Writer’s Conferences: A Valuable Asset for The Beginning Writer

I recently received an e-mail from the local Writer’s Association, Willamette Writers. The e-mail contained information about their August writer’s conference. Willamette Writers is based in Portland, Oregon but has members from Oregon, Washington State and even into Idaho. It is one of the premiere Writer’s Associations in the country. I was going to refer to it as an amateur writer’s association, but it is so much more. It is a haven for writers of all experience levels.

The email got me thinking about the writer’s conferences I've attended and how much I've benefited from attending the conferences hosted by the Willamette Writers. Aside from the regular activities of the association, the conferences are a great place for all levels of writers to meet and exchange ideas. What I liked about attending the conferences, was to be able to meet fellow writers who are having the same concerns as I was having.

What did I gain from attending the writer’s conferences?

1. As I mentioned above, it was during those conferences that I had a chance to sit down with fellow writer’s and talk about our common goals and frustrations. That may not sound like much, but I always left those sit-downs feeling up beat. There is something about shared frustrations that seem to make those frustrations less frustrating, more bearable.

2. During the conferences, there are many presentations by well-known authors, publishers, movie producers and agents. Not only can you get the information they have, but you can have a private conversation with those people. These people attend conferences knowing that aspiring writers will approach them.

It was at a writer’s conference that I had one of my best moments. I had just listened to a presentation on screen writing given by Michael Schiffer, the person who had written the script for Crimson Tide. I was at the conference to pitch a screen play I had written. He was sitting alone, having lunch and I gathered up all my nerve and asked if I could ask him a few questions. He agreed and 10 minutes later I thanked him and left. I felt good that he had some of the same concerns I had and he understood. As I was leaving, he told me I did good in asking if he would mind talking to him and that I did not over-stay my welcome by over-doing it.

1. The part of the conferences I liked most was the time I would schedule a ten minute, one-on-one “Pitch Session” where I could present my current project to a decision maker.

2. At each conference, I had a particular project I had completed and was pushing. It may have been a book -- either fiction or non-fiction. In which I would schedule a pitch with a publisher.

3. There were times when I was doing screen-writing and I scheduled a session with a film producer.

4. With the Willamette Writers, when you sign up for a Pitch Session, you also are offered classes on how to pitch. What I liked about the way that Willamette Writers ran their conference was that when I had my 15-minute sit-down, I was ready. I still had to calm my nerves and appear organized. I still had to be ready for any question.

5. In line with any question, two of the questions film producers asked me that required very calm nerves and thinking on my feet were:

6. How many car chases are there and at what point did you have them in the script?

7. Who do you have in mind as actors in the movie?

8. For anyone who is thinking about attending a writer’s conference in their area, you should:

9. Have only one project you want to push.

10. Have a one-page synopsis, with your contact information, with you at all times and ready to pass out.

11. Know your pitch so well that if you happen to bump into a producer or publisher, you can give a 15 second pitch that sounds natural, like it was off-the-cuff, unrehearsed and part of your everyday conversation.

12. The 15 second pitch, is also referred to as an “Elevator Pitch.”

13. I have never seen anyone actually be so bold as to bump into someone in an elevator and give them a pitch, but that’s what it is called.

So, if you are anywhere on the writing spectrum, from a beginning writer to an advanced writer, do plan on attending a writer’s conference. It’s fun and very educational.

As always, if you have any questions and/or comments, feel free to contact me at: kercherblog@gmail.com

Bill Kercher