Grapevine, Texas
Wheaton College
Chicago Area
Biola University
La Mirada, California
The Hope Center
Plano, Texas
You should go, but maybe not for the reason you think.
Many aspiring writers think conferences present wonderful opportunities to meet with acquisition editors, sell a manuscript, and gain publishing success. They’re entitled to think that because their belief in their work keeps them from seeing the weaknesses in their writing. Since they don’t know what they don’t know, they spend valuable time and money, thinking they will immediately fulfill a goal when it could actually be many years away.
Editors and agents have a different perspective.
Agents listen to hundreds of elevator pitches without seeing anything really interesting. Every manuscript has at least a little merit, so they give encouraging advice with the hope that they will one day see the author’s work rise to the top. But rarely does that happen.
What are the odds?
If only about 20 percent of elevator pitches result in an editor’s request to see a book proposal, they have reason to be excited when their work is requested. Yet only about 20 percent of those requests ever result in a mailed-in proposal. Out of the thousands that are actually sent, less than 5 percent of first-time authors will ever see their book purchased by a royalty publisher. Do that math. That means only 2 tenths of 1 percent of aspiring authors will see a return on their investment of conference time and money.
Turn the odds in your favor.
One reason so many people don’t read is that most books aren’t that great, the plots are boring, and the topics are mostly a rehashing of what’s been said before. Agents are begging for great manuscripts, and if you can produce one, you move to the top of their lists.
What’s the solution?
It’s quite simple, really.
Attend a writer’s conference and act like a sponge, learning everything you can about how to write great stories, present topics of crucial interest, and captivate your audience.
Do that, and you’ll be making a great investment in yourself and the quality of what you write for the rest of your life.
Local conferences are always an excellent value because you save travel and lodging expense. But if you can afford to travel, a writing vacation can be very rewarding fun.
