Recap of 2009 BEA/WD Writers Conference

We had another amazing year at our writers conference hosted in conjunction with BookExpo America. Here are a few places you can find reaction and summaries: We were honored to…

We had another amazing year at our writers conference hosted in conjunction with BookExpo America. Here are a few places you can find reaction and summaries:

We were honored to have Ron Hogan from GalleyCat at our conference, where he live-tweeted N.M. Kelby's session:

  • Sitting in on N.M. Kelby's Closet Writer's Workshop. She's got 2 books coming out in September.
  • N.M. Kelby's advice starts with believing in yourself.
  • N.M. Kelby quotes Robert Frost: "No writer has ever been corrected into importance."
  • N.M. Kelby has another Frost: "Why have we wings if not to seek friends at an elevation?"
  • "write. read. write more. travel. write even more. repeat. And show people your work!"
  • "When I say 'get a hobby,' I mean it. There's nothing that will drive you crazier than writing."
  • N.M. Kelby also preaches the importance of proper nutrition for writers. Live mindfully!
  • "When you write, it's art. Once you send it out, it's business."
  • "If you can give the book to your mother-in-law," it can become a bestseller. "But more importantly, if the publisher doesn't treat the book like a bestseller, it's unlikely to be one."
  • "Publishing is all about relationships. Play nice." Join writers groups, be active in the literary community.

If you'd like some images from the event, I've posted several on my Picasa account—click here.

Jane Friedman is a full-time entrepreneur (since 2014) and has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and is the former publisher of Writer’s Digest. In addition to being a columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses, Jane maintains an award-winning blog for writers at JaneFriedman.com. Jane’s newest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press, 2018).