Writers Confernce thoughts

If you're a writer, make writer's conferences a planned part of your life. Period.

That said, now you have to figure out which ones to go to. There are so many wonderful choices, it really is hard to go wrong.

For me, it comes down to a few criteria.
*How much does it cost?
*How many days do I have to be away from home?
*Do the dates conflict with other things in my life that I cannot (or should not) get out of?
*Are there nationally recognized presenters in attendance?

If I had a limitless supply of money, I would absolutely attend more conferences. I love them.

At the SCBWI conference I attended a few weeks ago, someone asked me if I had gotten anything out of it. I have to admit I was taken back from the question because it's the last thing I would have expected to hear. But the answer is always the same- yes. I always get something out of writers conferences, no matter how big or small they are.

Sometimes I'll hear the same exact things, but I think about it in a new way or apply it to my WIP. Because where I am in life changes everyday, what I hear and learn when I go to classes changes too.

The LDStorymakers Conference is coming up this weekend. I've been working with some talented people to help organize some of the aspects of this conference- but that aside- I can honestly say that this is my favorite writers conference hands down.

Do you have to be LDS to attend? No way. We have nationally recognized agents, this year a St. Martin's Press editor and national authors both LDS and not presenting. If you've never considered this Utah conference, look into it.

And the price is extremely reasonable. How can that be? I still don't know, but I'm not complaining.

Agents attending this year...
Sara Crowe with Harvey Klinger, Inc.
Sara Megibow with Nelson Literary Agency
Becca Stumpf with Prospect Agency

And we have Marcia Markland, Senior Editor with Thomas Dunne Books, which is a part of St. Martin's Press.
Other editors are...
Lisa Mangum with Deseret Book
Kirk Shaw, Senior Editor for Covenant Communications

And the list of presenters is incredible as well. There are so many subjects covered in presentations that you have up to eight choices of classes to attend every hour for two days.

Don't forget the pitch sessions. Each agent is taking 25 pitches and the editors nearly as many. Since attendees can only sign up for one pitch, it means we have well over 100 people pitching to an editor or agent this weekend.

Just under 500 people are registered for the LDStorymakers Conference this year. There's a good reason for that. This is simply one of the most organized, well put together, professional and helpful conferences in the Northwest. People fly from all over the country to attend.

It makes me feel lucky that it's only a six hour drive for me.

So, if it seems I've disappeared off the face of the earth this weekend, it's only because I'm busy loving the writers conference, catching up with old writing friends and having the time of my life.