Skip to main content

Effective Communication at a Writer's Conference

     When I attended my second writer's conference, I didn't just meet people. I made friends because I learned how to communicate to writers in addition to agents and editors.
 
Me, Rachel Rittenhouse, and Abigail Horgash.

     You can't go into a conference prepared for the fifteen minute appointments with agents and editors and believe your job is done. Keynotes, meals, sessions, and hallways all create opportunities to communicate with attendees and faculty of the conference.

  1. Be clear-- Open your mouth and enunciate your words. Think about what your going to say before you start talking. Mumbling over uncertain words not only is hard for others to understand, but it gives off the appearance of low confidence.
  2. Be confident-- Smile. Look them in the eye and nod in approval of what they are saying. Don't be afraid to say," I don't know," if you don't have an answer. Agents and editors would rather you admit you don't know something and be willing to learn than you try to  make up an answer.
  3. Be teachable-- Listen. When editors and agents point out something in your writing that needs to be improved, don't get defensive. Think through their suggestions and offer solutions. Don't be so attached to your words that you become hard to work with. Their goal is to make your story the best it can be. Isn't that your goal too?
  4. Be intentional--Have a purpose for every word that comes out of your moth. When you enter a meeting, have specific questions planned. Don't be afraid to ask other writers if they have plans for lunch. If you all eat in the same place anyway, ask them to sit with you. Ask them questions about their own life as well.
  5. Be understanding--The conference doesn't revolve around you. Thank the people who make time to talk with you. Know that the agents and editors are there to work first and help writers second. Their lives are busy, and they'll only get more hectic after the conference.
Communication is huge at a writer's conference. Yes, it can help your writing career, but it can help you make friends too
 
~ Alyson Schroll

Comments

  1. Sarah Faulkner8/12/14, 10:40 AM

    It's so cool that you got to know and interact with other writers at the conference! I now want to go to one more than ever!
    ~Sarah Faulkner

    Inklined

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alyson Schroll8/12/14, 10:48 AM

      You are so on top of these posts, Sarah : ) I had so much fun this last conference meeting new people. Abigail in the above picture is actually a Go Teen Writer!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Let me know what you think : )

Popular posts from this blog

How to Create a Fact Manual for a Book Series {Peek into My Next Story}

    I started my current story, Ideal Lies, last year, and this time, I decided to make it a trilogy. This story is a mix between dystopian and utopian. Living in the idealistic northern Ideal States of America, two teenagers are caught believing in an imperfect religion and go on the run as criminals to rescue their stolen family.     How I managed to keep this to myself until now, I'm not sure : )     Writing a series of any kind was something I'd never done before. I quickly found out that I needed a way to keep track of all the facts. I tried memory. My memory failed.  I tried little notes. I lost them. I tried computer files. It took me too long to find what I needed. So, with nothing else to do ... I created a fact manual. I spent hours gleaning the information from my memory, notes, and files. I created new documents and organized facts so I could put it all together in one cohesive notebook. I documented everything that had happened so far in my boo
20 comments
Read more

Interview with Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson {and a giveaway}

     I would like to welcome Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson to my blog today! I am so excited that they took the time to do an interview with me. Here is a little bit about them:       Stephanie Morrill and  Jill   Williamson  have written a combined two dozen speculative and contemporary novels for teens. They also blog obsessively at  www.goteenwriters.com . When not writing or blogging, they can be found at the teen table at writer's conferences or wherever chocolate is being given away. Come hang out with Stephanie at  www.stephaniemorrill.com  and  Jill  at  www.jillwilliamson.com . Why did you choose the genre that you did? Stephanie: I feel like “contemporary young adult” chose me, honestly. I wanted to write deep, serious books that might get studied in English classes … but I never had any ideas for deep, serious books, so that flopped. My ideas, even after high school, were always for stories about girls and the boys they liked and the complica
76 comments
Read more

10 Weird Things Writers Do ... And Are Perfectly Okay

No writer will ever claim to be a normal human being. We process information differently, we observe life differently, and we feel emotions differently. If you're a writer reading this, be encouraged. Yes, you are weird, and there is no avoiding it. But, there are many writers that can relate to a smidgen of what your life is like as a writer. If you are not a writer reading this, be understanding. We know we're weird, and it would be so awesome if you could just nod, smile, and say, "I'm glad you enjoy writing." It's okay to be weird. Personally, I think it's even cooler if you're weird and a writer at the same time.  1.      We may stare at you without realizing it. Sometimes, we see something that reminds us of characters and zone out for a bit. 2.      We may also stare blankly at flowers or rainbows, also thinking of something entirely different. (this was to counteract the slight creepiness of that first point.) 3.      We may
20 comments
Read more