Tips for Your First Writing Conference

Well, we're finally knee-deep in March - which also means we're getting ready to be knee-deep in writing conference season! Who's going to their first writing conference this year?

I went to my first writing conference last year (the stellar Realm Makers!), and my gracious - I learned a bucketload! Not just about writing, but about conferences and conference-going in general. And as 2019's conference season is just starting, I thought I would post some tips for y'all who are going to your first writing conference this year (and if that's you, then I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU! You're going to have a blast).

So - shall we get started?

Make Connections Beforehand

This is one of the biggest reasons why shy-and-introverted-Savannah didn't shrivel up and die at her first writers conference ;D. I knew SO MANY of the people who were going, so much so that I was never without someone that I felt comfortable talking to. Everywhere I turned there was someone I knew - and this was largely because of the connections I had made before the conference.

Do you already know some people going to the conference? Talk to them beforehand about the classes they're going to pick, or if they're hoping to pitch their story, or what authors they're the most excited to meet. Do you know of people going to the conference that you're not really friends with yet? Get to know them better before the conference! That way, at the conference itself, you already have a ton of people you can search out and talk to - and go to classes with! It's a ton of fun to go to classes with people you know, and then discuss it with them afterwards. Would definitely recommend that you make some conference-going friends before the conference ;).

All that being said though, please do reach out to people you don't know while at the conference. I ended up meeting so many incredible people this way, many of whom I'm still friends with now. (and it sometimes ended up that the "stranger" I was talking to was actually someone I was friends with over the internet, and I just didn't recognize their face, ha!) So while I would definitely recommend that you get to know people who are going to the conference before the conference, don't box yourself in to only talking to people you know. Meeting new writer-friends at conferences is half the fun!

Prepare (a lot) in Advance

Guys, I cannot stress enough how much preparing in advance is going to help eliminate your stress later on! Seriously - prepare *clap* before *clap* the *clap* conference *clap*. It's going to help you so much. There's so much stuff you can work on before the conference begins - getting your elevator pitch down pat, making business cards (please don't save this for the week right before the conference like I did XD), planning where you can eat while you're at the conference, all that stuff. Of course, not everything can be prepared for (or even planned) before the conference, but the things that you CAN get prepared and off your plate are really great.

But one of the most important things to have prepared in advance is your elevator pitch. Please, please, please (especially if you're pitching) have your elevator pitch finished before the conference, so that you aren't scrambling to whip something up in your mind while you're actually at the conference. Trust me, that will be no fun ;D.

Also, if you're cosplaying, please don't save picking your costume until last minute, either (like I did XD).

So prepare in advance! As everyone is different, I don't know what advance preparation would look like for you, but definitely try to do some of it. Your exhausted-from-extrotroverting-at-a-conference-mind will thank you later! 

Shed the Inner Introvert 

And this is the point at which  you all balked, huh? XD Yeah, that was my same reaction - because not only am I am introvert, I am an EXTREMELY SHY introvert! (there's a large difference between shy and introverted, y'all, but I AM BOTH) So the thought of going out into a massive group of people on my own made me incredibly nervous - would I find people to hang out with? Would I be able to talk without making a fool of myself? What if I totally blanked out in the middle of a conversation O.O

BUT! But! Before the conference started I made a deal with myself to be sociable even if it killed me and to not worry about anything. And guess what? IT SO WORKED OUT. I never felt like retreating to my hotel room throughout the entire conference, and I actually found myself seeking people out just to hang out with them. I literally felt like an extrovert, I was so comfortable, and it was insane. I was even able to comfortably talk TO COMPLETE STRANGERS. So y'all - definitely shed your inner introvert for the conference. It'll do you good ;D.

(also, getting to know people that are going to the conference beforehand really helps with this, because it's SO MUCH easier to shed the inner introvert when you're among friends ;))  

Be Ready to Go with the Flow 

A thing you should know about me - I like to be in control. I'm not a control freak, per se, but I like knowing what's going to happen and what's coming next and what I'm going to do in response to this or that, etc., etc. But sometimes stuff just doesn't go as planned! Sometimes you can't even make the semblance of a plan for what's going to happen next, and you have to go with the flow. And THAT'S OKAY (I say to myself, all the time xD). If you're ready to go with the flow, it's a lot easier not to freak out when anything happens that you didn't expect (i.e. you have to cancel a mentor appointment, or you have to choose between going to a panel or going out to eat with your friends - sometimes plans changing can be great! Being open to changing your plans and going with the flow is definitely a good thing here ;)).

And don't stress about any of the conference things. That's important, too. There's always another conference, and for your first, I'd say it's WAY more important to have a good experience than to try and cram in eeeeevery conference thing that you can. If something starts stressing you out, do what you have to to get rid of that stress - whether than means canceling an appointment (like I did), or skipping a class to let your mind chill. Do whatever will make the conference the best experience for you, and make it a point not to stress about things! Go with the flow, yo ;D. 

And there are just a few of my tips for first-time conference-goers! If you want to talk to me more about any of this stuff, feel free to reach out to me however you want (I can be contacted here!), or leave me a question down in the comments!  I love talking about all things conference because WRITERS CONFERENCES ARE THE BEST <3.
 

Keep being epic, my friends! <3

~ Savannah Grace 

are you going to a writers conference this year?

if you've already been to a conference, what tips would you add to this list?