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It’s July!
At ease? Relaxing on the deck? Glass of wine in hand? Good book to read?
The truth is, a writer is never completely at ease. Your mind is always ticking over figuring out how you can use a description of cousin Steve’s meltdown when he saw the kids scaling up and over his new Thunderbird as if it were their own Mt Everest. Oh yes, and let’s not forget to detail the color his face turned when he realized a beloved nephew had spilled strawberry milkshake into the car’s speakers. That was an epic meltdown – heroic – even. Definitely worthy of literary mention somewhere.
One delightful work related summer pastime is to investigate the writer’s festivals that will start popping up as soon as the weather gets cooler, the kids are back in school, and air fares start to come way down in price from their summer highs. And the internet enables you to research it all from your back deck.
You know how the doctors always seem to have to hold their medical conferences in Hawaii?
We writers are not fools either. Writers’ conferences and festivals take place in some wonderful locations designed to refresh your soul. And the festivals themselves are pretty good too! You meet other writers, exchange ideas, learn techniques and strategies, and get to engage with some of the best players in our industry. And who says you can’t get a one-on-one meeting with that star agent? She just needs to find out about the series you have written to want to buy it. It’s easier when you are both chatting in the same room and she is relaxed and enjoying herself.
So, while you are stretched out on a lounger, take another sip of wine and start dreaming about travel in the fall. All in the interests of professional development, of course.
In our next post, we’ll take a look at some of the best festivals and conferences around so that you can start dreaming. Meanwhile, enjoy that hot sun. You have earned it.
