Writing tip #9

Contest, Conferences, Agents and Editors…. Submitting that script for consideration
Part 2 of 3

So last time I talked about contests and I mentioned that many of the best contests are connected with writer’s conferences.  This time I want to talk about conferences and why you should really consider them as part of your profession.

Writer’s conferences vary greatly from place to place and from genre to genre so while I will be giving you some basics make sure you do some (actually a lot) of research on your own before you attend any conferences.

The first type of conference you may which to attend would be a genre specific conference.  Now these are much rarer than other types because they are often held only once a year and they are not necessarily state constant, in other words they move the venues every year to different cities in different states.  Often these conferences are the “national” conference for the genre.  For me the one which applies is the Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference.  The last one of these I attended was held in Dallas, Texas and the next year it was held in San Francisco, California so it’s easy to imagine the expense involved in just getting to the conferences.  However, I do recommend trying to attend at least one of these national conferences at least once (preferably after you are published but not necessarily).  The reason is the extent of professionalism you will be exposed to.  The agents and editors who attend these conferences are the best in the business they are the ones who regularly find the “next” NY Times Best Seller and secure those six figure advances.  They do not in any way “screw around” with one hit wonders.  They know the publishing and writing business better than anyone could and what you learn from them can be the key to unlocking your career success as a writer.  These conferences are also attended by the top selling published authors in the business and at least for the most part this is when those writers are most accessible.  They come to these conferences ready to mingle, even with a unpublished nobody writer who may not even have any talent.  They come ready to not only enlighten you to the paths you must take but to encourage you to keep at the craft even when you have received that 1000^th rejection letter.  They also come baring gifts of free novels and promotional which can help you decide on the kind of items you may want to use to promote yourself and your works.

Now, the second type of conference you can look into are the “general” or fiction/nonfiction conferences.  These conferences are usually held annually and locally (or relatively locally) in most every major city in every state.  Most are pretty cost effective and you get a lot of “bang for your buck”.  I typically attend two each year in my area one put on by a city level writers origination (which is not really limited to just the city) the other by a state level organization.  These conferences are usually organized by committee made of up the heads of the local individual writers groups.  So in my case the local chapter of RWA helps in the selection of agents, editors and guest speakers who will be attending.  The RWA chapter works with the Sci-Fi chapters and the Nonfiction chapters so that the conference is equally attended by representatives of each specific genre and they often only ask those agents and editors who are ACTIVELY acquiring NEW writers to attend.  This gives you a chance to put your name and work out there and to become experienced in the act of submitting work for consideration.

So, how to go about attending conferences, what to do when you get there and how to save money.

The best advice I can give you is do research.  Find a few conferences you might like to attend.  Look at who will be attending as an agent/editor who will be attending s a guest speaker.  If you see there will be an agent or editor you might like to work with (your “dream agent”) then do some research on that person specifically.  Look into what he or she has recently done.  Who did they just acquire, who did they sell and to what house and for how much.  Most agents have their own web pages so this is not hard thing to do.  If you find the agent has acquired and sold someone new go find that book and read it to see who much like your work the book might be.  Agents are like writers they like certain kinds of “voice” and you can save time, money and disappointment by targeting who would most likely be interested in you.

You will also want to look into who will be guest speaking.  Now agents and editors will all be giving seminars but conferences also have published authors attending and doing the same.  If you look at these authors and what they write you can best choose if you want to sit in on those seminars.

Now once you have selected a conference to attend you will have to send in your conference fees and usually an attendance sheet marked with any considerations you may have such as limited diet or handicap needs.  Many of these sheets will also ask you if you want to submit to a contest, pitch to an agent or participate in an “open read” (which I will explain some other time).  If you have a completed manuscript which is polished and in proper format then I do recommend doing a pitch (which again I will explain later) even if you are rejected at the table you at least get the experience and that first time case of nerves is banished.   If you do not have a finished script then do not worry about it conferences are still a valuable tool.  The seminars will take your hand and walk you through the process from that first word to first sell.

Once you have gotten to the conference though you really do need to make the most of it.  Even if you will not be pitching or doing any type of open read yourself you need to set yourself up to gain as much information as your brain can possible take in and then some.  The main thing to remember is you are not the only person there attending for the first time, you are not the only one there who really doesn’t understand writing as a business or even writing as a craft.  Find some people and make new friends and contacts.  Network.  This will be the key to getting more out of the conference.  Make a list of the seminars you want to attend and if there is more than one in a specific time frame and you must choose find someone who will be going to the one you will miss and ask them for their notes.  Many conferences make recordings of each seminar and sell those recordings it’s an expense but sometimes worth it.  MINGLE.  I can stress this enough.  There will be agents, editors, authors, publishing professionals and so many others just hanging out approach them, ask them question, talk about life, family, school and of course writing.  I once made very good friends with the lead editor of Paladin Publishing by being there when he order crab cakes at the bar and only received one.  We had a heavy discussion about false advertizing, customer service and “dressing” for dinner.  He asked why I was there I said I am a writer (not knowing who he was) he said did I write well I said I thought so and he gave me his card and said submit to him he’s give a full read though.  Sadly I never did as when I got home I did some research on Paladin and found it was embroiled in a court case and being sued, but again that is a responsibility a professional writer has and a choice I made.  Again though and back to my point do not sit in the corner and say nothing.  Put yourself out there remember you are not just selling your script you are selling YOU.  The last thing you will want to do at a conference is find out if there is a local writer’s group who will take you as a member.  You will want to first decide if you want a critique group or a writing group they are different and at a later date I will explain the difference.  If you find a group that will suit and you can join then and there do so.  There is nothing like a group of supportive people who can cry with you over a rejection, cheer with you over a success and encourage and teach you the craft.  Get involved with one.

