Another Travel Adventure

It is a solitary task to write. I find tremendous value in getting to a writer's conference and interacting with writers and other professionals about the business.

With this sort of anticipation, I went to the Florida Christian Writers Conference. I had not attended this particular event in many years and was unfamiliar with the location. As instructed, I flew into Orlando. What I didn't understand is the conference is located almost two hours away from the airport. 

I live in Southern California and scheduled an afternoon flight, changing planes in Houston then going on to Orlando. I knew I would arrive in the evening but also knew with the time change it would be OK. You can't predict what will happen when you travel. I faced the unusual on this trip.

When we boarded the plane, I noticed a passenger who reeked of alcohol and I wasn't even near him. He struggled to find his seat on the plane. Everyone boarded and they pushed back from the gate. Yet before they left, the plane returned to the gate and they took off the drunk passenger.

The delay meant we left a few minutes late but they made up the time in the air and we arrived in Houston on time. My connection to Orlando was only 30 minutes and I made it to my gate and the flight. Yet none of the six people who went from Southern California to Houston to Orlando had our luggage. The suitcases were still in Houston and would not come until the next day. 

The airline gave me a little survival kit which contained a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a comb, some deodorant, a razor and some shaving cream. I met my driver to the conference and arrived in my room about 1 a.m. EST.

Off and on throughout the next day I was checking with the airlines about my bags. They arrived in Orlando and were not delivered to the conference until about 6 p.m. I learned a few things through the experience:

Pack some essentials in my carry-on bag. For example, I didn't include any business cards in my carry-on bag and at a conference, business cards are critical. Besides cards, I needed a few key items from my suitcase. Next time I can tuck them into my carry-on bag and be more prepared.

Finally my bags arrived and I had what I needed for the event. Also I relearned the old lesson that anxiety doesn't help you one bit. There was nothing I could do to speed up the delivery of my bags or my missing material. Instead I made light of it and carried on with the business of meeting and helping writers at the event. 

I taught a single workshop at the conference which was well-received. Through my attendance at this event, I met more passionate writers with great material to get into print. I look forward to the days ahead to see how I can help them. The roots of our relationship often begin at a conference.

Despite the adventures of travel, I continue to have high expectations about my forthcoming speaking events. Thursday will begin my time at Author 101 University which is in its eleventh year. Because of where I live this year, I don't have to get on an airplane to reach this event but only make a short drive. I look forward to seeing some of you readers on the road in the days ahead.

Back On the Road Again

Last fall my travel and speaking schedule was intense. I did six conferences in seven weeks. It was a wonderful experience and I met some fascinating new people and saw other long-term friends. I enjoyed my time on the road yet I was also relieved not to be heading to the airport each weekend.

For the last four months, I've been home at my desk working each day. Yes I've made some day trips to Los Angeles and other local places but I've not been traveling to conferences. This pattern is going to change tomorrow.

I'm headed to the airport, catching a flight to Houston, where I'll change planes then go to Orlando. I'm headed to the Florida Christian Writers Conference in Leesburg, Florida. 

Each conference is different in terms of the amount of teaching that I will be doing. For the Florida conference, I will be teaching one workshop about book proposal creation (one of my specialties). For the bulk of the conference, I will be meeting with individuals about their writing and see what I can do to help them. I enjoy these impromptu and individual sessions with authors to learn about their work.

I return from the Florida conference on Sunday and I'm home for three days. Then I drive to Los Angeles for Author 101 University. Rick Frishman, the publisher at Morgan James is the creator and host of Author 101. Several weeks ago I hosted a teleseminar with Rick. You can have immediate access to the replay and a free Ebook, Agents Pitching Insights. If you haven't heard this teleseminar, I encourage you to get the replay and listen because it is packed with information and insight about the importance of a writer's conference.

I'm going to be out at a number of events this year. I hope our paths cross at one or more of these events. Follow this link to see my schedule.

Four Keys to Your Conference Experience

Next month, I’m traveling to the Florida Christian Writers Conference and I look forward to it. I’ve been revising and updating my workshop on book proposal creation, Editors Read Proposals Not Manuscripts. I’ve been sorting through my 20+ years in publishing and preparing which stories to tell during my class.

I love writers’ conferences. In fact, I'm going to teach at a number of conferences this year (follow the link to see the places).

