Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

If you second-guess yourself each time you send your words into the world, you’re not alone. You’re feeling what writers throughout the ages have felt, because it is a risk each time you click \"publish.\" Even if you’re viewed as an expert or thought leader handing down wisdom, your readers need to know they’re not alone. They need to see that you\'ve struggled and still found a way forward. Whether you\'re a writer who regularly reveals your ongoing messy life or you\'re someone who seems to have “arrived,\" your vulnerable stories offer hope.In this episode, I share some of my own experiences with being vulnerable as I encourage you to open up your heart.To visit the post that has all the information and links related to this episode (280), click HERE.ResourcesMy Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 1My Writing Life Beginnings, Pt. 2Your Writing as a Gift (includes the Scott Russell Sanders quote)What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your LifeUse What’s Happened to You, to Shape Your WritingLet Life Inspire Your Next Great Piece

Find your publishing home without losing your voice: Literary agent Deidra Riggs reveals insider secrets on breaking into publishing while staying true to yourself—especially for women of color and writers with unconventional perspectives.In this interview (episode 278), you'll discover...Insider secrets: Deidra reveals what draws her to a manuscriptAuthors' authentic voices: Deidra supports clients, helping them navigating publishing without compromising their unique perspectives and voicesPublishing reality check: Social media followers...do they matter as much as we think?Deidra's wishlist: Learn what genres Deidra's looking for (and how the main interest surprises her)Direct access: Deidra invites you to contact her directly with your work (a rare agent invitation!)I don't want authors to feel like they've had to make themselves smaller, change their message, change their voice or the essence of who they are just to get a book published." —Deidra RiggsAbout This EpisodeEver wondered what literary agents really look for in submissions? Or how to maintain your authentic voice in an industry that often demands conformity? Literary agent Deidra Riggs shares some of publishing's hidden realities while sharing her journey from writer to agent at Embolden Media Group.This isn't just another "how to get published" conversation, however. Deidra reveals her process for deciding to work with an author, why this is a "risky time" for diverse voices in publishing, how she creates and searches for a nurturing "home" for authors (particularly women of color), and what makes her champion certain manuscripts in an increasingly challenging market.Guest Spotlight: Literary Agent Deidra RiggsDeidra is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Her extensive background includes writing, editing, and marketing for faith-based, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. She is adept at shepherding a group or individual to the successful conclusion of a project, offering clear and accessible tools and guidance. Deidra is drawn to well-told stories with fresh viewpoints.Whether fiction or nonfiction, she gravitates toward engaging, thoughtful, and creative first-rate narrative and out-of-the box perspectives that help us laugh, dream, heal, and grow (and go) forward. A Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), Deidra lives in Connecticut.The first thing I look at is when I read this first paragraph, Do I wanna read more? And if I wanna read more, then I wanna know, well, Who's writing this? And that's when I'll go and look. And if it says you have 57 followers, I will write you back and say, "This is great. I'm concerned about your platform." —Deidra RiggsTimestamps for Quick Reference0:00 Introduction to the publishing industry challenges0:58 Welcoming Deidra Riggs, a literary agent who cares2:07 Deidra's journey from writer to literary agent3:04 The influence of blogging on Deidra's path7:23 Deidra's transition to publishing books10:17 Joining Embolden Media Group as a literary agent12:22 Building relationships with authors and editors14:58 Creating a sense of "home" in the publishing process16:50 Handling rejections and providing feedback19:03 Assessing submissions and deciding to proceed22:17 Platform requirements and starting a conversation24:49 Discovering new writers and using social media28:17 Encouragement for finding a publishing "home"29:44 Exploring other publishing options31:09 Balancing social media and new content for books33:15 Deidra's current interests (it surprises her)35:10 Contacting Deidra and final thoughtsThe women that I represent write as women of color, so they're not trying to make anyone like them. They're trying to be who they are and put out a message they feel called and led to put out into the world, and that's a risky thing right now. —Deidra RiggsResources:Full Episode Information & TranscriptEmbolden Media GroupContact Deidra RiggsRelated: Interview with literary agent Lucinda HalpernCraft Your Best Book Proposal

