Three years ago my life changed.

Before dismissing that statement as being melodramatic, just hear me out.

It was 2010 and I was thinking that I might actually be interested in maybe someday pursuing a writing career. I was receiving Dave Farland’s Daily Kicks, and he mentioned he was putting together this seminar-thing (okay, he was far more eloquent than that) with a bunch of other top-notched and top-selling fantasy writers about everything you needed to know about the publishing industry, but no one was willing to tell you. The other instructors–Kevin J. Anderson, Eric Flint, Rebecca Moesta and James Owen–all have equally impressive resumes. The seminar-thingy was the Superstars Writing Seminar. I figured what the heck, I’d been going to “skills” seminars for about five years now, maybe it was time to get an insider’s look at the industry I wanted to be part of.

Best (professional) decision of my life.

Why?

The information and insight into the publishing market, including the self-publishing v. traditional publishing debate, was invaluable. Knowing the risks inherent for a publisher in taking on a new writer, I understood (and could work to circumvent) the barriers to publishing.

The time with the instructors was unprecedented. Remember that I said I’d been attending seminars for five years. Even with instructor-intense workshops, there wasn’t a whole lot of out-of-class time with the instructors. Superstars blew that distance out of the water. We went to lunch with the instructors. We went out drinking with Kevin Anderson. If you wanted a few minutes of their time, all of them where happy to oblige.

The instructor time ties in with a very important point.  They are some of the nicest and most open people you could ever want to meet. They genuinely want to help other writers succeed. They are invested in helping them do so. They have a wealth of information on many disparate topics and are more than happy to share that knowledge, whether it’s publishing, queries, hiking, micro-brew beers, mafia, European history or whatever.  For the price of asking, they gave us hours of their time to help us Superstars attendees move forward in our careers. And the guest speakers are just as open and wonderful as the regular instructors.

Then, of course, there’s the connections you form with the other attendees. The Superstars attendees are as amazing as the instructors. A group of the 2010 Superstars alums formed the writing group that grew into Fictorians. The picture to the right is of some of us at World Fantasy 2012. In addition to Fictorians, Superstars alums have an active Facebook group. We encourage and commiserate with each other. We are our own best cheerleaders. That network of people going through exactly what you are going through is invaluable. It’s also how I found my publisher.

Most of all, what Superstars did for me was give me the confidence to say, “I am going to be a professional writer.” It’s not a crazy dream. It’s a goal. Superstars gave me an understanding of the business side of the industry that I couldn’t get anywhere else.

Seriously folks, if you are interested in a writing career or maybe you’re already pursuing one, you are doing yourself a disservice by not attending Superstars. I highly recommend you attend Superstars Writing Seminar, which will be held May 14-16, 2014 in Colorado Springs, Colorado this year. Prices go up on  May 1, 2013, so sign up now.

I hope to see you there.

If you’re still on the fence, check out another great posts on this site about the Superstars Experience:

Q&A with the Superstars: Part I

Share on Facebook

Did you every have one of those stories that you know “missed it by that much”? I did. While there were some obvious fixes I knew I needed (like beefing up my descriptions), there was a fundamental flaw in the story that I couldn’t get my hands around. The story was sick and needed help. So, I took my baby to a professional.

Let me back up for a second, the story I’m talking about is my trunk novel. I’ve been picking at it for far too long. The first draft was well over 300,000 words. I know. I know. So, I broke it into three books. The problem was that the first book’s story arc was high on the Character quotient of Orson Scott Card’s MICE scale. For those who don’t know, I’m going to vastly oversimplify this. Card broke stories down to four archetypes – Milieu (setting), Issue, Character, and Event.  A character story is mostly concerned with the character’s internal journey. So, the book ended when my main character transitioned from spoiled, self-centered twit to taking responsibility for the greater community, and before the promised big battle.  A lot of the comments I received was that “nothing happened” in the story. So, books one and two became book 1. But I still had what I called a “pacing” problem. I didn’t know how to fix it. Hence, the trip to the book doctor.

The book doctor of choice and the stated course of therapy? David Farland’s Novel Rewriting Seminar. Dave is a New York Times Bestselling writer who has been translated into many languages and trained a number of #1 New York Times bestsellers, like Brandon Mull, Brandon Sanderson, and Stephenie Meyer.  His latest novel, NIGHTINGALE, has won eight awards. So, the ability to hear him speak, much less take a class from him, is an amazing opportunity.

This seminar focuses on editing. In order to attend, you have to submit a sample to Dave and be accepted. You’re committing to a lot of homework, both before and during the workshop. We had a reading list which ensured all participants were starting with the same base knowledge.

All participants send in the first 100 pages and a synopsis of their stories. Part of the pre-seminar homework is to read the first 20 pages and synopsis of the other workshop stories. Getting to read and critique other stories, when you do so honestly, is a learning experience. What do I mean by “critiquing honestly”? I mean not cutting down a story just to cut it down. Your plan should always be to help the writer improve the story. realizing that your comments are just your opinion and you’re not any smarter or better than any other writer. Use critiquing as a way to help someone, but also as a means of seeing what you are doing that might be hurting your own writing.

The work doesn’t end when you get to the workshop. This isn’t a seminar where you can sit back and zone out. Each day, we went over two or more of the workshop stories, discussed story structure and elements, and were given homework that applied the topics discussed. We each left with 10 other perspectives on our story. Another fabulous excercise we did was disecting the story-telling elements in The Hunger Games movie. Many of the workshop participants would go out to lunch or dinner together. We built a community there.

