To Conference
we will Go!

Rose's Colored Glasses

July 2007 Newsletter

What's Inside?

Announcements!
Shy Writers at Conference
Promo Items
Conference Compulsion
Techie Corner
Not Going to Conference?
Tips & Tricks: Get the most out of RWA Nationals
Conference Do's & Don'ts

Announcements!

What's New in the World of the Roses?

The Roses celebrate our successes

Delilah Devlin is pleased to announce that Running Wild and Jacq's Warlorrd are now available in print at Ellora's Cave

Shy Writers and National Conferences
Like Oil and Water?
By Roni Adams

I'm not a shy person, but I have several writing friends who are. In fact, most writers are introverts who prefer the company of their computer and books to large gatherings of people. So how does a person who would rather eat fried worms than walk into a room full of 3000 strangers manage to survive and enjoy a major national conference such as RWA?

I've spoken with a few and compiled a list of tips to help you get through RWA Nationals without breaking out into hives.

Plan Ahead

It's very important to know where you are going and what you are doing to eliminate much of the stress that comes from a conference with so many workshop choices.

Roommates

Half of the people I spoke with said rooming with a good friend was a stress reliever, while the other half desperately craved a room alone where they could escape and breathe into a paper bag. If you've never roomed with a particular friend before, and you think you might want alone time, it might be a good idea to simply shell out the extra to have a room alone.

Even if you don't room together, traveling with a friend is much less overwhelming than by yourself. Your nervousness is lessened by having someone to sit with at the luncheons and in workshops.

Make It A Game

If you don't have a writing pal to attend the conference, try to make the whole thing into a game. Remember, no one knows you, 3,000 people and no one knows who the real you is. You can be whomever you want at this point. Sometimes pretending to not be shy and intimidated can be a good cover. Remember no one knows you're shy but you.

Arrival

Arrive early in the week (Tuesday, for example), to avoid the registration and check in mobs. This allows you a chance to scout out the hotel and familiarize yourself where everything is before the conference actually kicks off.

Consider staying at a hotel other than the conference site. Very good hotels are generally within walking distance from the conference. This will usually ensure that when you want to get away, you really can.

Be A Tourist

Find out about local tourist attractions nearby. Take a conference break one afternoon and see the sights. You'll come back refreshed. It's also a good time to scout out quiet dining places. Just because you're alone doesn't mean you have to eat room service. Find a quaint local type of restaurant to try something new. There's nothing wrong with taking along a book and reading while you eat.

Time Management

The mornings are usually busy with breakfast, workshops, etc. Try to plan for some down time mid afternoon. The pool area is a nice place to slip away, put on your sunglasses and read one of the books you'll receive while you're at the conference.

Avoid the workshops that might be more popular and take in ones offered in smaller rooms. These workshops can sometimes be quite informative as the presenter can talk one on one with the audience.

Meals

The most awkward time will be the luncheons. Facing a ballroom full of round white tables and chairs and knowing no one can be scary. Walk up to the first table you spot with empty chairs, smile and ask the others at the table if you can join them. Take the lead--introduce yourself, where you're from, etc. Be frank and tell them you're attending the conference alone and feel really awkward. Most people will take you under their wing and at least engage you in conversation for the duration of the meal. Sometimes, these lunch buddies turn out to be friendly faces you might see again. If you ask if you can join them and they say no these seats are taken, don't take it personally, simply move on to the next table until you find an empty seat.

Departure

Leave the conference in late afternoon on Saturday. On Sunday, the crowds checking out and shuttling to the airport can be a challenge. Other than the large awards banquet, there's nothing going on after 5:00 on Saturday night. Plan your departure then and give yourself Sunday at home to recover from the event.

Cheap and Easy - Promotion items, that is…
by Eve Savage

"The time has come," the walrus said,
"To talk of many things."
Of bookmarks, pens and coverflats."
"Of notepads and keyrings."

