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So you’re going to a writing conference. First off, well done! Making the commitment to invest in your writing on this level is a big step. It can be scary, especially for us introverts who like to plan, so I thought it might be good to share some helpful hints to making your writing conference experience a success.

1. Get to know the conference’s culture.

Every writing conference is different. Every writing community has a different culture, depending on the leadership, the faculty, and the attendees. Fortunately, most conferences nowadays have online communities or Facebook Groups where you can get involved and learn more about the type of people who you’re likely to find.

Knowing the culture of the conference you’re attending is important, but even more important is knowing your goals.

2. What are your goals? (For both your career AND your conference experience)

Do you want to be a professional author with a writing career? To see your books on the shelf at your local bookstore? Do you want a large readership that’s primarily online? Are you not able to invest much time and energy and are content with writing one single book for friends and family to enjoy?

All of these questions are important, and every answer is valid. There’s no right or wrong answer, but the answers will help you identify what your next steps should be. And you would shocked to know how many authors have never considered any of these questions.

Know your career goals. That’s one. But also set a goal for the conference itself. What has to happen at the conference for you to feel like you haven’t wasted your time and money? If you don’t know what you want to accomplish at your conference, you won’t know if you’ve been successful.

Do you want to land an agent? There are strategies you can use. Do you want to pitch a manuscript? There are specific items that publishers are looking for. Do you want to network with other writing professionals? There are all sorts of opportunities if you know where to look. But none of these things will happen if you don’t plan for them and intentionally pursue them, and that means you need to make them part of your goals.

3. What do you want to learn?

Every conference has different educational options or industry focuses. If you want to learn more about non-fiction writing, you probably shouldn’t go to a conference that’s specifically geared toward fiction writers, and vice versa.

You can usually identify the type of conference it is (if it isn’t stated) by the faculty who have been invited.

Now, even some conferences that specialize in fiction are branching out into non-fiction too. So it’s important not to assume that a conference primarily focused on fiction will have nothing to offer non-fiction writers. Review the class list first. See if there are any courses or continuing sessions available that include things you’re seeking to learn.

Along that note, decide as well how you’re going to take notes. You can bring notebooks and pens, of course. You can bring a laptop. Or you can bring nothing and plan to purchase the audio sessions at the end. Just decide ahead of time.

4. Do you have a manuscript to pitch?

One of the most alluring elements of conference-going is the ability to pitch your manuscripts to interested editors, publishers, and agents. Pitching can be SUPER intimidating, and there’s a whole art form to it. But the most important thing to remember about pitching is that one 15-minute pitch session won’t make or break your writing career.

It’s nice to believe that you could pitch to your favorite agent and sell your story right away and instantly sign a contract for six figures and become world famous in a few days. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? And I suppose anything is possible, but be aware that a scenario like this isn’t probable. So don’t pin all your hopes and dreams on it happening.

What I’ve found over the years, however, is that it’s easier to tell people what NOT to do than it is to share how to do it. I wrote a post years ago with some funniness about how NOT to pitch a manuscript, so maybe it’ll come in useful for you now.

5. Don’t make assumptions.

This is a big one. You’re going to meet a lot of people who you don’t agree with, and this will be true throughout your entire writing career. Understand that it’s perfectly fine to disagree with another writing professional, but don’t assume you understand their motivations for what they believe. You don’t know them. You don’t know the journey they’ve walked. And there’s always a chance they know more than you think they do.

I attended my very first writing conference in 2006 or 2007. I had no idea what I was doing. Talk about a baby writer! I was totally green. And I was optimistic to the extreme.

To make a long story short, one of the first classes I attended at this conference was taught by a long-time author who pretty much spent the entire hour of the class talking about how difficult being an author was. It was one of the most discouraging hours of my life, hearing this multi-published author talk about how he struggled to get published, how he struggled to sell books, and how he struggled to keep writing.

My cute little idealist brain short circuited and I declared I would NEVER be like that.

Fast forward to 2019 where I was sitting at a table with a cute little 16 year old girl with aspirations of enormous writing accomplishment. And would you believe I found myself crushing her dreams? Not in a cruel way, of course. But realistically. And while I wasn’t actively discouraging her, my helpful encouragement wasn’t the idealistic cheer I think she wanted.

In that moment, I understood what that teacher in 2006 was trying to tell me. Writing and publishing is hard, thankless, often invisible work. All that to say, don’t discount something a faculty member says just because you disagree with it now. Give it 13 years or so, and you may find that it presents a helpful perspective that will shape you as a professional.

6. Be teachable.

Maybe this is a no-brainer, but don’t go to any conference believing that you already know everything. Trust me, this is a certain recipe for failure. If you aren’t humble and teachable, you will come off as arrogant, and that’s one of the quickest ways to turn editors/agents off.

True, you may “know more” than some of the experts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn something from them. Everyone has different life experiences, and the faculty members at your conference have been chosen for a reason. Give them a chance. Be willing to learn something new. And if you don’t think it works for you, don’t follow their advice, but you don’t have to be a jerk about it either.

7. Rest if you need to.

Conferences are about networking, yes, but don’t underestimate the value of an afternoon nap. If you’re an introvert, you have limited peopling energy, so don’t be embarrassed if you need to have some down time before you go on to another event. If you’re a low energy person, pace yourself.

Also, just so you know, sometimes you can get more out of coffee with a single expert than you can out of twelve large classes. Know how you learn. Understand the best way for you to connect with people. Maybe a quiet meal with another author would be a better choice.

8. Have fun.

Writing conferences are work, yes. They are long hours and lots of conversation and networking. They are exhausting to the extreme. But don’t get so wrapped up in the professionalism that you neglect to enjoy yourself.

It’s a rare thing for an author to get to be around people who understand what it’s like to have imaginary friends living in their brains. Or who love developing alien civilizations on distant planets. Or who choreograph sword fight scenes with sticks in their backyards.

Writers are weird, and fiction writers are even weirder. When you find your people, enjoy it. Have fun.

Do you have tips or tricks for thriving at a writer’s conference? Share them in the comments!