There is something about attending a conference on your own time and your own dime.

You’re far more, shall we say, invested. It’s different when your company sends you to a conference that you may or may not be enthused about. You’re less inclined to squeeze every last ounce of usefulness out of the experience, and more inclined to check your emails instead of listening to speakers.
 
I just returned from the 2017 San Francisco Writers Conference. As a former corporate marketing and communications manager, I have attended several communications and PR conferences over the years, but this was my first conference for writers. And it completely blew me away. That’s putting it lightly.
 
I finished writing my nonfiction book, “Memoirs of a Surgeon's Wife”, in October 2016, with the goal to be ready for SFWC17 in February. 

Since my book began as a passion project while I worked full-time, there was no shortage of work to be done. I wrote the book and then tackled the nonfiction book proposal. I began blogging consistently every week. I created a Facebook author page and started building my author platform (all the ways you can discover me online). I began sending a weekly newsletter to email subscribers. I researched the agents and editors attending the conference and prioritized who I most wanted to connect with. I created an oral book pitch and practiced it ad nauseam. You get the idea.
 
The conference acted as a deadline that kept me working toward specific, time-sensitive goals.
 
Anyway, you came here looking for a checklist for your next writers conference: how to make the most of every minute and every penny. So, here we go. 

How to Make the Most of Your Writers Conference

1.     Prepare. Prepare at least as much as you would for a job interview, if your goal is to be published. Each interaction you have with an agent, speaker, coach, or editor is your window of opportunity to make a positive impression. Start by researching who is attending the conference and create a list of people you would like to speak with and/or pitch your book to. Put them in a spreadsheet and be sure to copy and paste their photo into it so that when you see them grabbing their morning coffee at the event, you will recognize them and can say hello. Prepare to the point that you feel comfortable casually discussing your book with strangers. 

2.     Go with an open mind. I went into this conference with the idea that I would pursue traditional publication (sign an agent who would then sell my book to a top publishing house). However, I attended a variety of sessions, including a few on self-publishing. Now I feel educated on both the traditional route and the self-publishing route, wherever fate may lead me. It’s always smart to have a Plan A and a Plan B. 

3.     Get social. There are countless opportunities to network at a writers conference, and I urge you to take advantage of them. At SFWC17, there were daily coffee meet-ups, networking breakfasts, lunches and dinners, a welcome cocktail party, free classes, and plenty of opportunities for interacting with experts. Also, make a concerted effort to put your phone away. If you’re scrolling through your mobile, people will assume you’re busy and won’t talk to you. All you have to do is turn to the person next to you and ask, ‘what do you write?’. This is a fantastic way to meet other writers and authors in an otherwise lonely profession—don’t squander it. 

​4.     Be brave. Public speaking is one of my least favorite things to do. I was traumatized by the time I had to deliver a book report in my 8th grade class and my voice shook like an earthquake the entire time. I’ve since improved, but banishing those butterflies is still quite the challenge for me. Nevertheless, when I saw the nonfiction ‘pitchathon’ on the schedule, I showed up. And when I witnessed a panel of about six agents and experts giving several minutes of personalized feedback to everyone who gave their pitch, I decided that I would be crazy not to do it. So, I did it. I held a microphone and talked about my book in a room full of people. It wasn’t so bad, and the feedback I received was 100% worth it. My other act of bravery at the San Francisco Writers Conference was the agent speed dating session, which put me face-to-face with a room full of agents to give my book pitch in one minute, and have a discussion for the remaining two minutes. Like many other writers, I was petrified going in, but once I began sitting down with agents, I found it easy and conversational. If you have an opportunity to participate in something like this, just do it. You won’t regret it.  

5.     Adapt on the fly. My final tip is to evolve with the feedback and inspiration you receive. Re-write your pitch if you need to. Change your title (it will probably change later anyway). Attend sessions different than what you had planned. If you see someone on your wish list, strike up a conversation with them, even if it’s not the ‘perfect’ moment. The key is to stay observant, follow your intuition and to strike while the iron is hot. 

I filled an entire notebook while attending the San Francisco Writers Conference, and would highly recommend it to any writer, whether you’re just starting out or looking to stay on top of the industry’s latest.
 
Wishing you the best of luck with your writing and I hope to see you at a conference soon! 

I designed this graphic today as a mock-up book cover and back page combination. I get so excited looking at it! It's starting to feel very real!

I'll be taking this little number with me to the San Francisco Writers Conference in February, where I'll be learning more of my illustrious craft and all about the publishing industry, meeting with professionals, and pitching my book to literary agents.

Wish me luck, friends! 

You may also like these blogs by Megan Sharma:
Physician Family guest blog: Does Match Day dictate your destiny? A surgeon’s wife weighs in
Book preview for When Medicine Meets Holy Matrimony: A word to mothers who aspire to have a surgeon-in-law
Book preview for When Medicine Meets Holy Matrimony: No, I don’t want no scrubs
Book preview for When Medicine Meets Holy Matrimony: For the love of Danskos
Book preview for When Medicine Meets Holy Matrimony: The other shoe
Date night: 60 fun and unique date ideas for the young at heart
Parenting: A no-fuss guide to your toddler’s birthday party for Pinterest-fatigued parents
Parenting: You know you’re a mom (of young children) when…

Hello, readers! I am super excited to announce the launch of my new author page on Facebook, here: 
https://www.facebook.com/authormegansharma/

This is for my recently written book, "When Medicine Meets Holy Matrimony: A Surgeon's Wife Tells It Like It Is". I am currently working toward traditional publication. 

