Post Conference Notes

Writer Wednesday

As I mentioned last week, I attended the Chicago-North Spring Fling Conference over the weekend.  I went prepared, and had a wonderful time.  The best part was re-connecting with old friends, and being with some I hadn't seen in two years. 

But now that conference is over, there are lists to write and tasks to do.  I plan to look through all the goodies I received and sort them into piles. 

There are books I want to read, and some to pass along to other readers if I've already read them.  I'm keeping a sampling of bookmarks, especially those new trading card-sized ones.  I'd never seen them before the weekend.  That's how long it's been since I've been to a conference.  I thought the idea behind them was very creative.  Authors design one for every book or character, and readers try to collect them all.  Trading cards for books!  How cool is that? 

I took all my notes in one notebook.   I want to review everything and follow up with web sites, speaker's recommendations, and marketing ideas.  I'm off to Facebook to "Like" some new author pages, and to incorporate some ideas into my pages.

How about you?  Did you have an appointment with an editor or agent?  While at conference, the agents informed us that they only receive about 30% of the manuscripts or partials they request from authors.  Thirty percent?  That number astounded me.  Getting published isn't easy.  So it's critical that you take advantage of every opportunity you get to put your work in front of a publishing house. 

I came home excited and inspired.  The stories I heard reminded me why I started writing so many years ago.  And why I want to go back.  So how coincidental is it that my fortune cookies that evening were "Allow your mind to absorb new knowledge" and "Bring something up from the back burner."  It's a sign!  And I taped them to my keyboard as a reminder. 

What did you come away with from conference?