Earlier this month, I got to attend the LDStorymakers writers conference. We had some really great guests and presenters, including Larry Brooks, Sara Megibow, Sara Crowe, Becca Stumpf, Marcia Markland, and dozens of published authors and friends. It was an intense and very fun weekend!
Without further ado, I’d like to share the three biggest things I learned this year at LDStorymakers.
1. You can’t please everyone. You can be okay with that.
Okay, we all know we can’t please everyone. But if we’re honest, I think we often imagine that we can please everyone if we just fix this and that and follow all the “rules” and—and—and— Then, surely, everyone will love us!
No. When you ask for feedback, you get what you ask for. I’ve done pretty darn well with my first chapter (or first three chapters) in contests, but the judges’ feedback hasn’t been unanimously glowing. For example, on my opening paragraph, I’ve had judges say:
Foreshadowing things to come as a hook works. I like that you satisfied the foreshadowing so soon.
Your first line isn’t bad, but overall, the hook could be stronger. Find something to pull the reader and keep them hooked. It felt like the last sentence of the first paragraph was out of place, with the rest of the paragraph, yet that is where the real hook was, because now we want to know about the blast. The ideas are solid, just rework them so the hook is more compelling.
Great opening line! Introduces character, story, and tension very succinctly. . . . Wow…everything a reader wants in an opening paragraph. Fantastic!
Good hook ā a bit foretelling, but Iām happy to read on to find out what happened.
The beginning feels too slow and sleepy.
So that’s mostly good, right? (You know what’s funny? I remembered them as being half positive, half negative.) My feedback from critique partners has been a little more evenly split. Who’s right?
They all are. It’s what works for them. It may not be what works for me, or for my book. I’m not going to please everyone. I ask my friends to help me make my chapter better, and they do what I ask—they let me know what doesn’t work for them. I still have to decide what works best for me and my book, without expecting that elusive “perfection.”
2. Start blogging now! Okay . . . now. Now. No, now.
One of the classes I took was Elana Johnson‘s class on “building your blog into a platform you can stand on.” (I can’t help it. I gravitate toward these marketing classes. O, years in the marketing industry! How you’ve corrupted me!) Elana strongly recommended that we start blogging now (if we hadn’t already) (obviously I have) (PARENTHESES!).
And Elana wasn’t the only one touting blogs. Agent Sara Megibow pointed out that we need to get the ball rolling on our marketing now, ourselves—because it’s easier to roll a ball that’s already rolling. (This sounded way more eloquent when she said it.)
(I have been saying this for years, so I like this because it backs me up. š )
3. Armageddon and the end of the world don’t begin after a “no thanks.”
I did my research, I read novels she’d worked with, I paid for my pitch session—and I still didn’t get a request. But I did get a great conversation, positive feedback, career counseling, a list of great, current authors in my genre, and questions answered, as well as the chance to practice putting myself out there. That’s worth it.
And you know what else is worth it? Learning to get over it. Learning to move on and keep going. Learning not to get discouraged easily.
Bonus lesson! How great it is to have writing friends!
This is my third year at LDStorymakers, and every year, I know more and more people there. It. Is. Amazing. To connect with other people who “get” writing (and writers!). I think the message I heard most at the conference and afterward was “I wish we’d had more time to talk!” (Of course, we could have skipped our classes, but that would just be silly, wouldn’t it?)
Although the day may come when I won’t be able to participate in LDStorymakers, as I walked through the halls with these kindred spirits, I can’t imagine ever not
What do you think? What lessons have you learned from writers conferences?
Post edited slightly since publication to include more feedback on my first chapter that I was too lazy to get out when I wrote the post.
Isn’t Elana fun. I’ve decided critiques (and judging certainly qualifies for that) is just training us for reviews once (if, for me) we’re published. Some people will love our writing. Some people will loath our writing. We’re not writing for the ones who hate us, since they won’t read us again.
This sounds like an interesting connference. You have to have a thick skin to be there though, I don’t think I have it.
My middle daughter (20 yrs old) wants to be an author. She writes all the time, it is her passion.
Oh, the conference doesn’t take a thick skin—but “extras” like critiques and pitching to agents or editors do! The conference is a great feel-good kinda thing!
Those are great life lessons along with blog lessons!!
Thanks for sharing the pinterest finds…they are great!!!
I learned that it takes at least a week to digest and comprehend all that I learned at the conference. And once I’ve wrapped my brain around it, I am more inspired than I’ve been in a long time!
I love this conference! Good points. I didn’t get to go to nearly as many classes this time–too busy running around/feeding my baby, but it’s worth every minute. Great attitude on your pitch session. I’ve pitched probably the last 4 years and learned something new every time, even if I didn’t get an acceptance. š
Great post, Jordan. I love the Storymakers conference. I love the chance to spend a weekend hanging around with a bunch of writers!
Thanks so much for sharing about the LDStorymaker’s Conference. I hope to attend next year. My goal is to have my WIP finished and ready to pitch by then. Last year I attended the Book Academy Conference in Orem. It was excellent and affordable. I recommend it. Jeff Savage gave a class about creating characters that I found very helpful.