Despite the extremely paraphrased line from Lewis Carroll's The Walrus and the Carpenter from Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, it's time for Nationals. Which means it's time for promotional items.

You've no doubt walked though the Goody Room marveling at the wealth of promotional items. Everything from pens or pencils, notepads, book excerpts, magnets, candy and a myriad of bookmarks.

Where to start?

Bookmarks. These can be done relatively inexpensively at home. The most important item you need is a good photo-quality printer. Just about every printer nowadays will work. You'll also need a publishing program. Some use PhotoShop, I prefer Microsoft Publisher. This program allows me to make my bookmarks (up to five to a page), alter fonts, colours, pictures, etc. I print them out on a heavy weight photo paper and cut them with a paper cutter. If you'd like to embellish them, Hobby Lobby and Oriental Traders have small charms in every denomination. Pick one that matches your book and attach it with ribbon.

Want more?

Cover magnets. Everyone likes to decorate their fridge or, as Megan Kerans pointed out to me, their dryers. Cover magnets are a great way to do this. These can be created one of two ways.

1. Printable Magnet Sheets. You can get these at Walmart or Office Depot/Max. Using Publisher or MS Word create "business cards" using your cover or whatever information you want. Sexy covers with half naked men are always a big hit! Then print the design directly onto the sheets, and cut them into card size with a paper cutter. You can also use this method to make magnet bookmarks or just about anything since you're only limited by the 8.5x11 dimensions of the sheets. I used these to make calendars with a cover in the corner one year and they were very well received. The only thing with the magnet sheets, is they are flexible rather than a solid magnet.

2. Business card magnets. You can get these at Office Depot/Max. These magnets are already in business card size. Simply print off what you want on glossy photo paper which you then cut, or onto pre-perforated glossy business cards. Peel off the protective paper on the magnets to expose the adhesive and stick the card on. Voila!

Still more?

Keychains. People always need a small keychain for the shed key, luggage key, handcuff key, safety deposit box key. Acrylic round do-it-yourself keytags can be purchased at numerous places. For example:

CASI/QLT has many different sizes and shapes of snap-in acrylic keychains.

Crafter's Market is another place to find keytags.

To make keytags/keychains, use Publisher's autoshape maker to create a template for the size of insert you need. I use a 1" circle. Say your book is set in Florida. You can print out palm trees for one side and your logo and website on the other. Now the tricky part. How do you cut out 100 perfect circles? You don't. Hobby Lobby has neat inventions - punch cutters. Mostly these are used for scrapbooking, but they work terrifically for this project. You just line up your circle (or whatever shape you're using) so you can see it through the bottom of the cutter and punch. Perfect shapes every time. Put all the pieces together and you're set.

A Bit More Adventurous?

Pens make terrific promo items. Who doesn't need a pen? Search online for promotional pens. Most places have really good deals. PENSRUS has printed pens as low as $.33 a piece (min. order 300). discountmugs has pens for $.39 each for 500.

Notepads. 4allpromos and personalizedpaperstore and saveonpromotionalproducts are some places I found online.

Matches. superiorpromos and getmatches are a couple of places.

Chocolate. epromos and totallychocolate are two places I found with Google.

What I've previously mentioned are all relatively inexpensive and easy to create or order online.

The next, and more advanced, step is promo items that tie directly to your book. Tara Nina had little gargoyle necklaces to promote her book Curse of the Gargoyle (Ellora's Cave). They were clever and a hot item in Atlanta. In fact, I chased her down the hall for a set. Another tie-in I thought was absolutely brilliant was the promotional condoms for Not Without Risk by Sarah Grimm. Genius, in my opinion.

Last But Not Least

The last piece of advice I offer is to make your promo items useful. People use bookmarks, calendars, notepads, pens, etc. If it's isn't useful, make it fun! Make them remember you and your book!

