Talking Writer Friends And Birmingham

As I'm celebrating my book launch this week, I really miss my Colorado writer friends. They were there for me when I was collecting rejection letters, and high-fived me when I finally found a home for my writing. They're awesome...

But I made a few new friends, even if they are kind of scattered around the expansive South. Here's a picture of a few Southern Breeze members (my SCBWI chapter--from left to right: Jo Kittinger, Claudia Pearson, and Hester Bass)--they really made this Colorado transplant feel like home.

And I'm off to catch up with them in Birmingham this weekend! I'm teaching a workshop on writing MG and YA mysteries at their Fall Conference. It'll be fun.

Hope to see you there....!

Goin' Back To Cali

Oh, how I love California...

I was fortunate enough to live on the Central Coast for four years, and now I get to visit L.A. this weekend for the SCBWI summer conference.

If you're there, come say hello!

On Friends And Conference Pants

I went to Pikes Peak Writers Conference this past weekend, so my brain is still a little foggy from all the information and talking. Remember my hermit status for the past few weeks? Going to a conference after that is like rolling out of bed and jumping into a cold ocean on a January morning.

My first conference ever was one a little bit like this one: you get to pitch, to editors and agents! So back then, I dressed nicely, in my conference pants, and carried a bag with my manuscript and fancy business cards. I was a Writer, ready to meet Publishing Professionals.

Of course by now, five manuscripts and as many years later, I'm not so fancy anymore. I've traded in my conference pants (they were kind of itchy, to tell you the truth) for my trusty jeans, the ones without the holes, and I've embraced my less fancy side. Because over these years of conference-going I figured out: it's not the editors and agents that will remember you years later, it's your fellow writers. I tell my fellow conference attendees this, especially the fanciest-dressed ones. If you're walking and talking for three days, you really want to be comfortable, trust me. You won't get a book contract because of your conference pants.

At PPW conference, I was surprised to find how many writer friends I really had, ones who were (very loudly at times :-) tooting my horn for me. Plus I made some new friends, and I even learned a ton of new stuff.

Biggest lesson: I have to come out of my writing cave more often. Sure, it's comfy to hide out with your snacks and notebooks, but it's really fun to meet your writer peeps. And a heads-up: looks like Pikes Peak Writers Conference is going to really knock your socks off next year, so consider coming out.

How 'bout you, my writer pals? Any favorite conferences/conventions you've been to?

Crimey

Next weekend is Left Coast Crime 2011! In Santa Fe! And I'm not going, sigh... Between domestic duties and timing, it just ain't happening for me this year. It's a bummer, because this little conference is my favorite, and I saw in the line-up that I'll be missing lots of friends.

There's always next year, thankfully--in Sacramento, like you needed a reason, right? And if you're going to Santa Fe, I expect a full report.

Colorado Is The Place To Be

Well, in April anyway. Right now it's sort of brown, windy and a little boring if you want to know the truth. But in April, there are two (!) conferences of interest:

Colorado Teen Literature Conference: this is a little gem of a conference for readers and writers of teen fiction (this includes MG, not just YA). I went last year, and had a great time. This year, the one day conference is held on April 2 with keynotes Pete Hautman and Rachel Vail. Oh, and it's in Denver.

Pikes Peak Writers Conference: super conference if you're ready to pitch a manuscript, want to meet your favorite writers, need a little advice on craft, or get the latest on the publishing biz. This one is a four-day event, so pack your powerbars, Vitamin Water and bananas. Great fun though, and good food too. And Colorado Springs really is as pretty as this picture.

I'm going to both, so let me know if I'll see you there!

Free Online KidLit Conference

This online KidLit conference looks awesome, and it starts this Tuesday. And it's free, which we love. How did I miss this??

No idea.

KidLit Con 2010

There's a new conference this fall for you KidLit fans, on October 23rd in Minneapolis. Sounds really cool, and not just because of the Minneapolis location.

Check it out.

Anyone thinking of going?

Where It's At

This would be New Mexico, Santa Fe and Albuquerque to be exact. In November, YALSA is having its Young Adult Literature Symposium in Albuquerque, and Left Coast Crime 2011 (March 24-27) is criming things up in Santa Fe, Big Chili style.



Road trip!

Free, How Much I Love Thee

For you publishing industry folk: here are some free events I thought might be of interest. And they're all online, so no need to abandon your trusty computer or lap cat--even if there's a blizzard (seems everyone is having those now).

Muse It Up Conference: this online conference in October is completely free, and you can sign up just by joining their Yahoo group. Check out the lineup; there are some great names and pitching opportunities too for you writers with manuscript. And it's free! I know, I mentioned that already...

Digital Book World is holding several webinars, one on ebooks and one on social media. There are also a bunch of prior webinars archived on their page, so check it out.

School Library Journal has a webinar on February 25 called What's Up In YA. I mentioned this one a few weeks ago already, but thought I would remind you, since it's also (you guessed it) free.

You're welcome.

Money, Money, Money

It ain’t easy being a writer. And I’m not talking about the hard work, the solitude, the craft—that’s a post for someone else’s blog. I’m talking about the money we want to spend wisely. Namely, the money most of us don’t have.

And this isn’t about the not-enough-to-live-on advances either, or the expenditures of time/money expected when we do sell the book and have arrived. I wanted to bring up the fun stuff, the times we get to come unglued from our computer chairs: conference time.

I’ve been to a few of these, and they’re lots of fun. I come away recharged, newly inspired, and up-to-date on all things publishing. Plenty of reasons to go.

But let’s look at the price tag that comes with a conference: $250 for the plane ticket (if you’re lucky), $300 for the conference fee (on average, unless you’re going to Thrillerfest). Then the cab to the hotel—and then there’s The Hotel. Which is usually about $200 a night, because it’s The Hotel, and has a bellhop with better clothes than you, and a $20 breakfast. Three nights sets you back $600.

So we’re already at $1150. Then there’s some souvenirs for the kids, food, a banquet you should really go to that adds $60, and you’re spending $1500. And that’s assuming you still have a pair of conference pants that fit, and something that can pass for a banquet outfit.

For me, this is as much as a family vacation on a budget, or a mortgage payment, or my utility bills for a year. If you look at that price tag, going to a conference seems like a frivolous and selfish expense.

So instead, I’m looking at local events, or online ones, so there’s no hotel, no airfare, and I can drive my own car. I’m already looking at such events next year. Events where I can smile at the bellhop on my way in without my little suitcase, instead of feeling like I have to hand him a tip. And I use Facebook or CrimeSpace to catch up with my faraway writer friends.

Still… I wish I was going to Indy this week, and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone.