Learning - It Never Gets Old

Prolific Author Leigh Michaels at ORA Con

Photo: Jill Slack

I'm still digesting everything I learned at ORA Con yesterday, and just so thrilled I attended. The organizers did a fantastic job of arranging the conference, and I felt welcomed by their members and attendees. The professionals were friendly and encouraging, and I enjoyed basking in their expertise and advice.

My pitch went well - I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, and agent Cori Deyoe was very gracious and seemed enthusiastic about "Relative Truth." I'm hopeful that she will read the first three chapters, as she requested. She was truly lovely, and professional.  I am beginning to edit the book, and the tips that we learned yesterday are really helping with that process. Again, I am going into this with no expectations, and I'm just grateful to get my work in front of an agent.  I wasn't even expecting to get that far!

One of my favorite speakers was Jennifer Brown, the author of YA novels "Hate List" and "Bitter End." She is a flawless writer, represented by Ms. Deyoe, and I appreciated her subject matter on writing with emotion. Writing your characters' emotions can be a hazard, and it is easy to get caught up in adjectives and unrealistic descriptions. People do not "sigh" words!  I especially appreciated her advice on creating character profiles - much like an FBI agent profiles a criminal. She also asked us to consider physiology when writing passages containing lots of dramatic narrative. She told us to "experience what your character is feeling" by physically reacting in the same way as you are writing them. If your character takes three deep breaths, do that and see what happens! She got dizzy. So should your character.

Steven Law was very knowledgeable about publishing and publicity. I enjoyed his straightforward delivery, and his information on blogging and promoting online through social media. You must be your own cheerleader in the publishing industry. Marketing takes confidence and being able to step out of your comfort zone. He told us about his book tour for "Yuma Gold" and how he traveled across the Midwest to Hyvee stores doing book signings. He said it was exhausting, but the connections he made were so vital to author recognition. It can be difficult for writers, many of whom are natural introverts, to self-promote. Your agent and publisher do some of this, but they are busy people. You must advocate and brand yourself if you want to be truly successful. Writing a great novel is just a third of the equation!

We had so much fun talking about our projects, registering in contests, participating in fun exercises like "Plotting Without a Net," and just enjoying being in a roomful of word people. We writers can be a quirky and strange lot, and there is safety in numbers! I cannot wait until next year to see some of the writers I met again, and learn even more.  Thank you ORA for the opportunity.