I Am a Writer
How do I know?
Because I have business cards that say, "Susie Kline, writer." I have hundreds of these cards. Let me know if you want one...they might be a collectible!
I also know because I went to my first writers conference and they told me I was a writer. How much more validation than that do I need? Truthfully, I felt like a writer the instant I started the conference. It was the one act that made it all seem real!
This past weekend was the Chicago-North Romance Writers of America Spring Fling. It was 24 hours of immersion into the business of writing. I knew very little about the business, except for what my brother Kurt has told me. He was pretty much right on the money, except for the little bits that seem to be unique to the genre of romance.
Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer were present. Their keynote message on Saturday morning was encouraging and supportive. I felt like I did belong at the conference. This was a change from the previous evening when I felt like packing up and heading home around ten o'clock.
Oh! Jennifer autographed my copy of "Don't Look Down" with the message "good luck on your book." Sure, she doesn't know me from Adam (from Alesia?!) but she put it in writing that I have a book! So it's tripally official--I am a writer.
I met a fellow new writer who lives nearby. It was comforting to bumble through the conference with a shoulder to lean on. I also met a published author from the next town over who taught me oodles about the writing business in the lounge!
I had an appointment with Margaret Marbury of MIRA. So much was to be crammed into the 6-minute appointment! I got my pitch down to 100-ish words and about 30 seconds. She asked if I had an agent. I said no. She gave me the names of two people to submit to. She told me that smaller conferences are very beneficial. She was encouraging.
People had suggested things to discuss in these appointments, but there just wasn't time. I could barely remember my own name, much less remember to ask which way the industry is heading.
The good thing is I am certain I made no impression on Ms. Marbury--good or bad. So I didn't irrevocably damage my budding writing career! haha
Because I have business cards that say, "Susie Kline, writer." I have hundreds of these cards. Let me know if you want one...they might be a collectible!
I also know because I went to my first writers conference and they told me I was a writer. How much more validation than that do I need? Truthfully, I felt like a writer the instant I started the conference. It was the one act that made it all seem real!
This past weekend was the Chicago-North Romance Writers of America Spring Fling. It was 24 hours of immersion into the business of writing. I knew very little about the business, except for what my brother Kurt has told me. He was pretty much right on the money, except for the little bits that seem to be unique to the genre of romance.
Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer were present. Their keynote message on Saturday morning was encouraging and supportive. I felt like I did belong at the conference. This was a change from the previous evening when I felt like packing up and heading home around ten o'clock.
Oh! Jennifer autographed my copy of "Don't Look Down" with the message "good luck on your book." Sure, she doesn't know me from Adam (from Alesia?!) but she put it in writing that I have a book! So it's tripally official--I am a writer.
I met a fellow new writer who lives nearby. It was comforting to bumble through the conference with a shoulder to lean on. I also met a published author from the next town over who taught me oodles about the writing business in the lounge!
I had an appointment with Margaret Marbury of MIRA. So much was to be crammed into the 6-minute appointment! I got my pitch down to 100-ish words and about 30 seconds. She asked if I had an agent. I said no. She gave me the names of two people to submit to. She told me that smaller conferences are very beneficial. She was encouraging.
People had suggested things to discuss in these appointments, but there just wasn't time. I could barely remember my own name, much less remember to ask which way the industry is heading.
The good thing is I am certain I made no impression on Ms. Marbury--good or bad. So I didn't irrevocably damage my budding writing career! haha
posted by susie kline @ 5/03/2006
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