Romance Writers of Australia are holding their 20th Anniversary Conference next weekend. 350 of us are descending on Melbourne ready to listen, learn, talk and party.
This will be about my 7th or 8th conference not including the RWAmerica one I attended in Washington. Apart from the massive boost of being surrounded by like minded people I always come away from a conference with at least one or two lightbulb moments which I carry on into my writing.
eg At one of my earlier conference workshop sessions I suddenly clicked with what that elusive phrase 'emotional punch' means. The presenter made her points in a way which I 'got'. Doesn't mean I could actually do it but I knew what I was trying to do and that was a massive help.
What lightbulb moments have you come away with from a workshop or conference?
6 comments:
Elizabeth: I'm jealous. I would love to be there, too! Light bulb moments were so bright when I left RWA in NYC that I had to buy sunglasses! Enjoy your conference and come to California next year so I can meet you!
I can't remember any lightbulb moments, but I always come home energized and ready to write. I'm off to Killer Nashville in a couple of weeks. Maybe I'll have a better answer when I get back.
I remember the year I sat in on a workshop on Theme at an RWA National. I swear, a choir of angels sang in my head. I suddenly realized the moral compass my characters always seemed to follow. I don't think those speakers have ever done that workshop again, but I wish they would. It was a real-awakening for me.
I have been to only two conferences so far, the one in Washington, where I met you (!), and one in Italy. I loved to meet the many people I had so far only known via e-mail. I did not have one special lightbulb-moment, but I remember being very impressioned by the sheer size and professional organisation of the RWA conference.
We're contemplating a California excursion for next year Carolyn.:)
I forgot to mention that my book Instant Family is up for the R*BY Award at the conference --that's Romantic Book of the Year. How could I forget that?? It's a finalist in the long romance section.
Omigosh, just one moment? Looking back, there are actually quite a few. But if I had to name one the biggest ah-ha, it would go to Michael Hauge's talk on Identity to Essence, which I first heard through an RWA session recording of a conference I missed. I listen to that workshop or watch his dvd periodically, just to remind myself of how to get to the core of my characters.
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