Writing for five unedited minutes on the Five Minute Friday prompt “Expect.”
I’m attending two writers’ conferences this summer. One in my hometown. One in North Carolina. I’m full of hopeful expectations, but I don’t quite know what to expect.
In my local conference, I’m submitting a poem for the writing contest. I’m also entering a portfolio of drawings in the illustrator’s contest. Will I place? I don’t know. I’m also selling my books for the first time at the book table. Will anyone buy them? I don’t know that either.
At the She Speaks conference, I will present my next book idea to a publisher or agent. Will it interest them? I can’t be sure. My hopes are high, but I don’t know what to expect. I may receive no wins, no sales, and no leads. Or I may receive all of them.
But this is what I do know:
- I can be a friend to other writers. I remember the first conference I attended in 2013. Worried I’d feel alone, I prayed that God would give me just one friend for those three days. And he did! I’m praying the same for these conferences, with a twist. I can BE a friend to others who look scared or intimidated, like I once felt. I can put my introverted tendencies aside and encourage someone else.
- I will learn new things. Every time I’ve attended a conference, I took away something new for my craft or platform. I’m guaranteed to have new lessons this July, probably more than I can take in.
- I will see God’s movement in my life. I’m sure he will reveal new paths to me as I attend these conferences. He’s done that in the conferences I previously attended, and I expect the same this summer.
Questions for reflection:
Are you attending a conference this summer? What do you expect to gain from your experience there?
If you attended She Speaks in the past, will you share your top takeaways in the comments? Thanks!
UPDATE 2021:
I’ve now created courses for writers based on my experiences from attending (and hosting!) writers conferences.
Check them out on THIS PAGE.
You can also read my testimony of attending She Speaks 2017 HERE, and the story of signing with my agent HERE.
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