Monday, March 21, 2011

To Conference or Not To Conference?

What I'm reading: Dying for a Date, by Cindy Sample

In two days, I'll be on the road to Santa Fe for the Left Coast Crime conference. It's the first time I've attended this one, and I'm looking forward to meeting new authors, many of whom are names from internet groups.

Why go to conferences? They're expensive, after all, and unless you're a big enough name to be a featured speaker, you're going to have to pay for transportation, lodging, meals, and registration fees. But there's a lot to be gained as well.

What should you look for?
What's the target audience of the conference? I lean toward romance conferences, because that's where my books fall, but I also attended SleuthFest, a mystery conference for years, because my books all have mystery themes. Left Coast Crime is a relatively small, regional conference, and since I couldn't get back to Florida for SleuthFest, I decided to try this one. The fact that it's driveable helped a lot. (I admit that when I signed up to attend, there was the distant hope that I'd be joining the ranks of mystery writers, but that didn't happen). But even though my books fall into the romance genre, I still consider them mysteries.

Is the conference geared toward readers or authors? Reader conferences tend to be geared toward 'fun' and they're a way to meet readers as well as authors. Publishers might showcase their authors, there are games, meet-and-greets, and a lot of social events. Author conferences are geared toward the professional side. Agents and editors often accept pitches, so you can try to move up a rung on the ladder toward publications. Sessions cover professional and craft topics, so you can learn more about all the aspects of writing.

How big is the conference? Are you going to be a small fish in a huge pond? Large conferences might be overwhelming, but this might be your chance to meet a LOT of industry professionals. Smaller conferences won't have as many agents and editors, but there's less competition for slots, and you might feel less like an outsider if you're new.



What will you get out of the conference?
Right now, I'm going to Left Coast Crime, and to RomCon, which is a smaller reader's conference in Denver. (And I'd love to meet some of you there—have you noticed there's a $20 off coupon here—in the sidebar, and in the "Deals and Steals" page.) I've also submitted proposals for workshops at two other regional romance conferences. With budgetary considerations first and foremost these days, I'm targeting conferences where I can present a workshop, and in most cases, get some of my expenses deferred.

The smaller mystery conferences use a slightly different model—at least the one's I'm familiar with. Instead of accepting proposals for workshops, they use the panel system. Authors attending are seated on panels and they'll discuss a specific topic. For LCC, I'll be doing a panel on Sex and Romance in Mysteries with two other authors. However, until the moderator gets back to us with her questions, I don't really know what I'm going to talk about.

Giving workshops and speaking on panels gives you exposure. I've got bookmarks, I'm making chapter booklets, and I'll pack a few cartons of books for the signing. It's a marketing opportunity (that dreaded M word again.) But most of all, at a conference, you have a chance to interact with real, live people—something out of the ordinary daily routine for most writers.

So, you've decided to go to a conference. I'll be back with what I've learned about how to prepare, and what to do when you get there in another post.

8 comments:

Kathryn Scannell said...

Conferences can be a great deal of fun, particularly if you can go with someone who's an extrovert and will introduce you to people. I'm not good at the networking thing in person, so having someone to break the ice with me is a great thing.

Just meeting other authors and talking shop gives me a huge shot in the arm in motivation. I came home from the last conference I attended with a pack of new ideas. Right now I'm setting my sights on next year's World Fantasy Convention in Toronto.

Terry Odell said...

Kathryn, I totally agree that a conference can light new fires into the writing motivation.

Carol Kilgore said...

I've been to three conferences and loved them all. They're totally energizing. Have fun at LCC.

Maryannwrites said...

Great overview of how to get the most out of a conference. I've been to many over the years and, as many have said here, they are so energizing. No matter what else I learned, or the contacts I made, I was always grateful to come home and have several weeks of creative energy driving me.

Courtney Rene said...

I have yet to make it to any in person conferences, but one of these days I will bite the bullet and force myself to go. Thanks for the great info.

ctny
www.ctnyrene.blogspot.com

Terry Odell said...

Carol, Maryann - definitely. The energy sizzles at these things.

Courtney - by all means. See if there's a small, local conference near you to start.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I love conferences, but I'll admit that I have a hard time getting away from the children. I was at the Cape Fear Crime Festival this year and loved it. I made it to Malice Domestic last year, but needed to give it a pass this year. I have to juggle a lot to get to one.

Terry Odell said...

Elizabeth, I admit to the luxury of an empty nest and even when I was working, I worked from home with flexible hours. It can be hard to get away without a lot of advance planning.