Ozark Creative Writers conference 2009
I just returned from the Ozark Creative Writers conference. Although two of the speakers were a bit depressing (according to them, unless you're willing to spend a minimum of $800 and 18 months for a webmaster to create a website and unless you're willing to spend a minimum of $2000 on a book doctor . . . you might as well forget being published), I came away feeling inspired and ready to prove them wrong.
Two speakers were particularly encouraging. Jennifer DiCamillo gave a talk on hawking your books like a carney. Though she gave many specific tips for how to market your books on a budget, the most important nugget that I took away from her presentation was not to be discouraged - that there are readers and writers and the publishing industry is at the cusp of a new and exciting time with the changes in technology that are occuring (Oh! The Kindle was the talk of the conference! I want one . . . ). Dusty Richards pointed out that, in spite of the New York types' insistence that the Western is dead, he has published over 90 books. He's won Silver Spurs. He is a successful Western writer (by the way, a librarian friend of mine pointed out that what I would clearly consider a Western - Appaloosa by Robert Parker - is shelved with mainstream fiction).
I'll share more with you later, once I have a chance to go though my scribbles and make sense of them. In the meantime, consider going to a writers conference - they are inspiring and the networking is well worth the price of admission!
Elle Robb
Two speakers were particularly encouraging. Jennifer DiCamillo gave a talk on hawking your books like a carney. Though she gave many specific tips for how to market your books on a budget, the most important nugget that I took away from her presentation was not to be discouraged - that there are readers and writers and the publishing industry is at the cusp of a new and exciting time with the changes in technology that are occuring (Oh! The Kindle was the talk of the conference! I want one . . . ). Dusty Richards pointed out that, in spite of the New York types' insistence that the Western is dead, he has published over 90 books. He's won Silver Spurs. He is a successful Western writer (by the way, a librarian friend of mine pointed out that what I would clearly consider a Western - Appaloosa by Robert Parker - is shelved with mainstream fiction).
I'll share more with you later, once I have a chance to go though my scribbles and make sense of them. In the meantime, consider going to a writers conference - they are inspiring and the networking is well worth the price of admission!
Elle Robb
I see you're inspired anew! Can't wait to see what comes of NaNo 2009!
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Hello! Just found this online--and I agree that the info about the web master, etc. is something I just shoved aside. We do what we can do...and that's good. I thought that, as a whole, the conference was terrific and well worth the time and money. Looking forward to next year! I'm going to subscribe to your blog.
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