Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 42 books, including MORE WRITER'S FIRST AID.

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Giveaway Today!

May 5, 2010

gift1I’d like your opinion about something, and the first three people who leave a comment today will receive a free copy of either my 50 Tension Techniques or my Writing Mysteries for Young People.

Writers’ conferences can be expensive, but the right conference can literally change your life. (I know because it happened to me back in 1997 when I attended my first week-long Highlights Chautauqua Workshop.) Others have said the same thing about the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) summer conference in California. The right conference is worth its weight in gold.

Choices, Choices!

When you first receive the conference brochure (like this one from the 2010 SCBWI event), it can be overwhelming. You feel like a kid turned loose in a candy store. So many choices! And then dismay hits when you realize you can’t attend them all.

For any given time slot, there may be six or seven workshops to choose from. You may truly wish to attend several of them, but the schedule won’t allow it. Even smaller regional and state conferences often have several workshop choices for the same time slot.

So how do you choose?

What’s Your Criteria?

In the beginning, I simply chose what appealed to me. I love inspirational talks, workshops on organization and motivation and where you get ideas. That used to be my #1 choice every time. It was pure dessert.

After I’d published a bit, I realized I need less help getting inspired and more help with dialogue, voice, and other craft topics. I still attended at least one motivational talk, but then concentrated on learning and improving writing skills. This was meat and potatoes.

After I’d published a lot, I bit the bullet and started adding a few workshops on things I hated: taxes for the writer, marketing on a shoe string budget, writing proposals and queries. This was definitely brussels sprouts.

It’s Your Turn

Pretend it’s your first major conference, and you’re choosing workshops to attend. When you leave a comment (which I will read and post tonight and tomorrow) please tell me two things: (1) which e-booklet you’d like, and (2) what criteria you use when choosing among conflicting workshops.

I hope you’re one of the first three!

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23 Comments »

  1. Woo hoo! Looks like I’m comment #1. I would like the 50 tension techniques please. Thanks for the giveaway.

    I agree that conferences can take you farther, longer, faster. I am already lamenting that I can’t go to SCBWI LA. Alas, I chose Big Sur in the Rockies? Why? Well, I went to SCBWI NY in January, and I’ll go to the Rocky Mountain chapter conference in the fall. The SCBWI conferences offer a lot of opportunities for inspiration, learning about the big picture issues, and networking.

    The reason why I decided to go for Big Sur is because, after having attended a few more general events, I am now ready for some more specific feedback on my own work. I’m focused on the craft at this point in time. I am a bit stuck with some of my manuscripts and need help getting to the next step. Big Sur is more an in-depth workshop format with the chance to get comprehensive feedback on your work.

    So that’s where I am right now. I’m sure that, like you, my criteria will change over time.

    Thanks!

    Comment by Julie Hedlund — May 5, 2010 @ 10:54 am

  2. What is the feedback I am getting from my writing? Where will I progress the most by valuable help? While I can learn so much from in many different areas, I try to focus my learning on my current writing interests and how I might better that area. I am currently into writing young adult fiction and mysteries for 10 year olds, so just about anything promising to teach within those areas would have my attention.
    I’ve currently been registering for the MUSE workshop…I’m excited for the potential it has, but I am also apprehensive about not biting off more than I can chew because there will always be a hard choice if there is more than one option. :)
    (Writing Mysteries for Young People)

    Comment by Andrea — May 5, 2010 @ 11:12 am

  3. 1. 50 Tension Techniques
    2. I’m still a novice writer, so I’d choose classes based on the craft of writing (probably focusing on the basics of plot, emotional arc, dialogue, etc.). Although a workshop on how to query or acquire an agent might be helpful, I’m not there yet.

    Comment by Amy Jo Lavin — May 5, 2010 @ 11:14 am

  4. Hi Kristi,

    I think you are right about feeling like a kid in a candy shop. I would probably find the ones that came closet to what I am doing. Probably craft would be a first choice followed by something close to my genre, then maybe one for fun. After all life is too short not to have fun, right?