Each participant meets with Dave to go over his comments on the first 100 pages of your novel. I have to say the time spent with Dave was worth far more than the price of admission. Not only is he a genuinely wonderful person, but he has so much insight and experience over the entire entertainment industry. I could have spent hours talking to him about everything from game design to movie making to publishing, and barely dipped my toes in the well of information and experience that he has.  Dave pointed out some of the things I knew needed work – my descriptions of places and people were thin. But he also articulated the bigger problem I was having, and a way to address it.

What was the best thing about the workshop? That’s a hard question. The people I met there are wonderful. The knowledge I gained was invaluable. But, I have to say the best thing about the workshop was leaving knowing what I had to do, and that I could accomplish it.

Dave has a workshop for whereever you are in your writing career. He has a host of new writing classes scheduled for 2013 available at www.davidfarland.com/writing workshops.  These range from his new Short Fiction Master’s Class, to his Million-Dollar Outlines, Novel Revision class, and Fiction Mastery Class. While there is some overlap between the seminars, each focuses on a different aspect of the craft of writing. I can’t wait to attend some of the other ones.

As if the workshops weren’t  cool enough, if you go to to any of his workshops and mention that “I heard about it through the Fictorians,” Dave will buy you a free dinner with him (if time allows), or he’ll give you $20.

If you have the choice between dinner with Dave or $20, take the dinner. Every time.

So please check out his workshops here.

Share on Facebook

Any of you trying to decide whether to take that cruise to the Bahamas or attend a writing workshop?  Well, now you can do both!  The Sail to Success writing workshop combines the awesome vacation experience of a Bahamas cruise with a professional level writing workshop.

I attended this year’s first-ever workshop, and it was well worth the cost, which was higher than some other venues, given that we combined a vacation with a small group workshop with top talent.

When I heard about the Sail to Success writing workshop, I had to go. Not only was the venue uniquely enticing (I’d never cruised before), but the line-up of faculty presenting to the small group was outstanding. Presenters included:

• The prolific and always helpful Kevin J Anderson and his wife, Rebecca Moesta,
• Legendary author Mike Resnick
• Top literary agent Eleanor Wood
• Novelist, instructor, and editor Nancy Kress
• Author and instructor Jack Skillingstead
• Author and teacher Paul Cook
• and Toni Weiskopf, head of Baen Books.

Wow. And the reality lived up to the expectation.

The workshop proved extremely productive, although being on a cruise ship proved to be a challenge as well as a great benefit.  It was a little difficult to focus on class time while the ship was docked in Freeport or Nassau.

The class schedule was intensive: from 8 AM to noon, and from 6 PM to midnight most nights. We managed to slip ashore in the afternoons, but lacked the time for extensive excursions like scuba diving (we had to return to the ship by 4:30). Luckily, my wife came along since the purchase included cruise for two, and she vacationed for both of us while I sat in class.

I didn’t mind. The classes were excellent. Not only did we receive excellent instruction on craft from Nancy Kress, but we learned from these long-time, successful professionals about the nuts and bolts of the publishing business.

The highlights of the class were the critique sessions from Nancy Kress and Toni Weiskopf. Nancy reviewed samples of our writing from an editor’s perspective, and provided wonderful feedback. Toni reviewed other samples from her perspective as a purchasing editor. What a rare opportunity to sit with a publisher and see exactly how they look at your work. It proved enlightening, and a little scary.

Toni receives over a thousand manuscript submissions per month. When she considers those submissions, she’s not looking for reasons to like a manuscript. She’s looking for any excuse to stop reading, and to give that submission the dreaded ‘red mark of doom’. It might come in the first paragraph if she sees it’s not the type of story they’re looking for, or it might come on page two when she finds herself confused, or sees too many grammatical mistakes. If she can’t find a reason to throw the manuscript away quickly, then it just might be a work she’d consider reading further.  Of the fifteen students in the class, only three of us earned that distinction, which was a rare moment of validation.

The only complaint about those critique sessions was the lack of time. Given the time constraints, feedback was limited to 7-10 minutes per manuscript. It just wasn’t enough time.  However, in 2013 the program will be structured slightly different.  Each student will select if they want a critique from Nancy or from Toni, not both, although all students will get to sit in on both critique sessions and hear the reviews of all of the submitted works.  That should allow for more time per submitted work.

So overall, this workshop proved well worth the investment in time and money, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who’s a serious aspiring writer.

Share on Facebook

So, we’ve been talking about workshops, seminars, and conventions this month, and we couldn’t possibly go without mentioning Worldcon. With the World Fantasy Convention (WFC), this is one of the big ones for writers starting out. There is no cap for Worldcon, as there is for WFC, so this convention has a higher guest count and a much higher fan to writer ratio. It’s not as intimate an atmosphere (if you can call 750 people in one hotel intimate), but it’s a very good place to go for new authors.

At a workshop I went to a few years ago, Pyr editor, Lou Anders, said that if you’re looking for a publisher and/or agent, go to WFC. Once you get a publisher and/or agent, go to Worldcon.

I’ll be honest. I’ve never attended a Worldcon in the past, but this year, it’s in my back yard, so to speak, so I’m totally planning to go. In addition to the huge amount of programming they have every year, there are plenty of parties to attend and lots of pros to meet running around the place.

Hugo Award winning author Mike Resnick wrote a great guide for beginners attending Chicon7 (this past year’s Worldon). It’s a really good read for those, like me, who will be attending for the first time, no matter what year you’re going. The official site also has some advice for first time goers here.

Here’s the skinny on Worldcon 2013, or as it’s been titled, LoneStarCon3:

• This year, the convention will be in San Antonio, Texas, August 29-September 2, 2013.

• Membership is $200 for an adult attending membership until April 30, 2013. More info can be found on their membership page.

