AWP Conference 2012

[Dragon]

Although I expect many of you are aware of the conference and its timing, here’s a link:

http://www.awpwriter.org/conference/2012awpconf.php

If you can afford the trip and the registration or if you’re lucky enough to be local, you should consider attending this conference if you’re serious about writing. I’ve been to a few and have made some valuable contacts. The main conference areas often include representatives from literary journals and university publishers, and you can specifically discuss your work, what’s likely to be published, etc. In fact, I recall some journals suggesting that they receive too many fiction manuscripts but non-fiction isn’t nearly as competitive and offers publishing opportunities.

[Kitty Foyle]

Rich, tell us about yourself. Like so many others here (not me!), are you a novel cranker-outer?

If so, have you had any of them published, either traditionally or POD? Are there some neglected manuscripts hidden under your T-shirts on a shelf of your bedroom closet...getting all moldy and yucky?

Or are you a retired cop?

*_*

[Jeanne Gassman]

Rich,

I will be there. Have already made my motel reservations. This will be my third AWP conference. For those of you who have never gone, this is the mother of all creative writing conferences, with approx. 8000+ in attendance. Attendees range from writers to editors to book publishers to agents to writing teachers to creative writing students. The keynote speaker this year is Margaret Atwood. And if you want to pick up copies of lit mags or books from small presses, the book festival is HUGE. The last day is always a treasure hunt because so many publishers give away free copies just to keep from having to ship them home.

Jeanne

[Avonne Writer]

Thanks Rich, and thanks for sharing Jeanne. Someday......

Kitty- you crack me up. But, since you asked...Rich, are you a retired cop?

[Kitty Foyle]

Avonne, I think Rich, the retired cop, has been too busy sleuthing down WEEDS (if y'get my drift) to even comment on this.

We've had several of them lately. Amazing how the lil' suckers can so easily slip through the system.

*_*

[C Bets]

Avonne, I think Rich, the retired cop, has been too busy sleuthing down WEEDS (if y'get my drift) to even comment on this.

We've had several of them lately. Amazing how the lil' suckers can so easily slip through the system.

*_*

And you know how hard it is to get rid of weeds.

[Robin Teeter]

I'd definitely attend if I had the extra bucks.

[Dragon]

Rich, tell us about yourself. Like so many others here (not me!), are you a novel cranker-outer?

If so, have you had any of them published, either traditionally or POD? Are there some neglected manuscripts hidden under your T-shirts on a shelf of your bedroom closet...getting all moldy and yucky?

Or are you a retired cop?

*_*

Kitty thanks for asking; I can't tell you about my career because that would take the fun out of everyone guessing, but I can tell you about my writing. I've written a few short stories, one awful novel I tossed in the trash (but at least I got it out of my system), and a handful of screenplays. I haven't published or sold anything, mostly because I was painfully aware I had a great deal to learn (as a growing writer, I had a major blind spot called character development that took me a few years to address), and because life has gotten in the way--I don't have much time to write. So, while I'm far better at structure (and thus a great fit for screenwriting) my character development weakness is finally improving. I know this because the greatest encouragement I ever received, aside from fellow writers telling me to continue writing, was a handwritten note from C. Michael Curtis at the Atlantic Monthly; he liked a story I submitted but felt he didn't quite understand the main character's motivation, and thus wouldn't publish it. The story was flawed and I've junked it, but it's a learning process, and I respect that it takes time. How about you, Kitty; what do you like to write?

[Keith .]

You sound like a nice guy, Rich. Many of us have been around here a while and have grown ornery over what WN has become over the last couple years. I can be a bit of a smart ass but I do enjoy this board and wish you and Stephen luck. Even with the flukes and flakes (myself included), WN still has gobs of potential and it's the best query critique site I've seen. Luck.

[Jena Grace]

You sound like a nice guy, Rich. Many of us have been around here a while and have grown ornery over what WN has become over the last couple years. I can be a bit of a smart ass but I do enjoy this board and wish you and Stephen luck. Even with the flukes and flakes (myself included), WN still has gobs of potential and it's the best query critique site I've seen. Luck.

What Keith said.

(ps Keith: better a smart ass than a dumb ass )