Dear fellow ASJA Members:
While solid information about getting ready for Pivot Publish Prosper: ASJA’s 46th Annual Writer’s Conference and other writers’ conferences has been rampant throughout ASJA’s publications and website, I take a holistic approach. Like anyone who’s gone to at least one conference knows, I plan on arriving with a bagful of ideas and a full set of teeth. Also wise: Doing the groundwork of finding the least expensive and most convenient flights, accommodations, airport transportation (https://www.nycairporter.com, from JFK and LGA, leaves to and from Grand Central every half hour, as low as $28 round trip); and hanging out with attendees — usually native or transplanted New Yorkers who have been there a while — who can direct you to the tastiest and most reasonably priced dining and drinking spots.
But what about other considerations? Like getting enough rest, packing the right clothes, and getting yourself in that “sell, sell, sell” mindset even if your career seems stuck in neutral (which, is an even better reason to attend, because if things are going great, you may not need that extra push as much)? For example, even though I really enjoy it, I knew not to work at our local election polls May 2, the Tuesday before the conference, because it involves getting there at 5:30 a.m. and leaving around 9 p.m. A long day indeed, and I need to reserve all my energy and lung capacity for New York, which is marathon talk and networking fest.
The same goes for wardrobe. I told myself that this year I was not going to buy a skirt or a dress for Saturday. Because it gets worn once and sits in my closet until it no longer fits or is out of style or both. But after shopping said closet, there was very little in the way of business attire. So off I went to Kohl’s, coupons in hand. I scored with comfortable separates that will also carry me through a dressy family function slated for October. Unfortunately panty hose is also required. Men needn’t worry about wrangling with the damn things, although a wardrobe review might be in order for them too, as holey jeans and T-shirts touting a favorite sports team may not sit well with business-casual editors and content marketers. But like tattoos for both sexes, men buns and that “Duck Dynasty” mini-beard, a lax dress code might be acceptable and even beneficial, depending upon the generational mindset of the potential client.
But the biggest challenge — for me anyway — is mental preparation. How do I prevent myself from getting so caught up in enthusiasm and ideas that I lose perspective? Time is precious and limited for everyone there, so it’s important to maintain a clear focus of your goals going in, whether it’s to sell a specific book idea, get more content marketing clients and so forth. This is not saying to block out anything new and exciting — quite the contrary, a main reason for attending is to learn and get up on trends. But don’t get so excited about that one connection that seems to have great promise to the exclusion of other potential contacts who may pan out even better in the long-term. This requires keeping a cool head and open mind at all times, even though a fervent conversation with a book editor conjures up fantasies of a five-figure advance for a dream project.
Last, but certainly not least, I need to remind myself to remember to follow up and maintain every single one of those leads that have potential. Yes it can be hectic when you return after being away for four or so days, but reaching out while it’s fresh in the minds of future clients/editors is especially important. If you wait too long, they may have assigned the work to someone else. And continue to stay in touch, especially if you find a thread of commonality. Sometimes the seemingly flimsiest of connections can yield the biggest dividends…You just never know.
Regardless of whether you’re going to ASJA NY this year, hopefully some of these ideas will provide food for thought for future writing and content marketing gatherings. And speaking of ideas, please keep sending your story suggestions to me or ASJA Confidential. Happy conferencing and good luck!