I'm off to Phoenix next week for ThrillerFest, the inaugural conference for ITW (International Thriller Writers).
Writers conferences are a lot of fun and a wonderful opportunity to meet interesting people and talk about the crazy business of writing and publishing.
If it's your first conference, prepare to be overwhelmed. Don't let that discourage you, though, from jumping in feet first.
A few suggestions for getting the most out of the conference:
- Don't forget to sleep & eat! It's easy to neglect the essentials during one of these whirlwind, non-stop conferences, so take some time to take care of yourself.
- Introduce yourself to people, even if you're intimidated. Authors come to these things to meet readers, so they want to talk to you.
- Keep your ears open. You can learn a lot at conferences, so make sure to listen.
- Drink lots of water. You can't survive on gin & tonics alone for a whole weekend. I've tried.
- If you're looking for someone and can't find them, check the bar. Most people are in the bar.
- Even if you don't drink, you can still hang out in the bar. Nobody will think you're weird.
- Don't introduce yourself to people as a "pre-published writer." They will laugh at you.
- Don't tell people you hated their book. And definitely don't explain in detail why you hated their book. It's rude.
- If you're looking for Lee Child, check outside. He loves the heat and they won't let him smoke inside.
- Attend any panel that I'm on. My panels are always interesting and informative. And if you can't attend my panel, don't miss Barry Eisler's. If nothing else, you can admire his hair.
- Always buy the critic a drink. S/he's probably the most interesting person in the room.
- Pace yourself. Always pace yourself. Otherwise, you might be dead by the end of the weekend.
Above all, remember to have a blast!