    Comment by Linda Allison — May 5, 2010 @ 11:23 am

  5. Hi Kristi! :)

    I’ve been following your blog for some time now and your 50 Tension Techniques has been on my list of things to purchase for my writing library since you first posted about it. So, needless to say, I’m very pleased to be among your three commenters :)

    1) I would like the 50 Tension Techniques e-booklet

    2) Whenever I have to pick between two (or sometimes three) workshops, I choose based on what I need to improve as an author. Since I’m still a newbie, I tend to pick sessions on basic craft over more advanced sessions that go deeper into the art of storytelling. I also try to pick at least one session that will force me to improve an area of known weakness – marketing and pitching, for example.

    Comment by Caitlin — May 5, 2010 @ 11:40 am

  6. My main two criteria for choosing a workshop are:
    1. Do I know the presenter (or their work)?
    2. Does the topic apply to my own work, especially what I am working on at the time of the conference?
    In that order, actually – I’d rather hear from a writer I admire about a topic that seems irrelevant than an unknown person on a more timely topic.

    (Oh, and if I am one of the lucky three, Writing Mysteries for Young People.)

    Comment by Easter — May 5, 2010 @ 11:44 am

  7. Wow! 8-) Less than an hour after I posted this, six of you left great comments! Thank you all! I am planning some workshops, and I had an ulterior motive when taking this little poll.

    I will get your email addresses from the blog admin info. If you don’t have your e-booklet within the hour (and it’s not in your spam folder), let me know.

    Comment by Kristi Holl — May 5, 2010 @ 11:54 am

  8. Probably too late to get into the top three, but I’ll leave a comment anyway.

    Had I made it, I would have gone with the Writing Mysteries for Young People. At a conference, I would try to get a balance between sessions that benefit my writing (since bad writing doesn’t sell at all) and sessions that benefit my business (since if you write and sell, you don’t want to somehow blow it in business so that your monetary gain is lost.)

    Thanks for the post!

    : )Beth

    Comment by Beth Mac — May 5, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

  9. Here’s a P.S. I would probably avoid the inspirational since I’m in this for the long haul whether I feel inspired or not.

    Comment by Beth Mac — May 5, 2010 @ 12:18 pm

  10. Wow…so many comments already…
    I would choose skills based workshops. Rigyht now I know I need to gain writing skills to get better at writing.
    I do agree with you Kristi about choosing one motivational workshop, that’s the dessert, as you put it, to the brussel sprouts of learning the craft.
    Cheers
    :)

    Comment by Ally M — May 5, 2010 @ 12:21 pm

  11. I guess I’m getting to your blog too late, but I’ll answer anyway. :-) I also have your e-book – 50 Tension Techniques – on my “want” list. For workshops I would probably concentrate on inspirational and motivational topics along with learning the craft, especially in the areas that need strengthening the most.

    Trudy

    Comment by Trudy — May 5, 2010 @ 7:00 pm

  12. I’ve yet to attend a workshop – my budget for such things is $0 (Canadian…which converts to 0 anything! ;) ) However, I imagine I’d treat it about the same as I’m treating my reading material at the moment – I need help with certain areas, so those are what I would target.

    Comment by Yvette — May 5, 2010 @ 7:38 pm

  13. Thanks also to everyone who left an answer, even knowing you weren’t in the top three. I appreciate it. 8-) Your answers are very helpful!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — May 5, 2010 @ 8:28 pm

  14. Yeah, yeah…a day late and a dollar short. But thanks for the links in your post. It was a blast to look at the SCBWI conference schedule. Now I REALLY want to go! So, I’m looking forward to attending one in the future (though I can’t say the NEAR future). I would definitely love to attend the PB session: Editor over your shoulder, and Arthur Levine’s Emotion on the Page session. Other sessions of interest are nonfiction book proposals, nonfiction primary resources, etc. Now, I just HAVE to attend an SCBWI conference. I have been to only three conferences in the past. The first two were several years ago at the Sandhills Writer’s Conference in Augusta Georgia. It, however, does not focus on children’s writing. Just this past month, I was able to attend Laura Backes’ (CBI) and Linda Arms White’s BOOTCAMP for Children’s Writers. It was awesome, too!