The last thing I want to tell you here is a few ideas on how to save some money.  Conference fees and contest entrance fees are just something you have to choke up (unless you submit to a contest where the grand prize is the conference fees).  But you can do things like contact the person who is answering question about the conference and see if there is a list of people who want to share a hotel room with someone so to divide the cost (which is usually discounted for the conference already) sharing a room is really the best way to save.  So is carpooling.  There may also be a list of people who want to attend but need transportation find out and carpool.  Pack a few food items.  Most conferences will provide a breakfast and a dinner but lunch will be on you. A cooler pack and then stored in the room’s refrigerator will save you a few dollars for sure and help with those late night hungries when you are still up processing all you learned that day.  It is way cheaper than room service.  And lastly as I said before make friends and find people who attended different seminars to get their notes and their feedback.  If you are going to attend and pay all the money to get there, stay there and be there you might as well get as much from it as you can.

Like contests conferences are just one of the many ways to get your manuscript before an audience of people who very well could be looking for a writer with your story to tell.  Keep them in mind as a tool but do not expect them to be the only tool you will need.  Next time I will explain agents and editors and how there are not as scary as you might believe.

Till then I hope this helps and READ ON!!

Writing Tip 8

Contests, Conferences, Agents and Editors… Submitting that script for consideration
Part 1 of 3

So back to writing as a profession:

  I was talking to someone who “hopes to someday be a published author” and when I asked if she had completed a story, she said she had finished a few short stories.  And when I asked if she had submitted them anywhere she said “No, I don’t want anyone to steal them and I don’t know how to copyright them.”

  Now I managed not to laugh, but I am sure my expression showed my dismay because she got a little bent out of shape.  So let me explain to you as I explained to her….  No one is going to steal your work…. Not as an unpublished author, not even as a published author with only small sales.  you really need to be someone like Stephen King or Bertrice Small; multi published and big earnings before someone will attempt to steal your material and by then you have the entire publishing house backing you so no need to worry then either.

  Look, if your goal is publication you MUST submit your work.  No publisher is going to call you up and say “hey I was wondering do you have a book I can buy from you?”  It’s not going to happen.

  But the idea of submitting is scary (and I don't mean as in Fifty Shades of Grey).  It means putting your work and in a way your inner self out there for ….REJECTION.  And yes you will get rejected but that is for another day.  Submitting work can also be an expense a new writer can barely afford.

  So what are some ways to submit your manuscript which produce the best results?

  Well you have some options.  If you are a new writer still testing out your ability I recommend submitting to writing contests.  I don’t mean ones you find in the back of Readers Digest.  I mean the ones connected to specific writers’ groups and writers’ conferences.  I mean going to the net and “googling” writing conferences and then finding the one which is specific to your genre and then entering the contest associated with that conference.

  Here’s why; these contests over the one’s advertised in say Writer’s Digest (not that you can't enter those as well and even find some conference contests advertised in those magazines)).  The contests associated with conferences tend to have judges who are multi-published authors, agents seeking new clients, and acquiring editors so even if you do not win the contest you may catch someone’s eye who can then move you forward.

   These contests also have, in my opinion, better prizes.  Rather than cash or some publication in some low distribution magazine, contests offer prizes like, coverage of conference fees to attend and a sit down with an agent or editor, they also have prizes like a full read through by an agent or editor of your manuscript. 

   Entrance fees are usually moderate and submitting is generally streamlined so that you can submit multiple scripts or to multi contests without having to change format or submission requirements.  You generally mail in all copies (most require 3) to one place and the contest coordinators then send them to the judges so you don’t have to.  And best of all IF you send along a self addressed, stamped envelope these judges will send you back your submission with their notes about your writing right on the paper.  Just think even if you do not place in the contest you still win the prize of a FREE professional critique.

  Most major conferences’ contests also publish a small pamphlet and if you place in the contest you get your name advertised to everyone attending and you tend to get a certificate if you place which is good for when you are ready to submit to an agent or editor as part of your resume, but that is for another blog.

  Now I do recommend submitting to a conference contest held in your area so if you do win and can attend you don’t have the expense of travel, but if you do not intend to attend then all fifty states have conferences year round and each genre has at least one national conference that will take place in a different state and city each year and they all have different fee ranges so you can find the best ones to suit your writing levels and your cheque book.

  Always check the conferences history so you are not getting scammed.  And always check the submission guidelines so you do not get an automatic rejection and lose your entrance fees.  And finally check the prize lists so you know if winning will be worth entering (although I think you win just by entering). 

  This is, in truth just a small step forward but it’s a safe step for those of you still nervous about letting those precious and sometimes personal words out into the world.  Contests are a good way to break out of your comfort zone and to find out if your skills have what it takes or if you still need to polish your writing.

As always I hope this helps and READ ON!!!!