Friday, May 16, 2014

Mixing Work With Pleasure

Today, tomorrow and for part of the day on Sunday, I'll be enjoying myself at the  annual Pennwriters Conference held in Lancaster, PA. This writers' group caters to all levels and genres of writing. Short stories, non-fiction, poetry and fiction will be covered in the workshops. Agents and editors will be taking pitches and offering general advice during panel sessions. Really, there's too much going on to describe here.

I don't have any new works ready to pitch to anyone but I'll attend workshops to hone some skills. I'm looking forward to a workshop on short stories and another on advanced techniques with online media. I still haven't figured out how Linked In helps me. Anything on promotion will probably find me in attendance. The keynote dinner speaker is Kami Garcia. Maybe I can learn how to get one of my novels turned into a major motion picture from her.

Another great thing about the conference is getting the chance to mix with other writers. There are a few I've known for a while but it's been a while since I've seen them personally. And I'm sure I'll meet some new writerly friends.

Like previous conferences, the sessions and the people I meet will provide material for this blog for a few weeks to come. I think I had material for an entire month last time I attended.

And finally, nothing gets the muse galloping for me like mixing around with other writers. I find them so inspiring and supportive that I just want to go home and write and write.

If you could attend a writing conference with any guest speaker you wished, who would it be? What is one workshop you would attend if you could pick any subject? Is there a particular workshop you would feel comfortable teaching?

18 comments:

Heather R. Holden said...

Hope you have fun at the conference! I wouldn't be able to resist anything centered on promotion, either. (I always feel I fail abysmally at that!)

Liza said...

Hope you enjoy the conference. I haven't mustered up the nerve to attend one yet...

Ellie Garratt said...

I wouldn't feel comfortable teaching, but I'd love to go to a conference. Enjoy!

Unknown said...

Have a wonderful time, Susan--can't wait to hear what you've learned.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Have a great time! Looking forward to all the info you'll share here on the blog. :)

Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

Robin said...

I can't wait to read your posts that come out of this conference. Maybe you will find out how to turn your novel into a major motion picture... woot!

Pat Hatt said...

Hope you have a grand time, there are none even around here. Not that I'd go anyway, hide away at my bay lol

Michael Di Gesu said...

Conferences are so amazing! Have a great time and lean TONS so we can learn from you.....

I always wanted to attend the SCBWI conference in LA... I've been to the one in NYC, but I hear the LA one is even better!

And mixing with writers is THE BEST. I left the conference EXHILARATED! and HOPEFUL. I can't wait to attend another...

Christine Rains said...

Have fun! I'd love to attend a writer's convention. Stephen King would be the ideal guest speaker. And I don't think I'd be comfortable teaching anything!

cleemckenzie said...

I've met Kami and she's delightful. I'm sure her keynote was great.

I really enjoyed hearing Sherman Alxie at an LA SCBWI Conference. He was amazing.

The Happy Whisk said...

Conferences can be fun, that's for sure. Enjoy and boogie boogie.

D.G. Hudson said...

Have fun! and please do share your conference experience. I'll forward to reading your posts.

Lucky you.

David P. King said...

Conferences have proved pivotal to my writing career. I wish I had learned of them and attended sooner. Have a good time now! :)

Cate Masters said...

Someday I want to go to RT. One of my Bucket List items is to go to the Belize workshop.
Have a great time! Wish I could go too.

Chrys Fey said...

If you can believe it, I've never been been to a writer's conference. I dream of it, but don't know when it'll happen. Have fun for me!!! :P

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I would love to attend the conference in Surrey and take one of Donald Maass' classes on editing. Not that lucky, sadly. Hope you have a great time, Susan.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I would love to attend the conference in Surrey and take one of Donald Maass' classes on editing. Not that lucky, sadly. Hope you have a great time, Susan.

Mark Koopmans said...

Hey,

I won't hope... I *Bet* you had a great time at the WC.

I love those things... I swear it's so nice to tell strangers you're a writer and *not* have that weird look cross their face :)

I'd give up a year's worth of painful hang nails to attend a conference with Stephen King... that man has an imagination !!!