Note: Websites listed in this article are not endorsed by Rose's Colored Glasses. They are simply examples I found while googling for information for this piece. ES

Conference Compulsion
by Layla Chase

Mandatory Attendance

As a RWA Conference veteran (my first was in 1995), I have changed my philosophy about my involvement in the event. During my first five or six events, I was convinced I had to get my money's worth and attend a workshop in every available time slot. I was there to learn and I needed to take advantage of the wealth of information surrounding me. Often, I left the conference at the end of the week exhausted.

Strategic Learning

Next my strategy was to concentrate on the craft issues where I needed to strengthen my skills. If I needed to work on building stronger conflict or deepening point of view, I attended all available workshops. One presenter's method might not be the type that makes sense to me, but another writer's might be. Or I might combine part from one author with a portion from another.

Studying the Market

After placing in a few contests, I started attending publisher spotlights to learn what the publishing houses handled and what type of stories each sought. As close friends became published and they offered workshops, I make sure to show my support by being in the audience.

Look To The Future

In recent years and following publication, I have been more selective about the type of workshop I choose. Now I might be looking for advanced writing tips (writing a series, writing for more than one publisher, etc.) or tips on successful promotion. Since my focus has changed to career building, now I make sure to save time for the all-important networking with other authors.

Techie Corner
by Shayla Kerstan

Websites, domain names, bandwidth, hosting services…the list goes on. You need to concentrate on writing, especially if you're unpublished. When you make a sale, you'll worry about the headaches of promotion. Right?

Wrong…

In this day and age of instant information, having a website can give you a small advantage with editors, agents and reader, as well as other authors.

Editor and agents…

Publishing professionals look for authors who understand the basics of self-promotion. At an editors' panel during a recent conference in San Antonio, Hilary Sares of Kensington Publishing says she will Google the name of authors who submit to her. Does this mean your manuscript goes to the top of the pile? Not necessarily. Editors are still looking for a great read but your name might stick if that Google search list starts with a well-designed website.

Readers…

If a reader likes one of your books, that person will want to know more about the rest of your work. This is especially true if you are published with different publishers. Keep them coming back with notes of upcoming projects.

Authors…

Networking is a great way to learn which houses are looking for what projects. Other authors have different contacts. If others can see what you write, you also have a chance to find critique partners and possible joint projects.

The Basics…

Okay, if I've convinced you of the need, then you have to decide what works for you.

Domain name

Domain names can be purchased at a very reasonable price, some as low as $1.99. However, pay the extra for a private registration. Otherwise, anyone can look up your personal information, such as name, billing address and phone number. If you have a penname, then you should use it as your domain name. In most search engines, a domain with the same name as the search criteria will show first. For example, Google Shayla Kersten and www.shaylakersten.com is the number one listing. Whatever you pick, make sure it is something associated with your writing.

Bandwidth and storage

Bandwidth, also called data transfer, is a measurement of how much data is uploaded or downloaded from your site. A download occurs each time someone views the page. If you plan to have heavy graphics, video or audio files, then you need more bandwidth. Storage is the amount of space you are allowed on your host's server. Again, unless you plan to use very large files, a minimum amount is all you need. Most hosts will allow you to upgrade as your needs expand.

Hosting services

Based on my experience, GoDaddy.com and Bravenet.com are two services I'd recommend. Check with your internet provider. Sometimes you can bundle a hosting plan with your internet service for a reasonable price.

Design

This is the part that can be a bit time consuming in the beginning. Some hosts offer templates that allow you to design a basic site but the choices are limited. I use Microsoft FrontPage. Compared to most website design software, it's inexpensive and simple to use. But then, I'm a geek at heart. You can also find someone to design a template and then make simple updates yourself. Another easy option if you are technically challenged is to use your domain name with blog software, such as Blogger or Wordpress. Updates are as simple as blogging.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure your site contains your basic information--penname, a short biography, any books coming soon or published and contact information. Keep it simple, clean, uncluttered and updated.

