By Angel Ackerman
The Pocono Writers Conference was hosted by the Pocono Liars Club at the Hughes Library in Stroudsburg, PA, on April 20.
WHY ATTEND: Structure of the event makes it convenient to select what you’d like to attend and stay within a budget. Talks all happen in the same room, with small workshops split into a conference room around the corner. Food not included but plentiful options nearby, even within walking distance. The library is gorgeous and has a small cafe.
The Pocono Liars Club does not charge dues, nor does the one-day event have an admission cost. Donations are encouraged. Presenters hold small sessions throughout the day for $20/per person, and the speaker receives all of those fees. That facilitates the one-on-one contact without big budget prices or production costs.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Presenters this year: Michael Ventrella, lawyer and author; Randee Dawn, entertainment journalist and author; Leslye Penelope, fantasy author; Lori Perkins, agent, author, publisher, and Josh Palmatier, anthology publisher (and math professor—talk about making the numbers work).
- “Lectures” were all in the same room, 45-60 minutes with a 15-minute break between.
- Topics included beginning your online, in-person and in-the-press marketing; world-building; submitting to an anthology, and an insider’s view of the last 30 years in publishing.
MAIN TAKE-AWAYS:
- Create a public persona for yourself. It will make appearances less exhausting. (Randee Dawn)
- Brainstorm 20 ideas for every project. The first 10 everyone will have. Throw those out. The last five are crazy. Throw those out. Work with the remaining five. (Josh Palmatier)
- Have multiple streams of revenue to survive as a writer. (Lori Perkins)
- The Internet is forever. So edit yourself and plan what you publicize.
- If someone has given you the time of day, go back [to them]. (Lori Perkins)
- Invest in Publisher’s Marketplace if you are serious about learning the traditional publishing agency. (This one came from Jonathan Maberry at the Write Stuff AND Lori Perkins.)
- Presenters at this conference recommended beta and sensitivity readers. Jonathan Maberry at the Write Stuff warned that sensitivity readers can often have an axe to grind and recommended being extremely diligent in your research instead.