A few years ago, a client came to me with an idea for a nonfiction book. She was ready to write a draft and send it to a publishing house. What she didn’t realize was that she was working a few steps ahead. Thankfully, we met early enough in the process that I was able to fill her in on the steps she’d need to take to pursue traditional publishing—allowing her to sidestep a lot of mistakes that would have slowed her down. Even though she didn’t need to write the entire manuscript before taking her next steps, her instinct to do so was to be commended. After all, how was she supposed to know about the ins and outs of publishing without any prior experience? Is it possible you’re also making one (or more) of the biggest mistakes nonfiction writers make—simply because you don’t know what you don’t know? Let’s explore—and learn how to avoid—the common mistakes writers make as they develop and complete their first nonfiction book. https://youtu.be/oD0-8Nu_CBY?si=2cGnPeYaCfYunUso Mistake #1: Writing Without a Plan A common mistake nonfiction authors make is attempting to write their book without a clear roadmap or structure. Often, within the first chapter or so, they realize the magnitude of the project ahead and overwhelm settles in—derailing their initial excitement. Without a defined plan or structure in place, ideas tend to sprawl and lack cohesion. The missing element? A book proposal—a necessary business document used in traditional publishing. For you and me, it serves as a plan to make your nonfiction book a reality. In a book proposal, writers define a clear thesis statement and outline the central argument that will be supported throughout the book. Writers outline the book chapter by chapter, creating a framework that ensures they’re crafting a message they want to share with their ideal reader. A book proposal also includes key elements that force you to think through details, such as the book’s purpose, its special features, and its ideal reader, which add to the plan and guide your research and writing. Writing without a plan is the first big mistake…and creating a plan is how to solve it. Mistake #2: Writing Before Deciding on a Publishing Path Another mistake writers make is writing before determining the publishing path they want to take. Before developing your manuscript, be sure to pause and consider if you plan to pursue traditional publishing or plan to self-publish. If you know you want to go the traditional path, then you need a book proposal, and that proposal will include sample chapters—typically about three for a first-time author. These chapters will serve as prototypes, guiding the direction and flow of content for the entire book. While not all of the subsequent chapters need to mirror the initial ones you turn in with your book proposal, they still set the foundation for the rest of the manuscript. If self-publishing is your goal, then you will need to fully complete the manuscript. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider creating a book proposal. Self-published authors often find it useful to work through parts of the book proposal, such as categories your book will fall into, which you’ll need for the back cover and in your Amazon or online listing. For memoir, specifically, you’ll also need a completed manuscript and a complete book proposal to submit to publishers with your own unique storyline and viewpoint. So, what publishing path do you hope to pursue? Be sure to consider the right path for your book before diving too deep into the process of writing. Mistake #3: Overthinking the Book & Not Writing Anything Overthinking a book to the point of paralysis is another common problem I see with writers. Some fear that they’re not going to be able to fit everything they want to say in their book. Other writers fear that their work has already been said by somebody else and there’s no reason to write their book. Either situation can shut a writer down before they even begin. If you find yourself here, go back to the first “mistake” and start crafting a plan. Create a framework for your book that addresses your reader’s felt needs and offers them the transformation they seek. Once you’ve done the hard work of creating a book proposal—determining your book’s purpose and how it will serve your readers—the actual writing of the book won’t feel all that complicated. Mapping out a book is like outlining and sets you up for success when you sit down to write chapters. The next hurdle is deciding how each chapter will flow. You could start each chapter with a compelling story or offer an anecdote as an effective way to engage readers. Stories are a powerful way to connect with your reader. In the paragraphs and pages that follow, you’ll support your claim or main purpose of the chapter through sub-ideas or topics. These supporting ideas and examples all are meant to help the reader understand the main message or big idea you are trying to convey. And then you’ll round it all out with a conclusion that ties it all together. With a structure to follow as you craft your manuscript, you’ll avoid the pitfall of overthinking and instead find words flowing on the page. Mistake #4: Not Asking for Help Soon Enough I see it all too often: writers wait too long to ask for help. First-time authors often work in a silo, not realizing their entire book doesn’t need to be written all alone. Take inspiration from Brené Brown, who shared her experience of writing her first book in an episode of Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert. For her first book, Brené didn’t isolate herself but instead gathered her team at a lake house. She taught the content of the book while incorporating their feedback and insights. This collaborative approach allowed her team to identify areas where her explanations fell