It’s a Wrap – The Conference Review / by Barbara Baker

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Thanks for your suggestions and tips on how to handle my conference anxiety and for checking in to see how it all went. Your curiosity and concern made me blush.

Yes, I did make more than six contacts. Yes, I did attend sessions on networking, promoting and branding. Yes, I did talk to people I didn’t know. Was it nerve wracking? Yes. Did it get easier? Maybe by a hair. I have to admit though - I relaxed more when I was in sessions which dealt with the art of writing versus promoting my writing.

There were so many wise, well-versed and bestseller speakers throughout the weekend, but I want to give a shout out to two of my favourites.

The hilarious and energetic Chistine Tsai Taylor held numerous sessions on Networking Sucks. At times there was so much laughter coming from our room that people stopped by to see what was happening. And Christine set the bar much higher than I did. She told us to connect with 100 writerly people throughout the weekend. 100? What? That’s crazy talk.

But like the good students we were, we used her techniques and introduced ourselves to new people. The awkward introductions like ‘is this seat taken’ to ‘nice cowboy boots’ felt a little less uncomfortable by the end of the weekend. Note – I said ‘a little less’.

Another great presenter was Kelley Armstrong with her no-nonsense approach to breaking down the aspects of writing - all the way from that killer opening to sub-plots to setting up the back story so it pays off … an endless list of need-to-know information which, when used correctly, will make the reader turn pages into the wee hours of the morning. I have scads of notes from her sessions and when I came home, I typed out the key points, highlighted my weaknesses and put it on the wall next to my monitor.

All weekend, the hallways hummed with chatter, people comparing notes and discussions about what’s next. By Sunday it felt cool to recognize faces, get the wave, head nod or thumbs up from new comrades. I felt like I belonged.

Here’s a list of a few take aways:

• keep the reader curious but not confused (Kelley Armstrong)
• even a house can be a character if you give it depth (Bradley Somer)
• to avoid getting caught, always clear your history browser (Dave Sweet)
• remember to make small goals – it’s a thrill to achieve them and gives you drive to attain the big ones (Miranda Krogstad)
• in writing, always come in late and leave early (Kelley Armstrong)
• working together we can achieve more than we can on our own (Bradley Somer)
• an unscientific study showed the weight of a human soul is 21 grams (Dave Sweet)
• show don’t tell (this was mentioned innumerable times by many speakers)
• READ IT OUT LOUD – an email, a message, a passage. You’ll be surprised how many errors you find. (Kelley Armstrong)
• be genuine, be generous, be bold (Christine Tsai Taylor)
• give hope, take hope away (Jaunita Violini)
• rigor mortis stops and disappears 24 – 36 hours after death (Dave Sweet)
• RUE – resist the urge to explain (Kelley Armstrong)
• not everyone will like me or what I write or my shoes - I won’t take it personally (ad libbed by me from numerous presenters)

It was energizing and exhausting but coming out of the conference with a number of new insights into writing and promoting techniques was a definite win for me. When Words Collide put on another great conference.

 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

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Comfort Zones and a Writer’s Conference - by Barbara Baker

 

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I’ll be attending the When Words Collide writer’s conference in five days. Yes, I’m on a countdown. Five more sleeps. I’m excited and nervous.

In 2023 I was there with over 780 people. The energy throughout the weekend was palpable. I heard snippets of chatter about best seller details, landing book deals, acquiring agents and contracts – all music to a writer’s ear. Unfortunately, I was hesitant to step into the circle of conversationalists.

I did attend numerous sessions on learning the intricacies of writing a great book and the struggles an author might need to overcome. I also listened to speakers who shared a roadmap of their writing career and sat at the back of the room during discussions about networking and promotional ideas. My notebook was full.

But during the breaks I hightailed it out of the building and went for a walk. Alone.

This year I told myself it’s time to put on the big girl panties, immerse myself in the excitement and energy of the conference and start to network with other writers, authors, agents, publishers, illustrators, educators … the whole spectrum of folks engaged in storytelling. This time, I shake a finger in the air, I promise to be an active participant – an extrovert trait which scares the bejesus out of me.

Don’t get me wrong. The people that attend this conference are engaging and enthusiastic and helpful and clever. I have nothing to be nervous about except myself. None of them bite. It’s just my approach. Or better yet, my lack of approach.

I’m challenging myself to make six significant writerly contacts. Why six and not 10? Because 10 seems unattainable which reduces my drive to attain it. Six is still a stretch for me to achieve even though it’s daunting. As I’ve said before, it can be a scary place inside my head when I process information and act out scenarios.

If you have any tips on how to walk up to another conference attendee and start a delightful exchange that will be memorable, please send them my way. Help me to not stick my size nine foot in my mouth and frighten anyone. At the very least, help me to say something engaging beyond ‘hi’. If it’s my only chance to make a significant impression, I want it to be a good one. And if you’re going to the conference, I hope to see you there.

In five days, away I will go, pushing myself far out of my comfort zone and since I’ve told you all about it, I feel accountable to succeed. Wish me luck.

 

Contact info: bbaker.write@gmail.com

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