Let's Ask - Question # 6

This week's Let's Ask question is for wonderful Julie Hedlund.
First, I wanted to thank Julie for being on today to answer my questions
and also give her a big birthday shout out!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!!!

Julie Hedlund
See below for bio

My question for Julie:

Why do you think it is so important to attend a writer's conference and at what stage of your writing career should you do so?

     I think writers should attend conferences as soon and as often as they can, budgets permitting. There are writing conferences for every topic and genre under the sun, so writers have a great deal to choose from. My advice is to select the conference or conferences that address issues and topics that are closely aligned with your goals as a writer. Recognize that those goals will change, and adjust your conference attendance accordingly.

     I went to my first SCBWI Regional conference after I'd written my first PB manuscript. Not only did I learn a great deal about the craft of writing, but I started learning about the publishing landscape and how I might think about formulating a career. I learned about the importance of critique groups and set about finding one right away.

     Shortly thereafter, I went to the SCBWI National conference in New York. By then I was ready to learn the ins and outs of publishing, submitting, the difference in roles between agents and editors, etc. Since then, digital publishing has exploded and become a viable option for writers, so I attended a regional conference on digital publishing in Austin last year and then the Tools of Change conference in Bologna this year.
With several submission-ready manuscripts under my belt, I am now actively looking for an agent, so in June I am going to the New Jersey regional SCBWI conference. Being so close to New York, many agents and editors are able to attend, and I am fortunate that I was planning on being on the East Coast at that time anyway.

     I also find conferences, workshops or retreats for specific areas of craft I need to work on. I just got back from a Highlights Foundation workshop on poetry. As a picture book writer (especially one who likes to write in rhyme), I feel it is essential to understand poetic form and to study the lyricism of poetry. I had been intimidated by poetry in the past, even though I loved it, so I felt it was a way for me to stretch myself and improve.

     Now, I had a fairly long and lucrative career before I came to writing, and my husband travels so much for work that we never have to purchase plane tickets. Not all writers are in this situation, and we all have budgets. Nonetheless, all writers can find ways to attend conferences - either in person or online - with planning. Here are some ideas:

• Decide on your budget for conferences and remember that the cost of a conference (in-person or online) is a tax-deductible business expense if you are actively working toward being published - even if you are not writing full time. Think about carpooling and sharing hotel rooms in order to keep costs down.
• Now take a look at where you are in your writing career and what you most need to learn. Look for conferences that focus on these topics so you get the most for your money.
• If you are unable to travel for a conference, look at local and online options. The fabulous crew of WriteOnCon puts on a FREE online conference focused on children's writing in August. It's hard to argue with a price of free, and having attended the past couple of years, I can assure you the quality is every bit as high as a paid conference. Other organizations, such as Writer's Digest, offer webinars on a wide range of topics. You can also join online communities such as the Children's Book Insider (CBI), Children's Book Hub, the Verla Kay Blueboards, and even the 12 x 12 group (when it reopens later this year). Some of these organizations charge a monthly fee, but they are always reasonable and perhaps easier to budget for than a larger one-time fee for the in-person conferences. In other words, there are options for EVERY budget. All you have to do is find ones that work for you.
• When you do attend in-person conferences, make the most of them. Take advantage of the networking opportunities. Talk to and meet as many people as you can. Take business cards so people have a way to stay in touch with you - even if (perhaps especially if) you are pre-published. Be friendly, be yourself, but also be professional. If you meet agents and editors, don't pitch to them unless they invite you to. If you do have a critique or pitch session, come prepared and be willing to listen and take feedback. Don't take more time than you're given and don't expect an offer on the spot. That rarely happens. The good news is you've had the chance to establish a relationship now and into the future. 

Could you tell us a bit about your time at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and what your favorite experience was?

     I am very child-like when it comes to conferences, in that I still get starstruck when I meet authors I love and admire. The excitement of meeting a "famous" author never gets old. So, getting the chance to meet and talk to Katherine Paterson, one of my all-time favorite writers and a childhood hero, was most definitely the highlight. For CBI members, I wrote an article summarizing what I learned about the state of digital publishing today, and there will be another one coming in the SCBWI Bulletin in July. I'm also working on another article for CBI on what it's like to be an author at a book fair. So stay tuned for those!

Bio: Julie Hedlund is a picture book author, a member of SCBWI, CBI and Children's Book Hub, a monthly contributor to author/illustrator Katie Davis’ Brain Burps About Books podcast, and the founder and host of the 12 x 12 in 2012 picture book writing challenge. Julie’s can be found on her website at http://www.juliehedlund.com/