So when you meet with that coveted agent or editor at conference, hand them a business card with the address of a website that's sure to impress!

Tired of hearing about RWA conference knowing you're stuck at home? Just because you aren't at Nationals doesn't mean you have to miss out on conference learning and camaraderie. Here are ten conference experiences and their Do-It-Yourself (DIY) counterparts you can do right from your hometown.

RWA - Free Books

DIY - Trade one romance and one craft book with a fellow writer(s.) Or hit your local book store and buy one of each for yourself. And don't feel guilty, both are still cheaper than going to conference.

RWA - Numerous workshops on craft & career

DIY - Look through the conference workshop schedule for an interesting topic, then do a search and see if any chapters are holding an on-line or a nearby in-person class in the coming months.

RWA - Learning or improving an aspect of writing craft

DIY - Okay, this is another way to say workshop, but a big part of RWA is learning. Take a topic you'd like to study and do a Google search. Also ask your writing friends and critique partners for their favorite articles on writing craft and share a few of your own.

RWA - Still more workshops

DIY - If your local RWA chapter buys a copy of each year's workshops on CDs or tape, take advantage and borrow them. If your chapter doesn't have a copy, ask fellow writers and exchange CDs/cassettes. A third option is to go in with other writers and order 2007's workshops on CD. (Just make sure at least one of you has a CD burner to burn a copy for the others.)

RWA - Writers, if lucky, get a break from writing

DIY - You don't have to go to conference to play hooky for a few days from writing as long as your deadlines don't interfere. Take time to read and recharge your energy and your muse.

RWA - Chances to meet your favorite authors

DIY - Visit the websites of the authors you admire and drop them an email to let them know how much you enjoy their work. While it's not the same as meeting them, almost all will appreciate the time and sentiments you send.

RWA - Market Updates

Look for articles on what's hot and what houses & editors are looking for.

DIY - If your local RWA chapter doesn't do this already, ask about having conference attendees speak about what they learned. In case an in-person meeting doesn't work, another option is a special online chat or thread on your chapter's message board.

RWA - Pitching your book to editors and/or agents

DIY - While nothing can substitute for a face-to-face meeting, take this time and write your agent/editor query letter, then create a reasonable timetable to actually get them sent out.

RWA - Motivational Talks

DIY - Find a tape, book, or movie that inspires you, or you think might be inspirational and take time to check it out. Also, ask others for their favorite inspirational quotes and books.

RWA - Chance to hang out with friends and fellow writers

DIY - Get together with fellow non-conference attendees for lunch or dinner. No plotting or planning. Take a couple hours to enjoy each other's company, hang out and have fun. If in-person is impossible, arrange an online get together where everyone can enjoy their beverage of choice and instant message.

Tips and Tricks:
Get the Most out of Your
RWA National Experience
by Allie Standifer

Whether you are attending your first or tenth national conference, there's always something new to learn. In the midst of greeting old friends and meeting new ones, it's important to remember you are there for business--to make contacts and promote yourself in the best possible light. In order to accomplish this, here are a few easy tips and tricks to remember.

Tip: Always carry your business cards. If you are an unpublished author, keep the card simple. List your name, e-mail address, website (if available) and only one or two of the groups you belong to. For published writers, I suggest the same, except instead of using writer's groups, list books published. Too much information on your card looks crowded and messy. When in doubt, keep it simple.

Trick: When meeting with a potential agent/editor, write notes on the back of their cards. Easy examples are what they requested, the length, date due and how to address the request when sending it. This is also a helpful trick when meeting new people in the bar or luncheons. Use your own cards if necessary to write names, company information, and details of the conversation. Yes, the cards are small, but with careful wording this will save you endless aggravation. When you are finally away from the insanity of the conference and sitting in your home office, you'll know who, why and how to keep these contacts.

