4 Questions To Answer “Yes” to Before Attending a Writers’ Conference

It’s easy to get caught up when reading an attractive conference website and realizing all the great people who will be there and how much you can learn (there’s always more to learn). But is it the right thing for you at this moment?

I tell my students there’s really only one reason to go: you want to make connections to people who can help you publish. That’s because I think workshops can be risky if you are not fully prepared and in marketing mode. If you are still nurturing your baby, not ready to bring her out into the light of day, a writers’ conference can be a dangerous place. It can leave you feeling deflated, or like there’s no room for your book, or even that you have to start all over.

I have had more than one writer confide in me that the experience of going to a writing conference was overwhelming and intimidating. They felt shy and uncertain, not confident about approaching the presenters, and sometimes even directly discouraged by them or by other writers.

I encourage people to treat their most creative side, the delicate, sensitive writer, very carefully. She should not be the one in the lead when you go to a workshop. Instead you need to bring out your business side, the part of you that can hear feedback and not take it personally, or who can take in information and decide later. If you don’t have that side of you developed yet, you might want to be cautious about plunging into the world of writing conferences.

So here is a check-list I have created to help you discern whether it’s right for you right now:

Do you have a first draft? It doesn’t have to be final final, but it should be the best you can do right now.
Do you feel comfortable enough with it to be able to show it to people?
Are you ready for feedback?
Are you ready to get to the next level—either in your writing or in taking it on to publication?

If you can answer yes to all these, a writing conference can be a great help.

I had one student who was gifted attendance at a local writers’ conference that was focused in her genre. She didn’t actually feel ready to go, she would not have answered most of these questions with yes. She probably would not have gone if it wasn’t a gift. However, because this conference was set up to support writers in the writing process, and not just focused on publishing and marketing, she found it a positive experience overall. She has been able to use what she learned, and will attend another conference when her manuscript is further along.

Once you decide to go, you should be prepared with an “elevator pitch” about your book, and you should definitely pay extra, if possible, to have an editor or agent read your work. Keep in mind that agents and editors attend workshops like these in order to find new writers. That’s what they are there for. So make the most of it, spend your money wisely, and make those connections. You may actually find your dream agent or editor!