DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) Writer’s Conference
Me and James Rollins - How cool is that?
This event was enormous and awe-inspiring in the range of publishing professionals available to speak with. As a life-long, card carrying wall flower guild member, I’m proud to say I approached four agents and received four requests for submissions. The wine helped, but only a little bit. LOL Two of those requests were done while sober, folks, and I was not sloshed during the other two.
I hope I have the chance to return to another DFW conference someday. I hope it’s as a speaker. The keynote speaker this year was James Rollins and he was cool, funny, down-to-earth accessible and a great motivator. If a guy who removes genitalia (cats) for a living can become a best selling author, so can you.
They had tons of classes to choose from, some better than others, of course, but many had difficult topics to cover. Believe it or not, Stacy Barney, editor at Putnam, had an easier time conveying voice than pacing. We all seemed to struggle to define pacing, but then, I’ve been told it’s something I need to work on. The good news is, Stacy and Eddie Schneider (agent extraordinaire at JaBerwocky) agree that they’re willing to fix pacing and characterization if the voice is too compelling to let go. Comforting, yes?
I went knowing I’d meet Rashda (Mina) Khan, an online friend, but I made so
You Can't See Our Aching Feet On the Table
many other friends, I’m still humbled by the kind and supportive behavior. This was an uplifting place with authors GIVING THEIR PERSONAL EMAILS OUT. Yeah. No snarks creapt into the building.
The conference was not held at the hotel, which was mine and many others’ biggest complaint. It was a beautiful conference building, but it was also two city blocks from the nearest hotel. I didn’t mind the exercise, but my traveling buddy needed a walker and that distance wore her out on the first day after the hotel’s one and only van driver didn’t show to pick us up. Also, what happens to the conference’s reputation if one of their attendees gets into an accident walking or driving there? Needlessly tragic, in my opinion. I hope they use a larger hotel with conference rooms in the future. That said, great time. More details next week. Right now, I need to implement the critique I received from the amazing Ann Collette and hit submission mode. (Cue Mission Impossible music.)
It’s nice, Victoria, to see your blog active again. The picture at the top is great. Hopefully the contacts you’ve made in DFW Writer’s Conference will be fruitful. I understand pacing well, no problems in my novel. But I still don’t get the elusive concept of The Voice.
Hi, Giora. Thanks for the visit. I’ll be sure to put up a good sample of voice then so you can see and hear the difference. That’s what the editor did.
Glad you had a good time! I can’t wait for the first time I’m a speaker either. Won’t that be sooooo cooool.
Oh YEAH…. ;D I sometimes fantasize about topics, funny examples. I tell myself I’m practicing. Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. Practicing. LOL
I love the photo too. And I am so happy you got requests from four agents. I hope they fight for you! What a wonderful post. ^^d