Are WRITERS' CONFERENCES worth-while?

[mike m.]

[quote="pls"]Most conferences I've participated in have been very useful. However, I do recall one so-called critiquer, a nationally-known agent, no less, who immediately began asking me questions about my submission to make me realize that he hadn''t read the piece at all … in contrast to Craig Johnson, the well-known western novelist, whose comments were very helpful and positive.[/quote]
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if you go with a goal
and can achieve that then a conference may be good

but if you just go then it is an expensive social event

if you want to pitch to publishers then you need to have something ready to promote
if you want critiques and feedback again you need to take something for them to see to comment on

JUST going to a conference in order to GO to a conference is still imho a waste of money in the sense that a vacation is an expense

[mike m.]

[quote="Oldtimer"]Mikey-boy asked whether writers' conferences are worth-while. He immediately received three responses, all giving a different point of view (A maybe, from Rob-lost; Books are better, from Mike M, and a resounding "yes" from Ostarella). The following 24 responses fell into the pantster/outliner swamp.

I wonder who Mikey-boy heeded, if anyone? I have been thinking about attending a conference but it would mean spending money I wouldn't want to waste. So - back to the OP, fellow forumites. Any more yeas, nayes, or maybes?[/quote]
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mikeyboy esq dances to his own drummer

as to you, oldtimer, i would say attending a conference is like making a major purchase

can you afford it
could you use the money better on something else

what do you expect to get from the conference that is worth the cost
will you get that
are you prepared to make the most of the conference
eg if you want to pitch to publishers do you have a mss and a marketing package
if you want critques do you have an mss for them to comment on

what is the reason you are going and will you get enough value for your money ?
only you can decide that

if it is education i stick with my assertion that spending that money on books will be far more productive

[rob-lost]

Many conferences have fees, but not all. If costs are an issue, look around for free ones. At the very least, you may get a feel for what these conferences do (and don't do).

[T.A.Rodgers]

Conferences are what you make of them. Granted I need to write something that is sellable, but from just the conference I go to in NY I have had many successes. One, I have dozens of agents that know me and will accept partials or fulls just because they know who I am. A hand full of them, I just send my whole novel to, will read anything I write. I'm working with an agent now on a revise/resubmit and it all happened because of the conference. Two, I have made so many friends with published authors that I have built in beta readers and have worked one on one with some of them. I've even had several huge mega selling authors read my novels and supply feedback. This is all because of going to the same conference every year. Yes, it's expensive, but it will pay off in the long run.

[ostarella]

Bit of an off-shoot but is there a listing of conferences anywhere on the forum? Might be nice to have one, updated as needed, so people can more easily find ones closer to home, or within budgets.

[Oldtimer]

[quote="ostarella"]Bit of an off-shoot but is there a listing of conferences anywhere on the forum? Might be nice to have one, updated as needed, so people can more easily find ones closer to home, or within budgets.[/quote]

I think that would be a great idea. They are listed in the WD magazine but that only comes out once a month, roughly.

[Brien Sz]

I did two WD Conferences. I thought it was worth it. You do have to have in mind what you want to get from it. The Pitch Slam is the big attraction to these things because you have an opportunity to pitch your work to an agent. Many of the panels and forums are pretty good as well. I picked up some worthy tid-bits and jotted down lots of notes. I would look over all the panels and such offered. If you can't fill the day or mostly fill the day with interesting sessions, then I would not bother.

[Dreaming Imrryr]

Conferences would be worth it if the cost was not too expensive.