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Have you ever had an amazing experience and realized afterwards that your life would never be the same again? The Georgia Romance Writers 2011 Moonlight & Magnolias Conference was such an experience for me. I made lots of new friends, strengthened existing relationships, acquired knowledge that will sharpen my skills as a fiction writer, and gained insights that are changing the way I approach every new day.
Here is a small sampling of what I know now that I didn’t know before.
- Volunteers have more fun. (Sally Kilpatrick)
- Note cards are not necessary when pitching to agents and editors. (Maria Geraci)
- Don’t let a harsh critique stop you from writing, editing or brainstorming. Use it to help you make your manuscript better. (Nicki Salcedo)
- Theme is not characterization or plot, but once determined it can further your understanding of your own work, improve your story and even help you write your synopsis. (Gabi Stevens)
- To write a great novel you first have to know how to dissect one. (Pamela Varnado/Mary Barfield/Tamara DeStefano/Connie Gillam)
- Treat your writing like a business and take every income tax deduction the law allows, even if you aren’t making a profit. Yet. (Diane Kelly/Becke Turner)
- Don’t enter writing contests if you are looking for praise and admiration. Enter contests in order to receive feedback that will help you strengthen your writing. (Megan Kelly)
- Done properly, writing from multiple points of view can deepen and broaden your story, help you expand your subplots, and create more opportunities for your readers to identify with a character. (Wendy Wax)
- World building is not just for werewolves. (Tanya Michaels)
- Men and women think and behave differently, and understanding these differences can help us create more believable characters. (Leigh Michaels)
- Reading books give us permission to experience emotions that might be too painful to experience directly. Writing books gives us an opportunity to provide that outlet for others. (Eloisa James)
- There is no such thing as too much bling. (Karen White)
Thanks to each of you for sharing so freely of your time and yourselves. I am already counting the days until next year’s conference!
What is the best tidbit you have brought home from a conference, writing or otherwise? Share it in a comment and you will have a chance to win a pair of sterling silver birthstone earrings handmade by yours truly! Good luck!
by Pam Asberry
37 comments
I learned the same things!!!! I also learned that it’s SOOOOOO much more fun to go to conferences with friends. :~)
Great post and have a great day.
Pam,
Great summary of a great conference. Everyone there was so helpful – and so is your blog. (I’m in the amen corner, here.)
Have a great day.
and I love that picture!
So true, Sandra! I cherish my writer friends dearly. And I am grateful to count you among them. Hugs!
Aw, thanks, Maxine! It really was the best conference ever!
Great post and that’s a sweet picture of you and Debbie. I went to some of the same workshops and wish we could have attended them all. I really enjoyed Kim Castillo’s workshop (Author’s Best Friend)about social networking. She said blog posts should be no more than 400 words. I also liked Karen White’s talk and agree with her sentiment, “There’s no such thing as too much bling.” Overall, it was a great conference.
I agree with the point 10 regarding men and women thinking differently. This is brought home in any John Grisham novel. While he’s a master if plot, he can’t write a realistic female character to save his life.
I can’t wait to go to my first writing conference!
What I’ve learned from the many job-related conferences I’ve attended that I am sure carries over is the importance of getting to know people, not just as “contacts”. I am still in touch with quite a few people I met at conferences even though I left the industry years ago. Building real relationships is possible and helpful!
Hi Pam,
Great post! I should take a print out and pin it up on my board… some really good info. It’s how I felt after my first conference too… simply dumbstruck and I learned soooo much.
Thanks for sharing and would be gr8 if you could join me @ The Healthy Writer Blog today and share ur thoughts on something I’ve learned too!
Anju
Hey, Pam, a lot of good tidbits gleaned in a short amount of time. Kudos to you for soaking it all up. One of the best workshops I attended was Donna MacMeans’ on the W plot. Very enlightening.
I so enjoyed talking with you. Just wish I lived closer so that could happen more often.
Much luck with your writing.
I learned that I need to use color more carefully in my writing-Thanks Sia. The couple of workshops I managed to make it to were great. Good to see everyone.
Volunteers definitely have more fun and get to talk to everyone! You actually can learn a lot form being on the inside as a volunteer
and its less pressure than being a speaker. I have been an antendee and volunteer and would much rather volunteer. Going with friends and dividing up the workshops so that you can get the benefit of all the workshops ~ is another great idea. Looks like you learned a lot! I’m definitely enjoying your journey….
Yes, Marilyn, I was really wishing I could clone myself! There were so many great workshops it was difficult to choose which ones to attend! I missed Kim Castillo’s workshop; did you take notes? Maybe we could trade…
LOL, Denise! By the same token, I have a heard time getting into a guy’s head. I am under the impression, though, that every thought they have is punctuated with the word “sex.” Guys, correct me if I am wrong…
You are absolutely right, Amber. The women I have met through GRW and the M&M Conference are more friends than “contacts.” As far as I am concerned, it’s all about the relationships. Thank you for sharing!
