NOTICE!

For some reason I can add sidebars, but not new posts. Please check back later. I have been working on a variety of things including switching my blog soon from this one, which was set up with my now-defunct West Wisconsin Telcom account. I hope to have my new blog through Gmail up soon. I will provide a link and announcement when I've got everything straight. 7/2/11




Saturday, January 26, 2008

Writers’ conferences, retreats and other events


My collage titled "Days." It lists the types of activities I fit into my week to ensure I not only get the laundry done and write, but also that I remember to dedicate time to business development (like writers' events) and creativity (making collages). As is the case with all my illustrations for my posts, you can click on the image to enlarge it.



Spending time in the company of writers is a fantastic way to boost your own creativity and professionalism. I highly recommend attending these events—one or two a year would be optimal, but expensive especially if travel and hotel costs are involved. I’m aiming for one big event every other year or so, plus a few smaller (and less costly) sprinkled here and there. I’ve added a number of events scheduled in 2008 to a new section just before The Money Corner. A few hints: check the web sites now to get on the conference mailing lists, even if you’re not sure you will be able to go. Registration often closes before the date of the conference. Also, most of these events have critique services and contests that are only open to conference attendees. The due-dates for those are well ahead of the conference dates. In 2007, I attended the San Francisco Writers Conference and am still keyed up from it. I met agents, publishers, editors, and many well-known and not-well-known-yet (like me) writers. Scroll down to Writers’ Events by The Money Corner for the link to this year’s San Francisco conference as well as others in Wisconsin, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. I’ll be adding more regularly.

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