short or where certain stories didn’t resonate, enabling her to refine her manuscript.1 In short, we write better together. You don’t have to write alone. Be sure to seek support and input early in the writing process. Talk through your ideas with a friend. Find beta readers. Build a team around you. By involving others you will not only find more enjoyment in the process, but you’ll be much more satisfied with the end result. From the Coach’s Desk Do you find yourself making any one (or more) of these common mistakes nonfiction writers make when writing their first book? Are you feeling a little stuck? You don’t have to let those mistakes hold you back from writing your nonfiction book. You simply need to make a plan to move forward and do the work. If a plan feels like a constraint to you, know that your manuscript will evolve as you move through revisions. You can adjust your plan as new information comes across your desk. You can insert new quotes or change the wording of a chapter’s claim to reflect what you learn along the way. That client I mentioned? I sent her a webinar about book proposals that helped her understand the importance of that document and how the traditional publishing industry uses it in the decision-making process. She watched it, and we ended up working together on her book proposal. She developed a strong idea that proved to “have legs,” as they say, and she landed a contract with an agent and a publisher. It all started with a plan. You can avoid all of these mistakes with your own nonfiction book project if you have a plan too. Resources: Book Proposal Coaching: blog posts, a free challenge, and my course options in one place Free Webinar (the one mentioned in the article): Craft Your Best Book Proposal Blog Post: What’s a Book Proposal (and why do I need one)? Comprehensive Book Proposal Program: Your Compelling Book Proposal (YCBP) FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR Craft Your Best Book Proposal If you have a non-fiction book inside you, the first step is to write a book proposal. In this training, I’m revealing what it takes to create this essential document. The webinar covers… ✅ why you need a book proposal✅ what a book proposal does for your book✅ the three things a publisher is looking for✅ how to start developing your own proposal! Sign up for immediate access! Footnote: Gilbert, Elizabeth. “Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert: Magic Lessons Se. 1, Ep. 12: Brene Brown on ‘Big Strong Magic.’” Libsyn.com, 2016, magiclessons.libsyn.com/podcast/magic-lessons-se-1-ep-12-brene-brown-on-big-strong-magic. (Start around 27:04 mark) Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

“A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource,” writer Jorge Luis Borges said in an interview, when asked about his blindness. “All things have been given to us for a purpose,” he continued, “and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.”1 You may be familiar with Kate Bowler’s book Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved, and you might think it would push back against the wording of this sentiment. Everything That Happens Can Shape Your Writing But I take the quote’s overall message to mean we can work with whatever happens, good or bad. In fact, that’s kind of what Kate Bowler has done. Her misfortunes shaped her art. This summer brought our family celebrations, gatherings, challenges, and losses. And they came so fast, I couldn’t find time to document them all. For now, they’re jumbled in my mind and heart. Reflecting on Highs and Lows The Borges quote encourages me to revisit the summer’s ups and downs when life starts to slow…to take my time as I capture the details (and emotions) of the chaos that whizzed past. Will you join me? As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with all that transpired. Were there adventures? Celebrations? Humiliations? Misfortunes? Embarrassments? From these “resources,” we, as writers, shape: stories that resonate ideas that stick opinions that stir discussions advice that steers decisions revelations that open others to new perspectives We, as word artists, can transform all that happens to us into art. Transform Experience into Creative Expression As you reflect on the past few months—the moments you couldn’t control, the raw material of your life—consider how you can work with it. Explore your journal notes, expand on fleeting thoughts, and, with your creative flair, discover the meaning and purpose within those experiences. Whether they become part of a poem, essay, book, or blog post, see their purpose. “Remember,” writes Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. “that you own what happened to you.