Each conference is a grand idea haven to talk shop and learn from other writers. If you want to succeed in the writing business, I’ve got four keys to enhance your conference experience:

1.      Take daily time to pray about the various people you will meet and the ideas you will discuss. Ask the Lord to guide you through each detail of the conference such as who you will sit with at the opening meeting or where you will sit at each meal and what will be discussed. Ask for God to give you divine appointments. These encounters will be far beyond anything that you could have orchestrated or planned. Be looking for the Lord’s handiwork at the conference.

Some people call those divine appointments or “a pack your bags experience.” That means if you had to leave the conference early for some reason, then you would have had such a great experience with the greatest personal benefit. 

Through prayer you will come to the conference full of expectation and a spiritual sensitivity that God will work while you are on the conference grounds.

2.      The second way is to come prepared to meet others and start new relationships. As a part of your preparation, create some business cards and be prepared to give them out to everyone you meet—but don’t make it a one way exchange. When you give a business card, make sure you receive a business card. 

 
Double check your business card to see if it contains your complete information: name, mailing address, phone number and email address.  It’s surprising how many participants do not create a simple business card—even if you buy blank cards at an office supply place and print your own.

Bring plenty of copies of your business card. It is frustrating to the other person when someone says they only brought a few cards and have given them out. Writing is a solitary occupation and we need each other. You will form new and lasting friendships at the conference if you come prepared for it.

3.      The third key for your conference experience is to study the background for the various faculty members and get familiar with their different roles. Publishing is constantly changing. You want to know who you are meeting and their role. For example, I changed roles last year and became an acquisitions editor at a New York based publisher. Your familiarity with the different faculty will help you form deeper relationships during the conference. I believe your time in preparation will be rewarded.

4.      The final key for your conference experience is to come with the right heart attitude. Many writers come to their first conference expecting to sell their book manuscript or magazine article. Yes, there will be some selling during the conference. A much more central part of every writer’s conference is where individuals learn new aspects of publishing and take great strides of personal growth. Come with expectations and a willingness to learn and grow. With the right heart attitude, I’m convinced that you will not be disappointed but your expectations will actually be exceeded.

How can I say that expectations will be exceeded? Because I know each member of the faculty is a Christian and a person who is filled with the Spirit of the Living God. I love the verse in Ephesians 3:20 which says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

Today God is preparing for you the people and lives that will be touched during the time we are together. I will be coming with high expectations and anticipations. I’ve not ever been disappointed in the past. 

See you soon at the conference!

Find Your Publishing Champion

Have you tried to send out your book idea or manuscript or proposal to an editor or literary agent? It's a challenge to get a response or attention.

Recently I met with another writer about her children's book. I looked at the manuscript and saw good potential in this book. The writer is an experienced journalist with a long list of magazine publishing credits.

Someone suggested that she send her manuscript to a publisher. As I listened to this writer, she had the name and address of an acquisitions editor from another writer who had worked with this editor. This publisher did children's books where the manuscript could be a possible fit for this company. She packed up her manuscript and pitch cover note and submitted it to this publisher. Then she waited—for weeks. She never received a response—even the courtesy of a rejection letter. 

The author was disappointed but her experience is common and one that I've heard from many other authors. They say that at any given time there are millions of manuscripts, proposals and ideas that are in circulation at publishing houses and literary agents. The challenge for every author is on several fronts:

1. Do not take it personal. It's a business and not about you.

2. Believe in your work and continue to search for your publishing champion. 

This search for someone to champion your project isn't easy. Some authors are rejected 10, 20, 30 or even 100 times before they locate the right person for their book.

It is not easy. Editors and agents have certain expectations about how they will receive ideas from authors. If you pitch in the wrong way, then your manuscript will bounce back like you sent out a boomerang instead of a book idea.

In the next few weeks, I've got several events where I will be teaching about How to Write a Winning Proposal and Find Your Champion.

On Monday, January 7^th, I will be teaching at the Global TeleClass or training without traveling. Use this link to learn the specifics about the class and to sign up for this free event. If you have heard me teach on proposal creation in the past, I encourage you to still sign up because I am reworking my presentation and adding new information to it. I'm constantly learning in this area and will bring my latest teaching to this free event. I hope you can participate.

Then in late February / early March, I will be teaching at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. I was added to the 2013 conference late in the planning stages. During the bulk of this event, I will be meeting one on one with different authors and helping them directly with their book projects. I will be teaching one workshop, Editor Read Proposals Not Manuscripts. Follow this link to see more details about my class at this event.

As a frustrated acquisitions editor, I wrote Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success. This book has 108 Five Star reviews on Amazon and has helped many people. The latest and updated version of this book is the Ebook version available at this link.

I am passionate about this topic of finding your publishing champion. I hope to see you at one or both of these forthcoming events.