My Favorite Part of Conference ~ @AuthorKristina Knight

Last week marked the annual RWA Conference - a week(ish) filled with workshops and networking and mentoring and talking and commiserating. It's a week I've only participated in (in person) three times, although I've stalked the social media hashtags longer! I'm not going to recap the entire conference, there isn't enough room; instead, I'm going to tell you about my favorite part of the conference.

It isn't the meeting of writer friends (although I *adore* this part...and shout-out to our own Ava who waited for me after I overslept...and then left my phone behind...and was woefully late for coffee).

It isn't the parties (although those are loud and crazy and remind me of some moments from college I'd rather forget).

It isn't the book signings (although I was able to do 2, and they were my first RWA signings...and I'm not going to forget that feeling for a long, long, long time).

It's the day or so after, when everything I learned and listened to has sunk deep into my brain, and my brain starts to churn over what those things mean.

It's the inspiration - listening to women like me who are juggling family and career and outside jobs, hearing the struggles of other writers and realizing I'm not the only one who annoys her characters so badly (sometimes) that they totally stop talking, and feeling as if I'm not alone in this very solitary career.

Speaking of the inspiration, if you haven't heard the Beverly Jenkins (all hail, Beverly Jenkins!) speech from the RITA Awards...I'm linking to it here...because it's inspiration on a whole other level. Go ahead, give it a listen.

And now, to put that inspiration (and all those new ideas gleaning from people watching!) to work...

Comments

  1. It was great to see you, Kristi!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't been to RWA, but whenever I've been at a conference or even a writing retreat with friends, I come away with so much inspiration and energy. It's just so good to be with people who 'get' what the writing life is about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, and I'll definitely listen to Beverly Jenkins speech when I have time. Thanks for posting it here.

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. Someday I will actually make it to one. They need to have one in Seattle, if not Portland. They always look amazing!! Glad you had such a great time.

      Delete

Post a Comment