Planning a Conference: A Big Job and an Adventure

 I believe there is no greater opportunity for networking and finding inspiration for writers than attending an in-person writing conference.  I’ve attended many conferences over the years that were hosted by varied writing organizations and have never been disappointed.

Having coordinated a number of conferences myself for Pennwriters, a multi-genre writing organization, I’ve learned to appreciate all the work that goes into such an event. But I can say, it’s been rewarding in many different ways. I’ve made hundreds of connections to other writers and industry professionals including, agents, editors, and publicists.

Where does one start to plan a writing conference? The first decisions are where, when, and for whom.

Where? How much room do you need? Pennwriters Annual Conference usually offers 4-5 workshops per hour with a total of 56-60 workshops total over a weekend. The best venue for us is a conference hotel. A reservation for a space that large needs to be made two years in advance. It involves a long contract with guarantees of room reservations and food purchases. We try to include most meals in our conference prices, though that will raise the registration prices for attendees. It’s a big challenge to make attendance affordable. Pennwriters needs to have space for 200+/- attendees.

A one-day mini-conference can usually make do with a smaller space and will often have fewer choices for workshops and fewer attendees. There are often banquet facilities that can meet those needs.

The ‘when’ can be important. For Pennwriters, this is our 38th Annual Conference and we’ve always held it the third weekend in May. This allows us to avoid college graduation weekends for the most part. It’s always best to put thought into the date. A winter conference held in the north may run into weather problems as may conferences held in the south during hurricane season. Summer conferences may lose possible attendees to vacations.

And for ‘whom’ will you hold your conference? Pennwriters is state-wide, with many out-of-state members, so we always plan our workshops for multi-genres. The great thing about this is how much attendees learn from other genres. It’s a huge draw. But some conferences are directed at certain genres such as literary, poetry, mystery, etc. Another way to go is by picking a part of the writing business to focus on such as craft, marketing, self-publishing, etc. The only concern about narrowing your conferences’ focus is it also narrows the pool of possible interest in attending. Another part of the whom, is the experience of the writers you hope to draw to your conference. Pennwriters tries to provide workshops for writers at every stage of their careers from beginners to multi-published authors.

After all the above, you have your plan. But there are big decisions still to make. If you want to bring in a big-name author as a draw, you need to reach out to them 18-24 months in advance. Decide what your budget is ahead of time because some are very expensive. Pennwriters in the past have hosted authors such as Hank Phillippi Ryan, Jonathan Maberry, James Rollins, and this year, Natalie Richards. We already have our 2026 and 2027 Keynote speakers lined up. You don’t have to have a famous keynote, but we find that they usually pay for themselves with the attendees they draw in.

At twelve months out, you need to find presenters who will give the quality of workshops you want. If you have an email list of writers or connections to writers’ groups, you have a ready-made pool of presenters. Ask your keynote guests to lead workshops. They are usually glad to do so.

During the same time frame, you have to reach out to editors and agents. Even more than your keynotes, writers want a chance to pitch their writing to an agent or and editor.  This is the most difficult part. It’s especially difficult to find agents willing to attend at a price you can afford. Fortunately, Zoom has provided an option that works well for everyone. Editors from major publishing houses are also difficult to bring to your conference, even with the Zoom option. They often only attend large conferences who can afford to pay them premium fees. Small press editors are usually more amendable to work with conference coordinators. They are always popular and lovely to work with. Many writers start with small presses and build amazing careers. IWSG’s own L. Diane Wolfe was a guest at the 2024 Pennwriters Conference and the attendees loved her.

Once you find your venue, schedule your guests, select your workshops, and plan meals, you are ready to open registration. That would take another long post, but so much of the work is done by this point which should be no shorter than four months out.

Then you have to work on promotion. Another long, long post to even touch on that. As you can see, putting on a conference is a lot of work, but that is why more than one person should take it on.

After years of doing this, Pennwriters has many experienced conference workers. Numerous people serve as chairpersons to help the event run smoothly. If you want to see what it looks like, or if you’re interested in attending, visit Pennwriters to see an overview.

It takes hours and hours to plan a conference, but it is more than worth it. And if you have a chance to attend one, even better for you.

