Learn the Lingo
Overwhelmed by the acronyms, jargon and laughter of friends reuniting at AWP, I wanted to get in my van and hit the road. I’m an introvert, after all.
Last February, I attended the ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS & WRITING PROGRAMS conference in Kansas City, Missouri. 12K writers, aspiring writers, agents, publishers. 3 days of workshops, lectures, book fairs. At first, it was overwhelming. Speakers + participants bandying about terms + acronyms related to publishing, agents, query letters, manuscripts. WOW. I've been a Writing Coach for 20+ years and I know how the sausage is made. But now I’m trying to get MY WORK out into the world full throttle. Different equation. #impostersyndrome #newkidontheblock
So I did what I always do: a DEEP DIVE IMMERSION into the terminology + lexicon of writing for publication & the publishing world. Made (decaf) coffee and blasted jazz. Read 10 books from the library. Watched YouTube videos on traditional and self publishing. Asked questions. Told myself , “You lived in Japan for 4 years. You know how to immerse yourself into another culture and language!”
Viewed from this perspective, this new learning curve felt fun.
So last night, I drove through torrential rain on the way home from the Lakefly Writers Conference in Southern Wisconsin. Lakefly is an annual gathering of about 120 writers, dreamers, aspiring writers and book lovers. 2 days of craft and marketing workshops followed by a precious open mic in the vintage Oshkosh Public Library. After decades of writing at my kitchen table, I felt connected and seen. #loveyourself #enjoytheprocess
If you are a writer (or aspiring writer) who wants to get published some day, here's some advice. WRITE. Write. Write. Take one of my Story Craft Classes. Love yourself. Read your work to a trusted friend. Go to lots of conferences. Finally - check out this list below to familiarize yourself with the terms and processes involved. Become curious. Writers and Coaches are very welcoming and we will help you tell your story! #writerslife #legacy #storytelling
