I’m currently making plans to attend my first writers conference: the Oregon Christian Writers Conference in Portland. I had planned to attend the annual conference of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) several years ago, but a work emergency prevented it. Then we moved to Hawaii and all that entails. Finally, I’m situated where I can try to attend one again.
This kind of thing is well outside my comfort zone. I suspect I’m not alone among writers who would rather stay home and write, as well as read, than be out among hundreds of people, needing to network.
I’ve self-published two novels (see them at www.backlashbook.com) and have finished another, Thine Is The Kingdom. Rather than just automatically self publish, I thought I’d see if I could get an agent and get it published the traditional publishing route.
One of the things I’m doing to prepare is just to read what others have said about writers conferences, so I know what to expect. One thing I’ve seen more than once is not to expect to sign with an agent or publisher at the conference. That makes sense, since I imagine conferences are very busy, with too many workshops, keynotes and mentor appointments to count, but I didn’t automatically think of it.
I’m also taking a nonfiction book I’ve been working on: Collision or Convergence: Surprising Ways Science and Faith Now Confirm One Another. I’ve done some agent querying of Kingdom, but not Collision or Convergence, so this will be the first time to talk to anyone in publishing about it.
I’m also dusting off at least one screenplay that I originally wrote several years ago. Preacher was considered by TNT many years ago when they were about the only cable network doing original movies. Today, of course, they all do original movies and series, some narrative, some nonfiction.
If I have time, I may also revive and polish some other screenplays. I’m going to be taking a workshop led by Brian Bird on screenwriting, specifically adapting books for film (Backlash was actually adapted from my own screenplay, so it went the other way). Bird is one of the creators of Hallmark’s wildly successful “When Calls the Heart” series, and also worked on “Touched By an Angel” and “The Case for Christ.”
I’m also attending a workshop on comparing traditional publishing, self publishing and hybrids of the two by Jessica Kirkland of Kirkland Media Management. Her agency specializes in properties for both print and film, so that promises to be interesting.
Jim Hart of the Hartline Agency is leading a workshop for nonfiction authors, which is the category of Collision or Convergence. I have had some correspondence with him when I briefly tried to get an agent for Backlash.
Alice Crider, senior acquisitions editor of David C. Cook Publishing, is leading a workshop on marketing for fiction and nonfiction authors, a very important subject.
And last but not least, I’m going to a workshop on crafting great nonfiction by Bob Hostetler, an agent for the Steve Laube agency.
