Today is the last day of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. All the conferees will be heading home hopefully armed with an abundance of new knowledge, a collection of notes and resources, and perhaps a stack of business cards from new industry friends. But what’s next? What do you do when you get home? Here are my top five suggestions based on personal experience.
Rest
At a writing conference, you are nonstop on-the-go. Dashing from class to class, soaking up copious amounts of wisdom, chatting up fellow writers, agents, and editors, and – in the case of BRMCWC – hiking up and down all the hills throughout each day. You stay up late, laughing long and hard. And possibly squeeze in a bit of writing between all that. By the time you return home, you are ready to crash. You’ve spent the week drinking from a fire hose. Your body and mind need rest, so make that a priority. Set aside everything conference-related for at least a day or two – up to a week. Then, it’s time to get to work.
Organize
Your bags are full of notes and handouts, and business cards are tucked in every available pocket. It’s time to organize and make sense of it all. Someone suggested to me at my first conference to use a three-ring binder and business card pages to organize all the cards from my new friends. As I gather cards, I try to remember to jot a note on the back of them where and when at the conference I met the person. I’ll also include what we discussed or what they write if it’s not obvious on their card. Then I organize my business card inserts by category: writer of fiction or nonfiction, faculty, agent, devotion writer, writing coach, editor, etc. After getting your cards taken care of, go through your session notes and match them up to any coordinating handouts. Set those aside for now.
Connect
If you didn’t do this along the way during the conference, start engaging with your new friends on social media. Like and comment on their posts. Subscribe to any blogs or newsletters of writers or other professionals you connected with and want to follow. Make an effort to virtually continue the friendship you began at the conference until the next time you can reconnect face-to-face. Write sincere and specific thank you notes to anyone who you met with for a formal appointment or any expert who generously gave some of their valuable time to you.
Review
Remember those notes and handouts you paired up and set aside earlier? It’s time to get them back out. Read over your notes to ensure you can decipher your handwriting while the material is fresh in your mind. Add any details or clarifications that occur to you as you review. I prefer to handwrite notes during a practicum or workshop then type them up as I review once I’m home. I personally recall info better if I write it by hand; typing it up later helps further cement the info in my mind. If you typed your notes at the conference, still make a point to review them and add any additional thoughts or notes. As you revisit your materials, pull out action items and make a to-do list, then prioritize it.
Follow through
Did an agent, publisher, or editor ask for a proposal or submission? Use what you learned at the conference to perfect your material as much as you can, then do it – actually send that proposal or first three chapters or whatever was requested. I’ve heard stories from several professionals over the past four years about writers who just did not follow through. Can you imagine: an expert you respected enough to pitch says, “Yes, that sounds interesting. I’d like to see more, so send it to me.” And then you just don’t do it. What an incredible missed opportunity. Not only are you throwing away a chance at moving toward your writing dreams, but you’ve most likely given that professional a negative impression of yourself. Follow through also includes committing to accomplish the to-do’s that you listed. Put a stake in the ground and commit to moving forward in your writing journey.
What will you do after your conference experience? What best practices have helped you?