Thinking about attending a writers conference?

Do it. I just attended my first, Chicago-North RWA’s 2016 Spring Fling, and it was 1000% worth it. There were informative panels; valuable craft and publishing workshops; pitch appointments with agents and editors; and uh-mazing headliners. Christina Lauren, Courtney Milan, and Robyn Carr? Yes, please!

It was an all-around incredible experience, but being a conference newbie (and a toddler mom with sleep-deprived lasagna brain half the time), I did make a few rookie mistakes.

So here is my list of what NOT to do at a writers conference. I made all of these mistakes, so now you don’t have to!

Mistake #1: Not signing up for an agent and/or editor pitch appointment.

I knew when I registered for the conference that there was an option to pitch a manuscript to an agent and/or editor, but like a dope, I didn’t make an appointment.

“My first draft is finished, but I’m still revising. It’s too soon!” I thought.

Fast forward to day one of the writers conference. One of the favorite ice-breaker questions besides “what do you write?” was “are you pitching an agent?” When I said no, people looked at me like I was a nun at a Sex Pistols concert. “Oh no, you should pitch. It doesn’t matter that your novel isn’t polished.”

I was skeptical until I attended an agent panel later that day and learned that typically you have up to a year to send your work to an agent who has requested it. No one expects it next week. If you have a viable draft but are still a few months away from a polished manuscript, pitch away. Just be honest with the agent/editor about where you’re at with the project (i.e., don’t lie).

I promptly asked the conference coordinators whether it was too late to pitch an agent. It turns out they were able to slip me in last-minute. I pitched not one but two agents, and guess what? I got full and partial manuscript requests. Huzzah!

Moral of the story? Sign up to pitch, even if you’re still revising. And if you pull a dopey move like me and elect not to sign up in advance (or if you forget), always ask about availability when you arrive because a shocking number of people sign up to pitch but blow it off. Don’t do that either. Sign up, show up, and rock that pitch. You might just get lucky. If you don’t? It was good practice anyway.

Mistake #2: Not silencing your cell phone before a pitch appointment

Yes, my phone rang in the middle of a pitch.  The ringer on my cell phone is off 90% of the time mostly because I turn it off at night and frequently forget to turn it back on in the morning. But during the eight minutes I’m in a meeting with an agent on a Saturday afternoon? Chime city, full blast.

You do not want your phone to ring during a pitch.

The agent I was pitching happened to be super understanding (she requested my full manuscript anyway), but you feel like an idiot. And no matter how nice the agent is about it, it’s still unprofessional and disrupts the flow of the meeting.

Silence that cell phone, fool.

Mistake #3: Forgetting your business cards.

The week before the writers conference, I spent an hour ordering business cards on Vista. I even paid extra for faster shipping just so I’d be sure they’d arrive in time. Where were they during the conference? At home, sitting in my office. I literally brought everything else I could think of including a backup phone charger, safety pins, and extra chapstick, but I forgot the business cards.

Not a wise move. Three people asked for my card outright, which I couldn’t provide, and several other writers gave me their cards in exchange for…nothing, because I forgot my business cards at home. Apart from feeling like a total greenhorn, I definitely missed out on some clutch networking opportunities. Rookie mistake. Double check your cards before you leave home, people!

Mistake #4: Not wearing comfortable shoes.

You do a lot of sitting at a writers conference, so you wouldn’t think that comfortable shoes would be a big deal. I knew I’d be doing quite a bit of airport walking on this trip, so I intentionally packed comfortable shoes…or so I thought.

The first day of the conference I wore a dress with knee-high leather boots. The boots themselves were comfy, but what I failed to take into account were the metal buckles at the top of the boots. Every time I crossed my legs, the buckles dug into my knees. So I ended up sitting with my feet flat on the floor most of the day, which was awkward for note-taking and, after several hours, incredibly uncomfortable.

My advice? Try on your footwear (and clothing) in advance, and make sure you’ll be comfortable sitting as well as standing and walking. Otherwise, it will be a very long day.

Mistake #5: Not drinking enough water.

“Drink water” sounds totally duh, but when you’re caught up in the whirlwind of conference panels, workshops, and networking, it’s easy to forget to stay hydrated.

The first day of the conference I left my water bottle in my room, and by four o’clock I had a skull-cracking headache. Bring water, and sip it throughout the day so you don’t get dehydrated. Because duh.

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Now that you know my five rookie mistakes and how to avoid them, get out there and register for your next writers conference! Even if you make mistakes of your own, you won’t regret the experience. I promise.