Dos and Don'ts of Attending a Writers Conference

As Writing Day Workshops kicks off 2025, we look forward to lots of success stories about agents and writers making a perfect match. 

Writers, we know attending a conference and pitching your work to agents can be nerve-wracking. You've worked hard on your book, and now you're going to put it in front of people who will judge it. One thing that can help calm your jitters is being prepared, not just to pitch, but to get the most out of your conference experience.

Read on for some dos and don'ts of attending a writers conference.

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Do:

• ​Prepare to take lots of notes. You'll get a ton of information during your sessions, and taking notes allows you to reread and digest the best advice you get from a presenter. 
• ​Wash and sanitize your hands, especially before your pitch sessions. 
• Phrase your questions during a Q&A in a way to help all attendees. Time during a Q&A with industry professionals is limited, so asking questions that apply to many writers benefits everyone in the room. If you have questions that are very specific to your book, see if you can talk with the presenter after their session is done. Some presenters may give you their contact information, which is a great opportunity to get an in-depth answer about your book. 
• ​Practice your pitch with a timer before meeting the agent. Your ten minutes to pitch can absolutely fly by. When you're prepared to pitch, you can make the most of your time and ensure the agent knows everything they need to know about your book to make a decision. Feel free to write it down and refer to your page to make sure you don't miss anything.
• Introduce yourself to your fellow writers. Conferences are a great opportunity to meet your fellow writers and grow your support network.
  

Don't:

• Bring a copy of your manuscript or pages to give to agents. When I worked as an agent, I always brought at least three pairs of shoes to every one-day conference. (I like to be prepared for any fashion situation!) There wasn't room in my suitcase for even one person's manuscript, let alone everyone I heard pitches from. You also don't need to give your business card to an agent. If they are interested in your book, they will tell you how to contact them during your pitch session.
• Pitch to agents outside your pitch session. If an agent sells out of pitch sessions before you can book one, contact the conference organizer. The agent may be willing to do a Zoom session with you or provide their email so you can send them a query, even if they are normally closed to queries. If you pitch to an agent outside your session, you may be making them late for a meeting with a client, a phone call with a publisher, or even their flight home.
• Assume that workshops led by writers outside your genre or agents who don't represent the type of books you write have nothing to offer. Classes on plotting, characterization, marketing, agent-author relationships and more can benefit all writers. A writer outside your genre might also have new insight you haven't considered, giving you the opportunity to take your book in a new direction.​

Attend a writers conference in 2025:

• Feb. 7-8, 2025: San Diego Writing Workshop (Online)
• Feb. 22, 2025 Las Vegas Writing Workshop
• March 1, 2025: South Carolina Writing Workshop
• March 7, 2025: Carolina Writing Workshop (Charlotte)
• March 7-8, 2025: Texas Writing Workshop (Online)
• March 8, 2025: Carolina Writing Workshop (Raleigh)
• March 14, 2025: Alabama Writing Workshop
• March 15, 2025: Atlanta Writing Workshop
• March 15, 2025: Writing Workshop of South Florida (Fort Lauderdale)
• March 22, 2025: Oklahoma Writing Workshop
• March 22, 2025: Chesapeake Writing Workshop
• March 22, 2025: Colorado Writing Workshop
• March 28, 2025: Connecticut Writing Workshop
• March 29, 2025: Boston Writing Workshop
• April 4-5, 2025: Ohio Writing Workshop (Online)
• April 5, 2025: Toronto Writing Workshop
• April 5, 2025: Minnesota Writing Workshop
• April 11, 2025: Florida Writing Workshop (Orlando)
• April 11, 2025: Sacramento Writing Workshop
• April 12, 2025: Writing Workshop of San Francisco
• April 12, 2025: Florida Writing Workshop (Tampa)
• April 25, 2025: Kentucky Writing Workshop
• April 26, 2025: Tennessee Writing Workshop
• April 26, 2025: Philadelphia Writing Workshop
• May 2, 2025: Arizona Writing Workshop
• May 3, 2025: Michigan Writing Workshop
• May 3, 2025: Writing Conference of Los Angeles
• May 9, 2025: Portland Writing Workshop
• May 9-10, 2025: Pittsburgh Writing Workshop (Online)
• May 10, 2025: Seattle Writing Workshop
• May 17, 2025: Cincinnati Writing Workshop
• June 13-14, 2025: California Writing Workshop (Online)
• June 21, 2025: Writing Workshop of Chicago
• July 26-27, 2025: New England Writing Workshop (Online)
• October 2025: Writing Retreat in Santorini, Greece
• October 2026: Writing Retreat in Tuscany, Italy

This post was composed by ​Carlie Webber, a certified professional editor and former literary agent currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Pepperdine University. Her favorite genres to read and edit include MG, YA, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and contemporary fiction. ​Carlie is part of the social media staff at Writing Day Workshops.

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