Q: I’m working on a book, but it’s not finished yet. Should I attend a writers conference anyway, or should I wait until my book is finished and I’m ready to pitch agents and editors? A: Don’t wait. There are many benefits to attending writers conferences beyond pitching. Classes Writing …
Tag: Conferences
The Three Best Things You Can Do for Your Writing Career
You know I’m not usually one for these “Number of Things” articles, but this is something I repeat so often—because I really believe it—that I figured it was an appropriate follow-up to the Elements of Fiction series. You’ll find plenty of advice about how to improve your writing craft. Read …
Upcoming writers conferences
I am a big believer in writers attending conferences. Next to belonging to a great critique group, it’s the best thing you can do for your writing career. You’ll build relationships with writers and others in the business that will help you pursue your career. You’ll take classes to improve …
What is Speculative Fiction, anyway?
One of the great things about attending the Realm Makers conference is that when you say you write fantasy, people grin and say “cool, what kind of fantasy?” and then let you go on about whether you have dragons and magic or not. Because unlike other Christian writers conferences, this …
Mid-Winter Conference Preview
The Florida Writers Association’s Mid-Winter Conference West and Reading Festival is coming up next month. I’ll be teaching three classes:
How to pitch a book
When attending writers conferences, many people get extremely nervous about meeting with editors and agents. I know I certainly have. It’s understandable. The key to remaining calm when you pitch a book is realizing, first, that agents and editors are just regular folks doing their jobs, and second, that you …
How to Design a One-Sheet
Also called a pitch sheet, a one-sheet is basically an advertising flyer for your book. Many writers use them at conferences to help break the ice with agents and editors, as I mentioned in my post about what to bring to a writers conference. Designing a one-sheet is relatively easy. …
How to design your writer’s business card
A professional business card is the one thing you must have, especially when you are attending a conference. You do not want to be scribbling your contact info on Post-it notes or torn-out notebook pages. There are lots of places to buy business cards: any of the big-box office supply …
How attending conferences helps your career
Attending writers conferences is one of the best things you can do for your writing career. There are many benefits to attending conferences: Learning in workshops and seminars Pitching to agents and editors Opportunities to get critiques Discovering new resources Befriending other writers This last item may be the most …