Writer's Resources - CONVENTIONS

If you are planning on pursuing writing as a serious occupation, make sure that you utilize all the best resources available, including the precious in-person relationships that can be developed at national writers' conferences or conventions.

This is your chance to meet agents, editors, publishers, peers, and (perhaps surprisingly) even fans! The first time someone I didn't know brought a book to me to sign and said they enjoyed my work (heart be stilled!) was at a convention.

Besides the in-person networking, you may be able to pitch your projects to decision-makers, and attend (or participate) in panel discussions, workshops, and other seminars in order to hone your craft. Besides the business opportunities, Con's are also just a great time to have fun with like-minded people over the course of one-to-four days.

Here are some of the better, or larger conventions, or those that particularly interest me, my interest being: horror, genre fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and associated sub-genres; these are listed in absolutely no order at all:

www.thrillerfest.com (Thrillerfest) - New York City, yearly

www.bookexpoamerica.com (Book Expo America) - New York City, yearly

www.worldhorrorconvention.com (World Horror Convention) - Rotates cities in North America, yearly

www.worldfantasy.org (World Fantasy) - Rotates cities in North America, yearly

www.fact.org/dillo (ArmadilloCon) - Austin, TX, yearly

www.campnecon.com (Necon) - Rhode Island, yearly

www.anthocon.com (Anthocon) - New Hampshire, yearly

www.killercon.com (Killercon) - Las Vegas, NV, yearly
http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks (L.A. Festival of Books) - Los Angeles, yearly
www.norwescon.org (Pacific Northwest Sci-Fi & Fantasy Convention) - Seattle, WA, yearly
www.britishfantasysociety.co.uk (FantasyCon) - England, yearly
www.stokerweekend2011.org (Stoker Weekend) - Rotates cities in North America, yearly
www.readercon.com (Readercon) - Massachusetts, yearly
www.midsouthcon.org (Mid Southcon) - Tennessee, yearly
http://bizarrocon.wordpress.com (Bizarro Con) - Portland, OR, yearly
http://www.horrorfindweekend.com/about.html (HorrorFind Weekend) - Gettysburg, PA, yearly
http://www.mocon.indianahorror.org (Horror in Indiana) - Indianapolis, IN - yearly
http://home.earthlink.net/~basfa/t39main.html (TusCON) - Tuscon, AZ - yearly
http://milehicon.org/ (Mile High Con) - Denver, CO - yearly

In addition, here is a link that lists another SIXTY conventions related to horror, fantasy, science fiction, film, etc. around the country.

http://horrorworld.org/msgboards/viewtopic.php?f=159&t=9440

Need more reasons to attend a Con? Read some great advice by Susan Denney at Writing-World: http://www.writing-world.com/basics/conference.shtml

 
Hope this helps, and keep writing!