What a month, you guys. I can't believe I ate blogged the whole thing. And next week, I'm gonna sit down and write a really good navelgazing post about the merciless month-long thrill that was the A to Z Blogging Challenge.
Right now, though, the DFW Writers Conference is happening this very weekend, and I am 100% booked until then! I'm doing this class, see, and I am so freakin' stoked about it:
It's going to be educatastrophic! You know, in a good way.
Anyway, I'm all nostalgic just now, because at this time last year, I was busy barfing on my shoes just thinking about going to my first-ever conference and pitching to actual agents. If you're going to this or some other great literary event and feel your penny loafers are likewise in imminent danger of meeting your lunch, take solace and learn from my mistakes! Here are a select few of my bloggy baby pictures posts from DFWcon 2012:
Cue Training Montage - in which the reality of the upcoming event sinks in, and "Eye of the Tiger" starts playing in the background.
DFWcon 1: New Neighbors - or, how writers' conferences are basically Hogwarts Disneyland Woodstock carnival-prom (for book nerds), and why that is so important.
DFWcon 2: Lessons - the do's and don'ts and remember-for-next-times
The Dry Heaves of Destiny - in which, almost three months after the conference, I finally send my manuscript to the Agent of My Dreams
By the Power of the Crimson Couch... - the climactic moment, almost four months after I had originally pitched to her at DFWcon 2012
So there you have it, happy people: do your homework, eat your Wheaties, and remember that Mr. Rogers likes you just the way you are. It's going to be a grand time!
I feel good. I feel great. I feel wonderful. I feel good. I feel great. I feel wonderful.
Nest year I'm going to my first conference (unless I somehow end up going to one between then and now) and I'm sure I'll be nervous as hell. I'm nervous about it right now thinking about it. x_x
ReplyDeleteOh, for sure - it's worth getting nervous about! But I'm so glad you've got one on the calendar: there's nothing else like 'em, and as awesome as you are at being fun and sparkly and social-network-y, you will CLEAN UP at any conference you go to.
DeleteOh my goodness, I have red-penthusiasm. I carry a pen around with me at all times to correct incorrect grammar on signs. And I love red-penning my manuscripts. Editing my books is much more fun than writing them.
ReplyDeleteOh, I had NO doubt - sometimes I imagine that it's only social convention and white-knuckled determination that keeps you from going out with a can of red spray paint and aggressively correcting all those vexing street-sign errors!
Delete(With you on the joy of editing, though - fixing words is so much easier than making them!)
Just don't pitch them when they want peace and quiet or try to hand over manuscripts on the spot. Conferences are fun. Plus, agents and editors are just people--young people--but people.
ReplyDeletehttp://joycelansky.blogspot.com
100% agreed! I was lucky in that I didn't have to pitch anything this year (been there, done that) - but I had a great time meeting all those fabulous new people, and that part never changes!
DeleteRead those links and feel prepped for a conference I'll not be attending for ages, but prepped nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteHope it went awesome this year for you!
BOOM!
*Drops laptop and walks off stage*
Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink
Fuck.
Delete*walks back and checks laptop for damages*
I'm just getting started on catching up.
*Nervous throat clear*
*Walks off*
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