Reno reactions

Is it me, or is there a lot more hubbub surrounding the upcoming RWA conference than usual? I don’t know if there are more newbies taking part in it, more hype about the anniversary, more internet activity in general, or I’m just being a cynical old hag since I’ve been to two of them and am remembering wrong, but the number of questions and freakouts seem to be several times greater than every year I’ve been in RWA combined. Of course, the Golden Heart Contest sold out this year, so maybe there is more hype.

Now, of course, some of these worries are perfectly justified. I remember being disappointed when I saw the initial list of editors and agents taking appointments last year. I didn’t know that in a month or so, when it was acutally time to sign up for appointments, double the number of editors and agents would have turned in their appointment preferences. And I do understand people’s excitement about the schedule of events, etc. But everyone seems to be scurrying around, analyzing their wardrobes, looking for coffee pots, spending sleepless nights worrying about how they’re going to pitch their Golden Heart finalist manuscript to an editor. (sayeth I: “Hi. My name is Mary Wonder Writer and this book is a Golden Heart finalist in the BLANK category.”) The most mystifying are the folks who are clamoring for details about the chick lit party. At this time last year, we barely had a chick lit chapter yet. The party will come together, no problem (on WEDNESDAY), but it’s only April and the conference is not until the end of July. The appetizers would be so stale by then!

Anyway, I invite everyone to take a deep breath and think about all the things you’re going to do before the end of July. Three months (and change). You could write another manuscript. You could send out several dozen queries. You could sell a book. You never know.

Regarding my own national conference experience, I’m not sure what this one will bring me. My first conference was the 2003 one in New York. I was an utter newbie. I spent one sleepless night right before my editor appointment (notice it was RIGHT before, not three and a half months prior). In fact, I was so nervous at my editor appointment that the editor in question (Cindy Hwang of Berkley) actually had to pat my hand and tell me to stop shaking. Now, you all know I’m not the shyest chick on the block, so this is saying something. But I was still laboring under the delusion that certain factions who troll around on the RWA loops and the eHarlequin boards like to drum into newbies that editors are demigods that exist upon this earth solely to make writers into pathetic creatures and occasionally favor them with snippets of attention. (I know, I know, but I was young and naive, and really, they do their darndest to convince you of it!)

Now I know better. I’m still nervous when I’m pitching, but I don’t actively tie my tongue in knots every time Brenda Chin (Harlequin) waves hello.

At the 2003 conference in New York City, I went to a lot of craft workshops. I was convinced that I would learn “the secret” there. I came away with a ton of great tips. No “secret.” I skipped all the industry workshops, because i didn’t think they were important. WHo needs to know what the different houses publish? I htought. They have guidelines on their websites for that.

The Dallas conference (2004) was a whole different ballgame. I was older, and a world-traveler (snerk). I’d already gotten half a dozen rejections. I was on my fourth manuscript. I’d finaled in a bunch of contests, made a bunch of friends in the community, and was far more familiar with the industry and the players. I was very confident in my craft, and knew that the problem was not so much with my manuscripts, as with finding the right person to love them at the right time, etc. etc. To that end, I skipped most of the craft seminars, and went to the industry ones. Publisher spotlights, “What Agents Want” — stuff like that. I pitched and got two requests, I hung out with publishers int eh bar, met an agent for drinks, partied like a rock star, introduced myself to Nora Roberts. I came away absolutely sure I had what it took. I sent out queries.

I got 18 rejections.

In the next few months, I was on a roller coaster. I can do this! No, I can’t! I want this! No, I don’t. I’m a Maggie Award winner! Who cares? Of course, it didn’t help that I was also dealing with some issues in my personal and other professional life as well.

This year, I have an agent, and time will only tell to see if I get a publisher as well. I’ll be wearing my industry hat in Reno as well, (though now that I’m on the other side of the table, I don’t know what all the fuss is about. We’re as clueless as the next person.) I think I’m going to party at Reno. I’m going to celebrate this path I’ve chosen. I’ll learn some things, meet some people, and look forward to riding the roller coaster for another year.