Comments on: How to Pick a Writing Conference

By: beckylevine

beckylevine — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:27:22 +0000

Rebecca–I hadn’t thought of a conference as a reward, but what a great idea! My friend Terri Thayer was at Malice, too, and it sounded so fun. Congrats on finishing the manuscript, too!

By: Rebecca Butler

Rebecca Butler — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:23:11 +0000

Becky, very useful topic. I just got back from Malice Domestic in DC, a conference high in cozy writers attending, skills-targeted panels, interviews with top-selling authors, and really funny spoofs of classic cozy writers as well as an exciting auction. A few agent/editors like Donald Maass. Yes, it was pricey, but a reward for finishing my manuscript.

Cheers,
Rebecca

By: beckylevine

beckylevine — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:57:08 +0000

That does sound like a fun panel! The whole conference sounds great. Thanks for the info.

By: Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:53:46 +0000

The PSWA conference has been around for a long time. The group used to be called the Police Writers Club and mostly cops who wrote belonged to it. (The let me belong and come to the conferences because I was willing to give talks and was writing mysteries with law enforcement heroes and heroines. They had some problems and reorganized and wanted to embrace other public safety fields and be more open to other writers.

This year we have two forensic experts speaking, Betty Webb, the award winning mystery writer, and many lesser names serving on panels about characterization etc. The one that sounds like fun is about what things in movies, TV and books drive law enforcement, lawyers, public defenders crazy. (That’s who is making up the panel.)

The conference doubled in size over the last two years, though still small enough for people to get well acquainted and ask plenty of questions.

A lower price for registration will expire on May 31.

Marilyn

By: beckylevine

beckylevine — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:38:11 +0000

Marilyn–I hadn’t heard of that conference. It looks great for mystery writers. And from what I’ve heard about the conventions, they’re really fun, too!

By: Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:35:54 +0000

Some of the places mentioned have been cons rather than conferences. I love them both.

My favorites are Mayhem in the Midlands, mystery con that many fans attend. It’s small, only 200 people.

As for writing conferences, Public Safety Writers Association is my favorite, and it’s really small. 31 writers signed up at this point. We have only one publisher attending, but fantastic speakers on all aspects of writing. http://www.publicsafetywriter.com
Plenty of opportunity for networking.

Of course I love Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime, but both are huge and are mystery conventions, not writing conferences.

Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith

By: beckylevine

beckylevine — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:46:04 +0000

I know, Beth, I’ve always wanted to go to that one, but yes, it’s expensive. Someday!

By: beth

beth — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:46:48 +0000

So timely for me! I just got the LA SCBWI conference flyer in the mail…and I am LONGING to go…but I can’t afford it this year. Here’s hoping I can soon, though!

By: beckylevine

beckylevine — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:41:47 +0000

Thanks, P.J. Maybe someday we’ll get to cross paths at one!

By: P. J. Hoover

P. J. Hoover — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:36:38 +0000

Fantastic post, Becky! I love attending writer’s conferences for all of the various reasons you mention!