Tuesday Comings and Goings

Spent the weekend at the New Jersey Romance Writers conference. Other than signing books at the author book signing and giving a workshop on Writing with Someone Else (Not Already Talking in Your Head) I enjoyed meeting up with writing friends and attending workshops.

Victorian Alexander is one funny lady! I've heard her speak before and it's well worth it. If you ever get the chance to hear her, do it.

Over all, if you're a writer (or want to be or even just want to understand the behind-the-scenes-of-writing) attending writing conference. Local ones are better or at least less crowded and gives you a chance to meet more authors, listen to more of them answer your questions, and really get to know some of the other writers (and readers!) attending.

Studying

In a couple weeks I'll be at NJRW doing a workshop on writing with a partner. Okay the technical term is that we will be there but since it's easier to use I than WE, there is it.

The outline is made, the handouts are in the rough draft stage, and the content is simple--for us at least! If you're going, this workshop is designed to help you understand the needs of yourself and your potential writing partner and help you work together.

See you there!

Workshops

Tomorrow starts the conference and while I don't really know what workshops I'm going to, (mostly because I haven't looked) I do know I'm going to the published author round table stuff. (Very coherent there, wasn't that. Yes. Yes I am a writer!)

Looking forward to hearing what other authors have to say about the state of the publishing world, and the agents and editors take on that as well. Not that it means much, there's always the break out whatever or the out of the box whoever, but it's nice to hear these things. Makes me feel as if I'm keeping up on important stuff.

Conferences

The end of this week is another conference I'm going to. No speaking at workshops, but I'm looking forward to the published author events and the keynote speakers. Especially the networking, getting to know online friends, having drinks...and possibly more drinks!

I can't stress this enough: conferences, despite the cost, are worth going to. You learn about writing, marketing, meet people, and talk about books. Yours, your favorite authors, the one you just finished, everything.

What are you waiting for? Have you signed up for a writer's conference yet?

Time Flies

Apparently October is FRIDAY! I'm not ready for that, there's too much to do in September let alone in October. I have birthday gifts to buy and cakes to make and conferences to attend. The first of which is ALBACON.

I'm really looking forward to that. And not just because there are going to be Star Trek Micro-Panels! Please note my inner geek emerging. :)

It's going to be an informative weekend and lots of fun. Have you registered?

TGIF!

This has been a long long week. In addition to the puppy, I think I had a bad reaction to my flu shot this year. Not that I've ever had a bad reaction before, and have been getting them for years, but there you have it. I hear they added in the H1N1 vaccine to the regular mix. Not sure that was it, but it's what I'm going with since it was the only outside variable.

Things checked off my ToDo list: Finished synopsis AND the partial. Reading it through one last time Saturday and then emailing it off. Very excited about that, no matter what happens. And within the next several weeks, I plan on finishing the story and working on a couple other shorts and unfinished stuff.

October is jammed packed with conferences. I say jammed, does 2 count? ALBACON in the beginning of October, then New Jersey Romance Writers at the end. I'm really excited about ALBACON, it's the first conference where I'm on a workshop panel. We'll be discussing history, research, and writing with someone else. I think it'll be fantastic!

(PST: Registration for both is still open!)

And it's Friday!

This has been an incredibly busy week. Work, work work, flight, sign in for conference, crash in room. It's been a great week, though, and I'm really glad I came.

Did I mention that I'm an iPhone App?

Today I'm at Whipped Cream Reviews!

Dark Desires of the Druids: Sex & Subterfuge on sale now at your favorite bookstore. And don't forget my free Dark Desires of the Druids: Choose Your Own Adventure!

Workshops

Why I like workshops.

I don't like all the workshops I attend, and have been known to walk out of them. It doesn't mean the speakers didn't go a good job on their topic, it just means that either I A) had to choose between two (or more) workshops and want to catch the end of another or B) thought it might help in my writing and then realized the speaker and I were coming from two different starting points.

But overall, I respect the people who get in front of others and talk about anything!

The best thing I ever learned in my writing was in a workshop: Every scene must count toward the overall plot. You'd think that, sure, but honestly at the time of hearing that I was still a fan of writing scenes I wanted to write. No longer! I was going to write to the plot, to the end, to the Happily Ever After!

Seriously, it was a revelation.

So even if I only go to a handful or workshops, they all have what I want. To learn more to further my writing. It's an evolving experience!

Dark Desires of the Druids: Sex & Subterfuge on sale now at your favorite bookstore. And don't forget my free Dark Desires of the Druids: Choose Your Own Adventure!

Why I do RWA

There are reasons for and against it, but I'm being positive so will list the reasons why I am doing RWA this year. (In no particular order)

• Meet online friends!
• Have a drink with these online friends that you now know what they look like.
• Meet other writers in various stages of their career and get to know how they're doing, what they're doing, and what their career plans/goals are.
• 
  
• Pitch to an editor or agent! You never know who's going to like your book, it only takes one.

• Workshops-these are the best reason. Other conferences have them, too, so if RWA is too expensive or too far for you, try to go to any writing conferences and workshops. They're worth it.

More on workshops tomorrow as I travel to Orlando.

Today the blog tour is taking me to D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters! Want to read Chapter One of Sex & Subterfuge? Stop on by!