7 Ways to Challenge Yourself at Conference This Year

The Colorado Gold conference is fast approaching! The weeks leading up to a conference are always exciting, and maybe a little stressful as you start packing, planning your schedule, and inevitably worrying about all the new people you’re about to meet.

If conference is a nerve-wracking time for you, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you, and so are most of your fellow attendees. But I firmly believe that confronting our fear is the first step to overcoming it. Last year, I wrote about the importance of being brave at conference. Here are seven ways to do just that.

1. Raise your hand in class. For shy writers like me, something as simple as asking a question during a workshop can be intimidating. If this is the case, challenge yourself to raise your hand in every class you attend. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you get comfortable with it.
2. Break the ice with a stranger. Start with the person sitting next to you in a workshop, standing next to you in the lunch line, or sitting at your table for dinner. It’s easy. Start with a smile, and ask a tried-and-true icebreaker like “What do you write?” or “Are you having a good conference so far?” Most attendees are excited to talk about writing—they just don’t know how to get the conversation started.
3. Break the ice with an agent or editor. Even if she doesn’t represent your genre, or your book isn’t ready to be pitched, or you’re self-publishing, challenge yourself to chat up an agent or editor at dinner or after their workshop. It’s good practice. Agents and editors may seem intimidating, but remember, they’re people too. Ask them how their conference is going. If you’re hoping to pitch to this particular agent, don’t think about that—just work on having a fun conversation and making a personal connection.
4. Go to the bar Friday or Saturday night. This can be daunting, especially if you don’t have a wing-writer to bring with you. But even if you’re new and you think you don’t know anyone, you probably do. And you’ll be surprised how friendly everyone is, especially after a few glasses of wine.
5. Monitor a workshop. If you’re a public speaking fraidy-cat like me, this is a great way to start tackling your fear. Monitors only speak for a minute or so, and all they have to do is read from the brochure. No one remembers the monitor of the workshop they just attended; the focus is entirely on the speaker. It’s the perfect low-pressure way to jump into public speaking.
6. Read your work aloud. If your public speaking skills are ready for the next step, take part in the open-mic author readings on Saturday night. Many writers, even those who have no problem with public speaking otherwise, get nervous about sharing their work with an audience. This is a chance to get more comfortable reading your work aloud in a friendly, supportive environment. Plus, it’s great practice for when your next book launch or signing rolls around.
7. Pitch an agent. If you’re going the traditional publishing route, this can be the most daunting 10 minutes of conference. Trust me, it gets easier each time you do it. Don’t chicken out—even if the agent doesn’t request pages, the experience will ultimately help you on your journey by making you more comfortable with pitching.

These are all things you can do at the Colorado Gold or any other conference. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there—you’ll grow as a person and as a writer, and the experience will open new opportunities for you. If you’re going to the Colorado Gold in September, I hope to see you there!