WHAT TO BRING TO A WRITERS' CONFERENCE

by Karen Evans

I consider this list a must for a successful Writers Conference experience. This anagram spells COACH, which is the equivalent of what conference does for your writing. A conference gives information, helps your performance, motivates you to work harder and allows you to make contact with a variety of professional and lay writers. So strap on your practice uniforms and let’s get ready.

COURAGE-to go, especially for first-timers. I was shaking in my cleats my first time. Courage to bring a manuscript, query letter, ideas and present them to editors, agents, authors for advice and hopefully publication. If you are a first time participant and/or do not have anything written, be courageous and ask as many questions as you can. Meet and make friends, you might find some you will like for life, and some you’d rather not.
COME loaded with pens and paper to take notes and phone numbers, emails….yes, do the geek thing. I have seen some people come with laptops to take notes. Can you believe it?

ONE-minute sales pitch. Rehearse a one minute sales pitch about your manuscript to present to an editor or agent. It is commonly known as the elevator speech, because that is about how long you have to present your idea. But me, I don’t talk to strangers in an elevator.
OPEN your mind and take classes in areas you haven’t thought about to expand your horizons and mental muscles. Just don’t ask me about my physical muscles.
OPEN a tote bag and gather all the available free material. It’s rather like stealing the other team’s play book. Oh, and please pay for the ones that aren’t free.

ATTITUDE-be an eager willing student. Each conference will bring new ideas, opportunities, interviews and possible publishing. If a piece is rejected have the spunk to rewrite or change the material. Get up, brush the dirt off and regroup.
ANTICIPATE that something wonderful might happen in your writing, life, or new relationships because of your excitement. If a team didn’t think it would ever win, why would they play?

CHECK-out the speakers, faculty and staff attending. This will be crucial to know who and how to present your material. Many publishers and agents have websites with information and what they currently seek for their market. You must know the other teams strengths to strategize your game plan.

HYGIENE-last but not least, this is important especially if you are staying overnight. Bring your toothbrush to have a winning smile as you speak to editors. Oh, and don’t forget clean underwear. But if you are playing a sport and want to distract your opponent, don’t bother with these.
HOME again. Take a few days, then dig in and arrange your notes, materials, ideas into some sort of organized form for future use. My friends always help me with this. Your coach, in a way, comes home with you if you have been attentive in class and gathered your materials. It also helps if you have friends to be accountable to.

So get your gear ready, get set, and hut, hut to a writer’s conference. Coach is ready when you are.