Setting out into the wild blue yonder…of a writer’s conference

My favorite time of the year has arrived. (Not Christmas, which is probably tied for my second favorite along with rodeo season.)

It is the Oregon Christian Writer’s Summer Conference! What can be better than hundreds of writers together, encouraging each other and a stellar faculty of editors, agents, professional writers and beyond.

Ok, sales pitch over.

Writer’s conferences are essential. Why?

• Networking – I learned this early on in college and cannot emphasize it enough. Networking, networking, networking. Whether it is social media or face to face, success is often about who you know. Now, I don’t mean that you use your connections for your own gain. No – these connections are vital for your support, for fresh ideas, for finding others with like minds!
• Continued Education – I’m a strange sort—I LOVED college and learning and I’d probably be a student the rest of my life if I could afford it. So I take it upon myself to be a student without the formal classroom setting. I constantly absorb blogs, professional advice from seminars or other workshops. So a writer’s conference? Heaven.
• A change of scenery – Us writers need to be out and about. How can we write about people without being around them? Here, you can draw inspiration (people watching is one of my favorite pastimes) and gain a little perspective.
• Sanity – Listening to others who struggle with the same problems you have (a character who won’t obey, a writer’s block you couldn’t get over) helps to remind you that you aren’t alone. And you’re not entirely insane.

If you follow me on Twitter or are a friend of mine on Facebook – I’ll be tweeting and updating from the conference all week!! Tune in for nuggets I find interesting and invaluable!