• There are two host hotels right on the San Antonio Riverwalk. Bookings opened on the website today, January 21, 2013. The Riverwalk is a major tourist attraction, so the prices can be a little high for many people ($154 for single/double occupancy; $175 for triple/quad). But there are plenty of other hotels in the vicinity that are a little more affordable, and it’s always a good idea to bring a friend or two to cut costs.

• Programming isn’t up yet, of course, but there’s always a huge amount to see and do. On the programming page there are links to the programming from previous Worldcons. Check it out to see what you might be looking forward to.

• In addition to the programming and parties, there’s also a writer’s workshop, if you want spend some time with a couple of pro authors working on your craft while you’re at the con. According to the workshop page, there’s a fee of $15 to reserve a spot. Reservations open in July.

As for me, I have to say, I’m already kinda jazzed to go this year. Since it’s open to everyone, I can actually convince some of my friends who don’t write to go with me, and the wealth of pros going is always a great draw. And since it’s only a few hours drive from my house, I won’t have to shell out big bucks for airfare, which is always a plus. Honestly, just taking a look at the official site makes it seem like there’s entirely too much to cover everything, but we’ll surely have a ton of fun trying.

So, anyone gone to a Worldcon before or going this year? Share what you’ve enjoyed in the past and/or are looking forward to this year. Help us first-timer’s figure out what to get ready for.

See ya there!

Share on Facebook

I’ll admit, my track record with attending the World Fantasy Convention (WFC) is a bit spotty. I usually end up going every other year. My last was in 2011 in San Diego, so this year is my year to go again, and I’m finding myself quite jazzed about that.

As a writer, I’ve got a few books that will definitely be in shape to be pitched, and I’ll hopefully already be submitting those, so I’ll actually have a few things to talk about with people. In the past, I haven’t been as aggressive at conventions as I should be. It’s one of my goals to fix that this year, and WFC always pulls in great authors, publishers, editors and agents focusing on speculative fiction. It’s a great place to network with people in the industry. Since it’s got a membership cap, it’s pretty easy to rub elbows with the right people. This is a working convention rather than a fan one, so it’s a good place to start for those of us who want to break into the business and get advice from professionals.

As with any convention, there are panels running pretty non-stop and parties for socializing and networking. And of course, if you’re really interested in getting some business done, one must spend quality time at the bar.

As a reader, WFC has always been a great place to find new books to read–more than any other convention I go to. The dealer’s room can burn a whole in anyone’s pocket especially with the number of writers running around, there’s no problem finding signed copies of things or hard to find items. Or you can bring your own books for the evening where all the writers show up for one mass signing event. I’ve learned to leave extra room in my suitcase because I always come home with a huge stack of new books. Heck, you usually get a bag full of books when you arrive just for showing up.

Okay, I’ll confess that part of my enthusiasm in wanting to attend WFC this year is the location. I’ve always wanted to go to the UK, and here’s a great excuse.

Of course, this means I’ll have to put in a little extra effort–a bit more planning–than when WFC is held in North America. Frankly, this trip is gonna get expensive fast. Flights alone from the US right now are over $1000. That’s more than I usually spend on the entire trip to this convention. And, come on, what’s the point to going to England just for one three day convention? Might as well stick around for a few days extra to at least visit London, which is about an hour away.

Wanna come, too?

First, check out the website here.

Membership costs 125£, roughly about $200. With the membership cap, it’s a good idea to register early. Make sure you fill out the registration form as well as make your payment because you have to have both to be registered for attendance. While they claim that refunds are at the “discretion of the convention”, they usually don’t do refunds, but you can transfer your membership to someone else should you not be able to attend after all.

The host hotel, the Hilton Brighton Metropole, sold out in less than 24 hours after reservations went online. The convention is working to find overflow hotels but hasn’t posted anything yet, though they have put up a link for finding other accommodations.

The WFC 2013 homepage has a list of publishers attending, and there’s a list of currently registered members so it’s always a great idea to look both over and plan out who you might want to meet.

If you want to keep up with what’s going on, they now have an app for that for both iPhone and Android users.

If you’re like me and live in the US, there’s also the host of logistics to plan for: passports, electrical adaptors, making sure your phone works in another country, all those little things that are easy to forget when you’re going out of the country. Seriously, it’s a lot of work to go from one place to another.

So, have you gone to WFC in the past or plan to go this year? Leave a comment and let us know what you’ve enjoyed in the past and/or look forward to.

Share on Facebook

Deciding what writing seminar to go to is a daunting task. If you Google or Bing search “writing seminars fiction” or “writing conferences fiction” you’ll get well over million hits between the two. For simplicity I’m going to use the terms seminar, conference and convention interchangeably. Even when you factor in duplicate or out of date entries and wrong responses, there are thousands of writing conventions you could attend on a local, state, national or international level every year.  Add to the vast array of choices the necessary limitations of time and money, and you’re faced with a conundrum. Whether you are only attending one or five conventions that year, you still need to winnow down your choices to the “best” convention.

Since all of us here at Fictorians are setting up our convention schedules, we thought we’d address this very important topic. All month we’re going to be featuring posts on particular convention to help you make the “right” decision. There are many factors that make a convention “right” for you. A lot of it, though, comes down to what your goals are.

So, here are some of the factors I take into account when I’m planning out my conference attendance for the year.

1.         Time, Money and the Intangible Costs. All conventions are trade-offs.  Most of us have families we leave when we attend a convention. Non-writing jobs limit our available time. Limited funds may dictate that certain conventions are out of reach, for now. Even when writing is your full time jobs, the time at the convention takes hours away from your ability to write. Recognizing the trade-offs will give you one measure of whether the cost of attending the convention is more than you are willing to pay.