“2 Every event, episode, and experience contributes to your becoming who you are as a creative human. Every hardship, misfortune, humiliation, joy, success, and celebration is a resource waiting to be shaped into art. A Prompt to Capture Life’s “Raw Material” Use this prompt to tap into the raw material of your life: Something significant that happened to me is ______________________. This is what happened: ________________________. Use vivid language and specific details as you recall the facts. What did you see, hear, or notice? Here’s how it shaped and changed me: _____________________. How did this experience shift your perspective, behavior, or beliefs? What did you learn about yourself or the world? This is how I connect it with how it made me feel, deep down: _________________. What emotions did it stir? Did those feelings evolve over time? Here’s how I can use the experience in my creative life: __________________________. Could it inspire a story, poem, or essay? What universal themes does it touch on? Your Creative Prerogative The details may stay in your personal journal while the experience finds its way into your body of work in more subtle ways. Your experience and insights may simply inform your work, your style, your ideas without being your work. Or you may write it “slant,” relying on metaphor to hint at its impact. It’s your creative prerogative to shape it as you wish. Because the experience shapes you, but you shape it, as well. ____________ Join us in Your Platform Matters (YPM) YPM is a warm and welcoming membership community committed to creative, meaningful ways we can grow our platform and reach readers—check us out! Resources What Lies Beneath the Surface of Your Life? Ep 173: [Interview] Patrice Gopo on Meaning Making on the Page and Studying the Craft Writing Quote: writers write…to relive life (Donald Murray) Write to Discover – Start with Yourself Footnotes: Borges, Jorge Luis, and Roberto Alifano. Twenty-Four Conversations with Borges: Including a Selection of Poems: Interviews, 1981-1983. Lascaux Publishers ; Distributed by Grove Press, 1984. (15) (quote first spotted in James Clear’s newsletter: “3-2-1: On Growth, All-Or-Nothing Mindsets, and How Great Art Evolves with Us.” James Clear, 17 Oct. 2022, jamesclear.com/3-2-1/june-3-2021?rh_ref=294c7014. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024.) Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.‌ (6)

When I was a child just beginning to speak, my parents drove late into the evening to the rural property they bought. As they drove up the gravel driveway, the sky spread out above us with stars glittering like a million diamonds spread out on a jeweler’s vast black velvet display. Across the fields, a million lightning bugs hovered in the tall grass, their gleaming bodies flickering on and off. I pointed at the sky. “’Tars!” Then I pointed at the field. “Baby ’tars!” Perhaps I was destined to become a poet from early on, but my confidence in landing on that perfect metaphor virtually disappeared over the years. As a young adult, when I was writing books and blog posts, I rarely integrated metaphors into my writing, and it showed. My work was straightforward. Plainspoken. While there’s nothing wrong with clear writing—in fact, that’s the foundation of nonfiction according to Ayn Rand (clarity first, then jazziness, she says1)—it lacked punch and pizzazz. My writing didn’t lift off the page and sink into the imagination or heart of the reader. It lacked that magical moment where an idea or image clicks and sticks with the reader. Mastering Metaphors to Produce Great Writing And I knew mastering metaphors was essential to great writing. I did write poetry in college, admiring lines like Emily Dickinson’s: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul –2 Shakespeare’s: All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players;3 And Wordsworth’s: “I wandered lonely as a cloud.”4 Robert Frost said, in an interview in The Atlantic, “If you remember only one thing I’ve said, remember that an idea is a feat of association, and the height of it is a good metaphor. If you have never made a good metaphor, then you don’t know what it’s all about.”5 Practicing Metaphor: Create Clunky Metaphors to Land on Magical Metaphors I resolved to make a good metaphor. I practiced. My early efforts were hardly as magical as the child connecting stars to lightning bugs. Instead, they were more like a child pointing to a horse and awkwardly pronouncing, “Dog!” My metaphor practice felt clunkily childish instead of enchantingly childlike, but I had to make clunky comparisons to train my brain to find the oddly ideal ones that would surprise readers. In a Paris Review interview, William Gass said: I love metaphor the way some people love junk food. I think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically. And if anything in writing comes easily, comes unbidded, often unwanted, it is metaphor. Like follows as as night the day. Now most of these metaphors are bad and have to be thrown away. Who saves used Kleenex?6 The process of making metaphors and practicing at it will result in some stinkers. The bad ones, like used Kleenex, need not find their way into your work. Toss ’em. That’s what I’ve done. Most of my comparisons fall flat, but I’ve found it’s worth experimenting with mediocre metaphors in hopes of landing on ideal metaphors because when we nail it—when we find the language that connects—the reader remembers, relates, reads on, and possibly repeats what we say. I kept writing dumb metaphors until I found better, more creative, comparisons. Poets, like Gass said, “think metaphorically, feel metaphorically, see metaphorically.” We don’t have to be poets to play with metaphor, but we can follow their lead, studying their technique, admiring the rhythm of how they see and put it into words, like they’re fly fishing, casting their line, the rod in motion, repeating the flow until the rod bends, line taut. Our first time casting, we may end up with our lines tangled in the weeds lining the stream, but we’re out there, learning the process, finding the flow. It’ll come, in time, with practice. Collecting Magical Metaphors A smarter idea than bumbling around on our own would