WriteOnCon?

[trixie]

Hi!

I found out about WriteOnCon after the fact last year but listened to some speakers, took notes, and overall enjoyed the experience. Did anyone from here participate? I'm interested in participating live this year, but might have to take time off of work to make it happen so I'm wondering if it's worth it, or if I should just read up/watch after the fact. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

If you haven't checked it out, please do so. Not only is it free, but some of the sessions I followed last year were SUPER helpful. Please note: this is geared towards people who write for the under-18 audience. Children's, MG, YA.

http://writeoncon.com/

[CharleeVale]

I didn't know about this! I'm excited now!

CV

[maybegenius]

I attended several of the events last year. It was a lot of fun, and an amazing opportunity for people who would love to attend a kidlit writing conference but can't because of time/money/travel constraints. A lot of popular agents/editors/authors give live or pre-recorded video lectures that are interesting and helpful. The forums are a great place to get critique from fellow writers, and there are lots of opportunities to win cool prizes. Plus, if you miss anything, everything still there for you to go back and look at later! I recommend it if you're interested.

[Sommer Leigh]

I attended a couple of the events last year too. They were pretty wonderful and well run and awesome!

[trixie]

Great. Thank you so much for the responses! I'm going to make a decision on what I will "attend" live once I see a schedule posted. Either way, I will be tuning in this year.

Thanks again.

[Sanderling]

I'd never heard of this! So awesome! Totally waiting impatiently for them to put up this year's schedule now.

[Quill]

Totally enjoyed it last year.

Thanks for the reminder that it's happening again!

[Collectonian]

Writer Beware posted today about the contest being run in conjunction with WriteOnCon: http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/08/c ... oncon.html

[Ishta]

I loved WOC last year, and look forward to participating again this year.

As far as taking time off from work to do it, it depends on what you want to get out of it. If you have specific questions that you want answered by specific editors and agents, you should be there live. If you want to get your name, associated with intelligent questions and comments, in front of specific editors and agents, you should be there live. But if you just want to see what people have to say, and not actually participate, you can check in after the fact or whenever is convenient for you.

It's important to note that unlike in-person conferences, there's no "free pass" with this, except in the live query-critique segments with agents and editors where you post your query (or whatever they're looking at) in the thread and you see what they have to say about it. Unless you get contacted by someone, you don't get to submit your work to the editors whose events you "attend". So if that's what you're looking to get out of it, it may be worth saving your vacation days for an in-person conference.

But, again, it will be worth it for me - I like the experience of the community there, and I really like the critique forums.