learn what a one-sheet is: Again, simple is best. Editors and agents don’t care if you have fancy photos on a one-sheet. It’s to help you pitch. Pitch the story, not the look of the one sheet. Simple, professional, and to the point. Print a few and carry them with you. That’s all you need to begin.

Don’t be pressured by “appointments”: 99.9 percent of first-time writers get the vapors when appointments are offered. They suddenly see folks racing for appointments with agents and publishers to pitch their books. Well, I give you permission to take a breath. Often, writers get things out of order when it comes to appointments. They rush to pitch a story that only has three chapters written or only a pitch (an idea). You don’t need an agent until you have a completed manuscript. An agent cannot sell what you have not written. So, let go of the idea that you must find an agent. Having an agent does zero good until you have a completed manuscript ready to market to publishers. Take that pressure off yourself.

Get your writing life in order: Learn the craft, write a manuscript, find an agent, and let your agent sell your work. That’s the order. It just doesn’t work any other way. However, choose an agent who you’d like to pick their brain. Network. Ask questions, and learn from these folks. Show them your work and ask if you are on track. Get to know these industry professionals because they will become your outlet for publication. Remember, release the idea that you need an agent. Remember the order: learn, write, complete, agent, publication. Use those appointments to network. It’s valuable, and to repeat myself, once you have a completed work, then begin pitching it.

Choose classes “where you are” in your writing track: Conferences offer so many classes, which is wonderful. It’s amazing that so many professionals want to see success among writers, and they put their time and effort into teaching, guiding, and helping those dreams come true. My biggest mistake at my first conference was taking classes way above my current writing skill level. Writing is a craft, and it’s something you must learn in stages because story-building rides on knowing the foundation. If you are a new writer, you must learn the mechanics before you hop on the train to plot development and characterization. A new writer must understand show not tell before they start writing a serious story. They need to grasp dialogue and resisting the urge to overexplain. They need to recognize how to self-edit and what a story arc is. 

These are necessary before you move on to the next layer of the craft. So, when you look at classes at a conference, choose classes where your skill level currently stands. Master those, and then move to more advanced classes. Why do I say you should take classes where you are skill-wise? At a conference, you are face-to-face with teachers who can answer your questions and bring things down to a level that makes sense. There are simply things that you only learn by hearing them told to you. They aren’t always written down. Sometimes, you gain the most from the experiences of those who teach. Take classes where you are in your current skill level. And then—pay attention here! Buy the MP3s of the conference. Why? You have the remainder of the classes you did not take in person, and you have them forever. These are your continued education. It’s money well spent and an investment in your future career.

Bottom Line

Your first conference, or even your tenth or hundredth, should always be enjoyable. The stress should be gone. You’re there to learn. Let go of previous notions, learn the order of a writing career, and then enjoy your time at the conference. Make industry friends and writing peers, or find a critique group like Word Weavers or a local group near you. Get the hidden benefits from your conference experience by letting go of the stress and unreasonable expectations. 

I never want anyone to walk into a conference as green as I was and make the mistakes I made. What I want, and all faculty members wish for our conferees, is to have a successful, well-spent time that stair steps into a remarkable career. Nothing is better than seeing the success of those we’ve walked alongside. Get ready for that conference, and we’ll cheer you on!

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Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. Having served for a number of years as a managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and Ironstream Media, Cindy now works as a mentor, coach, and freelance editor. She is the co-founder of Writing Right Author Mentoring Services with Lori Marett and she is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Cindy is also the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries and WWW.CHRISTIANDEVOTIONS.US, as well as WWW.INSPIREAFIRE.COM. Her devotions are in newspapers and magazines nationwide, and her novels have become award-winning best-selling works. She is a popular speaker at conferences and a natural encourager. Cindy is a mountain girl, born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, where she and her husband still reside. She has raised four sons and now resorts to raising chickens where the pecking order is easier to manage. You can visit Cindy at WWW.CINDYSPROLES.COM or www.wramsforwriters.com.