Tip: For your agent meeting, pitch only one book. Yes, I know you want to give the agent a taste of your varied writing styles, but really they only want to hear about one. This isn't just my opinion; I've heard it clearly from more than one agent's mouth. Agents are just as pressed for time as you are. To make a lasting impression, keep your appointment focused on one book and the strength of that plot.

Trick: When standing in line waiting for a table at breakfast, look for other single diners around you. Chances are someone else will be eating alone and not looking forward to it. If they aren't wearing a badge, you can ask for their name, but I would leave it at that. From really personal experience I can tell you that, yes, agents and editors do eat alone and they don't like it any more than we do. Keep the conversation light and not centered on you and your books. Chances are you'll make a better impression with easy chatter than working on an impromptu pitch over runny egg yolks.

Tip: Keep yourself prepared to meet the agent or editor of your dreams outside of a registered appointment. You never know when you'll have that chance meeting--outside while smoking, waiting at the bar for drinks or simply sharing a cab ride. Remember to always, always keep it professional. You are representing a company--yourself--and no one wants to do business with someone who doesn't know the rules of professional etiquette.

Above all, remember to have fun and enjoy yourself. This is your week to make yourself shine and have a national experience you'll always remember.

Enjoy!!

When attending a conference, there are several things you need to keep in mind to do, and several more things not to do.

Packing

Things to Pack:
1. Comfy shoes, you'll be walking and standing most of the time.
2. Nice clothes, think office wear. This is a professional conference, not a fan frenzy. Dress with decorum and you'll behave with decorum.
3. Your absolute favorite books you've hungered to get autographed. Try to limit yourself to one or two. Hundreds of books are given away at the publisher signings.
4. A foldable suitcase packed into one of your others to take home the books and promotional items you collect. Warning: Make sure you can lift your suitcases. You don't want to be paying for overage on the luggage going by plane. Separate out the books and clothes so no one single suitcase is too heavy. At the publisher signings, there are empty boxes from those hundreds of books. Take some. It's much cheaper to ship home dirty clothes than books.

Things NOT to Pack:
1. Your manuscript. No editor or agent is going to want to schlep it back with them. If they want to see it, they'll give you a business card and ask you to mail it or email it.
2. More than one set of spiky shoes. You'd be surprised to see how many women in elegant gowns leave the Awards ceremony carrying their shoes.
3. More than two pairs of blue jeans, otherwise you might be tempted to wear them during the conference. While some people do wear blue jeans, jeans are not regarded as professional work place wear.

To Do...or...Not to Do

Things to Do:
1. Take time to plan your workshop schedule, either the night before or during breakfast. There's a map of the hotel in the back of the conference booklet. Learn where you will need to be at physically so you're not late. If you get there late, you may have to sit somewhere where you can't leave without being rude if you want to go to another workshop or have a appointment.
2. Eat at least one meal at a table where you don't know anyone except maybe one friend. This is a networking opportunity. You never know whom a tablemate will turn out to be.
3. Volunteer. Again, this is not only to be helpful, but you'd be surprised whom you meet while doing a volunteer job.
4. Go to the bar. Even if you only drink water or club soda, some of the best networking happens in a bar.

Things NOT to Do:
1. Don't interrupt someone's meeting with an editor or agent in the bar or coffee shop. Some people prefer the casualness of the bar and coffee shop to the formal interview room.
2. Don't panic before your appointment. Do some breathing exercises such as four-square breathing. Inhale to a count of four, hold it for a count of four, exhale to a count of four, hold it for a count of four. Repeat with inhale. Breath deeply to the bottom of your lungs, not shallow, upper lung breathing. Just don't throw up on the editor/agent's shoes and you'll be fine. Be positive about your manuscript.
3. Don't let the lack of a request ruin the conference. It's just not right for this person at this time. Go to the bar and have a drink. Find a friend and cry on her shoulder. Go to Goody Room and get some chocolate. Then take a deep breath and plan where else to submit your manuscript.
4. Don't leave a conversation because you don't want to miss a workshop. Most of the workshops are taped and networking is everything,