be to collect samples of metaphors that stick. I should have started earlier, to learn from mentor texts, from authors who know how to wield their pen like a wand to create metaphor magic. In the first chapter of The Writing Life, Annie Dillard tries on a stream of writing-related metaphors: “When you write,” she says, “you lay out a line of words. The line of words is…” a miner’s pick a woodcarver’s gouge a surgeon’s probe7 a hammer8 a fiber optic, flexible as wire…you probe with it, delicate as a worm9 Was she laying out her lines of words searching for the right comparison? Or is our line of words any one of those—or all of those—at any given moment? She looked at the line of words from so many angles, creating so many ways to think about our writing. Metaphor Is a Bridge Defined, a metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that it doesn’t literally denote, suggesting a comparison. Ideally, the comparison conveys deeper meaning and creates vivid imagery. Similes are similar, using “like” or “as” to make comparisons. Metaphors, however, assert that something is something else. For instance, “time is a thief” suggests that time steals moments from our lives, giving us a deeper understanding of its fleeting nature. In this way, metaphors are a bridge, providing an instant connection between two disparate places offering deeper insight to the reader who crosses over from one to the other. When I was at the Spring 2024 Festival of Faith & Writing, Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See and Cloud Cuckoo Land, delivered the final keynote. In it, he spotlighted the power of metaphor to bring ideas, scenes, and images to life. He reinforced this bridge metaphor by pointing to its etymology. “The etymology of ‘metaphor’ is ‘meta’ (across) and ‘pherein’ (bearing/conveying/carrying over)…A metaphor arrives and carries you across to the other side.”10 Metaphors Help Us See, Help Us Feel Metaphors carry us from one way of seeing the world to a new way of seeing the world. They have the power to transform our perception of the ordinary, revealing hidden layers of meaning and emotion. To help us see metaphors building their bizarre bridges, Doerr drew first from Virginia Woolf’s short story “The New Dress.” In “The New Dress,” Woolf delves into the psyche of her protagonist, Mabel, who’s been invited to tea: We are all like flies trying to crawl over the edge of the saucer, Mabel thought, and repeated the phrase as if she were crossing herself, as if she were trying to find some spell to annul this pain, to make this agony endurable.11 Mabel repeated that phrase of this idea of flies crawling over this saucer, and Doerr did, too, repeating the key image, nearly incredulous that this specific, vivid, odd metaphor works: Ladies at a tea party are like flies? Flies trapped in a saucer, trying to crawl over the edge? I can’t remember all the details Doerr covered in his wild, fast-paced message, but I managed to preserve this in my notes: “She’s trapped in the imagery. She’s wrapped round and round in the social and economic class.”12 This is the power of metaphors in literature—they can turn abstract emotions into concrete images, making the reader feel the character’s experience, enter it, and grasp it instantly as they cross the bridge from one idea to another: women at a tea party, like flies trying to crawl over the edge of a saucer. Clichés Are Metaphors Gone Bad Metaphors may be magic, but clichés are metaphors gone bad. Or, more simply, overused. The first time someone said, “It’s a piece of cake!” to describe a difficult task that was easy to pull off, they likely charmed the listener to compare a task with a piece of cake. Once upon a time, a gracious friend must have referred to an old situation that was forgiven and forgotten, and said, reassuringly, “That’s water under the bridge.” That first time, the other person must have visualized the hurt floating away and felt relief. But over time, as these expressions were repeated countless times—maybe over a hundred years in some cases—they’ve lost their impact and originality. Once-vibrant metaphors have become yawners, failing to pack a punch because they’re overused. That’s why editors are quick to flag clichés, pushing writers to find fresh comparisons that can surprise and engage readers. Steer clear of clichés, and practice building better bridges. Craft evocative and emotionally resonant metaphors instead of stale clichés that whiz past unnoticed. Ready to Tap the Magic of Metaphor? Think about a character in your current project or a personal story if you write nonfiction. What’s the main struggle or emotion? Now, find an object, animal, or phenomenon that shares a deeper connection with that struggle or emotion. Link the two to form the metaphor. How can you weave the metaphor into your narrative to enrich the reader’s understanding? Here’s an example: The main struggle or emotion: A writer struggling with writer’s block. Object, animal, or phenomenon: A locked door. The metaphor: Writer’s block is a locked door. Metaphor woven into the narrative: “Writer’s block is like standing at a locked door with no key, jiggling the handle, unable to access the creativity on the other side. Worse, if we manage to pick the lock, open the door, and peer inside, we discover the inspiration we expected on the other side still isn’t there…only an empty room.” Technically speaking, that sample is in simile format (I used “like”), so a short r...

