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5 Tips for Attending Writer's Conferences #1. Attend Writing Conferences             This may seem obvious, but it is an important first step to take in your writing career. Show up. Even if you have an MFA, you can learn a lot at conferences. There are conferences on writing in general, like the Willamette Writer's Conference.  There are also more specific genre-focused conferences, like those for Romance Writers, Children's Authors and Sci-Fi. Google and you will see there are hoards to choose from.  #2. Volunteer at Conferences       Volunteering gets you behind the scenes, meeting and networking with people who have probably been in the industry long before you. If you listen in, you may just learn something. Besides, you can usually get a discount on registration costs. Show up with a smile, be flexible and try to be helpful.  #3. Take Notes       Listen to others more than you speak. You are there to learn. I suggest handwritten notes over a laptop.  Compu

When did you start writing?

When did you start writing? When I was ten years old I was given a journal for Christmas, a pale blue and yellow plaid cover packed with lined papers perfumed with possibility. It immediately became my confidant, secrets whispered from my pen onto the loyal paper. When a boy liked me, or when my sister got me into trouble, it was there to take it all in. Spotted moments throughout the next seven years dot the pages. It had taken my entire childhood to fill it, still, at the last page, I gasped.  The end came too soon. That last page felt important. I weighed and deliberated what I would write on that page, a summary? But I wasn’t done yet. Elation came with a new journal. I was older now. I knew to not only write about the hard times, because looking back, I seemed to complain a lot. It taught me to be, reflective, thoughtful, self-aware, and deliberate in life and in words .  I’ve filled eight journals since then.             The pen was never far from my fingertips. I’ve wri

3 Steps to Becoming a Writer

3 Steps to Becoming a Writer: 1. Write. Every day.  2. Find your people. Make google your friend. Try searching for women’s writing groups, local workshops, classes, even festivals. There are tons of groups on Meet-up, one at my local library and several at the local bookstore. If you can’t find a writing group that suits you, create one. It is inspiring to be around other wordmongers. You will write more when you find people who you can relate to, people who “get” you, and people who won’t judge you because your mind is always on your story. They are out there, hiding in their pajamas behind their laptops or under their full spiral notebook. I began a local writing group by putting an ‘ad’ out on a phone app called Nextdoor. I called out to women writers in my neighborhood. They peeked out from the bushes, climbed down from the trees, dropped down from the sky—they came!  We are a dozen strong with four of five hardcore participators. We still don’t have an official nam