Tips for enjoying your next conference.

Note: This post is about a particular writing conference I attended recently, but a lot of what I’ve included can apply to conferences in any industry, especially if you are no longer working in an office and might be itching for some face-to-face time with others in your profession or area of interest.

For my most recent foray out into the masses since COVID, I selected the Women’s Fiction Writing Association’s conference. My ears perked up when I noticed Chicago would serve as the location, immediately making it more tempting as it was a mere drive away, saving me the expense of a plane ticket. Since I’ve recently started writing a novel, I figured I could use the many writing craft classes the conference would offer. As a bonus, my agent, Carly Watters, was going to be in attendance—I’d finally get to meet her in person.

I signed up early, saving money by getting an early-bird discount. If you’re certain you want to attend a conference, go ahead and take the plunge. Your wallet will thank you. I also jumped on reserving a discounted hotel room at the conference location. Many conferences will offer a discounted block of rooms, which often sell out quickly. Yes, there were less expensive options in the area, but staying in the same hotel is brilliant when you want to take a break during the day or run something back to your room.

Since I’d be getting there by car, I called the hotel about parking rates. They wanted $77/night for parking. (I can remember when hotel parking was free if you were a guest. Those days are long gone.) Seeing that I decided not to bring our Rolls Royce, I did a quick search and found a nearby spot for $99 for the entire four-day stay. In this case, I used SpotHero, but I’ve also used ParkWhiz in the past. Both apps offer comparable prices with immense discounts from the standard rates.

This wasn’t my first writing conference rodeo, but it was the first one where I didn’t need to spend time and energy on pitch/query classes or actually pitching agents or publishers. So, I had much more time to attend sessions on character building, plotting, tropes, and so much more. But if you don’t yet have an agent, the query classes and actually pitching can be invaluable. Getting feedback from the experts is helpful, and so is sharing your query and pitch with other writers.

I prefer to research the conference agenda in advance and plot out my days carefully to ensure I cram in as much information as I can. I even use mealtimes to get to know new friends better. Other people prefer to leave downtime during the day, so as not be get overwhelmed with material. There’s no one right way. Same with going out with the late-night crowd. I used to be the last one to leave the party. Now I’m happy to be snug in my room well before midnight, so I’m fresh for the next action-packed day.

That leads me to what is, for me, the best part of these conferences—meeting people and making new friends. (Okay, the swag can be cool, too.) I met so many wonderful writers at this conference in all stages of their writing careers. We exchanged information and are already being good about staying in touch. Writing is such a solitary endeavor that it’s nice to find like-minded souls who are toiling away on their own projects, especially those who will happily share their knowledge and expertise.

The secret to socializing at these events is to recognize that most of the attendees don’t know anyone else at the conference, either. Doing something as simple as sidling up to someone standing alone at the welcome reception and introducing yourself with a “Do you know anyone here?” can really open doors. And remember to bring business cards. I print my own at home in small batches, so I can change the wording and contact info as needed. (I rarely use my secret agent alias.) I highly recommend making notes on cards you collect so you remember your new contacts once you return home.

Speaking of returning home, unfortunately I brought home an unwelcome guest—COVID. In fact, the conference appears to have been a super-spreader event of sorts, with many folks chiming in on Facebook about testing positive. I should have realized that, even though I drove, most attendees flew into Chicago, and airports and planes are once again prime spreading areas. So in addition to all my tips above, I recommend masking at large meetings just in case.

The worst part is that I gave COVID to my darling husband, who didn’t even get the benefit of enjoying the conference. Luckily, our COVID bouts were brief and mild.