Re-Entry OR What to do When You Get Back from a Conference, A Writer's Perspective
The conference ends. You re-enter your world, get the mail, hello to your family, perhaps pick the dog up from the boarder, make sure everything around the house looks good, check home messages if you did not do that while away…you know you can. (I did not but you can.) You have taken notes, you have collected cards, you have listened to keynote speakers and participated in breakout sessions and for a moment you think you should let it all settle in but I would suggest otherwise.
When you get back from a writing conference you might want to try this:
Look through all of the cards you collected and decide who you would like to reach out to for continued contact. Organize them in this way:
I should contact soon (perhaps today through social media or email).
I should contact in the future (agent or editor you may want to submit to).
I should put your beautiful illustrator calling card on a mini-easel on my desk!
Type up your notes. You may have typed yours at the conference but I have found that by revisiting my notes I can cull the pertinent information.
Main points, good quotes and email addresses with submission guidelines.
You may find that you have a list of book titles and ideas for picture books, non-fiction books, middle grade and even YA. (I do not write YA but I still seem to gather those ideas too. )
Oh and I see that I too have become an illustrator in the borders of my notebook.
Just completing these tasks may take a few hours of your day but you will be off and running with new tools and new ideas.
Enjoy the journey!
