Thoughts on writers’ conferences and more

  Getting the most out of a writing conference depends on the reason you are considering attending one. Choosing a conference that meets your needs and interests is essential. Before you commit your time and money, there are questions you should ask: • Do you need and/or want help with a manuscript? • How much one-to-one help do you expect? • Do you hope to learn from writers whose work you respect? • Are you self-published and seeking marketing advice? • Are you looking for a literary agent to represent you? A writers’ conference might have a lofty reputation, but if it doesn’t offer what you are looking for, it is likely that it won’t be worth the cost. If [...]

It is a fair question to ask if creative writers' conferences are an investment or a waste of money. Some aspiring writers consider going to a writers' conference as an investment in their careers. But no one wants to waste money attending a conference that isn't likely to deliver what they're looking for. Creative writing conferences are thriving from coast to coast, from the Yale Writers’ Conference in New Haven to the San Francisco Writers’ Conference. There are conferences for every genre from science fiction to romances. They have become a growth industry. Some writers attend conferences because they are looking for more than creative writing workshops and advice on marketing. Thousands of aspiring writers are attending writers’ conferences in the desperate hope they will [...]

Pitching to agents at writing conferences is a big draw. Thousands of authors have pitched their unpublished manuscripts to agents and editors. They paid an extra premium above the conference cost for the privilege, and because the slots were limited, they were sold out fast. What happens during these sessions? Are they effective? Pitching sessions are like speed dating on steroids. Authors seeking representation are given a set time, anywhere between 90 seconds and 15 minutes, to tell agents about their unpublished manuscripts. The sessions are held in rooms where nervous writers stand in lines anxiously waiting to pitch to the agents of their choice. On her blog, Faye Hicks describes the pitching session at a Pitch Slam as bedlam, packed and noisy. Writers are told that [...]

To the people who have read SARA BAREFIELD, her situation is so real to them that I have been asked questions that I hope to answer here. I wasn't a social worker; nor did I know a single mother like Sara. And I have been blessed in that I have never been on welfare or have had the need to apply for food stamps. I got the idea for SARA BAREFIELD while working as a volunteer in a women's center in the town where I live. A single woman in her mid-thirties came in for a counseling session; she wanted to go to college to study art history. When I told her that I didn't know of any aid she could receive other than a [...]