The Essentials of Writing Conferences – Post 2

In this series, I am going to write about the essentials of writing conferences. These are some of the most important things that I have noticed in my conference career (now entering my fifth year of 2 conferences minimum per annum).

If you are a writer and you are at the conference with a book to sell or want to network and learn, keep reading.

Part 3 of too many: Network with a recognizable feature.

My recognizable feature in World Fantasy 2009? A goat.

I went through the autograph session and went up to people to sign my little album of signatures (I can’t tote too many books from my library across the border). After they sign and I make small talk, I ask them to pose with my stuffed goat, Yokimo, either appropriately…or inappropriately.

And you can tell a lot about an author by their pose. People not quite willing to make a fool of themselves but consider themselves witty pose with the goat on their shoulder. People who are cute and wholesome clutch the goat in front of them and smile sweetly. People who enjoy having a flirtatious persona pose to kiss the goat. People who are not self-conscious post…rather radically. Either biting the goat butt (Kat Richardson), smashed-faced (Jay Lake), and plunging the goat down the neckline of their corset top (I’m looking at you, Laura Anne Gilman).

Recognizable features are ones that are universal to all authors you interact with and are great conversation starters for later. My reason for the goat? I’m gathering blackmail material to further my publishing career. It has also allowed me to be recognized in subsequent years when I tell that person their touched my goat inappropriately.

Source: Lyncombe Lodge

Part 4 of too many: They are all at the bar.

Conferences generally have totally awesome panels, readings, events, artwork galleries, and vendor rooms. That of course, allows you to get to hear all the things you want and fill up your schedule. But if you have time where you aren’t particularly attached to the events happening, there is a very important place to be. There all the authors, publishers, agents gather and schmooze.

Everyone is at the bar. Everyone. Go to the bar. If you’re lucky, there will be a well laid out bar where a lot of people are readily accessible. If you’re even more lucky, management of the bar will have listened to convention organizers and triple- to quadruple-stocked the bar. There have been conventions where alcohol has been depleted by the first evening (and I hear these are treacherous. Attendees evacuate the hotel and disperse among many bars in the area where it will become much more difficult to network, especially if you are not wearing your nametag everywhere in a strange city).

At the bar, people have scheduled one-on-one meetings. Do not interrupt.

At the bar, groups and organizations meet. Tentatively interrupt, but only if you have a segue into the conversation or group.

At the bar, people work on things. Don’t interrupt unless you’re expected. Otherwise, prepare to be eviscerated in blog form.

The following is information about what to drink and the impression it leaves. This was garnered from a conversation with Kat Richardson at WFC 2009:

Whiskey or Scotch = +10 points. Very professional. Hardened with writerly experience with rejection.
Fruity drinks = -10 points. Flouncy, young, potentially unprofessional.
Cappuccinos = +10 points. As long as you don’t complicate the essence of the drink, this will do very well if you are not a drinker. Sophisticated enough that you don’t look pretentious.
Lattes = -5. Anyone can do what you do.
Water, Tea, or Coffee = 0 points. People will be wary of you as you are notably not drinking and will not be intoxicated later. You are a potential liability for your witnessing of drunken behaviour.
Adding anything to coffee or tea = -10 points. You are high maintenance, hard to please, and finicky.