Susan Gourley is past-president of Pennwriters, current Pennwriters’ Conference Coordinator. She is a retired high school teacher and now a fulltime writer. She is multi-published in epic fantasy and space opera romance. You can find more about her and her books on her blog, Susan Says, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Five Benefits of Reading for Writers

It’s been fun in recent weeks reading about the most enjoyed and/or best books of 2024, whether it was an article by a blogging buddy, Barnes & Noble, or the New York Times.  Without readers, writers would be out of work.  

Writers need to read too.  But, as a writer, are you reading enough?  It’s an important question to ask, especially with all the demands in our busy lives.  

But shouldn’t you devote all of your available time to writing rather than allocating some of it to reading?  Definitely not!

Reading ~ A Worthwhile Pursuit

Aurora, Colorado, USA

January 9, 2019

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

If you research what authors say about the importance of reading to writing, you will find many thoughts on the connection between the two.  One of my favorite quotes is Stephen King’s, “If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.  Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life.”  Stephen King’s On Writing.  A Memoir of the Craft  

Another favorite of mine is Annie Proulx’s “You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page.  Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.”  Goodreads

Here are five benefits of reading for writers:

1.  Reading improves our language and writing skills:  When we read, we unconsciously pick up writing techniques like extending our vocabulary, improving our phrasing, using effective dialogue, and understanding structure.  

If we consciously read like a writer, we can analyze the writer's word choices, grammar, point of view, plotting, pacing, setting, and characterization and decide what makes it effective or not. Then we can use this knowledge to improve our writing.  

When I read a great book, I often read it a second time to understand how the author made it great.  And sometimes, I'll reread a not-so-great book to understand how the author missed the mark.  

Great Fun!  Reading a Friend's Books and Asking Him Questions About His Writing

Fellow IWSG Admin Pat Hatt and I

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 27, 2024

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

2.  Reading improves our thinking:  We are bombarded daily by eye-catching social media that is fragmenting our attention and decreasing our ability to concentrate.  By engaging with more complex texts, like an essay or a book, we can learn to focus our attention better and to improve our ability to concentrate.  This in turn sustains us when we grapple with the challenges of writing.

3.  Reading broadens our experience:  George R. R. Martin wrote in A Dance with Dragons, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen.  The man who never reads lives only one.” Goodreads

When we read widely across genres, we expose ourselves to different perspectives, cultures, places, and times.  Reading increases our ability to understand and to have empathy for people different from us.  These experiences can ignite our imaginations and inspire ideas for our own writing.

4.  Reading helps us understand the publishing market:  Reading books in the genres you write helps you know what has already been written, what trends are emerging, what your target audience prefers, and how to improve your writing for the current market.

5.  It's fun!  If it's not, you might ask yourself why you are writing.  Would you want to eat a meal prepared by a chef who didn't like food?  Or dive with a divemaster who hated the ocean?  

So, as a writer, are you reading enough?

Perhaps you can share other reasons for spending some of your valuable time reading.  

I'd love to hear them!

What was your favorite read in 2024?

Mine was actually the last two books in Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem series:  The Dark Forest and Death's End.  Mind blowing story, compelling characters, brilliant writing, philosophy, and quantum physics ~ After reading this series, I can never look at the universe in the same way as I once innocently did. 

Pam Allyn, a renowned literacy expert, educator, and author said,  “Reading is like breathing in; writing is like breathing out.  literacy worldwide   

May you breathe deeply, in and out.

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue.

 

An Interview with Tom Bromley

The Insecure Writers' Support Group is excited to introduce our readers to Tom Bromley. He's spent many years in the key aspects of this writing business and offers his expertise to those who are pursuing a career in this challenging field.

And now...meet Tom!

Interview

Your writing journey started with a passion for storytelling. What inspired you to write your first book, and how did that experience shape your career as a writer?

I started writing when I was playing in bands after college and everyone else got up later than me, so I had some time to myself! The first book I tried went nowhere, but when the band split up, I wrote a novel based around my band experiences and that became my first published novel. I learned on the job writing that book – I did five drafts over five years and taught myself how to write in the process through trial and error. Mainly error!

Having spent over two decades in publishing as an editor, publisher, and ghostwriter, how has working on so many different projects – and areas of publishing – influenced your perspective on writing?

I would hope it gives me a more rounded approach. So I try to remember the writer’s sensibilities when editing and bring that editorial eye in when rewriting my own work. Working on all those books tends to reinforce your beliefs about writing, and to understand how trends may come and go, but good writing lasts.

