Wow, What a Week-end...

This week-end I attended the fantastic ANWA Writing Conference held in Phoenix at the Crowne Plaza hotel. We were greeted then handed a great tote to carry all of our writings, notes, and supplies in. We then settled back to learn, learn, and learn. It was an incredible week-end.
.
It started off Friday with a workshop given by the lively Elana Johnson, a skilled query authority. She gave us great tips and hands on help with queries and pitches. I even sat down and wrote one for my novel. Whoop, whoop, hooray! Elana was an energetic presenter and there was no snoring found anywhere in class. Great class that went on into the next hour after dinner. My pitch? You want to hear my pitch? Wow! Okay, okay but I'm warning you this is just a rough draft, it still needs to be tweaked. Okay this is what I wrote: "Suzanna Delrio has witnessed the burning and subsequent death of her husband. Now she fears her children will be left orphans, when she begins being terrorized by a stalker." So what do you think... would you read it?
.
Chris Stewart gave the keynote address on Saturday morning. He filled us with story after story about how he got into the writing business - from Air Force pilot to author. He is a talented man. I truly enjoyed his comments.
.
This year the organizers of the event invited two national agents and one LDS editor. Any writers could have signed up before hand for a nine minute pitch of their work to any of the three. In addition, after classes on Friday we went to a meet and greet where the presenters/attendees hung around and ate chocolate with the said agents and editor. I met and greeted people mingling around but didn't approach the editor or agents that were in animated conversations with others. I now kick myself for the lack of courage to join in those conversations. I'm too timid for my own good! I need to learn how to get some back-bone. In fact that's one of the things one of the agents said, "why didn't more people approach her? Why weren't we mingling and getting to know them?"
.
One thing to help us with our courage or to keep us awake, (I'm not sure which - although I had no trouble keeping awake) during the classes on Saturday - they had bowls of chocolate sitting there for us to partake of. Yes, CHOCOLATE! :O) "Oh my goodness do you have no command over your own arms and mouth?" I wondered... didn't stop me though. :O}
.
The other classes I attended were all great as well. I loved the class by Kirk Shaw, senior editor at Covenant Communications. His class was about finding the right publisher/agent and convincing them that you are right for them. He talked about how an author narrows down the best option for their manuscript and proving they're a good fit for the publisher/agent. Do we shine in personality and the way we present ourselves? If your publisher/agent is called by the media and asked if you can appear on Good Morning America or Jay Leno, etc - would we be able to do that or would he have to tell them no. If we did appear would we not only embarrass ourselves but our agents too? I teach - I've taught classes at Church most of my adult life, including Seminary and haven't embarrassed myself yet, but going on a national TV show? I can honestly say I'm not sure - something I certainly need to work on if I want to get published for sure. If I can't go up and talk to people that I don't know at Church, how would I measure up nationally?
.
Probably the most anticipated, dreaded and valuable aspect of the conference were the Pitch Sessions. I sat in great anticipation and nerves along with my sister as she pitched her book to Kirk Shaw and ended up getting a request from him for her full manuscript. Fantastic stuff! When all is said and done, I wish that I had gotten my pitch prepared and signed up to pitch my book to Mr Shaw also. Shame on me, but I didn't know before this conference that you could actually pitch a book that wasn't finished yet. Yes, that's right - it didn't have to be a complete manuscript for them to ask for the full manuscript. They didn't want you to send it out to them the very next day anyway. I could have had even up to a year to send it to them and they would have happily taken it for consideration. WOW! Shoulda, coulda, woulda!!!
.
Last but not least, I will end with this: I ate Waaaaaaay too much chocolate this week-end. Here I am trying to lose some flubber and I'm popping chocolate morsels into my mouth at every opportunity. Sheesh!!! Do you have NO control woman?
.
... Joyce