My First RWA National

I know, I know… It was a month ago that the RWA National conference was held! I really wanted to post blurbs while I was there even though every experienced attendee assured this conference virgin that it just wasn’t going to happen. Well, they were correct, but I did plan to write something up when I came back. I plead at-home craziness and now the insanity that surrounds a book launch. Sandy and the YRW gals have been so gracious in forgiving me – or maybe my punishment for being errant was being placed in the spotlight at the meeting on Saturday, huh Sandy? LOL!

The challenge now will be to sum up the experience in a few paragraphs. First, let me direct to the essays I did manage to post on my blog for my adventures:
RWA Nationals Day #1
RWA Conference Official Day #1
RWA Conference Day #2 & 3


I also have a bunch of photos in my gallery: RWA Nationals 2009

As I said, this was my first RWA, or conference of any sort. I joined the RWA exactly one year ago after briefly popping in at San Francisco last year to meet with my editor and publisher. That tiny taste was enough to inspire me. But I still asked myself some of the questions that perhaps you have asked yourself: Is it worth the cost?

Well, YES! I will admit that I felt a bit lost that first day. I knew very few people other than the fellow Sourcebooks authors who arrived early like me. But by the time the Literacy signing was over, I knew this was the experience of a lifetime. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, was nice. A rather lame word, I know, but it fits. Obviously I had conversations, attended workshops, and met people that are significant to me in a personal way. Yet I imagine there is a commonality that every person feels, and that is the support and sense of community. I literally did not meet one person who wasn’t gracious, open, and interested in sparking up a conversation.

I am a newly published author and as such am still learning the business and growing in my confidence. The conference is filled to bursting with opportunities to mature, and most of them are not the workshops! Hallway, luncheon, and bar conversations are the best ones. It is also THE place to network. I came home with about fifty business cards, many whom I have friended on Facebook and/or connected with via blogs. The education and networking continues long after you fly home.

Writing is a lonely affair. We know that, but when you hear Nora Roberts speak of those precise feelings, it strikes a chord! When you sit next to Stephanie Laurens and talk about the joys of writing and meeting fans, you forget that she is light-years ahead of you. When you chat with Gaelen Foley and Lauren Willig and Julia Quinn about writing historicals, discovering that they share your opinions and obstacles, you are washed with relief. When Janet Evanovich starts to cry while talking about the day she got “the call,” you are moved profoundly.

The sheer energy of being surrounded by thousands of people who love romance and appreciate writing infuses you with a passion that is astounding. I did not want to leave, was already yearning for Nashville, and was so afire with inspiration that I whipped out the trusty laptop on the plane! I could gush on and have done so for long periods of time until my family reached for the earplugs! Happily I will answer specific queries if you wish. But mainly I just want to encourage. Yes, it is not cheap. But if you are serious about writing as a career, no matter where you may be along the road, RWA Nationals is an invaluable pit stop. Start budgeting now because I want to par-tay with ALL my YRW sisters in Nashville!

A New Year Begins

Previously Posted January 1, 2009 by SandyM.

On this first day of the new year of 2009, some of us mayhap have made those resolutions that we’re either very good at keeping or very good at not keeping. Myself, I’m not so good at it. Goals are mostly elusive for me too. I do even procrastinate to a point, but then when push comes to shove, I knuckle down and get the job done. Maybe it’s my choice of career for the last 20-some years that’s made me one who can reasonably deal with pressure. Maybe I just let the old water flow off my back and keep looking forward after the stress has been eliminated. Even though I may procrastinate, I’m fairly optmistic. So I do see the bright side, the silver lining, the light at the end of the tunnel in most situations. Guess maybe I’m a contrasting work in progress.

Since our January meeting will consist of creating writing goals for the next year, I thought our first blog of 2009 could go hand in hand with that meeting. What would you like to see happen with, at, for YRW over the next twelve months? We had our first big change when we introduced the structure of our monthly meetings after much discussion among our members. We know we are going to grow and continue to change not only throughout 2009 but also well into the future. So. Is there something specific you’d like to see happen? A particular program to implement that you think might work for us? A different way of doing something that will benefit the Chapter as a whole?

Suggestions, ideas, discussions, advice, plans, proposal, heck even extortion will work if it’s beneficial and they’re all welcome! We’d love to hear what you think, what you’ve seen, what you’ve heard, what you want. I can’t guarantee that what you share with us will be, can be, should be implemented or carried out, but I can guarantee that we’ll listen, consider, discuss, scrutinize, contemplate whatever passes through our hallowed halls, figuratively speaking of course.

I propose our first goal for our members is continuing our Blog. We have a terrific and varied membership that even if you’re skittish about talking about yourself, your life, your writing, your kids, your job, whatever, blogging here every couple of months should help you get over that phobia and eventually make it fun for you, as well as the rest of us! I mean, it will be just like talking to your girlfriends over a glass of wine or like those nostalgic slumber parties we all remember back when we were teens. We learn from one another, support one another, and cheer womankind on. (Okay, Bob, I realize you don’t have those experiences in your past, but look at all this as a way to get those female characters down perfect!)

Advice is welcome, secrets are sacred and safe, fun is to be had, ideas are fruitful, support is demanded, and sisterhood is sweet. Let’s revel in what we’re thankful to have, happy to share, and loquacious in what we want and need.

So wanna turn blogging? I’ll start a schedule. You give me a month.