Keeping an Eye on the Conference Scene

Since we’ve just begun 2009 (about nineteen days or so ago . . . but who’s counting?), I am finding myself in the process of mapping out what writing conferences I’m going to be attending this year and which one’s I’ll be staying far, far away from.

Going to conferences is an excellent way for a beginning writer to establish contacts in the publishing world. Where else can you go and rub elbows with agents, editors, and award winning writers? Where else might you have the potential to compose a list of questions and have them answered by an highly respected agent, or have an influential editor read part of your work and tell you if you've mastered the steps to effective writing?

I won’t belabor the benefit of attending conferences; every writer must decide for himself whether the expense and time are worth the potential contacts and helpful hints. I can honestly say, however, that I have not regretted a single conference I have been to (for a variety of reasons).

Below is a very brief list of some conferences that some may find interesting:

• Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference
• Romance Writers of America Conference
• South Carolina Writers' Workshop
• Writers' Retreat Workshop
• Southern California Writers' Conference
• Backspace Writers' Conference

This is far from an exhaustive list of available conferences throughout the year; truthfully, there are so many more that I gave up looking through all of them. And let it also be known that we, at The Writers’ Pointe, are in no way endorsing any of the above sites; they were simply randomly chosen. My best advice is to go somewhere like Google, type in “writers’ conference” along with your location and see what comes up.

Whatever your decision, make sure to plan ahead. Some can be costly, and some require travel arrangements. I believe, from numerous personal experiences, you will find most to be inspiring and entertaining . . . perhaps in ways you had not even imagined.

--Mandy

How Determined Are You?

At some point in my senior year of college, I knew I wanted to be a college professor. Up until that time, I had no clue about the future. When people asked me what I planned to do after graduation, my stock response was, “I don’t know, but I’ll never teach.” Then, one day, I came to a personal understanding of the old adage “never say never.” Teaching was in my future . . . and so was five years of graduate study.

I approached the two year Masters program I entered with excitement and eagerness. Doctoral work was another story altogether. Fear, anxiety, stress, worry, those were the hallmarks of the Ph.D. for me. Many days, I battled the fear of failure. What if I couldn’t handle the workload? How in the world would I recall every shred of information I needed to pass the oral and written comprehensive exams? What if I couldn’t write the dissertation? What if I wrote the dissertation only to have it rejected?

I vividly remember long days and all-nighters writing essay upon essay upon essay. My social life was non-existent, particularly in the nine months leading up to comprehensive exams as my schedule consisted of studying and short breaks for eating. The only variety came on Sunday when I took time out for church in the morning and evening. Earning the Ph.D. was my full-time, seven-day-a-week job.

So why am I telling you my sob story? Because just as determination was key in my successfully completing graduate work, it is crucial to your life as a writer as well.

I’m not at all suggesting that you should approach writing with the level of insanity I attacked the doctoral degree. I would say, though, that your dream to write won’t become reality unless you take prisoner all excuses. Force doubts about your ability from your mind. Reject mediocrity in your writing. Hone your skills. And write.

Perseverance pays off. I have a degree I’m proud of, a rewarding teaching career, and a slew of wonderful students to keep me motivated.

Maybe your payoff will be a best seller or a long, productive writing career. Or maybe it’ll simply be the satisfaction of knowing that every day you’ve lived true to your passion to share your life with others via the written word.

--Cheryl

A Successful Writer's Secret Weapon

Be careful with whom you share your dreams.

A very wise friend, who just so happens to coauthor this blog with me, has told me this on several occasions. And I’d like to pay the advice forward.

I think writers have very difficult and occupation-specific struggles. We’re proud of our talents and abilities and are eager to share our goals and aspirations with others. But the world is full of people who either deliberately, or sometimes unintentionally, shred our dreams with a careless word. Some are motivated by envy to destroy another’s hope and belief in himself; others are too pessimistic to see a successful future for anyone in such a competitive market.

With that being said, every writer needs to have someone to confide in, to bounce ideas off of, and to celebrate or commiserate with. One of the most powerful tools in a writer’s arsenal is an honest, encouraging confidant—someone who can run alongside you, offering advice, praise, and the occasional painful lecture. I can’t tell you how many times Cheryl’s had to give me a swift kick in the pants, in order to reenergize me or help rein in my focus. And she’s been my biggest cheerleader, believing in me when I was ready to throw in the proverbial towel.

The fact that I’m still dedicated to this life as a struggling writer is a testament to the power of having a small handful of people who are respectful of my dream and unafraid of pushing me past what I think I can do. So my advice for today is to find the person or persons who are genuinely invested in your journey, who want your success almost as much as you do.

“I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me,

and I didn’t have the heart to let him down . . .”
--Abraham Lincoln

--Mandy