S. Eli -
I'm anticipating finishing my current book by the end of the month. About two weeks ago I was asked to do an interview that I think is coming out next week, and the final question was "What are you working on next?" So I mentioned this book, but I might have cursed myself. It's not under contract yet (it's for a different imprint), and I'm bracing for it to be rejected. It doesn't help that a book with similar themes - a book I only just found out about! - is coming out with a competing publisher.
Argh. If HarperCollins doesn't want it I'll hang onto it and try somewhere else in a year or two. I really like it!
Carrie - I'd definitely recommend joining an organisation that best represents what you write. E.g. RWA or RWAus or RNA, SFWA, MWA, SCBWI ... Most seem to have their own private social media groups where you can connect with well-informed people who write the same things you do.
I didn't join any writers' organisations until I was published, and I did it mainly because I needed a connection with other writers. There are times I hear from three people at my publisher in a day, and other times I hear from nobody for three months! It's enough to drive you mad. The conference was good and bad. They usually (when it's live at a venue) have three sessions running at once: for aspiring, emerging and established authors. But this time we got to see all the sessions, so it ran for much longer than it usually does. Some parts weren't of any use to me and others were really great. They covered everything from contracts and agents to writing crime scenes realistically, to self-publishing, to writing realistic dialogue, to how Big Five publishers operate. My biggest issue was that this year's main draw was a US publisher I've been boycotting for their questionable ethics. A few of us filed complaints about them being included in it.