Delightedly Overwhelmed: Notes From a Writing Conference Noob.

As an educator, I have attended numerous conferences, but this month I had the adventure of attending my first ever conference for writers. I had some ideas of what to expect, but let’s face it, I was still a noob.

The Wisconsin Writers Association put on a fantastic conference at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Steven’s Point, WI on October 3^rd and 4^th. There were so many great break-out sessions, it was hard to decide which to go to! Not to mention workshops and the opportunity to pitch your book to real agents and publishers! I found myself so excited (and nervous about giving my first in person pitch) that I probably could have used an increased dose of my anxiety and thyroid medications! Not to mention my ADHD was in full on “let’s go!” mode. It’s a good thing writing is one of my hyperfocus areas!

Before I get into breakout sessions, I want to talk about the people. So many fascinating writers all together in one place. To my delight, everyone was pleasant and eager to share their expertise and experiences. I was even more thrilled that so many people shared views on the current social climate in America. There were authors from every stage of the whole process from writers just starting out with an idea to those with several published titles already under their belt. Each individual with a story to tell and something to teach me. As a person who loves learning, I was like a sponge, consuming every bit of information offered my way.

The information provided by the presenters was invaluable! Unfortunately I was not able to go to the pre-conference workshops, but I was fortunate enough to reserve a spot in Christina Clancy’s Master Class! Hearing her experience as a published author from Wisconsin was inspiring. I also attended a breakout session about marketing hosted by Maggie Smith and Kristin Oakley. They had us make some goals for the near future and mine was to be more active in my blog. So shout out to them for inspiring this post and more to come! Larry F. Sommers held a session on how to write a bulletproof beginning. That all important first page can make or break it for an author. If you plan to publish the traditional way by finding an agent and then publisher, that first page needs to be attention-grabbing and spotless. While I already knew this, Larry gave many helpful tips and insights.

One of my favorite experiences was listening to keynote speaker Brenda Cardenas read several of her published poems. I was never one to read much poetry, but her incredible talent for the craft prompted me to buy one of her poetry books! She is phenomenal and I highly recommend reading her work. My favorite of her poems is called “Shipping and Receiving,” which can be found in her collection of poems titled Trace.

While the presenters were fabulous, one of the things I was most excited about was the opportunity to pitch our books, short stories, or poetry collections to agents and publishers. I learned so much about pitching that I think I may just have to make a separate post about it! To say I was nervous is an understatement. I am not a shy person at all. In fact, I am a self-described extroverted extrovert! Seriously, I deliver presentations every day for a living as a college instructor! My first pitch was to the publishing company Orange Hat/ Ten 16 Press. The gentleman I pitched to really helped me feel at ease and gave me valuable feedback. Afterward, he said I could send a query to their company. My second and final pitch was to literary agent Christine Goss. I was particularly excited about this pitch because I would really love to work with her! She has an interest in young adult, fantasy, and LGBTQ books, all of which describe Unspoken Legends! After my pitch, she requested that I send the first three chapters to her, once I have the whole book polished up and edited of course. I am over the moon about this. Now to find the time in my jam-packed life as a full-time instructor, mother to four, wife, and hobby farmer!

Lastly a big shout out to Bound to Happen Books located in Stevens Point, WI. I bought a few books and some other merch from them at the conference and spoke to the very cool Lyn Ciurro, who encouraged me to query. If you are in Central Wisconsin, be sure to visit their store!

All-in-all, it was a great experience. I highly recommend attending conferences if you are an author. I can say it was rewarding and lit a fire under my butt to get my edits done for Unspoken Legends. 

Tags: check out all of my mentions!

Wisconsin Writers Association: https://wiwrite.org

Christina Clancy: https://www.christiclancywrites.com/

Maggie Smith: https://maggiesmithwriter.com/

Kristin Oakley: https://kristinoakley.net/

Larry F. Sommers: https://larryfsommers.com/

Brenda Cardenas: https://www.brendacardenas.net/

Orange Hat/Ten 16 Press: https://www.orangehatpublishing.com/

Christine Goss: https://fineprintlit.com/christine-goss.html

Bound to Happen Books https://boundtohappenbooks.com/