What To Do At Conferences

As I was prepping some things for some up coming conferences, I started thinking again about how many mistakes authors make when attending conferences. Look, attending these single day, weekend or even week-long events can be costly with registration fees, potential hotel fees, the cost of the hotel food (which is outrageous) travel and who knows what else. You have to make the most of your time here. You simply do not want to waste it. 

And yet, so many do waste their time at these conferences.

First of all, remember that these are working weekends. DO NOT expect to go to the conference and spend the time sight seeing. That is not what you are here for. I don't care if the conference people picked great locations. I get it, putting a conference at Disneyworld or in Anaheim (which RWA has done) is tough, but you are here about the romance and the writing, not about the Mouse. 

Secondly, you are here to learn and attend workshops, not to sit in your room or on a terrace and work on your story. You have had all year to work on that story. I don't care if you are suddenly motivated now to work on it. You should have thought about that sooner. Think of that money you are spending to sit on your butt and write when you could be learning something new to make sure that story you are working on could sell.

Next, this is about networking. Quit sitting only with your friends. Meet people who can help you. I remember one year when a group I, with a group of agents came into a ball room for the lunch. this would have been a great time for authors to meet with us, pick our brains, heck, even potentially pitch a story. We walked in and when we tried to find seats, many of the tables told us that they had held the seats for their other writer friends. What did we do? We left and went to a restaurant off site, enjoyed a lunch and laughed at the fact that these authors missed out. We were there to find authors. They were there hoping to meet us, and who missed out? Hmmmm?????

Attend those editor/agent panels and ask questions that are useful. Don't ask about trends. Don't ask about things you can find on their website. Ask questions such as "What was the last book you bought and why?" Figure out what they are thinking. A lot of authors won't go to these sessions, especially with editors because the editors just spend the time talking about their books. Well, duh! But if you listen, they are telling you what they like.

Pick workshops by presenters who are actually professionals in their area and not just someone who "thinks" they know what they are talking about. If you have a choice for a workshop on improving your story between someone who is self-published and someone who has 25+ books out with a traditional publisher and real sales, who do you think you go to? Do your research ahead of time.

If you are pitching, only pitch to people who A) represent your work; B) would likely take your work; and C) if you are ready to actually send your work that day. This is not a day for practicing and if you have not done your research on the editors or agents you have no business pitching. Publishing is a business and this is not a hobby. Pitching is a job interview and editors and agents EXPECT you to take it seriously. For example, if you pitch to me a young adult novel, you will get a rejection since it is not something I represent, and more importantly, you just took away a pitch slot from someone who might have been able to really use it. 

Finally, be professional. Act professional and look professional. I for one people watch and am already making my decisions of who I would never sign based on your behavior in public.