On the author page I'll share book and blog news and updates, industry latest in the world of medicine, writing tips, fun photos, book sneak peaks, and opportunities to win prizes. You won't want to miss it!

Give it a "like" today, and thanks for your support!
​

​Oh, you moms out there (I now count myself a member of your prestigious ranks, so I can say that). You want the very best for your children. And I mean the very best. We’re talking champagne wishes and caviar dreams, ya’ll. And who could blame us?
 
Maybe you, like my amazing in-laws, decided to leave everything behind in your early thirties so that your five-year-old son and future children would have a better life in a country thousands of miles from where your ancestors were born.
 
Perhaps you quit a lucrative corporate job to stay home with your sweet baby girl. That’s what I did.
 
Or maybe you saved your pennies to send each of your kids to college debt free. That is a very special gift.
 
We want it all for our offspring, simply put. And we want them to find the right person to share their lives with.
 
We pray that our daughters will meet and marry a man who is loving, kind, patient, funny, good looking, and smart. Definitely not “The Bachelor”. Oh, god, no. Someone who has his s*** together, essentially.
 
If you think “Dr. Prince Charming” has a nice ring to it, you’re probably not alone. Just think of all the free medical advice! How should I treat a migraine? Do I need to be taking supplements? What shall I do about these warts? Oh, what fun!
 
I’m here to offer a bit of a reality check to mothers who aspire to have a surgeon-in-law (SIL):

• If you imagined getting out of those regular mammograms and colonoscopies, think again. Your SIL is going to make sure you get those done, come hell or high water.
• You’re going to have the safest grandbabies ever!
• You will get free medical advice, but it will sometimes irritate your darling SIL (especially if you constantly ask questions outside of his or her area of expertise).
• More than likely, your child and their family will be moving in order to advance your SIL’s career. Possibly more than once, and possibly for good.
• Your SIL will likely know more about your health status than you will. He/she can read between the lines.

 
My mom loves her SIL dearly and I’m sure she would carry the banner for other moms out there who want to join the club.
 
The club is pretty cool. The club comes with a free lifetime subscription to Men’s Health and Family Circle. Just kidding.  

TLC defined a scrub as “a guy that can’t get no love from me, hanging out the passenger side of his best friend’s ride, trying to holler at me” (TLC, 1999). Great relationship advice, even 16 years later.
 
I don’t want no scrubs, either. But I am talking about medical issue wardrobe, not broke dudes.
 
When we first started dating, I thought it was fun to wear Arun’s scrub bottoms as pajama pants, sometimes in public. Oh, look at me! I’m dating a doctor! Megan, you adorable idiot. I grew disillusioned when our condo became overrun with wrinkled, dirty masses of cheap cotton in various shades of steel blue and emerald green.
 
My first strategy was to wash and fold them myself. This was annoying, as it clogged our washer and dryer and overall seemed like an exercise in futility. And then, my moment of Zen: I realized that there is a service at each hospital that washes scrubs for FREE! Enough of this.
 
I then issued an official directive to Arun to start returning the scrubs to work for cleaning on a regular basis. What actually happened: piles of dirty scrubs in our condo, “ready” to go out the door. Ready and waiting. And waiting. And W-A-I-T-I-N-G…
 
So, they were moved to Trader Joe’s bags at the back of our parking garage space. Until the building got wise and posted a notice in the elevator to keep parking spaces clear. From there, the overstuffed Trader Joe’s bags traveled the short distance to the trunk of Arun’s car. Well, a car trunk only has so much room.
 
The scrubs eventually reached their final resting place: either the hospital from whence they came, or a dumpster (sorry! not sorry! you would do the same).
 
Arun’s fellowship program kind of had it right: in order to get new scrubs, you had to return the old ones via a vending machine, and you were only allowed three pair at a time. This institution clearly understood human nature. Our Pittsburgh apartment was always dirty scrub pile free!
 
My takeaway lesson? Scrubs can multiply faster than you can say “drawstring”, so new boyfriends and girlfriends of medical professionals, beware!

Want to read more of my book in progress? Click here.

​I totally get the concept of work shoes. Sturdy boots for firemen and construction workers, 7 inch clear plastic heels for strippers, and polished oxfords or Cole Haan pumps for the business world.
 
In the medical community, it’s all about the Danskos.
 
Danskos are perhaps the ugliest shoes to grace God’s green earth. They look like Dutch clogs and are worn as slip on shoes.
 
To add insult to injury, these suckers are expensive. The basic styles start around $120.00, up to $150.00. Granted, they do wear well and only need replacing every four years or so.
 
Danskos come in a variety of colors and styles, from patent leather to pebble leather to extra, extra shiny patent leather. Flowers, stripes, psychedelic swirls, sequins, spots, you name it. I guess that makes them “stylish”, or something. I’m sticking with something.
 
I wish I could tell you exactly how many medical professionals (medical assistants/nurses/physician’s assistants/primary care docs/surgeons/anesthesiologists/radiologists) wear Danskos, but I couldn’t find any concrete data. My guess is 70 percent.
 
When asked why he wears them, my husband said, “Because it’s easy to clean blood from them.”
 
Well, there you have it. The bloodless wonder shoes. They should advertise exactly that!

Want to read more of my book in progress? Click here.