What a Week!!!
I spent last week in New York for Thrillerfest and it was such a whirlwind I had to take a couple days to sort through the collage of memories to try to answer the question: What do you get out of attending these conferences?
Knowledge
While I was on the panel, “Are You Combat Ready” one of the other authors mentioned that troops today go into battle with something called the THOR system. It jams cell phones in your area, preventing the enemy from setting off IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices.) I didn’t know about this particular tool, but you can bet my thriller hero Morgan Stark will be carrying one in the next book… And criminals in another story may use it to keep people from calling for help.
Advice
Asked how a writer can know what to write about, Alexandra Sokoloff said, “Write about what makes you angry.” On another panel we were told that one way to get background information into your book without slowing the story is to put it into a conversation between characters and have one of them use the backstory as ammunition. This kind of writing guidance is priceless.
Freebies – Advance Reader Copies and giveaways were everywhere. These were not just great thrillers, these were novels that are not yet available to the public - the very latest books and future best sellers. The fun is to gather the books as if you’re playing Pokemon (Gotta Catch 'Em All) then scamper about the conference hunting down every author to get your books signed. My score this year: 32 books, and that doesn’t count the four free magazines.
Surprises
Not everything happens AT the conference. Strolling through the streets of Manhattan we happened upon a television shoot. We got to watch all the activity that surrounds filming an episode of White Collar, and catch sight of the actors slipping into or out of their trailers. When show star Tim Dekay stopped for a glass of juice we declared ourselves fans of the show. His response was, “Well, hey, let’s get a picture.” He was so gracious and relaxed, and these photos are the kind of souvenir you can’t plan of or go after on purpose.
Networking
The number one reason to attend conferences like Thrillerfest is to meet and hang out with other authors. Chatting with Steve Berry, F. Paul Wilson, Lee Child, Anne Rice, Michael Connelly and R.L.Stine at cocktail parties after listening to them on panels is how you get to be part of a writing community that can boost a career or just keep you inspired to write more. And after the Con, those connections tend to stay in touch… which is why you’ll see my comments on August McLaughlin’s blog today. I actually know August from an earlier Love is Murder conference. So you see, you make connections that last and are reinforced at future events. So now go over to August’s blog and see what SHE got out of Thrillerfest.
Knowledge
While I was on the panel, “Are You Combat Ready” one of the other authors mentioned that troops today go into battle with something called the THOR system. It jams cell phones in your area, preventing the enemy from setting off IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices.) I didn’t know about this particular tool, but you can bet my thriller hero Morgan Stark will be carrying one in the next book… And criminals in another story may use it to keep people from calling for help.
Advice
Asked how a writer can know what to write about, Alexandra Sokoloff said, “Write about what makes you angry.” On another panel we were told that one way to get background information into your book without slowing the story is to put it into a conversation between characters and have one of them use the backstory as ammunition. This kind of writing guidance is priceless.
Freebies – Advance Reader Copies and giveaways were everywhere. These were not just great thrillers, these were novels that are not yet available to the public - the very latest books and future best sellers. The fun is to gather the books as if you’re playing Pokemon (Gotta Catch 'Em All) then scamper about the conference hunting down every author to get your books signed. My score this year: 32 books, and that doesn’t count the four free magazines.
Surprises
Not everything happens AT the conference. Strolling through the streets of Manhattan we happened upon a television shoot. We got to watch all the activity that surrounds filming an episode of White Collar, and catch sight of the actors slipping into or out of their trailers. When show star Tim Dekay stopped for a glass of juice we declared ourselves fans of the show. His response was, “Well, hey, let’s get a picture.” He was so gracious and relaxed, and these photos are the kind of souvenir you can’t plan of or go after on purpose.
Networking
The number one reason to attend conferences like Thrillerfest is to meet and hang out with other authors. Chatting with Steve Berry, F. Paul Wilson, Lee Child, Anne Rice, Michael Connelly and R.L.Stine at cocktail parties after listening to them on panels is how you get to be part of a writing community that can boost a career or just keep you inspired to write more. And after the Con, those connections tend to stay in touch… which is why you’ll see my comments on August McLaughlin’s blog today. I actually know August from an earlier Love is Murder conference. So you see, you make connections that last and are reinforced at future events. So now go over to August’s blog and see what SHE got out of Thrillerfest.
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