How to Prepare For A Writers Conference

Anyone who knows me knows that I have never been shy about meeting people. When it comes to sculpting, I’m not shy or intimidated about showing my work, but a writers conference opens up a different ball game!

Most conferences offer opportunities for individuals to have their work critiqued or even to sign up for consultations with agents, or publishers. To take full advantage of the money that you are spending at a conference, I would assume that you should also jump over this cliff. There is no fear there, right?

So I could not help but wonder, How do I prepare?

Searching online I found a couple of helpful articles.
In A way with Word Writing blog Rene Gray Wilburn offers suggestions in her article Preparing for a Writer’s Conference.

Of course some of the items in this article seem simple enough. Research the publishers, editors and authors who will be present. I would like to do this, and if possible interview a couple of them for the online creative Christians podcast before the workshop.

Interviewing a publisher, especially a Christian publisher, as well as an agent is something that I have wanted to do for my podcast. For those of you who don’t know I have been podcasting since 2008. I have an inspirational podcast. I also recently developed and we a Creative Christians podcast where we interview people about the subject of Creativity. We have had some great names on the podcast Author of The love Languages books, Dr. Gary Chapman, Billy Graham’s Daughter, Ruth Graham, Olympic gold metal winner and author, Scott Hamilton and just recently conducted a podcast all the way to Taize France. There are, of course, many more influential and not so influential, but very inspirational guests. For a complete list, you can find them at my collectibles website. God’s Word Collectibles is the sponsor of the podcast.

Digging a little deeper, I found this article written by Ginny Wiehardt about Conference pitches as she interviews an Editorial Director of Random House children’s books.

So it is on. I have almost two months to prepare for my first writers conference. Here we go.

My goals
1. Write 2-3 pitches. This is also called the “Elevator pitch.”
2. Memorize this pitch and practice giving it.
3. Create a one sheet
4. Research publishers and editors, and if possible interview them.
5. Create thank you cards for those that I meet. Have them ready for my return.