    Comment by Christie Wright Wild — May 5, 2010 @ 8:47 pm

  15. I love going to writers’ conferences, but budget definitely narrows my choices! I try to attend conferences that are within driving distance, although I’ve splurged for a national conference when a great speaker is presenting (like hearing Katherine Paterson speak at SCBWI New York in 2007!)

    I most enjoy hearing editors and agents speak, so I’ll know exactly what they’re looking for. I think it helps to have a personal connection when you’re striving to get out of the slush pile. :)

    Comment by Heather Ivester — May 6, 2010 @ 8:00 am

  16. You so rock! LOL!

    you know, the one workshop I would love to attend would be current formating! One can read all the guidelines, but it would be wonderful if someone were to come in, beat me with a stick, and say –

    “OK, I am going to just give you dummies for certain submissions, (with differing guideline requirements,
    and make you go through the actual drill of putting all the correct title/name/page #s/info on every page, manuscripts, and different bio/query/letters/sase, in proper order, into properly sized envelopes and properly addressing it, and then walk it to a fake mailbox (cardboard) around the corner.
    And then retrieve it because you forgot the postage! LOL!

    We will go thru this simple drill 50 times until you unconsciously can do it in your sleep, should you ever get any. Aside from that, I would KILL to be able to afford an Institute of Children’s Lit course!
    Again, you rock!!
    Jen! Back to controlled chaos -

    Comment by Jenny Tavernier — May 6, 2010 @ 1:55 pm

  17. Off topic question, Kristi:

    Does an agent represent one book by an author, or the author herself? The reason I would like to know is because I have a few manuscripts now that I’m looking for representation or homes for. It is ethical to send one to one agent but another to a different agent?

    I was hoping you’d know the answer to this question.

    Thanks!

    Comment by Beth Mac — May 6, 2010 @ 2:29 pm

  18. Jenny, you’re funny. 8-) We couldn’t afford the ICL course when I took it either. That year I got the money from taking it from the food budget and making all our bread, making our yogurt, growing sprouts, etc. We ate some weird stuff that year so that I could take the ICL course. (Healthy, but weird!)

    Comment by Kristi Holl — May 6, 2010 @ 5:44 pm

  19. Beth, agents want to represent all your work usually. Assume so unless they tell you differently. I do know writers who have one agent for their juvenile work and one for their adult manuscripts. But once you’ve signed with an agent, treat it like a marriage, I think. BUT if you’re in the querying stage, looking for an agent, you can send whichever ms. you want to send to as many agents as you like.

    Comment by Kristi Holl — May 6, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

  20. Oh WOW!
    Kristi, I am on the right path then! – love weird food, and am a killer irish soda bread and no knead bread baker – (what to do with your hands when you have no $ AND have to eat…(plus I too grow sprouts!) This augers well! Like your path, I will become famous – LOL!(working on the yogurt)
    I wonder if ICL would accept Bread for Barter…hmm

    Comment by Jenny Tavernier — May 7, 2010 @ 1:45 am

  21. Jenny, always keep your sense of humor! 8-) And truthfully, being able to be frugal is one of the traits that has enabled me to be a fulltime writer. Freelancing requires frugality unless you have other independent income. Bread for Barter? You might ask them! 8-)

    Comment by Kristi Holl — May 7, 2010 @ 8:04 am

  22. Thanks Kristi!

    Comment by Beth Mac — May 7, 2010 @ 9:59 am

  23. Making bread is actually a pretty good stress reliever, by the way! :)

    Comment by Yvette — May 7, 2010 @ 8:16 pm

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