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Meet Me In The Bar:
Notes on Working A Writer's Conference By Bob Yehling Like three hundred others, I carried my pitch letter, proposal introduction and sample book chapter into the interview area. I'd spent a solid month writing, polishing and tweaking the chapter and proposal intro. I'd also made sure the pitch letter stated everything I needed the agent to know about my book idea, writing style, professional background, ability to reach the market (platform), and knowledge of the subject. I carried a piece of my life into what is affectionately called "the pit." A dozen literary agents and editors were sprinkled throughout the area. It was the afternoon of day one, and already, a glazed look started to reflect from their eyes. It better be good, Bob, I said to myself. The editors and agents heard fiction and non-fiction book pitches from writers who, like me, took their dreams of being published into the pit. In 15-minute bursts, writers presented their material, answered agents' questions and either were told:
My first experience was different. Let's call it "e". The agent asked me if I knew or talked with the subject of my proposed book; she wanted to know if my book was authorized. I ran to my hotel room, grabbed my cell phone, raced downstairs and called the subject in the agent's presence. Her eyes lit up. Turned out she was a big fan. "Meet me in the bar tonight at five," she said.
Attending Presentations The most important quality of a presenter, which astute organizers like those at the SSA seek, is an intangible: the ability to motivate and inspire participants. It doesn't matter how esteemed the presenter is if he or she isn't willing to (or cannot) light fires within writers and to impart everything they can squeeze into a one-hour presentation. One can be realistic about the difficulty of getting published--it is difficult--without flatly stating, "You're not going to make it." Which, believe it or not, I've heard presenters say to roomfuls of open-mouthed writers who thought they were spending $300 or more to receive tutelage and encouragement. Presenters have two jobs at writers' conferences: to share their direct experience with a particular subject; and to inspire and motivate writers who carry a dream, are willing to work for it, and are seeking tips and inspiration along the way. When you attend a presentation, prepare to listen intently and jot notes at the same time. Many presenters will offer handouts; others will shoot straight from their wellspring of experience. I work it both ways, providing handouts for background but then breaking into an extemporaneous discussion, often spurred by comments or questions from participants. I stand before you for one reason above all: to give you an hour-long experience that fulfills as many of your writing needs and answers as many questions as possible. When you select presentations, determine what you need most from the conference. Is it a creative burst? Information on writing proposals or pitch letters? Marketing and publicity tips? Background on a genre in which you haven't written before? Editing secrets? Tips on writing fiction, memoir or essays? Make those presentations your first choices. Follow up with a presentation taught by someone whose work or personality you admire; that's always inspiring. Finally, if your plate isn't already full, pick a subject--any subject--that interests or tugs at you for an (as yet) unknown reason. That might be the dawn of your next calling as a writer. How many presentations should you attend? In a two-day conference, you can attend as many as 10 to 12. The "right" number is up to each person. If you miss a presentation because it conflicted with another desired presentation, ask the presenter for a handout and provide your e-mail address. Also, some conferences tape presenters and make those cassettes available for sale. In any event, don't oversaturate yourself. Create breaks in each day. At the presentation, listen intently. Take notes, but not as you did in college. When you write the note, think of how the point works for your material or marketing needs. Brainstorm your next thought while in the enriched environment of the presentation. Or, write tickler comments--and get back to them the minute you leave the room. I can't tell you how many essays, articles, marketing ideas, sales letter points or pieces of dialogue started in my notebooks during and immediately after presentations. You're there to be studious, but you're not a student. You're a working writer, looking for specific information that will assist you. Begin integrating it during the presentation. Ask specific questions. Most presenters offer room for questions; I make it a point to offer 10 to 15 minutes per hour for question-and-answer. You're at the presentation for a reason; I want to make my entire experience available to give you what you're seeking, if I can. The best presenters know that Q&A sessions with thoughtful questions turn into rich discussions that, sometimes, help the presenter as much as the participant. A lively forum is a valuable forum for everyone, for two reasons: a) the knowledge imparted from direct experience; and b) the energy moving in the room. When the presentation ends, take another 15 to 30 minutes to dump all of what you immediately remember into your notebook or journal--if you're not racing to an agent/editor interview or another presentation. If you have a burning question you didn't ask, find the presenter and ask it. Don't let the opportunity slide by. When you go home, spend a little more time with it. If you came up with a first line, or a story idea, write it out for an hour or two. If a book publicist rattled off five techniques that resonated with you, map out the ways you can apply those techniques to your book, in your marketplace, with your target media. Act while it's fresh and your fires are burning. Expand then two-day format of the conference into a 24/7 weekend. The benefits you receive make the temporary lack of sleep well worth it.
Back to the Bar
From this, I learned two vital unwritten rules about writer's conferences:
In my years of presenting, I've seen countless arrangements develop after conference hours end, when agents and editors can relax and think through a promising prospect while getting to know the potential author. It is a good conference indeed when you're "invited to the bar." As a magazine editor who has purchased pieces or assigned articles to authors in that literal and metaphorical bar, and as a proposal consultant and freelance book editor who has connected authors and agents in the bar, I can assure you that the side meetings produce new author-agent or author-editor relationships. Which leads to the next unwritten rule about writer's conferences:
Chat with fellow authors, agents, publishers, editors and consultants on the premises. You never know who will like your idea or see the marketing potential of your hard work--or your potential in the writing business. You might have a book idea you didn't originally pitch that they like. Or, they might have a lucrative ghostwriting project involving a well-known client who doesn't write. You don't know--nor will you, if you don't ask and remain open to new possibility. Let me give you two examples. An editor from a major publishing house saw the sample chapter for a book I was pitching years ago. "Who book doctored this for you?" he asked. "I did." "This is clean. You should think about becoming a book editor when you're between books." Ten years and more than 80 edited books later, I thank him for opening an avenue of vast enjoyment and revenue I never saw myself traveling. Let's revisit the agent in the bar. She asked for a book proposal. I'd never written a full book proposal, but I'd read a few articles, including the invaluable front end of Writer's Market (these 60 to 80 pages are required reading for all working writers, in my opinion.) As a former public relations executive with marketing experience, I already knew how to write sponsorship proposals. I also asked a couple of agents at the conference what they liked to see in proposals. Within three days of receiving my proposal, the agent called. "Where did you learn to write this? This is excellent!" Another light bulb flashed in my head. Out of nowhere came another service that keeps me out of the 9-to-5 punch-the-clock work cycle (every writer's dream): consulting with authors on their book proposals, or completely writing them to be pitch- and sales-ready. Agents love it, because they're getting market-ready proposals. Authors love it, because who really wants to write a book proposal, which is a business plan for the book, after months writing a whole or partial book? It all started at a writer's conference, which brings me to the next unwritten (until now) rule:
Sometimes, we feel intimidated or insecure around attending agents, authors, editors, keynote speakers and publishers--the faculty. That's natural: They are living the dream we've carried for years or decades. They've made it, or so we think. We tend to be sheepish around the conference faculty, withholding questions "because they're stupid," refraining from sharing our wildest book ideas "because they're too Ôout there' for the mainstream" (as if we really know), pulling back sample pages we prepared for the editor interviews "because they're not polished enough." For this, I offer two tips:
Finally, think about this: You're investing several hundred dollars to be at the conference. You've spent months, or even years, developing the material you plan to present. This could be your first best chance--or your last. No one knows. For a weekend, you will occupy the same space as several dozen respected book publishing professionals. To equal that experience, you'd have to fly to New York and stay for two weeks--if they took meetings with you. Not likely. Work the conference and absorb the presentations as though your future and career are the prizes for your efforts. They often are.
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