7 Ways to Prepare to Give a Conference Workshop

Over the weekend, I was blessed to speak at a local writer's conference, Write Brain Workshop, presented by Northwest Ohio Writers Forum in Perrysburg, Ohio. I've given presentations to writers and I've taught fiction workshops in the past, but this was my first time speaking to complete strangers.




I had a wonderful time meeting so many talented local authors, and the venue--a gorgeous mansion on the banks of the Maumee River--couldn't have been better.

I spent a lot of time preparing for my workshop. If you're interested in speaking at conferences, here are my preparation tips.

1. Give the presentation on a topic you are passionate about.

Months in advance, the event coordinator, Elizabeth Irwin, and I discussed possible topics that would interest the attendees. She felt a craft-based workshop would fit well with the other speakers, and I quickly offered three options which I felt passionate about. We narrowed it down to "Plotting the Scene." Since I've spent years experimenting with plotting methods and I regularly study books on plot and structure, I knew I'd be comfortable speaking about it.

2. Prepare a written handout to supplement your speech.

One time saver was that I had already written a short article about plotting the scene for this blog. If you're interested, here's the link, "Plotting the Scene." I printed it out, and expanded it with regards to the time frame I would be speaking. Write Brain Workshop is a hands-on conference, meaning the guests prefer an interactive learning experience rather than only listening to someone speak. I brainstormed ways to get the audience involved.

3. Write a brief introduction about yourself, your writing, and your qualifications. Practice it.

This summer I gave a presentation to Maumee Valley Romance Writers of America about questions to ask during the agent call. While I was more than ready to speak about the topic, I'd failed to practice my opening, and I stammered a few moments. Lesson learned. We think introducing ourselves and our topic will come naturally, but sometimes it's the hardest part of the presentation. Practice it over and over until you're comfortable.

4. Using your written handout, break your topic into several chunks, depending on how much time you have to speak.

I kept my introduction short, asked several questions to get a feel for their writing level, and launched into the definition of a scene. I then paused to allow for questions before continuing to the next chunk. By breaking the presentation up into digestible bits and pausing to allow the guests to process and ask questions, I was able to avoid the dreaded glazed over look in their eyes (for the most part!). It also assured me I was connecting with the audience and they understood the new information.

5. If it is a hands-on presentation, determine how to involve the audience.

I had a lot of ground to cover. I knew I would not be able to give the guests enough time to work on their own scenes. But I wanted them to be part of the creative process because I know how sticky information becomes when we work on assignments. Since I'd broken how to plot a scene into three levels, we brainstormed part of a new scene together after each segment, building on our previous work.

6. Determine what materials you will need the day of the presentation.

Find out how many guests are expected to attend. If you are giving handouts, prepare for the maximum amount of attendees. Since we were doing a group exercise, I needed an easel, a dry erase board, and dry erase markers. I also brought a notepad just in case.

7. Relax and enjoy it.

People are paying to learn about writing when they come to a conference. They're excited. No one is forcing them to be there. Make the experience as enjoyable as possible for them by relaxing and enjoying it yourself. After all, you've been given a gift--a set amount of time to share your passion with others.

Have you ever presented at a writer's conference? What are your tips? What qualities in a speaker do you admire?

Enjoy your Monday!

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And My Day Disappears

8:00 AM. Shiny new day. Happy times! I'm ready to tackle my to-do list.



2:00 PM. What?? What happened? How did six hours pass? Did I get anything done? Please tell me something got checked off my to-do list.

5:00 PM. Seriously? Five? Now? I don't believe it. Tiny gremlins snuck in and changed all the clocks. It's the only explanation. Or maybe I got sucked into some weird sci-fi time loophole? Hmm...not ruling that one out.

10:00 PM. Not only did I not complete my to-do list, but I also failed at my plan for the evening. I was supposed to relax tonight. Relax and read. But did that happen? No. Where did the day go??

***

I had too many days this summer that went down exactly like this. Did I actually accomplish anything? Yes. But I felt frazzled and behind, like I'd been swept into a time tornado and didn't have the strength to break free.

However, I decided to fight back and reclaim my day. I'm still working on it, but so far, I'm accomplishing more and relaxing again--win, win!

Here are the steps I'm taking to take back my day:

1. Analyze current schedule to determine what works and what doesn't

When I reviewed how I typically spent each day, I quickly realized I had let social media take over my mornings--yet I couldn't fit one of my favorite activities in--reading writer blogs. It frustrated me that I was spending hours each day ineffectively.

My solution? Split my social media marathon into two sessions; one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. This freed up a large chunk of my most valuable work time, the morning.

2. Set daily goals and write down the actual time it takes to complete them

I always set daily goals, and I usually meet them, even if I have to work on them later in the day. But I knew I'd let my priorities slip.

My solution? Next to each goal, write the actual start and end time. This helps me be more realistic about how long it takes me to write and schedule a blog post or whatever task I'm working on. It also dissipates my anxiety of feeling like I didn't accomplish anything. I can look at my daily planner and clearly see that I spent 3 hours plotting, writing, or networking.

3. Build relaxation and fun into the day

Sometimes I get so caught up in "achieving" I miss out on the essentials in life. I struggle with this aspect the most.

My solution? Remind myself that relaxing, exercising, and reading are not optional. They are essential parts of my day. Your essentials may differ from mine, but we all have activities our souls crave. No one is going to force me to relax, exercise, or read, and I am not being a hero by shoving my needs to the side. I'm hurting myself. No thank you!

Does your day ever disappear from you? What do you do to reclaim it? Share your tips! I love to hear them!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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