Are you getting ready to attend a writers’ conference? Guess what? So am I! And I want to make the most of my time there, so let’s think through what will help with that. You’re likely going for at least two reasons: to learn and to connect. You might also be going to pitch your project. Let’s prep, plan, and pack to get the most out of this upcoming event, so you’re even better prepared to learn, connect, and pitch. And given that I work with a lot of published authors and speakers, it’s possible you’re one of the presenters. One day I might share detailed speaker recommendations, but for now I did weave in a few suggestions to make your faculty conference experience a little easier, too. Event Binder First, I should mention the Event Binder. This idea originated with Kathi Lipp on an episode of Writing at the Red House. Years ago I heard her describe what she includes in her “dossier,” as she calls it, and I’ve adopted and adapted the list to make it my own. I load it up with all travel information (printed out, obviously) like reservations, and confirmations; contact names and emails; an envelope for receipts; a mileage tracker where I can log each outing; a printout of the schedule; and more. If I’m speaking, I print out copies of my messages in case technology fails. That said, I do create redundancy by dropping the same information into a folder on my phone in an app like Google Drive or Notion. And I’ll save the key locations in my maps app so it’s a quick click and I’m on my way. If you’d like a list of what I have in my Event Binder whether I’m an attendee or speaker, head to ​annkroeker.com/conferenceprep​ to get a checklist. Research Speakers Hopefully you already read the session descriptions when choosing this conference and got a feel for the presenters and other faculty. Study the conference website Now, in the days before the event, study the website to learn about the organizers and faculty. You never know who you’ll be sitting next to at lunch or crossing in the hallway—knowing the team and speakers means you’ll be able to connect more personally during any random interaction. Follow and watch or listen to speakers online Find and follow key faculty on social media. Search YouTube and podcasts to find your favorite speakers. Listen to at least a few minutes of their interviews, presentations, or lectures. [Edited to add an excellent suggestion from writer Li Mitchell, who replied to my newsletter and suggested “joining presenters’ email newsletters (if they have them) and getting to know them through email before you attend their conference …because then when you met them in person, you would already have spoken through email.”] When you do this, each speaker will lift off the pages of the conference materials and seem even more “real” when you hear them tell a personal story about family or childhood in a podcast interview. You’ll get to hear their voice. You’ll see mannerisms if you see them on video. If you have time before the event, you could read one of their books. Write what you discover If you create an Event Binder, write questions to ask and details you learn next to their name and session description. If you need more space for key bits of information, grab a sticky note so you have more room to write. If the speaker says something that stands out—like a hobby, a school, or a trip you relate to in some way—write that down, too. These little notes are handy—if you brush up on what you’ve written before their session and meet them afterwards, you’ve got a conversation starter (“I heard you love Belgium—my husband’s from Belgium, and I love it, too!”). The more I learn in advance, the more excited I get about the conference. I hope you do, too. Find Friends who Plan to Attend Most events like attendees to use an event-specific hashtag on social media. In fact, they might tag you or share your posts when you share. If you feel comfortable sharing ahead of time, highlight the event by tagging the organization or organizer and use the hashtag—before you go to the conference. It’ll get your post in that feed and you might meet people online and connect with friends and colleagues in advance who search it and plan to attend, as well. It’s a way to get buzz going ahead of time and build anticipation. Prep & Pack The last and obvious thing you and I need to do before the conference is…pack. When I take my time to ensure I’ve brought the items that will help me make the most of this event, it’s easier to relax and enjoy myself. Grab the binder, of course, if you make one. For me, it slides in the main compartment of my day bag that I’ll be carrying around all day. For me, it’s a backpack. You’ll want to choose your bag. Choose Your Bag (Mine’s a Backpack) If you’re physically able to