Ep130: Pitching the Conference Circuit

Writer Craft Podcast

Announcements:

• Early registration for the 2024 retreat opens November 1 for the public, but EARLY access to the Early Bird registration is Oct 1 (next month) so if want early access for sold out tickets, become a patron this month.
• I'm in a new anthology by Tsunami Press with my essay "Eye Contact." You can preorder at http://www.tsunamibooks.org/shop/pre-order-tsunami-press-first-anthology Due out the beginning of October 2023.
• Preorder of Season of the Shadow up now. (Erick's new title.)

Patron announcement:

UPDATE:

• Valerie:
• floors and bee-sting.

• Erick:
• rewrite is done
• mostly moved in; need to unpack now

Just finished:

I'M READING: beta read

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

Harness: A Systemic Approach: Guaranteed to Revolutionize Your Coaching by Tess Cope

Erick's Reading:

• In the Woods by Tana French

Show Notes:

Writing conference--

Networking, meeting new author friends

Education

Conference Cycle

In person = accidental knowledge

Volunteering at conferences, see things behind the scene (the business of conferences/writing industry)

"Easy" to pitch to:

Cedar Mills Writers Group (Conference) Beaverton, Oregon;

North Woods Writers Conference, Minnesota

Strategy: pick a region, go state by state in Google Search + writing conference; make a spreadsheet.

Find the conference director: contact with query letter; ask them for help getting into the circuit=email exchange.

Even a no is okay.

"What does your audience need?"

Conferences gain momentum: idea to date on calendar to push through to the end.

Pitch in January for late summer conferences;

Three month hangover after conferences;

They might call you back after speaking once.

Payment: from none (line item on resume), to honorarium, to travel and lodging. Tax deductible trip. Conference attendance thrown in.

After awhile, start weighing which ones are more lucrative and only pitch to them.

Every conference wants the info a different way: if using Submittable, you can copy and paste your answers in; "If you need a panel seat filled, I'll fill it."