A Brave New World – The Online Writers Conference

The Writers Conference. It’s an opportunity to learn from successful professionals and to meet editors and agents face to face. It’s an opportunity to get your name out there, along with your baby, your labor of love – your manuscript. For many writers, attending a conference is a crucial part of their journey from unpublished writer to published writer. We’ve all heard the stories about writers who received their first book deals at a conference. Writers conferences can also be a great place to met others serious writers who may become critique partners or invaluable contacts.

But what if you’re a writer on a budget? Or, just as likely, a writer with a full-time job? Attending a weekend long writers conference is expensive – especially if you include the cost of a plane ticket (or gas if you drive) and time prohibitive. Recently, I received an invitation to attend a prestigious writers conference. The early bird registration fee started at $715 dollars! Ouch! So how can we thrifty writers take advantage of the opportunities that conferencing offers?

May I suggest an online conference? Attending an online conference is a great alternative to the conventional conference experience. I attended my first online conference last year with The Muse Online Writers Conference. The information and feedback that I received was fantastic! The online workshop facilitators answered my posts promptly and provided great feedback about my work. I also received invaluable feedback from the workshop attendees. I also had the opportunity to ‘meet’ the facilitators via live chats. The facilitators varied from writers, editors, and agents. Several of the editors offered free manuscript readings as door prizes or on a limited first come, first served basis. The workshop also represented a wide breadth the writers’ market – from genre writing to creative non-fiction. I received so much information, that I am still sorting through all of the information.

The Muse offers a weeklong free conference for writers every year. This year, the conference
will be held in October. Check it out! http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/

2 comments