Let’s Play “Is It Worth It?” (The Writer’s Conference Edition)

by Martina Boone

When you receive an alert of an upcoming writer’s conference, it can be daunting to figure out whether you should go or pass. Many of us struggle with the money and time spent to attend, but we’re eager to learn and meet other people in the industry. Plus let’s face it, if your writerly friends are going, it’s hard knowing you might be the only one who isn’t. Maybe there aren’t many conferences in your area and you’re afraid to miss the chance to go.

(Disclaimer: I’m writing this post assuming you’re not intimidated to attend a conference to begin with. If you are, don’t be. They’re fabulous, welcoming, and packed with opportunity.)

Today, we’re looking at points for consideration if you’re wondering whether to register for a writer’s conference. When I received a postcard last week advertising an upcoming conference in my area, these criteria helped me figure out whether I should attend or pass.

1. Study the breadth of the professional faculty list. I’ve attended smaller conferences that were dominated by faculty from one publishing house. That doesn’t have mean it’s not worth attending. But if you find yourself in that situation, make sure that the publishing house’s list and submission wish-list match what you write. Visit their website and check that the opportunity to submit an unsolicited manuscript or art sample is worthwhile for you. Over time, I’ve learned to study the faculty list before registering to make sure diversity exists in the list of professionals in attendance.

Credit FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2. Study the depth of the professional faculty list. Before conference day arrives, know your faculty. Think of it as ~~stalking~~ studying your targets. Familiarize yourself with the work of the agents and/or editors attending so that you know who represents work most like yours. Think about who you might want to approach based on what you find out.

3. Evaluate your manuscripts. Are they finished? Are they ready to pitch? Which ones fit specific faculty members? Is there one you’d like to submit for critique? As always, make sure your manuscript is finished in case it’s requested by an editor or agent.

4. Do you plan on making a pitch? It’s a scary question, I know. But when you spend the money to go to a conference, you are also paying for the physical presence of editors and agents. When I pitched an agent for the first time, I was pretty sure I was going to throw up in my handbag. Then I started talking to the agent and was SO thankful I did. He was down-to-earth, gave me feedback, and invited me to email him a manuscript.

5. Breakdown the breakout sessions. Many conferences feature small-group breakout sessions where you have the chance to get specialized feedback or advice. Martina and I have used the “divide and conquer” method before where we went to different sessions to maximize our time. If you go with a friend and more than one session sounds interesting, this is a great way to multiply your learning. Report back and share with each other afterward.

credit FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6. Can I afford it? If you’ve ever watched financial guru Suze Orman, you’ll know what this means. Conference fees can add up, but are typically not too expensive in isolation. SCBWI members usually enjoy a discounted attendance fee, as well. But the ca-chings of the cash register start ringing if you’re throwing in gas, air travel, hotel, food, or those tempting intensives or critiques. The same can be said for your time. Conferences usually fall on weekends and maybe that time is too precious to you to be away.

There’s no doubt that it’s hard to decide what to do when conference alerts trickle into your mailbox or email inbox. Try to focus on what makes the most sense for you. If you’ve honed in on the reasons to go or skip, you’re more likely to be content with whatever decision you make.

Tell us how you weigh your options for attending a writer’s conference. Is there something that attracts you to a conference specifically, or something that makes you comfortable in passing one up? We’d love to know your thoughts.

Happy decision-making,
Marissa

Martina Boone

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of the romantic southern gothic Heirs of Watson Island series, starting with COMPULSION from Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse and the Celtic Legends Collection of novels set in Scotland, Cornwall, and Ireland beginning with LAKE OF DESTINY. She’s passionate about improving lives through literacy and the love of books, and she runs the Compulsion For Reading program to distribute books to underserved schools and libraries.

She lives with her husband, children, Shetland Sheepdog Phinney, and Zoey the lopsided cat, and she enjoys writing contemporary romantic fiction with a hint of magic set in small towns and beautiful places. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Post © Martina Boone and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Aug 28, 2012

Category: Imported from AYAP

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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