Writers Conferences

Shirley Parenteau

Getting the Most from a Conference

Recently, a writer on one of my email lists posted a question. About to attend her first conference, she felt uncomfortable with the thought of forcing herself on agents and editors, but believed she would be wasting the cost of attending if she didn’t. Several published writers answered, putting her mind at rest, for all advised her to enjoy the conference and networking without actually grabbing anyone by the lapels.

Editors meet hundreds of writers at these conferences, each with a story sure to be a bestseller in the making. I often wonder if editors have minds like filing cabinets where they are able to place and retrieve each writer and story idea they meet. In their place, I’d have such a kaleidoscope of plots and personalities revolving through my head by the conference end, I’d never sort them out.

It’s best to take what you can from their talks and make a pleasant impression when you get a chance to interact personally. Never launch into a description of your plot unless invited to do so.

How should we approach an agent or editor while attending a conference? Is it enough to note every pearl of wisdom that drops from their lips? Should we be satisfied with trying for a place on the consultation lists where authors get 15 minutes with an editor or agent before a timer ushers them out and brings in the next hopeful? Increasingly, these are not even one-on-one meetings, but limited groups of writers meeting together with an agent or editor.

How can we stand out? Should we stand out? Is our money well spent simply by mingling and listening?

Your fellow conference attendees are creative, interesting people. They wouldn’t be there if they didn’t have interests similar to your own. Yet it can be difficult to join a group already in deep conversation. Arrive with a smile, willing to listen as well as to talk and you are likely to be welcomed. When this question comes up on writer’s email lists, others quickly respond with invitations to join them in conversations at the conference.

Clearly, the newcomers who hang out in the lobby or other gathering places get more from a conference than those whose shyness sends them to their rooms during breaks. A lot of writing news gets discussed in bars at conference hotels. Remember, you can always order something nonalcoholic.

Recently, I attended a conference where a newcomer with enthusiastic approval from conference planners placed lists on a table outside the main meeting room. Each was headed either Lunch or Dinner, followed by ten or twelve blank lines. Time and gathering places were listed at the top, along with the name of a volunteer host who would guide each group. Each host chose a nearby restaurant and noted on the list the number of people they could take along. The idea proved to be wildly successful.

The hosts enjoyed locating interesting restaurants with seating for groups of ten or twelve and made sure before setting out that everyone who signed up had gathered. (And if you do put your name on a sign up sheet, either show up or let someone know you’ve changed your mind. I joined a dinner group where we waited fifteen minutes for a writer who never appeared and who didn’t answer her room phone.)

Inviting conference attendees to join together in random gatherings gave everyone a chance to talk with interesting, enthusiastic people, rather than ordering room service or eating alone in a corner of the hotel restaurant wishing for someone to join in.

At other conferences, notices are sometimes placed on central bulletin boards where people can sign up to join hosted tables for banquets. This was the first I’d seen inviting others to sign up for a walk from the hotel to nearby restaurants. It was such a great idea, I hope it will be repeated. Remember, a conference newcomer came up with the idea and brought it to people in position to make it happen.

As for talking with agents and editors, never bring a completed manuscript with you unless it’s required for a special workshop. Editors will usually be flying home and they won’t have room to carry along anything more than your business card.

Many times, however, an editor or agent will invite conference attendees to send them something later. Always flag your email subject line with a reminder of the conference name. And do send your material as soon as possible after the end of the conference. That window of opportunity may be limited, especially for houses that are usually open only to agented material.

Don’t expect to snag a contract during the conference. It happens. You hear of it happening, but those cases are the rare exception, not the rule. You’re there to listen and take notes, to absorb new ideas and to go home eager to get back to your current work in light of all you’ve learned. Then to send it out to the agent or editor who showed enthusiasm for just such a topic.

Networking matters. Of course, you won’t talk over anyone’s presentation, but during breaks, make an effort to get to know those around you. I’ve seen people with their attention focused on their notebooks during session intervals and wondered whether they were caught up in a story idea or too shy to talk to those nearby.

Often you’ll find tablets available on conference tables, but don’t count on them. Bring your own. I’ll always remember trying to take notes on tablets provided by a hotel with a large logo in the center of each page, making my hasty notes even more difficult than usual to decipher later.

Bring a notebook with large margin space. You will want to make notes to yourself either during the session or later when you have time to read through the tips you’ve jotted down. Flag comments that especially speak to your work in progress. You may be taking notes at flying speed while a speaker is talking. A word or two in the margin will remind you later of the work you had in mind for a particular tip or suggestion and how you meant to use it. And if you’ve taken several pages of notes, those margin reminders will make it easier to find any particular suggestion when you need to read it again.

I also flag comments I want to pass on to critique members at home or anything I think a friend will find helpful for her current work. And of course, I checkmark comments I’ll want to pass along through this column.

While I was writing this, an episode of Ugly Betty played on TV. The theme was that you don’t get what you want from life by playing it safe. You’ve got to take some risks.

Maybe you’re not ready to tackle conference organizers for a go ahead on setting up lunch and dinner groups, but why not post an invitation on the bulletin board inviting interested people to gather during a free hour to talk over conference happenings?

That quiet person who hesitates to speak to strangers may have a slant on your story idea that will make it stand out when you send it to the agent or editor you met at the conference.