by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference (BRMCWC) is right around the corner. Now is the time to prepare to ensure you get a substantial return on the time and money you invested in attending. The following tips will ensure you get the most out of your conference by getting organized before you arrive.

Conference Classes

Review all the classes on the conference website to determine which ones would be best for you to attend. I print the list of classes and sit outside to enjoy the spring weather while I highlight the classes that would benefit me. Some higher-level courses require you to sign up ahead of time. So check your conference website early and contact the practicum leader if you need to sign up beforehand. Create a list of the classes you plan to attend before you arrive at the conference. You can always tweak what you planned, but conferences are fast-paced and there is no time to figure this out after you arrive.

One Sheet and Book Proposal

Create a one sheet and book proposal for any book you want to pitch. Include the first three chapters of the book in the proposal. If it is a children’s book include the entire manuscript. I recommend you get those chapters professionally edited. During a conference appointment, first hand the publisher your one sheet as you smile and look in their eyes. The faculty member can peruse your one sheet as you sit down and get settled. You don’t want to take advantage of every minute because 15 minutes goes by very quickly. If he or she requests a book proposal for the project you pitched, show how prepared you are by handing them a book proposal. That shows the publisher that you are prepared and willing to do the work necessary to get your book published.

Faculty Appointments

Check the conference website and read each of the faculty bios. Again, I print the list of faculty and read about each person while gleaning some vitamin D from the sun. Determine if there is someone on staff that would be beneficial for you to meet. If yes, keep track of each faculty member that you want to make appointments with on the Notes app of your cell phone.

If you don’t need to make an appointment with a faculty member, but would still like to connect with them, plan to sit at their table during a meal. The Ridgecrest cafeteria at the BRMCWC has faculty and staff sit at alphabetically listed (by last faculty last name) tables during lunch and dinner. Reference your faculty list when you’re at the conference to help you juggle everything you set out to accomplish. Don’t try to remember it all. Reviewing your organized lists when you arrive is a lifesaver. 

Arrive on time to your appointment with faculty members. Stand a couple of yards away but close enough that the staff person can see that their next appointment has arrived. When the faculty member looks up and sees you, it helps that person stay on time. 

Paid Critiques

The BRMCWC allows you to submit your writing project to staff members to perform critiques. Since it is a large conference, it may be difficult to get appointments with all the faculty that you would like. Therefore, having a staff member critique your work is a great way to obtain more conference appointments. You will automatically have an appointment scheduled with individuals who critique your work. This critique appointment is in addition to the two allotted faculty appointments that you are allowed to sign up for on Sunday evening. I strategically choose who I want to critique my work based upon if they are a publisher, editor, agent, or coach—depending upon my needs at the time. Therefore, my list of faculty that I printed and highlighted, helps me to determine the best staff member to choose.

Conference Contests

Enter the conference contests. The BRMCWC Foundation Award contest for unpublished works is open until April 1. If you finalize in a contest, you become an award-winning author. Your goal is to reach that designation so you can include it in your bio.

I obtained my agent through submitting a critique to him at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and subsequently winning third place in the contest. After placing in the contest, Cyle Young offered to become my agent.

Critiques show a publisher or agent how well you write. Winning a contest validates the quality of your writing. When my book 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates won the Selah award, I had the owner of a well-known literary agency approach me about representation. Contests get you on the map to publication.

Connections

Conferences are not just for learning but cultivating industry relationships too. With each conference, you meet more publishing professionals and gain more contacts. During a conference, be sure to collect conferees’ business cards, and when you get home go to everyone’s website listed on their card and friend them on each social media network. This is how to build a following. Continue to stay in contact with these incredible individuals you meet at conferences. As you have no idea how a fellow author may positively influence your career.

Summary

As authors we need to invest in our career by attending writers conferences. And we need to prepare for the conference as well. This list should help you plan for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference:

1. List the classes you plan to attend. If one requires you to sign up in advance, get your name on the list early.
2. Create a one sheet.
3. Complete a book proposal.
4. Include the first three professionally edited chapters of your book in your proposal.
5. Create a faculty appointments list and another list of people you want to sit with during a meal.
6. Pay for critiques with several faculty members.
7. Enter your work in the conference contest.
8. Review your lists during the conference.

You spend a lot of time and money attending a conference. It is essential to do pre-conference planning to get the most value for the money spent. I hope these tips help.

As a Certified Writer Coach, Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS, desires to help others publish and sell their books. She is the author of eight healthy living books. Her self-published, award-winning, best-seller, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, sold over 20,000 copies in four years. 

She is a trusted advisor for authors as the Director of Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) and Christian Indie Awards.