            I’m a mommy, writer, and lawyer. When I make decisions about most courses of action, I balance the time away from my family, and work with the benefit of the proposed action. Would I love to attend a seminar a month? Yes. Is it feasible? Heck no. Remember, we all have multiple demands on our time and attention. Don’t (knowingly or unknowingly) sacrifice more than you are willing in one area of your life for another.

2.         Take into account the convention’s focus and your needs. Each convention has its own personality, and focus. Some conventions are skills-based, some are industry-based and some are fan-based. My first seminar was skills-based. At the time I had a mess of a manuscript, but at least it was finished. The focus of the convention was how show lawyers how they too could be the next Gresham and write legal thrillers. While I was writing fantasy, the basic skills being taught applied to every type of writing. Other seminars focus on the networking opportunities, while still others focus on the costumes and pageantry of a fan convention.

Assess where you are in your career and what you want to get from the convention. For fun, there are some great conventions. A word of caution though, keep in mind if you are attending as a fan, you may not watch to pitch your dream editor while you are wearing a superhero outfit.

If you are starting out your writing career, my suggestion would be to focus on the general skills-based seminars for your first conference.  As your writing skills increase, there are seminars that focus on particular elements of the writing process like outlining, editing and pitching your story to agents and editors. Seminars like Superstars will also give you a lot of insight as to how the industry works and what it means to be a professional writer.

When you have a work looking for a home, you’ll want to focus on conventions that will give you the opportunity to meet agents, editors and publishers. At this point, you make also want to go to some of the genre specific conventions like Romance Writers of America, World Fantasy Convention, ThrillerFest and the like.

3.         Who else is going? Pay attention to the speakers and attendees, if the list is available. Attending with friends is a good safety net. Having people to be with can help bolster your confidence. A friend can prod you to go back and talk to that editor who’s looking for the same type of stories you write. Just remember not to pack up to the exclusion of new connections.

More importantly, if your dream agent is on a panel or attending at a particular conference, that conference is one that should be high on your list. This is where doing your homework before the conference comes in. Research the convention speakers. Find out if they write, edit or publish in your genre. Knowing who is speaking may help you winnow down your choices.

4.         Is the Content Useful?  Know what sessions will be offered, and if they sound helpful to your furthering your writing career.

There’s a caveat here. For the World Fantasy Convention and several other genre specific seminars, you will often need to sign up months, if not a year, before the sessions are announced.  The keynote speaker and often some of the other speakers or award recipients are often announced when the registration process starts. While this might be all right for the premiere genre seminars like WFC or ThrillerFest, since if you’ll want to attend them if you write in those genres, but try to avoid signing up for a conference when you don’t know what will be presented. It might be that that fine sounding seminar actually isn’t what you needed when you learn the details.

5.         Ask. If you’re reading this blog, you’ve already taken a positive step. You’re connecting with others in the industry. If you know Jane went to WorldCon, but Pete went to World Fantasy and you’re trying to decide between the two, ask Jane and Pete about their experiences. Contrary to the stereotype, writers tend to be a fairly gregarious bunch when we’re not at the keyboard. We’re happy to share insights and swap war stories. Asking people who have been what they liked or didn’t like and whether the seminar was useful is a great way to narrow the options to a manageable grouping.

6.         Have Faith.  Even after you’ve winnowed down the list by doing the above, you’re likely to have more choices than you can realistically attend. At that point, take a deep breath and pick the one that appeals most to you. With the right mindset, every convention can be a great one for you. And, you can always attend a different convention next year.

A final word on this subject: regardless of what type of convention you choose, you MUST network. The friendships you make are priceless.

Share on Facebook

Local conventions tend to be, well, small. They may not seem worth the time or even the relatively small amount of cash, but as Clancy pointed out with her post on LTUE, there are  a number of good reasons to go.

First, local networking: This is your chance to get to know local authors. Clancy listed a number of writers she’s met at LTUE, most of whom I recognize as Utah natives. I live in Arizona, but I traveled up to Utah to attend a small local convention called Conduit. There, I made it on the list of people to play Magic with Brandon Sanderson. He took pity on me, and the many years since I’d played the game, and helped me out. As I got my butt kicked playing the game mano-a-mano against Brandon, I asked him writing advice that changed my life. I told him where I was with my writing and asked him where I should go next. He pointed me toward David Farland and his workshops, which we’ll talk about in a later post. My point is that I could have never had that opportunity at a large convention. In a small one, the authors aren’t so busy, and they’re more able to be themselves and talk with  people on a personal basis. I had a similar experience with James A. Owen at CopperCon last August, having another life-changing conversation that had nothing to do with writing. But wait, everything has to do with writing, because writing is life portrayed through story.

In a local con, you also meet local fans. If you’re a novice, self-published writer, or just getting started in the NY publishing industry, or even if you’re well-known across the world, at a local con you have local fans who take an interest in their home-grown stars. I once had a well-published writer tell me that the local cons are imperative, because the fans there are your home-base, they’re your friends that will give you support when the going gets rough. It’s true, and I’ve met some wonderful people and wonderful friends through local conventions.

Second, Guests: Almost every convention on the planet, no matter how small, brings in an outside talent. As with local authors, the guests are usually more accessible at a local con than at a world-renowned convention. At LepreCon 2011, Elizabeth Bear was their Guest of Honor. I never saw Elizabeth long enough to start up a conversation, but to my surprise, her editor, Beth Meacham of Tor, had come. I sat at a cafe table with Ms. Meacham for a few minutes, and though she had to know I sat with her for the sole purpose of meeting her, she was gracious and kind. We talked about the future of publishing and she explained the options for YA science fiction from an editor’s point of view. When the party she waited for arrived, I thanked her for her time, and made a quick exit. I didn’t pitch, and she didn’t ask about my work, which means I didn’t make a nuisance of myself. If I ever have the privilege of speaking with her again, probably by means of an agent, then I hope she’ll remember me favorably because I didn’t play the part of an annoying wannabe who pinned her down for twenty minutes to talk about my novel.

