They're also prohibitively expensive. A few months ago one was held just four hours away from me (a very short drive in the west), but it was almost $300 for a basic entry. This doesn't include room and etc.
Why would I spend that money at a place where'd I be miserable and pushed to the side knowing I'd never make any connections? My local group is much more coherent and cohesive, and I like them and don't feel left out.
Can confirm you all the way. Ditto! It's an industry and has been dead man walking for longer than even in your experience, as you so well have laid down here.
I'm writing something about the strange and unappealing feminization of publishing (by which I do NOT just mean increasing numbers of women in the industry).
I think that to be a WRITER writer you should focus on accumulating interesting and profound life experiences and then... write-as much as possible. I doubt that conferences are helpful.
Well said. I just went to my first big writers conference in September and experienced all the same things you did. I remind myself that many of the great writers of history were largely unknown until after they died. I remind myself that I should be content if the only person I write for is me.
I thought of, occasionally, getting an MFA, but, like you, the idea bothered me. There are several lines of thought out there. One being that MFA programs taught every writer how to write like every other writer (and teacher) in the MFA program, that it begat ‘sameness’ in writers. Also, and I haven’t read this or heard this anywhere, but rather came up with it on my own, that the whole MFA thing begat a lot of incestuousness, MFA people helping and promoting other MFA people. And, the other thing I had against MFA programs, like you, was that writers must have lived interesting lives to write about before they could write anything that anyone would find interesting or eye-opening.
Because I seem to be becalmed, at a point in my writing life where nothing is happening. Not with me, I have three books I’m trying to interest the powers-that-be in, but nothing is happening. It’s as if my name was on a list (Warning: This guy is a ‘almost’ dead white male along with everything that entails. Do not bother.) and everything I sent out went straight to the ‘waste can.’ (Did I ever tell you I was paranoid?) So, I went to a book signing… There were about a dozen authors, two promoters, and no buyers/readers/audience. It was a bust, the only people making any money, and it could not have been much, were the two promoters, getting our $25.00 fees. There I talked to the other writers, of course, and one told me that I should go to conferences, that that is where the action (agents, publishers) is. I’d only been to one such event, back around 2005 or so, in Nevada. That resulted in nothing more than some interesting gabfests/meals in a nice hotel.
Your book is about a young white male in 2000. The one I’m pitching is about a young white male in 1969. So, I hear you brother. This bias is real, and it disgusts me. And sadly, there are plenty of fools who attempt to ingratiate themselves with the femmigurl agents and intern acquisition editors by self-censoring or writing ‘novels’ with kick-(male-)ass gurl heroes. I say bullshit on that.
The pendulum will soon start back to center. I just don’t know if I’ll be around to see it. But wherever I am, I will curse the devils that have taken over publishing and perverted it into some kind of fairyland bullshit factory where ugly truths are forever banned.
So, like you, I publish my books in KDP. But this last one I’m pitching to the usual suspects, because if it is not ‘traditionally’ published, (what a perversion that tradition has become) it will never be considered for any awards or prizes and will be consigned to the ‘good enough’ swamp called self-published.
Hang in there. You're young enough to live to see the freeze thaw, and your work could be part of the great log jam to come roaring through. God bless you!
Thanks so much for posting :))
They're also prohibitively expensive. A few months ago one was held just four hours away from me (a very short drive in the west), but it was almost $300 for a basic entry. This doesn't include room and etc.
Why would I spend that money at a place where'd I be miserable and pushed to the side knowing I'd never make any connections? My local group is much more coherent and cohesive, and I like them and don't feel left out.
Exactly. Agree. Thanks for reading.
Can confirm you all the way. Ditto! It's an industry and has been dead man walking for longer than even in your experience, as you so well have laid down here.
Thanks for reading! Appreciate it.
I'm writing something about the strange and unappealing feminization of publishing (by which I do NOT just mean increasing numbers of women in the industry).
I think that to be a WRITER writer you should focus on accumulating interesting and profound life experiences and then... write-as much as possible. I doubt that conferences are helpful.
Amen. I couldn't agree more. Thanks for reading. Try this piece: https://michaelmohr.substack.com/p/writers-versus-the-world
Fellow SCWC alum. This tracks.
Woot woot! Thanks for reading, Conor!
Well said. I just went to my first big writers conference in September and experienced all the same things you did. I remind myself that many of the great writers of history were largely unknown until after they died. I remind myself that I should be content if the only person I write for is me.
Exactly. Appreciate the read. Check me out over at Sincere American Writing.
Yes. They are very boring.
https://marlowe1.substack.com/p/the-housebreaker-of-shady-hill-the
Yes!
Michael, good one!
I thought of, occasionally, getting an MFA, but, like you, the idea bothered me. There are several lines of thought out there. One being that MFA programs taught every writer how to write like every other writer (and teacher) in the MFA program, that it begat ‘sameness’ in writers. Also, and I haven’t read this or heard this anywhere, but rather came up with it on my own, that the whole MFA thing begat a lot of incestuousness, MFA people helping and promoting other MFA people. And, the other thing I had against MFA programs, like you, was that writers must have lived interesting lives to write about before they could write anything that anyone would find interesting or eye-opening.
Because I seem to be becalmed, at a point in my writing life where nothing is happening. Not with me, I have three books I’m trying to interest the powers-that-be in, but nothing is happening. It’s as if my name was on a list (Warning: This guy is a ‘almost’ dead white male along with everything that entails. Do not bother.) and everything I sent out went straight to the ‘waste can.’ (Did I ever tell you I was paranoid?) So, I went to a book signing… There were about a dozen authors, two promoters, and no buyers/readers/audience. It was a bust, the only people making any money, and it could not have been much, were the two promoters, getting our $25.00 fees. There I talked to the other writers, of course, and one told me that I should go to conferences, that that is where the action (agents, publishers) is. I’d only been to one such event, back around 2005 or so, in Nevada. That resulted in nothing more than some interesting gabfests/meals in a nice hotel.
Your book is about a young white male in 2000. The one I’m pitching is about a young white male in 1969. So, I hear you brother. This bias is real, and it disgusts me. And sadly, there are plenty of fools who attempt to ingratiate themselves with the femmigurl agents and intern acquisition editors by self-censoring or writing ‘novels’ with kick-(male-)ass gurl heroes. I say bullshit on that.
The pendulum will soon start back to center. I just don’t know if I’ll be around to see it. But wherever I am, I will curse the devils that have taken over publishing and perverted it into some kind of fairyland bullshit factory where ugly truths are forever banned.
So, like you, I publish my books in KDP. But this last one I’m pitching to the usual suspects, because if it is not ‘traditionally’ published, (what a perversion that tradition has become) it will never be considered for any awards or prizes and will be consigned to the ‘good enough’ swamp called self-published.
Hang in there. You're young enough to live to see the freeze thaw, and your work could be part of the great log jam to come roaring through. God bless you!