Are Live Writers' Conferences with Lit. Agents a Good Way to Conquer the Challenge of getting publis

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theotter

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Okay so I have been researching writers' conferences in my area and while they seem to provide writers with great resources for seeing lit agents face-to-face etc , they are costly and I'm not exactly ballin' like Jordan right now if you know what I mean. So: what are some experiences with Live worters conferences? Are they helpful? Are they worth the moula?
 

theotter

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Are Live Writers' Conferences Worth the Money?

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BenPanced

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They aren't just about meeting agents/editors in person. A writing conference worth its salt will have a plethora of panels, ranging from craft to business to personal aspects. I justify the cost of RT Booklovers Convention by attending as many panels and discussions I can cram into the day to help educate myself on the ever-changing business aspect, possible angles I might be missing in my own work, and how to better myself as an author, in general.
 

amergina

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You can PM the forum mod and ask them to move the thread (or click the red triangle icon to report the thread and put a note in the box that comes up that you'd like the thread moved to AW Roundtable)
 

amergina

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They aren't just about meeting agents/editors in person. A writing conference worth its salt will have a plethora of panels, ranging from craft to business to personal aspects. I justify the cost of RT Booklovers Convention by attending as many panels and discussions I can cram into the day to help educate myself on the ever-changing business aspect, possible angles I might be missing in my own work, and how to better myself as an author, in general.

I'd second this. Writers conventions are so much more than just meeting agents and editors. Go to panels and workshops and talk to folks.

On the agent side of things:

I met the agent who'd become my agent at a small writers convention, talked to her about stuff in general (i.e., not my book), then pitched to her. She asked for pages...and eventually more, then took me on as a client. So sometimes pitching works. But I think I'm a bit of an outlier, there.

Still, for me, meeting her in person was a positive because I already knew our personalities wouldn't conflict and I could form a solid business relationship with her.
 

jjdebenedictis

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If you want to know whether going to a conference to meet a literary agent in person is more likely to get you signed, I would say no. Sending a query letter is every bit as good as giving a pitch in person, and arguably better because the query letter proves you can write.

The fact is, either way, they're going to have to request pages and base their decision off of the writing. The only way speaking to an agent in person is superior to sending a query is if you happen to be a charming person and can establish a rapport with the agent, OR if the agent happens to be bashful about saying no to someone's face and thus requests pages more often at conferences.

Either way, that only gets your pages in front of them. The writing itself has to then do the work of impressing them enough they offer representation.
 

Filigree

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I met both of my agents at conventions, though I was not pitching work at the time.

I met the first agent at a World Fantasy Convention, where he heard me read some of my work, and asked if I had longer mss available. (Long story short, I did, he tried, no go, we parted ways amicably eight years later.)

The second agent and I crossed paths at a local RWA event. I was impressed with her knowledge, enthusiasm, and grit; I also knew that she wasn't taking on new clients unless she'd met them & had a rec from one of her current authors. A year later, when I had a sticky situation with the contract for my debut novel, I politely asked (okay, I begged) a couple of her clients to put in a word for me. She and I chatted, I amused her or something, so she took on that contract and made it safe for me. She's been incredible ever since.

Like the OP, I don't have a lot of money for conventions. So if and when I go, I try to gain as much from the total experience as I can. (Ben has great advice on this!) If I was back to pitching agents again, I probably *wouldn't* do it at a con, or not seriously. Everyone else is, for one thing. I'm terrible at speed pitches. And I want my query and sample pages to do most of the work for me.
 
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Lhowling

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I'm actually going to the Writers Digest Conference in NY this summer. It's my first time at one of these things! I signed up to pitch, but I'm still querying agents prior to the conference to hit all my bases. Anyway, although I'm doing my research for the pitch, I'm more excited to meet other writers! Writing can get so isolating at times that to mingle with other professionals who are speaking my language sounds like heaven. If I can talk about my book, even better.

Ugh, yes, it took a chunk out of my wallet. But I see it as a business investment.
 

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They are really really fun to go to, but in terms of getting your novel published... my own personal experience (for what it's worth) was that all the places I sent my first novel to offered me acceptance letters, except the two people I pitched to personally at a conference, who both sent rejection letters. lol

So maybe I don't make a good impression in person. I thought maybe my ADHD showed through too clearly and put them off actually. :-( lol
 

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Okay so this thread is mildly terrifying because I'm considering going to a Writer's Conference in July - it's a lot of money though, which makes me hesitate, and it's just for one day. The real attraction is that they have Editor/Agent pitch appointments (fifteen minutes) that you pay $$$ for, and the only reason I am considering it is because you send ten pages in beforehand, as well as a synopsis, and they read it and then on the day you get to sit down and... talk about it, I guess.

I'm conflicted because, obviously, I'd want to do this for a chance to make some leeway in publishing, but it's a lot of money for a critique - which I've never had - and then there's the added layer of, do I request an Editor or an Agent? Which is going to be better, which would be more invested, which is more likely to have the better outcome?

Has anyone had any pitch-experiences like that?
 

Jamesaritchie

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You increase your chances of being published by writing a novel that makes agents and editors see dollar signs. If you have this, you won't have problems getting published. If you don't have this, you're just out of luck.

But a conference can increase your chances of getting a particular agent. If an agent you really want is going to be at a conference, then go for it. Just remember that it's easier to make a bad first impression in person than by e-mail.

A good conference, one with people who matter to your field of writing, can be highly valuable beyond agents or editors who might be there. If you choose carefully, a conference can help you in many ways.
 

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I did one of these 1-2-1s with an agent and it was a great experience. She did end up signing me but that's not why I did it. I saw it as an excellent opportunity to get some honest feedback from an industry professional about the marketability of my work and to quiz her about the market in general, how things worked etc etc. Prepare a list of questions that you want to ask beforehand and you won't go wrong.
 

Namatu

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Okay so this thread is mildly terrifying because I'm considering going to a Writer's Conference in July - it's a lot of money though
Is this ThrillerFest? I'll be there, but am not pitching. As others have said, the panels and, most particularly, the people you meet and establish relationships with, really make it worthwhile to me.
 

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Nah, it's not Thillerfest - it's a teeny tiny conference in Australia (Queensland) for Children and YA writers. Which is part of where my hesitation comes in, because the panels aren't that... exciting, I guess? That may just be me, though, because I'm only familiar with one name on the list of presenters (who I read as a child myself). But maybe that says more about the industry in Australia at the moment more than anything. I found out about it because an agent I follow is attending - for these pitch appointments - and there's about a handful of other agents/Editors that have now piqued my interest.

There's a bit of time yet so I'll definitely list out some questions -- although I still can't decide who I want to book with since my first choice's spots have been all taken. Right now it's a matter of pros and cons, I guess.
 
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