It’s that glorious time of year again -- time to get ready for the RWA National Conference.  Time to shop!  Time to pack!  Time to get your nails done and your legs waxed!

            Wrong.

            It is time to plan.  If you don’t wake up every morning at National knowing exactly what you are going to do, when you are going to do it, and who you are going to do it with, you are wasting a huge amount of time and money, not to mention some golden opportunities.

            Get out the daytimer.  Get out the calendar.  Get out the stopwatch.  If you haven’t already done so, fill in your appointments and special events in order of their importance.  (At RWA National, no one has time to do everything, so get the important stuff blocked out first.) 

            At National, I’ve seen high-powered authors consulting detailed flow charts -- complete with notations about what outfits they will wear -- on an hourly basis. Personally, I prefer to keep my schedule, invitations, pre-conference correspondence and e-mails, business cards, promotional materials, lists, sticky notes, etc. in a slim 3-ring binder.  I take things out of the binder as I need them and travel light when I go to my lunches, appointments and so on.  (Lighten Up Tip: Put your meal tickets, some cash, and your room key behind your name badge in the clear pocket.  You must ALWAYS have your nametag on, so you will at least have the essentials on your person.)

            You may not be as compulsive as some of us, but you still need to get organized in a way that is meaningful to you.    

            As far as what you choose to do, only you can decide what’s most important for your career at this time.  But if you are unpublished, I would say the agent/editor appointments should be your #1 priority.

            If you have a book ready to sell, you should already be researching your target markets.  Before I attended my first National conference in Dallas, I wrote a short letter introducing myself to each of the three editors I was scheduled to meet.  I focused on the book I was pushing at the time, dangling a strong hook, naturally.  One of those editors actually called me the week before the conference and we talked for 30 minutes!  She told me to seek her out and be sure to introduce myself, which I did, after her publisher’s spotlight (more on that later).

            Come to your agent/editor appointments super-prepared.  Learn how to “pitch” your story. It would require another thousand-word article to explain the art of pitching in detail, but suffice it to say that you must know your story backwards and forwards: characters, conflict, resolution, and most importantly what the story is about, what makes it special. 

            I condensed my pitch to key words on index cards and practiced it with my roommates the morning of my appointments. 

            As a rule, you should only pitch one book at a time (unless you have developed a strong idea for a series), but it is wise to have another book in the wings in case an agent or editor asks, “What else are you working on?” I also had business cards ready and made a tri-fold brochure featuring my book (and a little bit about me).  You could take a short bio sheet to your appointment, but I’ve noticed most editors don’t keep this kind of clutter.  They are looking for great books, not unknown authors.  If you make these materials professional and attractive enough, it will flag you in the editor’s mind.

            I still use my pitch techniques when I meet with my editors every year.  I hand them a “cheat sheet” with a short blurb about each of my planned projects.  We discuss the projects and they buy what they are interested in.  So far, I’ve walked away from National with a multi-book deal every time.

            So it pays to understand the power of a solid pitch!

            Other than connecting directly with the people who can actually get your book out there, consider these things:

             1. Attend the Spotlights.  These are presentations where publishers tell authors what they want for their various lines.  A Spotlight is a painless way to get to know the editors, their preferences and styles, and to see if you are on track for a specific line or publisher.

             2. Take advantage of mentors and networking. Be on the lookout for mentors (and I don’t just mean the published authors) and listen closely to them.  At National, the bright ideas will be flying.  Grab some.  I launched my career under the combined aegis of Merline Lovelace, Sharon Sala, and Curtiss Ann Matlock.  Each one helped me in a unique and priceless way.  Countless others, published and unpublished, have given me terrific advice about everything from promotion to motivation to the Internet. Most writers are very generous about sharing what they know, but don’t make a pest of yourself.  Remember, each writer’s professional agenda takes priority.

             3. Imitate the best, forget the rest. Always assume that someday you will be doing the things you are watching others do at National.  At my first conference I made the rounds at the Literacy Autographing, dreaming about signing there someday and thinking, “That’s a good idea” or “I wouldn’t necessarily do that.”  When I attended workshops I noticed what the speakers did, what seemed to work, what seemed to annoy the audience.  On the night of the RITA/Golden Heart awards I watched the finalists, wondering what it would feel like to be one.  Little did I know that I would be a G.H. finalist within a year, would be signing at the Literacy Autographing within two years, and would be giving a workshop in Washington D.C. to a packed room within three years.  The conference is a place to prepare for your future.  Pay attention. Your future may arrive sooner than you think.

             4. Be a volunteer.  I have had a blast while doing some of the behind the scenes work.  Become a “yes” person. You do not volunteer so that somebody else will notice what an eager beaver you are.  You volunteer to teach your own subconscious that you are capable, committed, and able to give of yourself and make wonderful things happen.  It’s called empowerment.

            And finally, relax and have fun.  Oh, I know. You’re saying, “Huh?”  It seems ludicrous to even suggest “fun” after I’ve overwhelmed you with the above advice.

             But after all your planning and packing is done, you should relax and arrive at the conference with a certain sense of serendipity. Everything won’t go according to plan.  Unexpected opportunities will pop up. You may accidentally meet people who will be vital to your future.  Be flexible.  Be yourself.  That’s the “take it as it comes” part.   

            At RWA National, the fun seems to happen automatically.  It is tons of fun to be in one place with so many creative people who believe in the power of love. Make friends.  Find your kindred spirits. Share the excitement, the fear, the triumphs, the struggles, the laughter, the pure joy of writing. As writers, we are all on a fabulous journey together, and RWA National is the place where we gather to celebrate that journey. 

Since 1998 Darlene Graham has sold 10 novels which have been published in 12 countries. And yes, she is still having tons of fun!