Writing Events and Conferences
Find your tribe; there you’ll find energy.
I wrote this back in 2019 and I’d just come back from the annual Romance Writers of Australia Conference — refreshed, re-energized, and buzzing with ideas and information. This was back in a world when conferences and face-to-face meetings were taken for granted.
The information is still relevant. I attended an online writing conference and it was as good as an in-person event for generating writing buzz, ideas, and imparting information. I’m sure as I get more used to the online environments being developed for this purpose, it will become easier too.
I gather so much energy and information at writing events and conferences, I then attended my first reader event. There was so much positive energy in that room. The absolute thrill I received meeting someone who ‘gets’ your story, loves your characters, and wants to chat about the people and world that lived inside your head was incomparable.
Nothing is more uplifting for a writer than someone waiting enthusiastically, but also patiently, for your next book.
Later again, I went to a writing festival where I sat all day immersed in writing discussions, chats about changing the world and society, conversations about things that matter and words that provoke. My mind was filled and buzzing. So much energy and discussion that I was sparking with new ideas.
The energy at these events is incredible. No matter how small or large they are, online or in-person, there are positive vibes to soak up. Most writers are readers too, so if you’re worried about attending and don’t know what to say, you chat with other writers/readers about books. Fan girl/guy your favorite writer. Thank the reader who ‘gets’ you.
Going to these events can be disconcerting, especially if you’re shy, an introvert, new to the scene, attending on your own. However, for me, it’s been worth pushing myself out of my comfort zone every time.
When a bunch of people, who share a common goal, get together there’s an air I struggle to describe. There’s a community feel, as we share goals and knowledge, celebrate achievements, and exchange hopes and dreams. But it’s more than that. So much more than that.
Ideas exchange. Old friends meet up. New friends are made. Things are said face-to-face which may never be able to be said in writing. Problems are shared and sometimes solved. There’s a buzz in the air. A hum of expectation.
In the age of social media, so many familiar faces wander by and you’re hit with a Tweet they wrote, or a Facebook reply they left you. Maybe there’s a reviewer who wrote something wonderful. Online friends become real. You may even sit beside, or be introduced to, your writing hero.
I come away from these events thrilled, drained, full of happy exuberance, and desperately needing quiet time. It’s fabulous and awful all at once!
Managing in-person attendance
As someone who has had poor health and a low immune system, managing myself at these events has been tricky. For some years, I went full-on into a conference and did every event I possibly could, stayed up late talking to friends, and figured I’d catch up on sleep later. This was my recipe for a certain post-conference-collapse. I’d end up with a flu/cold that would stick with me for months. It made the conference something I shouldn’t attend…but I needed to!
In 2015, I was quite sick and didn’t go to the annual writing conference. I missed out on so much news, events and connection. In 2016, I did something a little different. Some years before, I’d attended a science conference and had stayed at this motel around the corner rather than at the conference venue. I decided to re-create history. I also opted not to go to the ‘social’ side of the conference because I didn’t want to make myself sicker than I had been. It was a genius move.
I attended the conference to learn industry news, catch up with friends, exchange information, but when I became overwhelmed, I went for a walk to my motel, or the beach, or outside. I wasn’t compelled to stay and remain in the overwhelmed state. Sure, I missed things, lots of things, but I was there and I didn’t miss everything.
I’ve done the same thing the last few years and so far so good. I’m not spending months in a debilitated state because I’ve overdone it.
If you suffer from attending, maybe attending in a different way may allow you to have some of the great vibe from an event, without the fallout.
As a writer often working in isolation, it can be important to get the vibe from conferences and writing events, but remember to manage these events to maximise what YOU need to get from them. It’s not compulsory to attend everything — but if you want to, please party extra hard for me!