carry a backpack and you don’t feel too…collegiate…toting it around on your back, I recommend it. Pack what you need for the day A spacious backpack will hold a laptop (if you take one) and/or an iPad-type digital notebook, paper, pens, a small lunch (and floss, for after lunch), snacks, gum or mints, business cards, water bottle, umbrella, portable power bank to charge a drained phone, and other bits and baubles—whatever you like to carry with you from building to building, room to room. Obviously we’ll all have different items we like to have on hand. Those are ideas to get you started. And something like a backpack gives you lots of slots to stay organized. Leave space for goodies Be sure to leave space for goodies, because you’ll acquire things while you’re there, like you might buy a book from the event book table, or freebies from exhibitors and sponsors, like free pens, water bottles, coasters, and the like. Whatever bag you end up bringing, leave space for swag. Is it unprofessional? Could be an advantage! One year I carried a ridiculous purple backpack. I stuck out and felt self-conscious, even unprofessional, but it’s what I had and it held what I needed. A dear friend and I were chatting after a session where she was speaking, and she noted my purple backpack. We joked about it. “Well,” I said, “it makes me easy to spot!” She was leaving a day early and wanted to say goodbye to me, but in the sea of attendees criss-crossing the campus, she assumed it would be impossible to connect with me again. She felt sad about it. Then, she saw a flash of purple. I heard my name. “Ann! Ann Kroeker!” I looked up and saw her waving with both arms, and I raced over to give her a huge hug. “I saw the purple!” she exclaimed. That purple backpack accompanied me to a lot of writing events. After that, I got over any sense of feeling unprofessional. In recent years—and I don’t know why—I eventually bought a new backpack. And it’s gray. So all these years later I still carry a backpack, but you’ll never find me in a crowd. Now I’m going on and on about this backpack, and I’ve dragged you into the weeds, but I’ll end by saying this: don’t go out and purchase a backpack—gray, purple, or otherwise—just because I’m talking so much about it. By all means, use what you have and enjoy. You know what works for you. Too heavy for your health? Find a rolling bag And as much as I love a good backpack, I know not everyone is physically able to carry one. In fact, I had lower back pain years ago that made it impossible, so for those outings I would borrow a rolling briefcase from my mom, which saved the strain. Books for Signings If you purchase books by faculty, take those along and see if you can find a time for the authors to sign them. Don’t worry if you didn’t have time to purchase speakers’ books in advance, because you’ll probably be able to purchase them on-site to have them sign. And of course if you’re speaking, coordinate with the conference to have your books available for purchase and see if they’ve planned a signing. Many conferences schedule author book signings for their speakers, and it’s always fun to enjoy that fleeting one-on-one moment with the writers you admire. And if you’re the speaker doing the signing, it’s wonderful to interact with people who are enjoying what you’ve written. In a smaller setting with no official book signing, you might try to find an opportune moment. If you’re chatting with the author, they seem relaxed, and there’s not a line of other people waiting for their moment, ask (but give them an “out” to say no). I did this with the late Phyllis Tickle, and she gladly signed my copy of her memoir and the series of The Divine Hours I pulled out of my backpack. I was glad I took them along. How Will You Take Notes? Consider how you like to take notes. I love typing up conference notes on my laptop, but sometimes I want to travel leaner so I grab my ancient iPad. It works, but the battery drains away fast. So it’s not the best option these days. Even fully charged batteries of new devices will eventually drain and WiFi can slow down when hundreds of people log in at an event, so I always take paper and pen, as well, in case the machines fail. In fact, I add extra lined sheets of paper in my Event Binder. It’s nice to have options, and analog always comes through. Plus, it’s quieter than tapping a keyboard during someone’s talk. Critique Appointments Some events offer critiques, where a publishing professional—such as a professor, agent, or editor—reviews your writing submission prior to the conference and meets with you to discuss its strengths and offer suggestions to improve the project. If you signed up for this, you will have already sent a digital copy to them prior to the event so...

