Last weekend I attended the annual Surrey International Writers Conference. Three amazing, jam-packed days have left me staring blankly at my computer screen, wondering how I will translate the information overload into some coherent form of prose.
Taking in the three-hour Masters Class, Impossible to Put Down, with New York literary agent Donald Maass was a definite highlight. And I can’t say enough about the workshops with writers like Robert Dugoni, Diana Gabaldon, Sam Sykes, Anne Perry, and Hallie Ephron. Not only did I glean much insight from seasoned authors, but I realized how all of them struggle with their writing exactly the same way I do.
Although I have participated in this conference in the past, I never could quite get up the nerve to attempt a book pitch with a real, live agent. This time I did. Months ago, I chose the agent I wanted to meet with, did my homework, and had a pretty good idea as to what to expect. What I didn’t expect was an invitation to submit my finished manuscript to the very agency I hold in such high esteem. I felt like I had won the golden ticket in Willy Wonka. Now, I understand that a submission doesn’t guarantee a book contract, but it is a step forward – and step forward, I will.
My takeaway?
Keep writing. And writing and writing and writing. The only way to do it is to do it. How profound.
To quote Robert Dugoni: THIS DAY WE WRITE!
