Conference Questions

ldumont999 · Oct 12, 2005

What sort of classes do you prefer to take at a conference?

Do you prefer writing specific classes (a class on how to eliminate passive voice from your manuscripts? a class on characterization? a class on grammar faux pax?)

Or do you prefer how to get published classes (a class on pitching? a class on querries & cover letters? a class on fiction trends for the 21st century?)

How many conferences do you attend each year? And do you try to attend a few local conferences as well as the "big ones."

Do you attend strictly Christian conferences or secular ones as well?

Do you attend teaching conferences or do you only attend conference that included editors and publishers.

The NJCWG - A Reason to Write Conference took place last weekend. I am the director of that conference and I'm already starting the plans for next year. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Pat~ · Oct 12, 2005

ldumont999 said:
What sort of classes do you prefer to take at a conference?

Do you prefer writing specific classes (a class on how to eliminate passive voice from your manuscripts? a class on characterization? a class on grammar faux pax?)

Or do you prefer how to get published classes (a class on pitching? a class on querries & cover letters? a class on fiction trends for the 21st century?)

I like attending classes concerning the genre in which I write, not so much the specific writing classes you mentioned. I"ll be going to a class on pitching, but I don't go to classes on writing queries anymore, though I did when I started out. Now I tend to go to classes where I think I'll get information concerning getting more work published. (Eg. I'll be attending a couple classes on how to write for the educational market; I'm a former teacher and would like to see about publishing some of the material I wrote in grad school.)

How many conferences do you attend each year? And do you try to attend a few local conferences as well as the "big ones."

I started by attending a few local conferences. Now I just attend national ones, 1 or 2 a year.

Do you attend strictly Christian conferences or secular ones as well?

I attend just the Christian conferences (I write Bible studies and devotional literature.)

Do you attend teaching conferences or do you only attend conference that included editors and publishers.

Now I attend only conferences that also include editors and publishers. I appreciate their inside perspective as well as the opportunity to meet them one on one to pitch my ideas.

The NJCWG - A Reason to Write Conference took place last weekend. I am the director of that conference and I'm already starting the plans for next year. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck with all the planning; hope this has helped a bit!

ldumont999 · Oct 13, 2005

Thanks

Thanks for taking the time to answer a number of my questions. I pray that others will follow your lead. I know that the Ohio Christian Writers Conference (put out by CWG) is struggling to get attendees this year. I believe it is taking place this weekend. They were trying to move up from a mid-sized conference to a larger one but they remain a "teaching conference" - the means classes but no editors. They only got twenty some people to register this year. A number of the top speakers/teachers even dropped attendance bottomed out. I run a fairly small conference that is only one day long, and geared for locals and those in the N.E. It lends itself well to a teaching conference and the lack of overnight stay helps us to keep the price down -- this tempts the newbies.

At this stage of the game, if I'm spending big bucks to fly and stay at a conference I want to both learn and network. Asking for a few hundred dollars without the connections to help make that money back seems like shooting yourself in the foot.

Anyway, thanks for your input.

kelker11 · Oct 13, 2005

Hey

Thought I'd give my two cents worth here.

I've never attended a conference, but since I'm in the process of writing my first novel, I've never had a reason to attend one before.

Since this is the beginning of my process into all things written, I will start out with local conferences. All the classes would be of interest to me; however, given that I'm not yet finished with my WIP, classes geared more towards the art of writing (writing specific) would be of more interest to me now. But, on looking towards the future, I can see how important publishing classes would be once I actually finish the novel. And I can see how 'any' type of conference might do in the beginning (just to get my feet wet), but I do see myself only attending Christian conferences in the future.

And as far as the number of conferences I'll attend, that will be strictly limited due to financial reasons. So at the absolute most, no more than one national conference per year.

Until I'm a rich and famous writer, then I'll be asked to teach at the conferences *jerks awake* Er, yeah, one conference per year.

:ROFL:

Robin Bayne · Oct 19, 2005

I've attended local Christian conferences, which have workshops on all kinds of Christian genres, and non-fiction, and then very specific romance writing conferences in which you may only see 1, if any, workshop geared toward Christian romance.

The secular romance conf's (such as those sponsored by RWA) are great places to network with all sorts of authors, and to learn more about the craft of writing a romance novel. The same is probably true of other genre-specific conf's like sci-fi, horror and mystery writing.

The Christian conf. will let you meet many editors and agents looking for a variety of work--choose a secular genre conf. if you are trying to meet a specific editor or agent who is scheduled to have appointments there.

Hope that helps a bit.

Conference Questions

ldumont999

Pat~

Luftmensch Emeritus, A.D.D.

ldumont999

kelker11

Robin Bayne

~writes for Him~