Pike's Peak Writers' Conference 2010

When: April 23-April 25, 2010 Where: The Marriott 5580 Tech Center Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80919

My second time at the Pike's Peak Conference, and my third conference. It was a good experience, and a great opportunity for me to meet new people and learn new things.

For those of you who've never been to a conference, there are four basic parts of the conference experience:

1. The Classes
With a range of topics, from how to keep your creative juices flowing, to how to pitch to an agent, to marketing, wherever you are in your writing there's a class to suit your needs.
2. The Speakers
I've only been to two conferences, but the format in both was the same, after the lunch and dinner meals a speaker, usually a successful writer, will take the stage and give a speech. Often the speech is just the story of that author's success, meant to encourage writers to stay the path, sometimes it's advice. It isn't my favorite part of a conference, but it has its place.
3. The pitch
A number of editors and agents attend these conferences. Part of their reason for attending is to seek out new talent. Part of the package for attendees is the opportunity to sit down for five to ten minutes with an editor or agent and pitch whatever story that writer has just finished. It's a bit disconcerting the first few times. I'll admit, my first two pitches were terrible, but nothing teaches like time (and embarrassment), andd now I have at least a rudimentery understanding of pitching.
4. Networking
This IS my favorite part of the conference. Between classes, at the meals, at the end of the day in the hotel's bar, you find yourself with extra time, and surrounded by writers. Talking with writers isn't lilke talking with other people, not for a writer, anyway. When you talk to someone who isn't part of that world, they have no point of reference. They don't know what it's like to finish a story, to get a rejection, to get published, to come up with a new idea. Writers do, and at a conference, you have the opportunity to connect. Sure, not everyone you meet is awesome, but a lot of them are.

Oh, I should probably take a moment to apologize for the pictures. Between breaking my camera screen ('Doh!!), and simply being overwhelmed by the number of people surrounding me (stupid social anxiety!), I just didn't capture everything I would have. Next year I'll try to get some pictures of speakers, friends, etc, etc. This year, you'll have to make due with . . . well, random pictures. oops.

Pictures:

2010 Pike's Peak Writers' Conference

Jim and I split a room to save some money. I have to admit, the view out our window was spectacular.

Actually, the view was pretty spectacular wherever you were

It wasn't all standing around and gawking, though. We spent plenty of time in classes.

And we spent plenty of time networking. The meals were a great place to strike up a conversation.

At the first meal, they draped the tables with paper, and gave us all crayons. How was I supposed to know I'd be the only one to use them?

Ru (spelling?), the mascot of the conference, was very friendly

Charles, from the Reader's Cove was the bookseller at the conference. It kept him plenty busy.

A snowfall during the conference did inconvenience a few of the guests, but it made the drive home quite breathtaking.