Could this be an AWP?

When I heard about the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference in Seattle this year, I was 1) perplexed about why I didn’t already know about it and 2) eager to go investigate. So I signed up to help out with a vendor booth–Chanticleer Book Reviews, a company that provides author services such as manuscript overviews, book reviews, and contests of all kinds. They awarded me a Grand Prize for my mystery THE ONLY WITNESS, so naturally I have a fondness for Chanticleer, and the company provides opportunities that are especially valuable for indie writers who are blocked from some  paths available to traditionally published authors.

Feeling a little insecure here

I was curious why I didn’t already know about AWP, because it’s one of the largest writing organizations in the U.S. I got my answer shortly after arriving, as I wandered like a lost puppy through the endless maze of displays: AWP is mostly a gathering of MFA types, with emphasis on academic programs for literary writers. I learned during the first few presentations that most of these writers spoke a completely different version of English than I do. (I’m still not sure exactly what “materiality” means, but it seemed to be a very important concept to some of the presenters, so I repeated the word as often as possible in my attempt to blend in.)

I repeat the word “materiality” and employ other camouflage techniques in an attempt to blend in

Although I was having a bit of a “stranger in a strange land” experience and hoping my rogue identity as a black sheep genre author was not immediately obvious to the surrounding literary herd, it was, as always, exciting to be among so many people who were simply enthusiastic about writing. It’s so wonderfully relaxing to be in the midst of other creative types, where I don’t have explain/defend my writing aspirations.

The dozens (maybe hundreds) of booths displaying literary magazines and advertising MFA programs made me a bit jittery. I did feel more secure when I saw the folks from Amazon who came to represent Createspace, Kindle Direct Publishing, and ACX were received warmly instead of being stoned by traditional publishers. In fact, although there were many small publishers present, I saw zero representatives of the big traditional companies. Although academia is generally the last to convert (one presenter admitted she’d never have landed her teaching position if her university knew she was planning to write novels for middle school kids), the publishing world is obviously changing, even for MFA grads.

I want to be as wise an author as Hugh Howey

One of my indie-published heroes, Hugh Howey, was there, too. I hope some of his incredible (and well deserved) success floated through our shared environment and attached itself to me.

On the third day, the public was admitted to the “book fair” (i.e., the hundreds of vendor booths, some of which actually had books for sale). Yay! My people had crashed the gates!

Me, talking to a video camera.

A couple of folks making a documentary about northwest writers stopped by the Chanticleer booth and interviewed/filmed me (I am not a natural public speaker; I hope I didn’t look and sound completely demented), another gal asked to interview me at a later date, and I met an enthusiastic (and successful!) screenwriter from L.A. who gave me some marvelous tips on how to approach agents about selling rights to my novels for films and television shows.

So, all in all, AWP was a positive experience for this genre writer, although it was mostly made that way due to the book-loving public of Seattle who flooded in on the last day. Eclectic readers and authors are clearly more my “peeps” than the MFA students (although I’m pretty sure they, too, will become comrades after they get a taste of what it’s really like to be a working author in today’s publishing world).

Resting up for the next conference and trying to erase the word “materiality” from my brain

Now, I’m exhausted and glad to be back in my quiet writing cave.

But I am really looking forward to the Left Coast Crime Conference in a few weeks. Murder, mayhem, sleuthing, where the mystery book fans come to meet each other and to meet authors–what could be better for a mystery author?

I’m on a panel of real-life private investigators who are now published mystery authors. I can’t wait!