Looking Back on the Rendezvous Conference

Sandra Lord and Karen Finnigan share their impressions of the Idaho Writers Guild Rendezvous Conference, held May 2-4 at the Boise Convention Center.

How did this conference compare with others you have attended?

Karen:

It's more casual than an RWA conference, more intimate than a really big one like the Willamette Writers, which made it just right for me. It also had more varied activities than any I've attended. Examples were the First Book Treasure Valley benefit raffle, the practice pitch sessions, and an author reading contest. All of this in addition to excellent workshops.

Sandy:

The conference was smaller, more casual, which was a big plus, and had many friendly male attendees, especially Les Edgerton, the mystery writer. The workshops were top notch. There was a very friendly atmosphere during the three-day conference, from the attendees, published authors, editors and agents, and bookseller.

What workshops most benefited your career?

Karen:

In the “Loglines, Queries, and One Sheets” workshop, screenwriter Lance Thompson listened to my pitch in the group and helped fine tune it. His comments gave me confidence to go into my pitch session later. Author Alan Heathcock's workshop, “Five Requirements of an Exceptional Story,” was a master class on writing.

Sandy:

I liked the “Role of the Agent in Publishing.” Claudia Cross had some good tips on how to contact an agent, and what her agency does for the writers.

What did you learn about the Idaho Writers Guild?

Karen:

The Guild was friendly and welcoming to those of us from out of town. They put on an extremely professional and well-organized event that had something for everyone--from beginner writer to expert. Emphasis definitely on getting published. I found out they meet weekly in Boise, so most any week you are over there there'd be a meeting to attend. But they're looking to expand across the state too.

Sandy:

I joined the Guild and get their newsletters, but what really impressed me was how friendly and helpful the Board was to us from out of town.

What was a conference highlight?

Karen:

Banquet night for sure. Elegant food. An inspiring keynote by bestseller C.J. Box. Picking up Richard Rice's contest prize! Visiting some more with agent Claudia Cross and bestselling author Rachel Gibson. The banquet had presenters assigned to various tables, and attendees could choose which one to sit at. We got there early and chose Claudia's table. Another highlight was winning Alan Heathcock's writing hat. A swarm of writers wanted to trade or buy it from me, but I said no, that would be bad karma. It's now above my computer for inspiration.

Sandy:

I agree with Karen. Banquet night. The excellent chicken dinner, a dessert to die for, and sitting at the agent's table.

Were you satisfied with your agent appointment?

Karen:

Definitely. The goal of an agent appointment is to have the agent ask to see your manuscript, and I accomplished that. Claudia Cross asked some unexpected questions about my story, and I can only hope my answers were satisfactory. That's the sort of thing for which you can't totally prepare. But my pitch itself went very well.

Sandy:

Yes, yes, yes. Claudia Cross was very personable and made me feel at ease even after I spaced it for a minute during the pitch. She had some good questions about my novel and seemed pleased at my answers. Most important, she asked to see my complete novel. Whoopee!

What did you learn about publishing now and in the future?

Karen:

I learned that e-publishing and traditional publishing are no longer either/or propositions. Agents are watching the sales of books on Amazon.com and reaching out to offer contracts. Also, some NY publishers or agencies are developing their own e-sites to launch new authors prior to putting them into hard copy. As for self-publishing, the sky seems to be the limit.

Sandy:

E-publishing and self-publishing (print or e-pub) are becoming a big thing now. The stigma of doing it is a thing of the past. Agents are keeping a close eye on sales and reaching out to authors. Some agencies have their own programs to aid self-publishing authors.

Any last thoughts to share?

Karen:

The venue was great. The downtown Hampton Inn had covered parking, so I left my car there for the duration. The distance between our hotel suite and the convention was a two short blocks in spring sunshine. Our Idaho Falls group (Sandy, Carol Stilz, Mary Ann Cherry and me) found the walk to and from the conference was all part of the fun!

Sandy:

Seeing old friends again and having great roommates was super fun. The Boise Center offers many delightful attractions. Our group certainly enjoyed the good food available there--especially the bash bash shrimp and tempura vegetables, salads at Protos, hamburgers at Five Guys. Then there was the wine tasting at the Snake River Winery and dark chocolate fudge at the candy store close to our hotel. Okay, so we ate a lot, but it was sooo fun.

--compiled by Sandra Lord