Day Three - Opportunities, Missed?

(OR - Why I ditched the one workshop I really needed to talk to an already bestselling author for over an hour...)

This morning, I had plans to go to at least three workshops. Big plans. I spent the better part of my first day here pouring over the Conference book, searching for the workshops that related to what I 'needed'. In my opinion, I 'need' to learn about the business side of the house. I need to learn about editors and agents, promoting and pitching. Yes, I need to hone my craft, because, I can admit this - I am NOT the best writer out there. But I'm starting to believe some of you guys when you say that I'm pretty good. So the writing thing? I'm comfortable with my storytelling abilities, even though I know that I need to improve my craft. But that is an ongoing process. I mean - Jenny Crusie still talks about how she can get better, right?

I had it all planned out. I wrote down all the workshops I 'needed' to attend. I wrote them down by day, even though I didn't bring my Day Planner. I wrote them down in order by time, with the room number and the presenter, and the title of the workshop. I even had them in order of personal importance.

At 8:30 this morning, I was sitting there waiting for Joan Johnston to start her "Writing the Unputdownable novel" workshop. She passed out her books to a select number of people, and I got one. Then she told us that we'd have to SPEAK. In front of the whole room. About her topic. And it would be taped. I almost barfed. Almost. The workshop was fantastic. I learned a lot about how to start and end chapters that keep readers wanting more. Plus, Joan was fabulous. I will admit that I haven't read any of her books yet, but I WILL NOW. She made a fan in that workshop, and I am grateful for the knowledge that she passed to us.

At 9:45, I was ready for Anna DeStefano and Michelle Grajkowski to present "She Said/She Said: Communication Skills that can make or break your career". Honestly, it was refreshing to see someone of Anna's caliber talking about how GOSSIP IS BAD, and how the things you say and do can come back to haunt you, and how really, isn't it just as easy to be nice and PROFESSIONAL to people than it is to be rude? Plus, she talked about how a rejection letter is about your WORK, not about YOU. It was perfect. They were both professional, and it reminded me of mine and Charity's attitude about the review blog - Always Honest, Never Cruel, and how if we can't find at least three nice or positive things to say about a book, we just won't review it. Really great lessons to live by, and work by. And I have to admit, it reminded me of my friend, author Jennifer Talty, who has recently been handed a professional temporary setback that many writers have really ranted and raved about. But not Jen. At least not in public. I don't know what she says to her best friend, or her husband, or her bedroom walls, but I do know that anywhere her name is shown, in e-mails and blog comments and her own blog, she has remained the utmost in professionalism.

I was supposed to be in an 11am workshop, Honing Your Pitch:Making the Most of your editor/agent appointment. I was looking forward to this one. I needed this one, as I plan to pitch in New Jersey, and I have no idea how it is done. This is really the one workshop that I came to Dallas for. And I blew it off.

Yes. I blew it off. I walked outside and sat down, just for a second, to get out of the air-conditioning. And up walked Victoria Alexander. Just like that, I knew that I would stay there and talk to her for as long as she kept talking, no matter what I might miss. I could buy the conference CDs, but there was no way that I could pay $99 and have a personal conversation with her, without her having me arrested or something for stalking. So we sat there, for over an hour, and talked about her books, and about her career, and about my book, and other people's books. I told her what I liked in her books, which ones I really remembered. She told me about the next one of hers coming out, and the one after that. (Yes, I know who the 'last man standing' is. But I'm not telling.) I listened to her talk about how she writes, and how she doesn't write, and things that she wished she would've known, and things she was glad that nobody bothered to tell her. She even listened to me too, even though I'm pretty sure that I sounded like I was having a HUGE FanGirlSqueeFest at her expense.

She listened. I can't give a higher compliment than that. She knows that I'm a first timer. She knows that I'm nervous. She knows that I read and love her books. But she listened to me. She let me gush about her work, of course. But she listened to why I liked specific parts of her last book, she told my how and why she did certain things, and she listened to my reactions. She listened to me (no, not THAT one!), and I think she actually heard what I had to say. It was so nice of her to talk to me in the first place, but then to sit there and chat with me like I had something to say?

Then I remembered - I do have something to say. I'm her fan. I read her books. Not only am I a writer, I'm also a reader. Regardless of whether my writing career is anywhere right now (and we can all say that it's not too far. That's ok. It will go farther!), I am her audience. So of course she listened to me. I am the person that enables her to keep writing.

But also? She's just NICE. I mean, really, she's a NICE person. She's funny. She's witty. She's charming. Yes, those are all true. But she saw my little orange "First Timer" tag on my badge, and she spoke to me anyway. She didn't know that I'd read her books when she sat down. She had no idea that her latest book "What a Lady Wants" was the very last book that I read before getting on the plane, or that it's still on my front patio waiting for a re-read when I get home. She just saw me there and sat down, and opened up a whole world of possibilities for me.

That's what the past few days have been like for me. I've had some plans, places I thought I needed to be. But I made the promise to myself on the plane on the way here that if it came right down to it, I'd let myself free from those written plans, and follow the wind, if I had the chance. Sure, I'd choose the workshops that were smart career choices, instead of just going to the ones done by a speaker I loved. However, if it came down to rushing off to a workshop or chatting with an interesting person, I'd stay and chat.

So today? Was that workshop, that I've already heard RAVE reviews about, a missed opportunity? Not. Even. Close. I'm very glad to say that I totally ditched the one workshop I really wanted in order to shoot the breeze with an author that I've greatly admired for years. I needed to pinch myself a few times to make sure I was awake. I was. I still am.

I told you something BIG was going to happen. I made a choice, and I am confident it was the right one. I wouldn't trade a single second I spent with her. I'm actually hoping that I'll get more chances like that, opportunities to ditch my schedule and really connect with more people. That's what being here is all about after all. Right?

I'll keep you posted!