Third, the money: Local conventions are so much cheaper than the big ones. Conduit is $35 as is LepreCon, compared to the $180 and up that most of the big conventions cost. Also, if you live local, you can choose to drive to the convention and back instead of staying at the hotel, and though their hospitality suites aren’t usually quite as nice as the big conventions, they still have decent enough ones to grab a snack here and there and cut on your food costs.

Fourth, community service: When you go to a local convention, and encourage your friends to attend, you’re supporting  your genre within your community. Local fans have a place to go that they can afford, and your genre has a venue from which to publicize. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Here are some upcoming conventions in AZ : Tuscon Festival of Books (related post), March 9-10, Free; LepreCon, May 9-12, $35; Phoenix Comicon (fairly crowded), May 23-26, $40; Coppercon, August 9-11; TusCon, November 9-11, $35

Some outside of AZ that I’ve heard about: CarolinaCon in North Carolina, March 15-17, $20; Conduit in Utah, May 24-26, $35; FenCon in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, October 4-6, $30

For a more comprehensive list of science fiction conventions, go to www.westernsfa.org

(All prices represent the current cost. Some registration costs go up at later dates.)

These are the ones I know about. I’d love to hear about others, especially for other genres.

Share on Facebook

Taken from LTUE’s website:  LTUE “is a three day academic symposium on all aspects of Science Fiction and Fantasy. LTUE is comprised of panels, workshops, presentations and papers on writing, art, literature, media, science and other aspects of speculative fiction.”

I attended it the first time several years back and have been a few times.  It has changed over time growing from a small student-run symposium for active Brigham Young University students being held in random rooms on campus to taking over the Continuing Ed building to now being held in a nearby hotel.  Although it is held in Provo, Utah and run by the Mormon students of BYU, everyone is welcome and it is not religious based.

One time I attended, Richard Hatch, Apollo from the original Battlestar Gallactica, gave a two hour presentation.  I was in full Battlestar-loving-geek mode sitting in the front row… six feet from my favorite teenage crush idol.  I have to think Richard Hatch is used to the glazed looks and drooling women cause he is as cute as ever!

But I digress.  This is a great event.  I’ve met authors like David Farland, James Dashner, Dan Wells, Brandon Sanderson, Larry Correia, James Eric Stone, J. Scott Savage, Lee Allred, Jessica Day George, and Howard Tayler at LTUE.

It’s small enough that you can easily visit with the presenters and panelists.  They have readings, panel discussions, presentations, Q&As, workshops and book signings.  There are generally three or more activities occurring at any one time and you can literally go from event to event for five to ten hours a day… for three days.

Some stand outs for me over the years have been a workshop on how to create your own language, how costuming affects how we see characters, how accurate do you need to be with facts and history in fiction, how to generate ideas, how to create plot, many aspects of world-building, tips on collaborating, how to create web-comics/comic books/graphic novels, how to do research, writing stellar openings, marketing, editing and revision and too many more to mention.

It is a feast of options, knowledge and networking.  People travel to attend this event because it provides so much for the crazy reasonable price of only $30 for three days (and it used to be free).

I do recommend as soon as the schedule is available, highlight the topics you are most passionate about seeing and plan out your day.  You have a few minutes to get from talk to talk, but trust me, you’ll want to know in advance where you are going to next.  Bring lots of paper or a device for note-taking.  In the past, I’ve taken snacks with me so I didn’t have to miss anything by taking a lunch break.  They have evening fun like filking and a banquet as well.

If you are anywhere near Utah or can get here February 14-16, 2013, I highly recommend you do.  LTUE is worth attending in ways you can’t even imagine.

Anyone else attend LTUE before and want to share?

Share on Facebook

Sounds of the lunch rush washed over me as my heart sank. I fell back into the crinkly leather of my booth seat as the woman across from me reached into her bag and pulled out three full pages of elevator pitches. As for myself, I had travelled halfway across the country with nothing but a few changes of clothes and a mustard stain on my lapel. This is what it felt like to be grossly unprepared.

This was a mere two months ago, hours before the start of World Fantasy Convention 2012. I had arrived early in the morning before the Thursday sessions and was now eagerly catching lunch with a good friend of mine I hadn’t seen in over a year. To my surprise, my friend was more interested in talking shop than catching up on our personal lives. The only reason this surprised me is because we were on different pages. She had come to Toronto to make valuable connections and further her writing career. If I’m being completely honest, I had mostly come to socialize. Like I said: different pages.

And it was me who had to now make a series of furious, last-minute adjustments.

My friend, who’s been writing for many years, has an impressive body of work and a long list of ideas for future works in progress. She’s a big-idea, high-concept thinker… and she had come all this way with books to sell. That wasn’t her mentality; she was as much there to “buy” an agent or editor as anything, and I think that’s a healthy perspective. But however you look at it, WFC is a book market, and she had come with the correct mindset.

WFC is the only major con I’ve attended in the two and a half years since I decided to pursue my writing professionally, but I know for a fact that it’s not unique. Writers go to cons for many reasons, but primary among them is the great white hope of networking: to make that one perfect connection with someone who has the ability to make your wildest publishing dreams come true. WFC 2012 was crawling with those kinds of people. Best-selling authors, agents, and editors from all the major genre publishers were on the premises, and the hardest of hard-nosed genre writers were hunting them like Bugs Bunny at the height of rabbit season.

