My Experience at the Silken Sands Writers Conference Posted on March 23, 2010 by LJ I've just returned from the Silken Sands Writers Conference in Pensacola, Florida. The conference is held every other year (they alternate years with the Southern Magic Conference given by the Birmingham Chapter of Romance Writers of America). I had the most wonderful time at the conference and learned a great deal. Although the Gulf Coast Chapter Romance Writers of America is a close-knit group, everyone at the conference was very friendly and made me feel welcome. The conference was attended by heavy hitting industry professionals who made presentations and/or participated in agent/editor consultations. I pitched my romantic suspense novel and received no less than three requests to see it – two from top publishers and one from a top agent. The seminars at the conference were very informative and wonderfully presented. I learned the best way to create new worlds for science fiction and fantasy novels, how to self-edit my manuscripts so that they have the best chance of getting published, how to keep my muse happy, how to find time to write in my chaotic schedule, and so much more. I'll be able to use what I learned at the conference right away since I now have to timely whip my manuscripts into shape and send them off the agents and editors who have requested to see them. I also plan to write a fantasy novel for this year's National November Writing Month. The best part of the weekend though was the chance to network and get to know industry professionals and writers in various stages of their careers – from the not yet published to bestsellers. Talking with the other writers helped me to learn about resources that will take my writing to the next level and to make new friends. I will definitely be back in 2012. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Share this:ShareFacebookPocketLinkedInTumblrRedditPinterest
When I First Discovered I Was a Writer Posted on March 14, 2010 by LJ Someone recently asked me when did I first discover that I was a writer. I really had to think about that question. I have always been a voracious reader. I remember that, as a young child, my mother would search for me high and low and inevitably find me hiding out in a corner somewhere reading a book. I had to hide. I am the oldest of five children and finding a moment of peace and a quiet space to read required some ingenuity. I eventually learned to tune the world out while I read. That ability to focus in and tune out distractions served me well in college and law school and continues to serve me well in both the practice of law and my writing career. I started writing at an early age too. At the age of 13, I began writing a science fiction novel that was inspired by Star Wars. In high school, I wrote poetry and song lyrics. One of my poems was published in my high school yearbook. Despite the fact that I began writing at an early age, I really discovered that I was a writer in 2007 when, after years of stifling my creativity and being miserable, I wrote an erotic poem. Even though I had never written an erotic poem before, it was the best poem I had ever written. A few of the lines just came to me while I was in the shower. I dried off, threw on a robe, sat at my computer, typed the lines that were in my head and created the rest of the poem around it. When I had finished, I just sat there staring at the computer in astonishment. I realized then that I had to write or I would never be happy or complete. That's when I knew I was a writer. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Share this:ShareFacebookPocketLinkedInTumblrRedditPinterest