Dear Writer, It’s easy to freeze up when we’re writing for the faceless masses or the random reader who happens upon our words. What do we say to all those people? How can we speak with heart to a total stranger? Next thing you know, we second-guess our ideas, our prose, our very selves. We fade to beige without saying what we really think, without being specific, without our signature wit and whimsy. What would that random person who doesn’t even know me think if I crack a joke? We lose our creativity, our passion, our joy. We freeze. We get stuck. We’re afraid to stand out, so we play it safe. We write dull, ordinary prose that could be penned by anyone at all, even ChatGPT. Unlock Your Creative Voice: Write a Letter to Your Reader One way to unlock creativity is to write a letter—a letter to your reader. And not just any nameless, faceless reader but a specific person you actually know. Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… When you think of the kind of person you’re trying to reach with your words, does Lissa fit? Good. Now, write her a letter about a question or struggle that she herself has voiced. Weave in ideas that can help. Encourage her with a vulnerable story. Add a little pizzazz that only you can include—after all, she knows you. She’ll grin at your joke and “get” your allusion. When you’re done, you can send her the note, if you want. Or you can cross out Lissa’s name and replace it with the type of person you write for: Dear Weary Homeschool Mom… Dear New Gardener… Dear Journaler… If that feels awkward to publish, cross off the salutation altogether. Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… I’ll bet you can find a great hook in your opening lines, and the letter-writing trick disarmed you enough to write fresh and real and personable. Writing a Letter to Your Reader Frees Your Natural Voice From the writer’s perspective, writing a letter to your reader can remove that feeling of writing to the faceless masses and instead invite an easy tone and thoughts that convey empathy and intimacy. J. Willis Westlake, author of an 1800s book about letter-writing, says: In other [writing] productions there is the restraint induced by the feeling that a thousand eyes are peering over the writer’s shoulder and scrutinizing every word; while letters are written when the mind is as it were in dressing-gown and slippers — free, natural, active, perfectly at home, and with all the fountains of fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.1 By tricking your mind into donning its dressing-gown and slippers, you can achieve that “free, natural, active, perfectly at home” tone, style, and voice. Your readers will love reading your “fancy, wit, and sentiment in full play.” Genuine Letters Contain Our Most Interesting Content And it’s not just our style, tone, and voice that letters unleash; it’s also the content itself. Westlake continues, “Though written, as all genuine letters are, for the private eye of one or two familiar friends, and without any thought of their publication, they nevertheless often form the most interesting and imperishable of an author’s productions.”2 In other words, these letters contain our “most interesting and imperishable” ideas. So why not write them as letters first? Discover Epistolary Writing This letter-writing format is labeled “epistolary” writing. And the epistolary approach is used more widely in published work than you might be thinking. For example, advice columns. Advice Columns Advice columns like the classic “Dear Abby” and more recent “Dear Sugar” dished out empathetic responses that addressed specific needs that were sent in from readers. The writer connected directly with the recipient who asked the initial question and with every reader who “listened in.” Epistolary Nonfiction Books Then there are nonfiction epistolary books, which invite us to peruse a letter exchange, and as we do, we feel we’re listening in on an intimate conversation. Recognize these letter collections? 84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff Letters to a Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke The Letters of Vincent van Gogh Epistolary Novels You may have read epistolary novels that rely on this format to create “an intimate space between the characters and the readers,” as the Smithsonian Postal Museum writes. “[Because] letters are usually intended to be a closed communication, the readers are allowed to peer into the relationship created by the author.” ‌“Epistolary Novels as an Intimate Space.” Si.edu, 2023, postalmuseum.si.edu/research-articles/epistolary-fiction-themes/epistolary-novels-as-an-intimate-space. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023. Here are a few novels in this format: Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes The Color Purple by Alice Walker The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson Letters Between Writers When I was a college student, I wrote to an author whose book gave me hope and instruction when I was struggling personally and creatively. I sent her a long, vulnerable, typewritten thank-you letter explaining how her book gave me inspiration, vision, and tools to pursue my creative life. She wrote back! In fact, her response was an exuberant typewritten letter even longer than mine. She included vulnerable details related to her own creative journey and urged me to move forward. We continued to exchange letters over the years, and each one she sent answered questions and gave me advice for writing…and for living. Letters Capture Our Most Creative, Interesting Ideas We almost published these exchanges as a book in the epistolary format—maintaining the format of letters. Had we published them, the “interesting and imperishable” ideas from my mentor—in the intimate form of our correspondence—would have remained. Readers could have listened in, as it were, to our interactions. They would have received her insights for themselves even though she typed them out first just for me. So the letter-writing structure can be an interesting experiment if your recipient is open to letting your notes (and possibly their responses) be shared with the wider public. Write Your Reader a Letter Today Picture your reader—that specific person who comes to mind. The reader whose specific problem you understand. Open an email if you need to trick yourself even further and put that person’s name in the recipient line. Relax. Write to her in a conversational tone. Say what you’re truly thinking. Express empathy, tell a story, offer a couple of ideas. By shrugging off the sense that you’re writing to “everyone” and instead addressing just one person, you’ll feel free to be creative. Your writing style will produce more authentic and engaging content. Tweak or delete the salutation, copy the text into a newsletter, social media post, Substack, or blog post, and then… Click publish. I’ll bet that genuine, heartfelt note will sparkle with your true voice and resonate deeply with your readers. Sincerely yours, Ann Footnotes: Popova, Maria. “How to Write Letters: A 19th-Century Guide to the Lost Art of Epistolary Etiquette.” The Marginalian, The Marginalian, 21 Dec. 2012, www.themarginalian.org/2012/12/21/how-to-write-letters-1876/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. Ibid (emphasis mine).