I'm seeing that many agents get most of their clients at conferences. I want to give my novel its best chances, so I want to go to one. All I really want to go for is the consultations with agents.
The big one seems to be Maui. Besides the expense, I see that you aren't guaranteed any consultations at all, it's a lottery. I'm not laying down $1K because I *might* meet an agent.
There are smaller ones. Last March there was one in driving distance from my house. No chance to pitch the book, but I could crowd up to a table to grab a snippet of time with any of 3 agents, none of which specialized in SF or live in NYC.
Most of what they're offering, I don't want. If I wanted a conference to improve my writing, I'd do something with OSC this summer.
I've found a site that lists several conferences; almost none have their web sites up yet, so we'll see. I wish I knew another really big one, that provided agent consultations. Does anyone know a big one, besides Maui? Especially, one related to SF? Or some decent ones on the east coast?
[This message has been edited by wbriggs (edited March 10, 2005).]
[This message has been edited by wbriggs (edited March 10, 2005).]
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
I wish I knew, but I'll echo you're concern. I've been looking into conferences for some time now but frankly, most of the scifi/fantasy conferences are for fans, not for writers. Their big events include role playing game sessions. They have authors there as keynote speakers, but I see no indication that I'd get to talk to anyone or network in any meaningful way.
I'd fly to the east or west coast if I thought the investiment in time and money would mean something, but I'm not going for more role playing and faniac stuff. I'd prefer to stay in the mid-west of course, but I don't see anything around here for miles.
Posted by keldon02 (Member # 2398) on :
I went to one Alabama Writer's Forum and found it to be extraordinarliy dull. It wasn't a true writer's conference at all; instead it was more a meeting of the state's pseudo literary clique. There were several speakers, all but one of which were trying to outdo one another morbidly bathing in the curious genre known as 'southern' fiction, with its curious blend of bitterness, guilt and wistfulness. I found no agents but there were many writers who seemed to be successful in that pitifully small group. A couple of big names were there, but they were experts in the genre except for the one terribly out of place novalist.
So I'm hesitant to try anything else of that nature.
Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :
The Columbus Writer's Conference in Columbus, Ohio has what you're looking for, and it'd be a lot cheaper than Maui. It's held sometime in August or September.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I'll look into it!
Posted by Robyn_Hood (Member # 2083) on :
WBriggs,
I was cruising around checking out markets and right there on the top, left-hand corner of the screen on the Locus Homepage was a list of various conferences. I'm not sure if they're exactly what you're looking for, but it may lead to something.
That's interesting ... I was browsing agent sites and found an agent who said she was going to Boskone and WorldCon, professionally. When I go to SF con sites, including WorldCon, there's no mention of agents. Is anybody here experienced in the SF con scene, and knows if agents do agent stuff there?
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Agents meet with clients they already represent at conventions like Worldcon.
If you want to meet with an agent at a convention, you should contact the agent in advance, say that you are planning to attend the convention, and ask if you can meet with the agent there.
If the agent is willing to set up an appointment with you, that's great. Be sure to go well prepared.
It's held sometime in August or September.