Writing Conference Lesson

 The best part of the Bayou Writer's Group conference?  Plenty of coffee. 
It was a great conference.  My brain is overflowing with inspiration and writing knowledge. 

 

So, what all did I learn?

•  It's all personal--don't take it that way.
•  Write what you know--unless you can research well.
•  Ignore negative comments--but pay attention if you keep hearing the same thing over and over.
•  Write everyday--or at least most days.   
• Have a Network presence and socialize but stop talking and get to writing.
• Throw out your rejections--save them all.    
• Publishing Houses are evil--Self-Publish
• Self-Publishing is evil--go Traditional
• Fire your agent.
• You need an agent.
• You need a critique group.
• Don't listen to others. 

It all sounds contradictory, unless you stop and think about it.  There's  a lot of information available:  books, magazines, Internet sites.  You can make yourself crazy listening to others since there really aren't any hard and fast rules.  Sure somethings might get you published easier, but does that make them better?  When I look at some of the things published these days I wonder. 
At the end of the day, you have to be happy with the stories you craft.    Nobody else can tell them since only you know them.  Your perceptions and experiences are unique, which means only you know what words need to be shared.
It all comes down to writing.  You can't be critiqued, submitted, published or rejected if you don't write. 
In ten years your failure won't be in seeing 100 rejection slips in your portfolio.  The failure will be in finding you haven't written anything at all. 
 
For more on the conference and the writer's group check out:
Writing in Wonderland
and
Bayou Writer's Group