This wasn’t the fun, laidback reunion with friends I had hoped it would be. In retrospect, it was a hundred times better.

Let me get personal for a minute and explain that I hate networking—or maybe I just hate the word. The idea of walking up to perfect strangers and making small talk, all with the agenda of finding out whether or not they’re useful to me or not… well, it’s fair to say that rubs strongly against my grain. Of course, ardent professional networkers probably wouldn’t describe their skillset quite that way, but it’s the way I have always perceived it. You would therefore expect that a con like WFC was a cesspool of human ugliness from which I would instinctively want to run screaming.

But fortunately, it was too late to do that by the time I sat across from my friend over a burger and fries and that long list of elevator pitches. Thank goodness for that, because WFC was a game-changer for me. And my fervent hope is that one of 2013’s many excellent conventions will be a game-changer for you, too.

In the month of January, you will hear stories from many con- and workshop-goers, our hope being that these experiences and tips will prepare you to take the leap and jump into the professional pool, perhaps for the first time. You’ll learn many things. Like, what’s an elevator pitch? Why is the hotel bar the most important location at a convention? How do you meet other professionals without coming across as desperate and needy? I learned all this and more. Oh, and guess what? I changed my mind about networking. It’s not the dirty word I thought it was.

Welcome to 2013, the year to take big steps. Bold steps. Game-changing steps.

Share on Facebook

Last week, the World Fantasy Convention (“WFC”) was held in Toronto, Canada.  For all of you who may not know, WFC is a convention for fantasy and science fiction writers, artists, agents, editors and other professionals. The four day conference has seminars/panels on craft issues.  There’s a dealer’s room for hard-to-find, and rare books, and an art show. The price of admission includes a swag bag full of free books, and use of the convention suite. There’s also lots of time for networking, including nightly parties often hosted by publishers, and a closing banquet.

Four of the Fictorians (Evan Braun, Ace Jordyn, Nancy DiMauro, and Frank Morin, from left to right in the photo) attended this year. Evan asked us to share our thoughts about the conference with you. So, here they are:

Nancy: I attended my first WFC last year, and through the introduction by fellow Fictorian Colette Vernon met Celina Summers the head editor at the newly formed Musa Publishing. WFC opened doors for me that I never knew were there. I knew I wanted to attend this year’s WFC to connect with friends, further my writing career, and help others do the same. Why did you attend?

Ace: I wanted to see writer friends from all over the world, and WFC makes connecting with friends easy. It’s also a great place to meet new people from writers, editors, agents and publishers.

Frank: I attended for two main reasons. First, to meet with my agent, John Richard Parker from ZENO, in person. He’s based in London, so this was a rare opportunity. Second, I feel it’s vitally important to interact, socialize, and network with other industry professionals. WFC is a great venue to do that.

Nancy:  What was the best thing about this year’s WFC?

Ace: Shanghai Steam, an anthology I co-edited, was launched at the con. The anthology authors had a blast at the autograph signing session and readings at the launch. It’s wonderful to see the excitement, and feel the energy of so much creative pride.

Frank: At my first WFC two years ago, I didn’t know what to expect. Luckily, I connected with several other new authors. We spent the conference looking for and talking with agents and editors we wanted to talk with. This year, I still focused on networking and meeting new people. For me, it was deeply rewarding to mentor newer authors at this WFC  and continue to learn from more experienced professionals.

Nancy:  The best thing about WFC is the conversations I had with people. I spent hours talking with editors and writers, both well established and new. Brandon Sanderson met with the attending Superstars Writing Seminars alumni, which most of the Fictorians are. Brandon spent about two and a half hours with us. We talked about his outlining technique, working on the Wheel of Time, talking to and working with agents and editors, dealing with deadlines, book tours, writing, Writing Excuses, and so much more.

There were so many great things that I’d be hard pressed to single out anything “bad” about the experience. If I had to though, I’d say that there never is enough time, and the hotel NEVER staffs the bar right. Even though the Con officially lasts 4 days, those days fly.  There’s so much to do. The Con runs from 8am when the Con Suite opens until 4-ish am, when the last party goer has returned to his room.  A lot happens unofficially at the bar, and you can find people there at all hours. Despite being warned that there will be anywhere from 50 to 100 people at the bar at any given time, the hotel never has enough staff. When they can finally get you your drink (whether spirited or not), tip well as those few staff members are working hard.

Ace:  All the activity means that my least favorite thing is the lack of sleep. There’s so much to do. So many people to see and meet. It’s electric and the conversations go long into the night.

Frank: For me, it’s the travel distance.

Nancy:  One of the reasons I love WFC is you can accomplish more there than you can in two years outside WFC.  What was the most useful thing about it for you?

Frank: This is tied closely back to question about the best WFC-related thing - the connections we make. WFC is a wonderful place to network and interact with professionals representing all aspects of writing, including other authors, agents, editors, and publishers. The first several years of writing, I didn’t attend conventions. I wish I had. There are so many benefits to rubbing shoulders with others in the same business. People at WFC have consistently proven their willingness to share their knowledge, mentor newcomers, and provide opportunities.

Ace: Getting my finger on the pulse of what direction the industry is moving not only with writing trends but on the publishing environment.

Nancy:  Next year’s WFC will be in Brighton, England. Other than buy your membership now since it will likely sell out, any tips for those attending future WFCs?

Ann: Relax and enjoy yourself. Have fun. Talk. Attend panels, readings and parties; not only do you learn lots; you never know who you’ll meet.

