Whew! That's done!

Today is the first of a year of Tuesdays  I'm not going anywhere. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to it.  I've been gone 20 of the last 60 days with travel and attendance at writing conferences and Bouchercon.

It's been fun for sure, but whew! 

As I look back on more than twenty conferences in two years I've learned a couple things about what I will and won't do anymore.

1.  I won't go to a conference that isn't located in the same city as the airport. No more three hour drives to the conference center.

2. I'm not keen on going to a conference if I have to change planes to get there. Schedule changes and delays on a direct flight are hell. It's hell to the second degree when you've got another city involved.

3.  I'm not going to a conference that doesn't vet the attending agents. I've been mortified to find myself on panels with self described agents who mostly swan around to conferences talking about writing techniques and demonstrate a puzzling lack of knowledge about how selling books actually works.

I certainly don't expect conferences to ask me whom to invite.  Some conference coordinators, like writers, can't tell if an agent falls into the swan category.  My only defense is just not to go.  I'm planning to be much more proactive about asking for the roster before I say yes.

4. I'm not going to attend conferences that focus on pitch sessions.  Pitch sessions are the least effective way to get my attention. It works sometimes, but I need  writing.  I'm going to say yes to conferences that make an effort to organize it so pages can be sent ahead of time. I'm also going to focus on those that let me meet with people for ten minutes and who are allowed to bring pages to the conference.

5. And I'm going to continue to say yes to CrimeBake in Deadham Dedham (thanks Abby!) MA sponsored by New England MWA and Sisters in Crime.  It's one of the very best conferences I've ever attended.  And I can get there on the train.

CrimeBake is organized by a troupe of writers and other volunteers who've made it their mission to produce an event that people like so much they come year after year. It's not uncommon to see "4th" "5th" and "6th" Crimebake on nametags.  

It's also got the very best conference bar. It's not dark, there's no live music, and only one television. There are several comfy benches, and lots of tables. The service is so slow it keeps us all there way too long and that's half the fun.

CrimeBake totally rocks.

If you want to hit a great conference in 2009, that's the one to hit.

They may actually pry me out of conference retirement...maybe!