8/3/2014
My swag for the conference.
So this week I’m off to the RWA in Sydney. I’m really looking forward to this year, probably more than any in the past simply because I feel like I have gotten to know people over the years and so I’m far less worried about being a Nigel-No-Friends this year.
That’s of course a common fear for anyone attending a conference like this and has more to do with oneself than anyone else. Most people on the whole are very friendly and welcoming at these events. There is the odd frosty type, and of course you get that in any crowd. Sometimes those people make for the funniest stories but I’ll never tell because “what happens at conference stays at conference as they say”. Anyway, I just figure those people are shy and don’t want to make friends so it’s time to move on.
Anyway, to help out anyone new to the whole conference whirlwind here is an old Conference post on Pitching and the Conference.
http://www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com/blog/-thoughts-on-pitching-how-does-a-pitch-work
And of course if you are attending please come and say hello if you recognise me.
Here are two of the hilarious and confusing things about meeting people at writers conference:
1. Authors don’t look like their author pictures in real life. In fact they often look like the best version of themselves in author pictures (or even the best version of themselves ten years ago) and that person who introduces themselves in fancy dress at a cocktail party isn’t going to be looking like that.
2. Lots of authors use pen names (especially romance authors). So the person you know as Melody Smith online might be called Melissa Smythe-Jones in real life. Confusing much?
So people look different, have different names and may be in fancy dress – it’s not at all confusing now is it? Having said that after one leaps those hurdles (did I mention the Have Chick Lit Will Travel Box set is racing up Amazon in the Sports category) everyone is extremely friendly and welcoming.
And for Musical Monday because it’s the Romance Writers Conference here is a song about kissing. I’ve loved this song since the day I heard it.