Frank: Get to know the hospitality suite. It’s a great place to mingle, and to eat. This year’s hospitality suite (or con suite as it’s often known) was well stocked with surprisingly good food. I made some good contacts there and met a lot of people.

Put yourself out there. Most people were very outgoing and eager to talk with others. I saw a few who seemed to be lingering on the fringes, and managed to draw a couple of them into conversations. They were new authors with few connections, who felt a little lost. Many of us authors are introverted people, but we have to set that aside at conferences and take the initiative to meet people. The connections are invaluable. Once you have a base group of friends and acquaintances, it makes it that much easier to reach out even further.

One way to start getting to know people is to attend other writing seminars or workshops. For example, there were 8-10 of us who were alumni of the Superstars Writing Seminars. Those events were excellent in and of themselves, but now provided a secondary benefit. We all came to WFC already having a large group of friends to socialize with, share advice with, and to help us maximize our WFC experience.

Nancy:  To build on what Frank was saying, the benefits of WFC or any seminar or convention might not be immediately obvious, but there are long-term benefits. Every relationship you maintain is one where you can help someone else’s writing career, and that person, in turn, can assist you. Just remember to pay it forward.

Speaking of which, any tips on how to approach editors/agents at WFC?

Frank: Remember, relationships come first. We all want to meet editors, agents, other authors, etc. They want to meet people too. Relationships open doors both ways. But before we can make that pitch, before an editor will do more than look for a way to excuse themselves at the first opportunity, we need to establish a connection. Be friendly, but not desperate. Ask them about their projects, what they’re interested in, what books they’ve been reading. Look for things you have in common that can help build that connection. If you’re successful, they’ll ask for a pitch or give you a card. If you’re not, they’ll slip away no matter how hard you try to chase them. DON”T CHASE THEM. This is a business, and we are successful when we act like professionals.

One thing I had not understood prior to my first WFC is that many agents don’t really want a full pitch, although some do, so be prepared! I butchered my first live pitch, but thankfully the agent took the time to explain why I was so awful. She wouldn’t have if I hadn’t made a solid connection first. For those agents who do not want a full pitch, they’ll give you their card. This is a good thing. It opens the door to then send them a query per whatever guidelines they have posted on their website, and reference that meeting at WFC in the query. My agent was one of several I queried after WFC in 2010.

Ace: My nervousness at meeting editors and agents disappeared when I realized I wanted to buy their services. Yes, getting my novels published is the ultimate goal but it’s important to me that I find an agent who will work hard for me, and a publisher who has access to the appropriate markets who will work with me to make us both successful. An attitude of selling means I know my product; I have questions I want to ask and so all that makes me less nervous. And yes, my pitches are all prepared.

Nancy:  I saw your pitch sheet. It was really impressive. If you have a story that’s looking for a home, it helps to be prepared because you never know when someone will ask what you are working on. Having a prepared pitch helps reduce the nervousness. And I can’t emphasis what Frank said enough. Make a connection first and be a professional and polished version of yourself. Be courteous. Manners matter.

Frank:  Also, if you are too nervous to approach an agent or editor, rely on your friends, or people you’ve made a connection with at the Con. Have another author you know introduce you to an agent or editor. Chances are someone helped that person out when she was getting started, so she’s happy to help you, just like you’ll be happy to do it for someone else down the road.

Nancy:  What do you know now that you wished you knew before attending WFC?

Ace: I think I’d make plans with writer friends to stay an extra day or two to either hang out or have some writing time together. The con generates great energy that’s worth hanging on to for as long as possible.

Frank:  I wish I had taken more time to research people I wanted to talk with. Work was very busy prior to WFC so I didn’t have enough time to do the research I needed. For example, I wanted to talk with a couple of editors, but I didn’t manage to learn the names of the other editors at the publisher. I had a productive time, but there were definitely opportunities missed due to lack of preparation.

Final thoughts from all of us:

For those who have not attended WFC, we can’t recommend it highly enough. The publishing industry is small, and, in some ways, getting smaller as it changes. It’s important to become known and make connections.  Unlike, say some of the conventions where people walk about in costumes, WFC is a primarily professional convention. People attending WFC are, generally, those in the industry who we, as writers, will do business with. Making connection with people at WFC may mean the difference between publishing or not since people want to do business with someone they know.

See you in Brighton next year!

Share on Facebook

World Fantasy Convention starts in less than a week. This year the focus is on urban fantasy and gothic fantasy. If you’ve never been to a convention, going to your first convention is almost a magical experience by itself. You’ll meet authors left and right that have been in your shoes. You’ll see editors and agents who are willing to give you advice and may tell you to send a copy of your new novel their way. And, if nothing else, you’ll have a great time. So, if you’ve never been to a convention before, let’s look at why you should go to the next one, and what you should do when you arrive.

As you finish a novel or two, you’ll want to start submitting them to publishing houses and editors. Usually this ends up with your work starting at the bottom of a slush pile and you waiting impatiently for someone to read, and hopefully pick up your novel. The other option is to meet these publishers and editors and if they like you and your pitch, they may ask you to send them your work. While it will still end up on the slush pile, this can get you put to the top.

Even if you’re still not finished with your novel, conventions can be a great place to go for that little push. There is a common saying that says you should group yourself with people who are doing what you want to do. You can look pretty much everywhere and you’ll notice a trend of authors emerging into the publishing world in groups. You’ll have people that will push you to succeed while understanding the troubles you’re facing. Along these lines, conventions can act as a support group. For a couple days a year, you’ll be immersed into the middle of your peers and idols. You’ll hear about success and everyone will tell you that it can, and will, happen to you if you persevere.

