- I made a writer friend
- I made a few more writer friends
- I decided to never pay for a 15-minute critique again
- I rewrote my first chapter based on a 15-minute critique
- I embarrassed myself in front of an entire table of children's book editors and agents
- I decided I probably wouldn't be going to any more writers' conferences.
Anyone else going to the SCBWI Conference in NYC? Got any conference plans this year? Experienced attendees, tell me which is better: the down home SCBWI conference in Middle-of-Nowhere, PA, or the big fancy SCWBI conference in NYC?
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The FNC will be there!!! Come and play with us. We're all going to be carrying around First Novels Club totebags so we're easy to find, but you'll find us bc you already know us--obviously, since your our den mother. Can't wait to see you!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to a SCBWI conference, hopefully someday, but I have attended the Surrey International Writers Conference several times and highly recommend that.
ReplyDeleteWoo-hoo! NYC here we come. I seriously can't wait!
ReplyDeleteWait. You're a den mother. Why didn't us betas get a memo about this? The First Novels Club and Word Stringers coming together may just cause NYC to explode. Hope that town can handle all our fabulousness! I've still got my money on Nat to be the serial killer. Since it was her "sister's theory." lol. (Kidding, Nat.)
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I'm thinking about attending the spring SCBWI local conference in "Middle-of-nowhere PA" instead of the national one in NYC mostly because I don't have a project anywhere near ready to be cozying up to agents. Maybe next year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the plug, Marie. I'm honored. Meeting you was definitely one of the highlights of the Poconos conference last year. And I certainly don't remember you embarrassing yourself in front of a bunch of editors and agents. You? Naw. You're too cool for that.
ReplyDeleteWish I could go to NYC, but not this year. Have a great time.
Oh my gosh Marie, I am laughing SO HARD I'm going to wake my children. I really can't wait! "She has killed me and stolen my writings." I'm still laughing.
ReplyDeletelaurel, I say "Middle-of-Nowhere" in the nicest possible way. I, myself, live in the Middle-of-Nowhere, PA. And I don't get any kickbacks for saying this, but you don't need a finished, or even a nearly finished, project to cozy up to agents at a conference.
ReplyDeleteKaren, Yes, I am the unofficial den mother of the First Novels Club. I don't like to make a big deal out of the fact that I know those famous ladies.
Oh boy, would I love to go away to a conference. Surrey
would be awesome, but if I could pick my dream writers' conference, it's be the Prague Summer Program, which isn't technically a writers' conference; it's better.
Oooh, SCBWI conferences! Yes! I went to my first one just last weekend in LV. It rocked. I got some advice from authoress and bloggy friend, Jenni James, to sit in the front row. Best advice I ever got.
ReplyDeleteOf course I was a dork and stayed up waaaaaay to late the night before, so I was a little spent by the afternoon of the conference and not my usual-chatty-lively-self. All the same, it was a blast.
My biggest reccommendation next to sitting in the front row, is to make sure you sleep enough the night before, remember to get up and pee in between conference speakers, and bring plenty of authory/writer biz cards to pass around.
Enjoy it & post your adventures when you return!!
PS: Here's the link to the post I wrote after the conference...
http://thechocolatechipwaffle.blogspot.com/2010/01/some-writerly-advice-notes-and-quotes.html