A few weeks back I made the two hour pilgrimage to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and attended the Lakefly Writers Conference. What Lakefly lacks in sheer size it makes up for in friendliness, variety of content, and networking capabilities. Each year the conference is bigger and better.
This year the conference included a book fair that was open to the public. Authors representing every possible genre offered their books for sale and were eager to discuss their road to publication or topics relating to the writing craft. It was impossible to walk through the rows of tables and not come home with an armload of new reading material.
In addition to the many presentations on craft, an attendee can reserve a spot for any of the one-on-one events. Pitching your new manuscript to an agent, having a professional photographer provide you with headshots, meeting with a writing coach to discuss your current project, and obtaining advice on setting up your online marketing strategy were just a few of the options available.
My entire writers group decided to attend this year so much of the “down” time was spent trading information from the sessions that someone was not able to attend. As usual, comments and viewpoints varied, but everyone agreed that the quality of information presented was top-notch.
The highlight for me this year was the Friday night open mic night held at the town library. I normally do not shy away from public speaking. My years as a corporate trainer and Red Cross volunteer provided ample experience for this event. Or so I thought. There is something very different about standing in front of complete strangers and reading a section from your own manuscript for five minutes. My hands shook and trying to keep my voice from cracking while I shared my “baby” was terrifying. I vaguely remember hearing the audience laugh when I thought they should, gasp at the appropriate times, and react with surprise at the twist. However, looking back, it was only a blur. Members from my group confirmed that other people’s reactions were spot on and that I “had” them from the opening paragraph.
I am grateful that I decided to do it. Hearing your story read out loud is something that I truly believe is a must when finalizing your manuscript edits. There are some passages that don’t feel right until they pass the “listened to” test.
For anyone that interested in attending next years event, you can follow the conference at, lakefly.org.
I hope to see some of you there next year. And, maybe I will read an excerpt from my second book, Snake Coils. It is coming along nicely.
Tales From The Hare 