Conference Preparation:What is Your Goal?

I know many of you will be in Colorado next month for ACFW's Annual Conference and some of you are signed up for other conferences this year or next. Congratulations!

The week before you leave will be full of little details--packing, smoothing out family and work problems, printing out travel plans, and making sure you have everything necessary to thrive at the conference. So, I'd like you to take some time now, or a few weeks before you're scheduled to leave, to clarify what you want out of the conference.



What is your goal in attending this conference?

You may have several, but one will stick out more than the others. This is your main goal, the one you want to focus your energy on. When you have met this, you can relax and pick activities that will meet your other goals. But don't waste all of your energy on activities that don't matter to you at the expense of the one that does.

My goal in attending RWA's National Conference was to make a personal connection with my dream editor and agent. In order to do this I scheduled pitch appointments. I wanted to discuss my book with each of them so they could put my name to my face, and, more than anything, I wanted to make a positive impression on them.

My lesser goals were to network and to make a few real connections each day, and to learn more about the publishing industry.

Please, please, do not set your main goal as "selling your book." A conference isn't a book-selling sweepstakes. It may help you sell your book. It may help you get your project in the right person's hands or it may nudge your foot in an agent's door, but you will not come home with a contract.

And many of you will disagree with me on this, and that's okay, but here is my opinion on a touchy subject.

Save your pitches for your pitch appointments.

These poor agents and editors are stalked relentlessly. They don't want to get accosted in the elevator. They're tired, they're stressed, and they want to relax at night. They don't want to listen to a complete stranger's book concept outside of a pitch session. (If I were an agent or editor, I might not even want to listen to the pitches in the sessions! It looked exhausting.)

I'm not saying to ignore the agents and editors if you see them in the lobby, but treat them as you would any other human being. Be friendly. If you've already pitched your book, go up to them and say hello, chit chat a minute, then leave them alone. Don't make it all about you and your writing. Respect them.

If your main goal is to learn more about the industry, then plan on attending at least one industry related workshop each day. If you want to immerse yourself in craft, attend at least one craft related workshop each day. If you're there to network, try to make two or three meaningful connections every day.

Remember, everyone has different goals at a conference. Don't be afraid to say no to an invitation from another writer if the event will take away from one of your goals. You can always meet up later that evening or for breakfast.

Join me on Wednesday when I'll discuss the finer points of meaningful networking.

Happy Writing!

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