NC Writers' Network Fall Conference

Back to the land of the living. I have been running at full speed since Saturday morning but it's all been worth it. My friend Pam Cable and I presented a 1 1/2 hour workshop on Saturday at the NC Writers' Fall Conference. Our topic was "Publicity, Promotion, & Pulling Your Hair Out." We had 25 attendees and received great feedback. So good, in fact, that at the Saturday night dinner in front of the 500 attendees, the conference director actually gave a special call-out to Pam and myself for some of the advice we'd offered during the workshop.

Although I enjoy teaching, there's also a little nervousness there as you're never quite sure what you're going to get in terms of attendees. Luckily, we had a room full of eager listeners who participated, asked questions, and contributed their own knowledge. Pam and I both left the room feeling great about what had taken place.

Aside from that, I got a lot out of the conference itself. I have it on the top of my to-do list to contact an agent who was there. I didn't attend her session but apparently she was on a panel and made the announcement that she was desperate for an author to write a "crazy cat book."  Uh... hello? People were coming up to me all weekend saying, "You have GOT to meet Bess." I agree. Bess, Bess... where are you? I could never find her so I'm shooting her an e-mail today.

I'm also pleased to announce that my Lessons In Stalking books sold out at the conference. The Barnes & Noble woman running the table (who was reading my book on her breaks) said people would buy one and then come back and buy 3 more. That just warms a cat authors heart.

Other news:

• I went running at Salem Lake on Sunday and managed to trip over a rock and fall before I even hit Mile Marker 1. My left knee is now this huge skinned, bloody mass. Really attractive. I'll be sure to wear a lot of skirts in the next couple of weeks. It doesn't hurt much, other than at night when it comes in contact with the sheets.
• My running group had their farewell dinner last night. I've spent all summer with these people. Lots of laughing and reminiscing. ("Less talk! More run!") It's encouraging to see the huge leaps of improvement everyone has made.
• I had a quick two-minute appearance this morning on Fox 8 Morning News. Talked about my story in the Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul book. Cindy Farmer is warm and wonderful but is it really worth all the time spent on hair and make-up for the brief appearance? (Answer: Yes, of course.)
• We're having our front porch repainted. So when our relatives arrive on Thanksgiving, there should be lines of yellow tape crisscrossing the front of the house, warning them not to enter. Let's hope they take the hint.

So much for the glamorous world of public speaking. I've lost the kickin' boots and stylish clothes and am back in t-shirt and sweat pants, ready to re-enter the realm of the written word. Back to work.

Writer's Tuesday

My writer's group met again last night for our weekly "No talking / Just Writing" hoe-down from 7:15 - 9 p.m.  We all had such an exhilarating writing experience last week that we each bounded in the door of the Green Bean as if to say, "Ta-da! I am here to WRITE."

Alas, the magic did not hold. A couple of us ended up journaling for most of the session. Nothing wrong with that, just a bit disappointing when you show up hoping to capture a few more pages in the next great American novel. Another writer did some research in between pecking out the paragraphs on his laptop. We were all happy to see 9 o'clock arrive. And bad writing session or no, there's still a feeling of satisfaction of knowing you at least sat down and stuck with it.

Besides, we were all laughing about the imagined greatness of our last session. We all left thinking we had really mined some gold pieces in our work. One writer said he was so excited about what he'd written until he re-read it later in the week and found most of it to be crap. I had a similar experience in that I outlined a new idea for a middle-grade novel that I thought held great potential until I went back and read my notes and then I was like, "Yeah, that's boring. No one will read that."

Writing is like haunting flea markets and Saturday morning garage sales. One man's trash is another man's treasure, and you never know which bit of junk you put out there will actually bring you your first sale of the day. So it's best to just stick it all out there on the lawn.

Cheers,

Dena

No Nights Off

Saturday afternoon. Blair and I are flipping through cookbooks, looking for meals for the upcoming week. "So how many nights will you be home this week?" he asks.

I think about it and then gently close the cookbooks. "None."

He closes his cookbook too. "So I guess we're on our own for the week."

I guess so. Here's my nightly schedule for this week:

• Monday (yesterday): Went with a friend to Salem College to hear Elizabeth Gilbert speak. She is the author of EAT, PRAY, LOVE which has catapulted to one of my favorite books of all time. She didn't disappoint as a speaker. Funny, down-to-earth, poignant. During the Q&A period I just wanted to raise my hand and ask, "Will you be my friend?"  Anyway, left the house at 5:30 and home by 9.
• Tuesday: Writer's Group meeting tonight from 7-9, which will put me home about 10.
• Wednesday: Birthday dinner for my friend Kay at 7. A great chance to celebrate Kay's birthday and catch up with some trail running friends. Home by 10.
• Thursday: I'm a speaker at the Women Connecting with Women Business Showcase at the Greensboro Public Library from 5:30 - 8:30 pm.
• Friday: The NC Writers' Network Fall Conference begins. My friend Pam and I are presenting a 2-hour workshop on Saturday, but I'll attend the Friday night talk which STARTS at 9. (Who planned this anyway--a 16 year old???)
• Saturday: Spending the night at the hotel where the conference is being held as the program again runs late into the night
• Sunday: Conference in the morning, running in the afternoon, home for a quick shower and then back to GSO for the end-of-the-season 6 p.m. dinner with my running group.

Blair's schedule is the opposite of mine in that he usually leaves the house by 6:30 a.m. and arrives home about 8, in bed by 9:30, which is usually when I'm walking in the door.  We looked at each other this morning and were like, "Okay, so see you Monday? Yes? Sounds good..."

This should be the last week of big projects. Personally, I'm looking forward to some down time. 

Writing Galore

Here's the thing about being a writer.  You're expected to write.  But it's amazing the number of excuses I--and any other writer--can come up with on why we can't possibly do any writing at this very minute. Deadlines, a messy house, kids, cats, Oprah's on... whatever.

I belong to a writer's group called WACCO (pronounced "wacko"). It stands for something I've long since forgotten. But we've started a Tuesday writing night. We meet at various locations at 7 p.m. We chat until 7:15 and then enforce absolute silence from 7:15 - 9 for writing time. We met for the first time last night and I whipped out 10 handwritten pages of writing. I outlined a new idea for a middle grade novel, did a bit of journaling, then delved into some childhood memories that, if I'm so inclined, may make for a good article.  I feel fantastic. It was such a pleasure to just write for no purpose--not for an assignment, not for publication... just for me. 

For some reason, it's easier for me to write around other people who are writing, even if no one is talking.  When I'd hit a slow spot, I'd look up and see everyone else still scribbling or typing away. At home, I might be inclined to stop for the night, but I knew I had to fill the time until 9 so I kept writing.  It was absolutely marvelous.

I'm in the process of some career changes which I'll share at a later date. But last night was a great reintroduction to the joy of writing.