What’s one key lesson you’ve learned from working in the publishing industry that you think every aspiring novelist should know?

That getting published isn’t a panacea. You’re still there, at your desk, staring at the computer, working out what to write next. And those insecurities don’t go away, they change: instead of ‘am I good enough to get published?’ they become ‘am I good enough to stay published?’ instead.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Can you tell us more about how you prepare to write your books, and the importance of preparation more generally?

I personally think that split is a little too binary – it’s more of a sliding scale between the two and the key is to work out the sweet spot of freedom/planning that works for you. I like to keep things fairly simple in terms of plotting for my fiction: I have an overall story arc of where I want to get to, but don’t know how I’m going to get there. That said, I do tend to base my books around specific real-life events, which helps create a natural structure in the background to work with.

For writers starting a new project, why is understanding their story’s theme crucial? Can it evolve as the story develops?

Possibly slightly controversial, but I’d disagree with the question. What is important when starting a project are the characters and the plot, and everything else falls into place after that. The theme should come out of what you write, rather than trying to fit the writing around it. For me, approaching a novel by beginning with a theme feels like the wrong way around.

Outlines can provide a helpful guide when writing, but stories often take unexpected turns. What are some of the signs that it’s time to deviate from the original plan, and how should writers approach these changes?

As I say, I don’t outline too heavily in my writing. That’s partly because I like the freedom to discover the story as I write, but it also allows for the narrative to change as you write it. I’d say that the key to a lot of plotting is character – as long as the change fits into their progression as a character, then go for it.

What’s your favorite piece of advice for writers looking to finish their first draft, especially those feeling stuck midway?

Don’t go back! It’s so tempting to rewrite but that leads to an endless loop of trying to get things perfect. You’re in a much better place having a full draft to work with as you can see the bigger picture at that point. The midway point can be hard – it’s a bit like being at sea when the wind drops. But the wind will pick up again – you’ve just got to keep going and you’ll see land eventually!

You’ve created a 3-month novel-writing course for Reedsy. Can you walk us through how the course is structured and what makes it unique?

The course is 101 days in length, with a daily video lesson every Monday to Friday and a panel of authors each weekend. The weeks are themed around different writing topics to guide you through the process of writing. We want you to get to the end of the draft by the end of the course. Think of it as Masterclass meets NaNoWriMo!

Who would benefit most from this course? Is it suitable for beginners, or can it also help more experienced writers looking to develop their writing skills?

The course is suited to anyone wanting to write – and get the support to write – the first draft of their novel. It works best when you come to the course with some idea of what you want to write; coming without an idea, you might struggle to begin with. I’ve tried to calibrate the teaching so you’ll learn something new whatever level you’re at. We have lots of first-time writers, but many experienced ones too – some who are published authors who want group support, others who have done MFAs or written non-fiction books in the past.

For writers planning to write a novel this year, what advice would you give to help them stay motivated and on track?

Keep writing. That sounds a banal thing to say, but even if you can only carve out thirty minutes a day, you’ll be surprised how those words add up. Give yourself a target but don’t beat yourself up if you get behind. You’ll have good days and bad days, so roll with the punches. Finding a support network can help – whether fellow writers on a course or a local writing group, their encouragement and feedback can prove invaluable in getting over the line. Good luck!

Conclusion

Registrations are now open for Tom’s novel-writing course, How to Write a Novel, which starts on March 3rd. If you’d like a sneak peek of the course, create an account to get a free lesson on creating compelling characters. 

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group and Changing Old Stories

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

February 5 question - Is there a story or book you've written you want to/wish you could go back and change?

Perhaps it’s a trunk story you just haven’t pulled out again for whatever reason.
Maybe it’s a short story you submitted without success.
It could be a published story, one that you know you need to edit but haven’t done so or felt it easier just to take it down.
And there’s the possibility it’s a story or book through a publisher that you might not be able to change.

Do any of your stories fall into any of those categories? If you want to change or edit it, why haven’t you/can’t you?

* * *

Last month, we partnered with Reedsy for their writing prompts contest. The theme was Great Expectations and there were hundreds of entries. The IWSG admins were the final round of judging and we selected “Humanity’s Rebirth” by Reese Blaise as the winner. You can view the top three winners and read their entries HERE. Congratulations to the winner and top entries and thank you to everyone who entered.

Is there a story you’d like to change and why?