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August 18, 2015

RWA 2015 Conference Memories @SloaneBCollins #RWA2015 #amwriting #MFRWorg #BFFs @sashawrites

Just a few short weeks ago I spent 5 days in New York City at the annual Romance Writers of
America annual conference.   I get just as excited about it as I do Christmas.  Every year I anxiously await the workshops to be posted, then I go through the list carefully deciding what sounds good.  Then, when the workshops are posted by day and time, I do it again.  Invariably and without fail, I end up with at least two for each time slot.  I make the final decision as to which to attend once I know whether it will be recorded or not.  Or, if the presenter is someone I want to hear in person. 
This is a time of fun, fellowship, friendship, motivation and inspiration.  I always come home rejuvenated and ready to write.  And this year was no different.

One of the best things at the conference this year: I met an author I’ve been a fan of for many years, one who hasn’t ever been at a conference that I’ve attended.  Jude Devereaux!  I met her at the

Literacy Signing on Wednesday night and was so excited to get my picture taken with her.  Then I attended the workshop she gave on Research on Thursday.  Would you believe she keeps a notebook for each book (as I do, actually) AND she writes in longhand!  The next day my BFF and I were waiting at the elevator on our floor, and who should walk up but Ms. Devereaux and her editor!  It’s the one time I was glad the elevators took a long time because we had her to ourselves.  So we chatted about various things, and it’s a memory I’ll always cherish.
 

The workshops were amazing once again.  I’m still concentrating mostly on Craft workshops, always willing to learn and hone my writing skills.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I attend Craft workshops
wanting to learn that BIG SECRET, the one that will suddenly make writing easier so I’m as prolific as Nora Roberts. 

My best friend and fellow Plotting Princess Sasha lives in San Antonio, so we don’t get to see each other very often – we were roomies once again this year.  We had some late nights in New York: hitting the Walgreens in Times Square at midnight, taking the sightseeing bus tour at 10 pm on Friday, then going for cheesecake and ice
cream sodas (both delicious and amazing at Juniors) at midnight, then staying up even later plotting and dissecting our works in
progress.  Again, memories I’ll always treasure.

I love attending RWA conferences. Where else can you spend hours talking about characters as if they’re flesh and blood people?  You’re surrounded by two thousand other writers who know what you’re going through; they’ve struggled with writer’s block, had problems coming up with the perfect goals, motivations, and conflicts for their characters, sweated to get every word right just as much as you have.  And someone there might just have the perfect place to stash the body of your antagonist.   

And this time I came away with an idea for a project I’m keeping secret for right now.

As an author, if you’ve attended nationals, what’s your favorite part of the conference?  For readers, what questions do you have for authors who attend conferences?


9 comments:

Sasha Summers said...

Had a great time this year! Nothing like coming back recharged and ready to write - with all sorts of wonderful memories!

Suzanne Pearson said...

Judge Deveraux definitely reminded me of you with her notebook and extensive research.

I'm a little peeved though to find out that Sasha is your BFF. Maybe I'll kill her off in my next book. Just kidding. . .

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Hi, Sloane! I love RWA conferences and have such a great time. I still attend craft workshops too. You never know....

Kathy Ivan said...

Hi Sloane! I was bummed I couldn't got to RWA this year. It's always such a motivating event and you come back ready to dive into your next project, although you're physically exhausted from all the fun you're having at the conference.

Thanks for the insight about what I missed. I'm looking forward to listening to all the stuff I missed and learning new things to take my writing to the next level.

Sloane B. Collins said...

Sasha, memories like trying to find where to plug in the headphones on the bus?

Sloane B. Collins said...

Suzanne, you don't like a cold room and she does, which is why she's my BFF. HAHAHAHAHA
You're in the running, but you have to be nice to me!
So glad you and Tim were able to go to New York as well. We all had a great time!

Sloane B. Collins said...

VIcki, I can't believe we didn't run into each other more...there were only 2,000 other people there. The workshops were amazing, weren't they? I wish we could do it more often.

Sloane B. Collins said...

Kathy, so bummed you couldn't go this year! I'll try to remember to bring my notebook to DARA and share the highlights with you. I learned so much again.

Suzanne Pearson said...

I made you brownies! How much nicer can I be?