By J.A. (Julie) Kazimer
It’s conference time. In less than two weeks I’ll be joining a mess of fellow RMFW writers for the annual Colorado Gold Conference. Over the next week, you’ll get plenty of conference tips and how-to’s on this blog. Read them. Learn from others mistakes and triumphs. And most of all have a great time.
Today’s blog isn’t about conference going, but rather about the people you’ll meet along your publishing journey. The first conference I went to was in 2007. At these things you’ll meet plenty of other writers in very similar circumstances and places in their journey to publication. A bonus hardly anyone thinks about when faced with big-time agents and editors and the possibility of publication.
Don’t make the same mistake.
Yes, it is exciting and terrifying to meet with the gatekeepers who might hold your fate in their manicured hands. But these aren’t the most important people at a conference. Your fellow writers are. These are the people who will support your career in its various forms. These are the people who will provide reviews, blurbs, advice, and buy your books. These are the people you can call at 2am when you’re trapped in a scene or realized you killed off the wrong character 20 chapters ago.
In my 7 years attending RMFW’s conference, I’ve come to know a lot of my fellow writers. Some with publishing deals that make me want to stab them with my desert fork (which is why the hotel often serves desert with a spoon) and others just starting out who think I’m cool because my books are in print (these one’s quickly realize their mistake, but I usually have them captured by spoon point by then).
Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to see the people I started out with (in roughly the same place in our journeys) achieved great things. I look forward to hearing their stories or knowing, if you try hard enough and don’t give up, you can be a working writer.
To those of you attending your first conference, welcome. And please make sure to stop me and say hello. I want to know your story. I want to feel your excitement. I want to suck it from your bone marrow like a vampire (which is the best way to stay in the industry).
For those of you who I’ve met before, thank you for sharing your stories, and being a part of what makes the CO Gold Conference fun.
Looking forward to seeing everyone!
If you have a moment, please friend me on facebook or visit my website at www.jakazimer.com.
I couldn’t agree more. The people you meet at conferences become your abiding friends. There are people I’ve met at conferences that I only see once a year–and we always are thrilled to get together again and swap stories or triumphs and disappointments. These people understand me in ways that my non-writing friends simply don’t.
Okay, I’m drawing the line at any 2:00 a.m. phone calls, but agree one hundred per cent with the rest of your post, Julie. I’ve made so many friends by belonging to RMFW and attending Colorado Gold….and got published through the editor I met there as well. The 5th of September can’t get here soon enough for me.
I’m so very lucky to have met you! I’ve learned so much and fell in love with your writing!