This wasn’t my first conference, Anju; it was actually my third. But they just keep getting better! I will pop over to the Healthy Writer blog as soon as I finish responding to comments here. My blood pressure is wonky for some reason, so health is something I need to be paying attention to!
Carol, I wish I could have attended the workshop on the W plot; I think that would have been a useful one for me. I did look it up online and the concept certainly makes sense. It was great to talk with you, too, but just because you live a million miles away doesn’t mean we couldn’t chat on the phone from time to time. I just might surprise you with a call one of these days!
Susan, Sia’s workshop was another one I missed. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to hear it another time! And I can’t wait to get an autographed copy of your book in my hands!
Not only do you learn more and interact with more people as a volunteer, there are perks associated with volunteering. I had no idea! And I have Sally Kilpatrick to thank for drawing me into the fold. I will definitely do it again! Thank you so much for your support.
Hi Pam,
Yes, there was a lot to learn. I attended some of the same workshops as you, The Meaning of Life or Theme, Worldbuilding & Death and Taxes. All great info. I also attended Killers & Rapist and Thieves, Oh My! So worth hearing again at the GRW meeting.
I didn’t get to Susan’s, You Can Promote Your Own Book, because that was my volunteer time, but I’m looking forward to seeing it in March at Silken Sands.
My Color Your Character W/S was asked to be a GRW meeting. So maybe you’ll get the info there.
I rarely miss a GRW meeting, Sia, so I will look forward to hearing your workshop soon! And now I’m off to google Silken Sands…
Great post, Pam. You hit ALL the important take aways from M & M!
Great post! Very interesting! I liked all of the things. Glad you had fun at M&M! Its awesome that you got such a great response to help you with your writing. Very useful and helpful tips for everyone! Thank you for sharing with us!
shadowluvs2read(at)aol(dot)com
Great post–sometimes you need to hear things more than once to sink in, hmmm? LOL
Two things: I agree about volunteering completely. My first science fiction convention was the 1986 World Science Fiction Convention, held in Atlanta, GA. I volunteered selling T-shirts and had a super time, meeting some awesome people, who later became friends. Another thing I’ve learned, this at an Indiana RWA chapter conference, was that you should think about and write your synopsis as you go along or at least after your first draft. It’s tough to do and by keeping you major plot points in mind, it’s easier. Just sayin’, so you won’t get stuck writing it when you’ve been away from the story for a while…
I am so going to have to come down and party with you guys, next year! Sounds like southern romance writers are similar to southern SF fans, in that it’s hard work, but you’re rewarded with meeting a great group of folks and having a good time.
The perfect summary, Pam!
Thanks, Deb. And thanks for posing with me. That photo was just what I needed for today’s blog post!
I really hope you can make it next year too, Julee. I can’t imagine a better group than GRW!
Thanks, JB. I wish we had found more time to visit during the conference. Good luck with all the work-related stress I know you are dealing with right now. I will miss the November meeting, but I hope to see you at the party in December!
Thank you for your comments, Shadow! I hope you will come back and visit often!
Thanks for the shout out, Pam! I had a wonderful conference as well and learned many a thing. Eloisa’s keynote speech had me blurry eyed from tears
I am so glad you had a good experience too, Maria! I was hoping you would be at the book signing but I didn’t see you there. Next time! Eloisa’s speech left me teary-eyed, too. It changed my whole perspective on this work we do. Thank you so much for visiting our blog!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pam! I missed you guys and the great information one gets from attending a conference.
I will say that from past conferences I’ve attended, the friends you make will be with you the whole way. Yes, there are a few people who drop off the face of the earth when they find out this really isn’t for them. But aside from those, it is the people you sit with at each meeting, talk to on chat loops, comment on blog posts with that help you through the rough patches in this bumpy road to publication.
Thanks again for sharing this information. I hope the ladies who mentioned doing their workshops at our local meetings will do that. I can’t wait to hear what they have to say.
Tami
Tami, we missed you, too! I am really looking forward to catching some of those workshops I missed. GRW meetings are kind of like M&M mini’s, dontcha think?
Pam – looks like you got everything out of this conference that was possible. M&M has always beens a great one, but this year’s sounds outstanding. So glad you got so much from it.
It was a great conference, Dianna, and it was wonderful to see you, too, and watch you accept your well-deserved service award. We love you!
Sorry I missed this post yesterday. I had some health issue – yuck.
Pam, I LOVE your list! This year’s conference was indeed one to remember. You summed up so much of what I learned. One thing I can add – there’s nothing like dancing to YMCA with your writer friends!
Hi Linsey! I am sorry you haven’t been feeling well. Here’s hoping you are all better soon. I MISSED the YMCA; I was chatting with Carol about my WIP. Now THAT’s dedication to one’s art, right?