Caren Johnson Literary Agency

by Caren Johnson

Later this week I’m going to be in Jacksonville, FL for the Southern Lights conference. It’s a great conference for romance writers to attend and I heartily recommend you do so if you can. Now this entire week I’m going to be in conference prep mode. That means I’m making sure that I get the bulk of my work done early in the week so that I don’t lose too much time with the hours spent at the airport and in transit. And in the spirit of getting ready for the conference I wanted to share some things I’ve learned to make the most out of your conference. 

Treat this like you would any business trip. Be professional, be courteous and be prepared. I feel like this is stating the obvious, but sometimes the most obvious points are overlooked first. The only iron-clad rule I have is not to pitch me in the bathroom. After that if you see an opening, feel free to come on over and talk to me.

Conferences are not only opportunities to meet agents and editors. They’re a chance to meet your colleagues. Don’t be afraid to make friends with other writers. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to others and to exchange contact information. Kelley St. John is a pro at this. I love being in an elevator with her (as odd as that sounds) because I know by the time I get to my floor, I’ll know everyone’s name. She’s just that friendly. You don’t have to go out of your way to meet everybody, but make an effort to get to know one new person. It expands your circle of writers and can lead to great promo opportunities.

Be objective when assessing your work. Please don’t tell me what you’re working on is completely original, reads like a Nora Roberts/Danielle Steel/Stephen King/James Patterson novel, or is sure to be a NY Times Bestseller. This is the mark of a newbie and I will squirm uncomfortably until I can get away. Rather, tell me that you enjoy reading writers such as Barbara Samuel, Rosamunde Pilcher, Lisa Lutz, and Plum Sykes and have written a great women’s fiction/romantic comedy/YA that would fit in comfortably on the shelf with them. Let me see that you’ve done your research and know your market, especially if you’re writing in really crowded genres such as romantic suspense or paranormal romance. Let me see that you are prepared to answer questions about your characters, your plot, your setting, etc. I’ll have a post tomorrow about pitching your work so I’ll address this topic a little more.

Have a good time. I like conferences because they’re a chance for me to get out of the office and meet some really talented, smart people. I like getting to hang out with my authors so we can plot books, plan careers or just talk about our lives. I like being around the energy of creative people. I’m a writer’s groupie. Take advantage of being around so much talent. Listen, learn and enjoy yourself.

See you there…