If you’re still not convinced, Brandon Sanderson tells a story about when he was trying to get published. Brandon was taking a class with David Wolverton/Farland and David learned about the books Brandon had written. David told Brandon that he needed to make it to the next convention, even if it required selling everything he owned. Brandon listened to that advice, met his editor, and the rest is history.

So, you’ve made it to the convention that fits your work, now what? The best advice I can give you is to be social. The panels and talks are good and you should definitely attend the ones you find of interest, but the real magic usually happens outside the convention hall. Learn where the parties are happening and make an appearance. Hang out at the bar and introduce yourself. Be friendly and be ready to give that elevator pitch you’ve worked so hard on. Get business cards and email addresses. Start building up your circle of authors and industry professionals who know your name. It might give you the edge you need in the future.

If you have a novel ready to be published, you’ll want to do your homework before the convention and put on the dreaded marketers cap. Many conventions, such a world fantasy, have a list of who will be attending. If not, you should be following the publishers you want to submit to on twitter and facebook anyway, so you should have an idea of who is attending. Take this list and learn everything you can about the publishers and editors that you want to submit to. You should remember that they’re people as well, and like talking to people who appreciate their work. Ask them about the novels they’re currently working on, and how the last batch has done. Be friendly, and not pushy. If all goes well, they’ll reciprocate and ask what you’re working on.

Just remember to be friendly and listen to social cues. Being too pushy or problematic can hurt your chances as well. If the other person is in a hurry or trying to leave, wait for another opportunity. Talk to others in the group and make friends. Even if you don’t kick it off with your favorite editor, there are plenty of people around willing to talk to you and give you the push you need.

Share on Facebook

Last night I was in a group and had been discussing my book that is currently in edits and being beta-read.  One of my female friends and I began a private talk about reading preferences and she said, “Most romance novels are stupid.”  I write romance, but took no offense because people like what they like.  I get it.

As we discussed this topic further, my friend said the thing she didn’t like about romances was exactly what I like best about romances.  And what I think most people like best about whatever genre writing they read – that they know the formula, they like the formula and they want more of the formula.  Not saying that genre writing is boring or predictable.  I don’t think it is.  I think it’s more resonance and comfortableness.  It’s like your favorite food.  No matter how you change the method of cooking or the ingredients involved – a burger is a burger.  You know it, you like it, you want more of it.   It’s familiar and we like that.

That’s what genre writing is.  Any particular genre has it’s own conventions, things that must happen in order for it to qualify as being in that genre.   In romance, the hero and heroine have to have conflict they overcome in order to be together at the end.  They will be together at the end.  That’s non-negotiable.  No matter the bumpy road (and it needs to be a bumpy road) they must traverse, they also must end up at their destination of happy-ever-after together.   That makes me happy.  I can still get caught up in the bumpy road and feel their frustration and joy with them, but in the end I know it will all be OK and that works for  me.   I like the journey.

I have another friend, she doesn’t like romance writing either, who wants to know what happens after they get together.  She doesn’t want to know how they get together, she wants to know how they stay together for the long haul, the day in and day out.   I don’t care so much how they stay together, I don’t want to see them struggling with how to make time for each other, find romance despite having two point five kids and a mortgage.  This does make for many a great romantic-comedy movie though.  But me, I just want to see them get together after some trials and be left with the fantasy that all will be well – no matter what.

David Farland (aka Dave Wolverton), a SciFi / Fantasy writer (among so many other things he does brilliantly) says that we like genres for what they make us feel.  Fantasy brings us a sense of wonder, Mystery’Suspense gives us a thrill while we try to solve the problem.  Again – this is what makes it genre writing.

I like and read different genres and I know exactly what I’m getting when I start reading.  I know the conventions (or formula) that I can count on, but what I don’t know is the means by which I will travel this familiar road or the sights I will see as I go down it.  But I do know the destination and that’s where I want to end up.  Just watch what happens when a writer tries to not follow the rules of that genre.  It won’t be liked.  Many a reader will be angry in fact.

So back to my first friend and her ‘romance is stupid’ comment.  When she told me what she did like to read, I was amused because she just likes a different genre with different rules.  She didn’t even seem to realize that what she enjoys reading has the same results over and over too.  Different and yet the same.  I didn’t bother pointing that out.

Your thoughts?

Share on Facebook

I recently returned from the 2012 Superstars Writing Seminar. The seminar in 2010 went well and I loved it, but to my surprise, I enjoyed this year’s seminar even more. They have this thing down to a well-oiled machine. Brandon Sanderson gave one of the first presentations, talking about his Ten Rules of Writing Success. He asked me to qualify this list by saying, these are his current rules, but they change regularly.

1) Start thinking like a business person.

2) There is no substitution for practice. (Write!)

3) Network (i.e. the seminar)

4) Be proactive.

5) Work harder.

6) The result is what matters.

7) Don’t waste time with writer’s block.

Share on Facebook

Another week gone, and here’s 10 sites worth your time.

Steve Feasey takes a stab at answering the eternal “what do you do when you’re not writing” question.

Constance Hale talks about Make-or-Break Verbs (and, yes, I do feel like I should have used a stronger verb there!)

Over at Wistfully Linda, there’s a discussion about Reading and Writing Negative Reviews.

And on a similar note, Sierra Godfrey talks about the damage 1-star reviews can cause.

A few upcoming events worth checking out:

Superstars Writing Seminar, Las Vegas, April 30 – 2 May

Agent Reads the Slush Pile, a webinar by Kristin Nelson, May 2

DFW Writers’ Conference, Dallas, May 19-20

Book Expo America, June 4-7, New York City

World Fantasy Convention, Toronto, November 1-4

And, finally, check out the Pens for Paws Auction which kicks off on May 7.

Share on Facebook