by Penny Sansevieri
As an author, you should never stop learning. You want to always hone your craft, build your voice, learn the rules of grammar, and so much more. You can do this easily with online classes or YouTube videos, but one of the best ways to grow as a writer is to attend conferences.
These days, you can attend conferences both online and in person, and while it’s incredibly easy and still valuable to watch online, I always recommend visiting in person. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to network, learn new skills, gain exposure, and make a few friends.
You should never walk into a conference empty-handed and without proper preparation, so here’s everything you need to know.
What Should You Expect?
Well, that depends on the event. Some conferences focus only on craft, while others focus heavily on marketing. Take your time looking over all of the classes offered before you jump on one with a flashy headline. I suggest finding at least four sessions you feel are worthwhile before investing the money. You’ll probably want to take more classes, but four is a good start. That’ll give you enough time to network, maybe take on an agent meeting or two, if that’s something you want to do, as well as attend keynotes and luncheon speakers.
If you attend an event to meet an agent, although I wouldn’t recommend making this your sole purpose, make sure agents who handle your genre will attend the event. You don’t want to show up and feel disappointed that no agents want to hear about your paranormal romance.
Types of Conferences and Finding the Right One for You
You’ll find literally as many writers conferences as there are genres. Well, almost. There are romance-specific events, mystery and thriller events, and even writers conferences geared to lawyers who write fiction. And you’d be surprised at how many attorneys we’ve worked with over the years write fiction!
To find the right one for you, flip through your favorite writer magazines. The Writer always lists events monthly. Any local writers groups might also promote events that appeal to you.
Something you might not expect to hear is that you should consider attending events outside your genre. Let me explain.
I’ve spoken to the Romance Writers of America multiple times, which always puts on a great conference. Though I write nonfiction, I always find their classes helpful. I know a lot of authors who attend events outside their genre, like fantasy authors who go to Thriller Fest and so on.
The point is, though the sessions will be geared toward a specific genre, you could glean a lot from attending these events if the tracks seem appealing to you.
What Are Your Book Marketing and Publicity Goals?
A large factor in deciding what kind of events to go to will depend on your goals. If you want to sell your manuscript to a publisher, you’ll need to find an event with many agent appointments. But if education is your main interest, first identify what you want to learn. Do you need to get more versed in social media? Are you interested in more influencers to review your book? Want to know more about how to work the Amazon algorithm? Knowing what you’d like to gain from your experience will help you decide which event to attend.
Hybrid vs. In Person (and why you want to purchase conference recordings)
Some events, though not all, still offer a blend of in-person and virtual options, and some have gone completely virtual for the foreseeable future. If you can’t afford to take time off to attend in person, that’s definitely another option. However, it is well worth the investment to attend a live event whenever possible.
Most conferences record sessions, and I encourage authors to get a set of recordings. You will always miss stuff at the event, even when you attend sessions in person. Whether you got distracted during an event or missed one entirely, it’s always a good idea to obtain a recording to refer to.
Be Prepared!
Once you’ve booked your writers conference, let’s get ready to make the most of it.
Join the Facebook groups beforehand to start networking early and get to know the speakers, topics, and other attendees. Similarly, you’ll want to prepare to talk about yourself, your genre, and your writing, so networking early helps you learn how to introduce yourself.
Never go empty-handed to an event. Bring updated, professional-looking business cards to hand out, and collect cards from agents and other authors. Also bring any swag you have, like bookmarks or character trading cards.
And don’t forget to socialize. You don’t want to sit alone during lunch and dinner. These are great opportunities to network while everyone has a small break from the hustle and bustle. If chatting with a speaker, be courteous not to hog their time, because there is probably a line of other people waiting to talk with them, and they also get overwhelmed. And don’t forget to go to the bar after the last session. This is where some of the best conversations happen.
Writers conferences are an amazing place to get your name and yourself out there. They offer endless opportunities for marketing and networking, skill building and lesson learning. Take this opportunity to get inspired to do some major career building, and do it right!
Penny Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. (AME) and an adjunct professor at NYU, is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns.
