Lesson 1: At a conference,
no sleep or food is required. You can get by on
judicious applications of water and carefully
judged amounts of alcohol. Neither sun nor exercise
is necessary.
Lesson 2: Always carry extra
copies of your bookmarks, business cards, a pen
and extra copies of your book. You never know
when you might need one or all of them.
Lesson 3: You never know who
you're going to run into in the hallways, in the
bathroom, in the line-up for a drink or a cookie.
Smile and say hello to anyone who passes you by—that
person might be the person you've come to see—even
if you don't know it at the time.
Lesson 4: Be careful to whom
you address the question "What do you write?"
Be especially cautious about young male science
fiction or fantasy writers. Because they'll tell
you the entire plot of their 300,000-word fantasy,
including character sketches for all 227 main
characters, excruciatingly detailed descriptions
of all 147 sword fights including who made each
sword. And then they'll tell you the entire history
of the world which, they'll tell you, they plan
to publish as a fourth supplemental 200,000-word
volume to go with their trilogy.
Lesson 5: Remember that all
conferences begin the moment you arrive at the
airport and don't end until you get back to your
home town. The airport, the bus or train station,
the taxi stand, the airport shuttle, can all contain
people you know or would like to know. Don't let
your exhaustion overwhelm you until you get in
the door at home.
Lesson 6: Conferences are hard
work, but they're also fun. Remember to have fun.
Lesson 7: Volunteer. A woman
who'd never been to a conference before got four
requests for her whole manuscript because she
volunteered to help coordinate the agent and editor
conferences. A man who volunteered to do pick-up
at the airport met the agent he'd always wanted
to meet.
Lesson 8: Don't drink too much.
Lesson 9: Don't be late—to
appointments or to workshops. It's rude.
Lesson 10: Conferences aren't
really about workshops and appointments, they're
about the
amazing people you meet. And you never know who
they’re going to be—it might be:
- another writer who wants to do an anthology
and needs a third partner
- an editor—even if you’re selling
books right now, that editor will remember your
name and your charming personality two or five
or ten years from now when you’re looking
for a new publisher
- an agent—you may not be looking for
an agent, but it’s a small world in publishing
and the more people who know your name the better
- one of your favourite writers—I met
Mercedes Lackey, a writer I’ve been reading
and loving for years
- a bookseller who wants you to do a signing
in her store
- aspiring writers who make you laugh every
time you run into them
- one of the smartest men in the world who charms
and entertains you
- the first female ATF agent in Alabama who
knows EVERYTHING about poisons, surveillance
and gangs
- my sister from another lifetime.
And the very best part of all this? You’ll
get to see these people at other conferences.
They’ll email you and phone you and send
you copies of their books. People you meet at
a conference can be friends for life.
Kate Austin is a multi-published author and
President of GVC. Visit Kate on the web at www.kateaustin.ca.
Articles may be reprinted in RWA® chapter
newsletters, attributed to the Spotlight.
Non-RWA® newsletters may not reprint articles
without the permission of the authors.
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