Having just come back from a fabulous conference with the Liberty States Fiction Writers, I wanted to offer up some tips on what to do after the conference!
First, if you enjoyed the conference, take a moment to write to the Conference Chair or President of the organization and let them know that you enjoyed it. If you liked something a lot, let them know so they can consider including it in future conferences and if you have any suggestions for what you would like to see, offer those up as well. It’s tough to run a conference and new ideas are always welcome.
If you’ve had an editor/agent appointment, make sure to make a list of who asked to see what while it’s fresh in your mind. Editors and agents don’t expect to have the material waiting for them the next morning, but they also don’t expect to get it months later. Send in any requested material within a reasonable time (a week or two) and in the format specified. If you’re not sure of the format, check the publisher’s guidelines at their website. Be sure to mention to the editor/agent that the material was requested at XX (conference name) and thank them for taking the time to consider your proposal.
Did you listen to an interesting workshop? Likewise, drop the presenter a quick note.
Finally, ask yourself – What did I do right at the conference? Did I meet at least one new person? Was my pitch solid or did I notice something that needed work? What goal do I have for the next conference I attend?
I hope these quick little tips helped!
I was busy writing yesterday morning, trying to get a bunch of pages done in anticipation of writing time lost at the upcoming RWA National conference, I ended up watching ST. ELMO’S FIRE while I was writing. I was like, wow, that Rob Lowe was a cutie, but then quickly amended to “is a cutie.”