Make the Most Out of a Writers Conference
Literary agent Chip MacGregor (MacGregor Literary) has posted an article from the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents on his blog. The article is all about how to Make the Most Out of a Writers Conference.
Literary agent Chip MacGregor (MacGregor Literary) has posted an article from the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents on his blog. The article is all about how to Make the Most Out of a Writers Conference.
I hope you find the article helpful. If you're headed out to a conference soon and are confused are what to expect and/or how to maximize your experience, check out the article, and if you're feeling saucy, check out the entire 2010 GLA.
Here's an excerpt:
WHO WILL YOU MEET?
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of a conference is writers' ability to meet the power players and decision makers in the publishing world. In addition, they can make contacts and form partnerships with their fellow writers. Here are three different types of people you will meet.
Peers and writers
This is where the schmoozing comes in. Besides classes and presentations, there are usually dinners as well as meet-and-greet opportunities, not to mention simply banding together at night and hitting the hotel lobby or nearby bar to relax and talk. Perhaps you didn't even know the regional writers' group in charge existed, and may be able get involved with the organization.
Agents
Perhaps the biggest draw, agents attend conferences for a specific reason: to find potential clients. They are bombarded with pitches and request writing samples from those attendees who dazzle them with a good idea or pitch. Short of an excellent referral, conferences are the best way to snag an agent, so take advantage of meeting one. (I found my literary agent at a conference. Trust me: They work.)
Chuck Sambuchino is a former editor with the Writer's Digest writing community and author of several books, including How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Create Your Writer Platform.
