Happy New Year! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. As we enter into 2013, it is time to focus on what we hope to do and achieve this year. I get asked ALOT how to “break into” writing. So, for all you wanna-be-writers, I only have three pieces of advice:
1. Read! How can you get published if you don’t know publishers are looking for?
2. Write! No excuses! You can’t get published if you don’t write…enough said.
3. Attend writers conferences. These are great for many reasons. You can network and make valuable connections. You can attend skill building workshops and manuscript critiquing sessions. And you can learn what editors are looking for…
Here are some noteworthy writers conferences coming up:
CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHTS
San Francisco Writers Conference, Feb. 15-18, San Francisco, CA
This event features approximately 20 agents as well as many successful authors. WD editor Chuck Sambuchino is teaching a special intensive on blogging & Twitter on Feb. 18.
Writer’s Digest Writers Conference East, April 5-7, New York, NY
60-80 literary agents will be taking pitches at the Agent Pitch Slam. Editors and authors will be teaching sessions on how to write better and get published.
Kentucky Writers Conference, April 19, Bowling Green, KY
This is a free one-day writers conference with sessions on how to get published. It precedes the Southern Kentucky Book Fest (April 20).
PennWriters Conference, May 17-19, Pittsburgh, PA
This event, the state’s largest conference, will have multiple literary agents in attendance taking pitches.
Words in 3 Dimensions Writers Conference, May 24-26, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Features sessions, authors, agents and editors.
Writers League of Texas “Agents & Editors” Conference, June 21-23, Austin, TX
Features many literary agents, editors and authors.
Another good resource that I just recently learned about is Author 101 University. It will be held in L.A. this year from March 7 – 10. Participants will learn all about the writing and publishing process and how best to promote oneself by hearing from bestselling authors, publishers, agents, PR and media specialists (including YouTube and website experts). www.author101university.com
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