Earlier this week, I had the chance to meet with a few authors talking about starting up an RWA Chapter in Oregon. One of the ideas that was floated around was what they were all missing with the discussions in writing chapters today. The big take-away was a lack of just talking about the craft. The focus all seems to me on selling digitally, new marketing techniques for self-pub authors and how to essentially do this all on your own. The joy of just talking about stories was just missing.
I bring this up because one of my authors spent sometime this morning talking with her editor about her upcoming book. When she talked to me about the conversation, she was amazingly excited! You could hear it in the passion in her voice. She spoke about how she and her editor really spent time talking "story". The conversation did not focus on sales or what the data said was the best approach.
This is truly what chapters are missing today. This is what conferences are missing.
While I did not attend the NINC conference, what I found interesting was the focus on all of the social media posts and pictures I saw. Pictures all focused on companies promoting sales. Even people who attended just sent out comments about how cool it was to listen to the head of XYZ company talk about a new approach to increase sales. I saw no posts about people talking about how excited they were to attend sessions on things such as "new ways of looking at character development" or other similar craft ideas. Even seasoned published authors love sessions like this to just get them to re-think their own writing.
I will continue to say this for a while. This is why I am so encouraged for people such as Megan Crane, Maisey Yates, Jane Porter (I know I am missing one other key name and I am sorry). and their push for this new RWA Chapter.
The hope is this will really lead to a great HAPPILY EVER AFTER!
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