Last week seems like a complete dream at this point. So many awesome people and new bits of knowledge to chew on. It will take me quite some time to process the firehose worth of information that they pumped at us.
We got everything started off with a walk in the Garden of the Gods on Tuesday of last week, and I tested the echo theory just because I could.
Now, back to the Seminar.
It turned out to be a great trip for all three of us for different reasons, and we have all already signed up to attend next year as well.
A seminar like this shouldn’t be considered lightly, especially since the price tag is pretty damned hefty. The high price point is for a reason though. It brings in those really serious about the craft and progressing as a career more than a hobby. This is where “author math” should really be used because you have to look at your overall ROI (Return On Investment)
What do you get for the cost?
Validation seems to be one of the largest takeaways for anyone attending the seminar, no matter where you are on the scale. Even a few of the New York Times bestselling authors in attendance were dealing with that little voice of doubt in the back of their heads.
After the loss of Superstars founders, David Farland (Wolverton), and Eric Flint, this year had a heavy leaning of legal courses. From panels on Intelectual Property to Literary Estate planning.
There were so many great panels, it was hard to decide which ones to attend. From genre specific (I sat in on Nick Thacker’s Thriller workshop) to world-building, sensitivity readers, improving your hook, and more.
Again, the price tag can be a bit daunting, but the knowledge and connections you come away with in the end are more than enough to justify the price tag.
Wait?
Did I mention the networking connections?
Yeah… It’s crazy who you get to meet and learn from.
Now, something else that was different this year. I was a guest. Still surprises the shit out of me, but I sure as hell ran with it and I hoped that I gave them the value they were looking for.
I was really worried about being good enough, and giving back the value of what I’d been given. Just how I am. I always worry about stuff like that, but that evil little voice was working double time on everyone. By the end of the Seminar, I knew I’d touched more than a few folks.
Me and Ben also got to record with John Goodwin for the Writers of the Future Podcast.
And we had a good crowd of Ravens show up for the event.
(Back Row Left to Right: Stace Johnson, Benjamin Tyler Smith, Michael Morton, Wayland Smith. 2nd Row: Jennifer Brinn, Megan Higgins, Jenny E. Wren, Michael J. Allen. Front Row: William Joseph Roberts. Not Pictured N.V. Haskell & Casey Moores)
My greatest takeaway from the entire Seminar, which I used as a teaching tool during my solo talk, was that we’re all peers. It’s just the big boys have more mileage behind them than we do. We just have to keep trucking, putting in the work, and it’ll pay off.
And the bonus to the entire thing… I got invited back for next year. I’m hoping they let me give a slightly modified version of my talk. It filled my heart to have the baby authors come up and tell me how much it helped them to come out of their shells.
So for now, another badge, another con, and the kutte is hung. Nerdi Gras will be my next appearance next month in Atlanta. But I can also announce that I’ve been invited to be the Toastmaster for Chattacon 2024.
Time to get back to work on my Car Warriors novel. More updates to come.
Keep your heads up and your pens sharp
~WJR~