I have not yet begun to procrastinate!

*A post in which I try to make up for not posting...in case anyone cares...*

So, yeah. I've been home from the Storymakers conference for a week now and still no witty and/or insightful posts on the subject. No need to feel cheated, though, it's everywhere. Truly everyone is talking about it.

Highlights...

--a class presented by Anita Stansfield--author of 47 novels.

47.

I don't believe I've read a single one, but the point is she wrote 47 novels while being a wife and mother. It gave me hope for my measly novel of 1 that I'd like to see published. (Who am I kidding...I'd like to even just see it finished--my current assessment [read "lie"] that I tell myself is that I only have three more chapters, then its done.) (And the truth is I've got way more than 1 novel idea gathering dust bunnies in my brain. This is what compels me onward--the other stories want their turn.) (It's a curse, I tell you.)

Wait, was I talking about something else...Anita. Yes. Probably the best thing she taught us was to place our families first and make sure they know that they are (that's key) and she taught us about prioritizing and having messy houses, etc.

--a boot camp assignment at Elana Johnson's table. In two words: She's good. (And she doesn't like italics where the author tries to tell the reader that they need to read a particular word or phrase with emphasis, so I purposefully italicized the words describing her!) I learned from every critique she offered, whether for my work or another's in the group. And she didn't totally tear my chapter apart--she said I was clever and it was overwritten in places. I loved that because I can totally go back and underwrite something. I can.

--literary agent Laura Rennert's class covering everything from query letters, creating a pitch, and key ingredients for successful fiction. She gave actual practical tips for succeeding in the quest for an agent. She boiled down the essential elements needed in a query--answer the questions WHO, WHAT, WHERE, AND WHY SHOULD I CARE? That's all an agent needs to know about your story. To come away from a class presented by a national market agent and not be terribly discouraged about my chances was also nothing short of amazing.

--Stacy Anderson's (She's an ANWA member) presentation on marketing and publishing. Again, actual useable information. That's what I longed for in some (many?) of the classes I attended, so hers was very refreshing. She had an excellent handout that she would probably share with you if you asked.

--hanging with friends/meeting new people/seeing famous people that I didn't take pictures of or with.

Regrets
-I wish someone would have told me how amazing Dave Wolverton was going to be and I would have signed up for his two-part presentation.
-Plus I missed out on Elana Johnson's query workshop which I knew would be awesome and afterward heard that it was. I just didn't sign up in time.
-feeling physically so tired and sickish the whole time. I was ibuprofen-popping everyday and that is so not like me. (Why can't we stay up late giggling and chiding Peggy for wearing an Edward shirt to bed (and talking shop) and then get up early for boot camp and attend classes aaaall-daaaay-loooong and feel just wonderful??!! It's not fair.)

There's more...so much more...plus I do have some pictures. There's always tomorrow...