	Bob Hostetler > Writing

The Write Move

by Bob Hostetler

The recently-announced Mad Anthony Writer’s Conference and Book Festival, slated for April 21-23 at the Hamiltonian Hotel, is the right move for a city that continues to seek (and often find) positive new ways to distinguish itself. The event will include an impressive array of writers speaking on writing topics, as well as a free book festival and book signings by area authors.

As a big fan of—and frequent speaker at—writer’s conferences, I applaud the initiative and vision of Vicki Ryan (Hamilton’s first lady and a published author herself), Hamilton author Deanna Devine, and Linda Keller of West Chester’s Barnes and Noble. It will be a dynamic way to serve Hamilton’s residents and attract healthy attention to the city.

I was a writer long before I attended my first writer’s conference. In fact, by that time, I was a magazine editor, and my first exposure to a writer’s conference (the St. David’s Writer’s Conference, at that time based in Philadelphia) was as a visiting editor and presenter. Since then, I take every possible opportunity to recommend writer’s conferences to aspiring—and even published—writers.

Why? First, because there is so much to learn if one aspires to write for publication. Whether or not a person has earned a degree in communications, journalism, or creative writing, such college programs teach much of the mechanics of writing and reporting, but not so much (if at all) about such critical areas as writing in a specific genre, crafting query letters, compiling a book proposal, evaluating markets, submitting your work to editors, negotiating contracts, acquiring an agent, and so on (some of which will be tackled at the Mad Anthony Writer’s Conference). A writer’s conference is a prime opportunity to learn some of the highly specialized knowledge that is essential to writing for publication.

I used to perform paid professional critiques of aspiring writers’ manuscripts. I stopped doing that, because I was too often frustrated by the amount of work and teaching the writer needed before the manuscript could possibly be made ready for publication. So I decided to redirect my efforts into teaching at writer’s conferences, trying to help serious writers get better. I now have, on my office bookshelf a stack of more than a dozen books published by men and women I’ve taught at writer’s conferences. These conferences—the good ones, at least—really do work.

I am also a fan of writer’s conferences because it is important for writers to meet others who share their passion and might impart some wisdom. In addition, as my author friend Terry Whalin says, “Like many other kinds of businesses, the writing business is relational. Talent, craft and skill do enter the consideration but it's also who you know.” Cynics may say, “I knew it! It’s not ‘what you know, it’s who you know.’” However, as a realist, I say, “Successfully writing for publication is all about relationships, and writer’s conferences help a person develop those relationships.”

Finally, the main reason I so frequently urge aspiring writers to get into the habit of regularly attending writer’s conferences: More and more magazine and book publishers say that they are “no longer accepting unsolicited manuscripts.” If that’s the case, how is any would-be writer supposed to get a foot in an editor’s or agent’s door? The answer: writer’s conferences. Many conferences (someday including, I hope, the Mad Anthony Writer’s Conference) give writers the opportunity to meet editors and show them a few pages of writing. At some conferences, writers sign up for such opportunities at registration. At others, writers can arrange for paid appointments or critiques. At many, several writers go home after the conference having heard the magic words, “This is good; can you make a few changes and send it to me?” or, even better, “This is great; can I take this back with me and show it to my editorial board?”

With the advent of the Mad Anthony Writer’s Conference and Book Festival in Hamilton, aspiring writers in our area have an unprecedented opportunity: Instead of paying for airfare and a hotel room to travel to a writer’s conference, they can enjoy and learn from an amazingly affordable ($60 registration) and exciting conference practically in their own back yard.

That’s the write move, not only for Hamilton, but for individual writers as well.

This article appeared in the February 5, 2006, edition of the Hamilton Journal-News.

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