Romance writers convention shows importance of networking

Jul 22 2009

Romance is not a genre I read, much less write about on this blog. But the romance genre is fairly large and has a fiercely loyal following, so it’s no surprise that romance is still doing well, despite a grim economy. Thus this is a genre that cannot be easily ignored or shunned aside.

This last weekend, the Romance Writers of America held their annual convention in Washington D.C. and, according to this article from Publishers Weekly, some large publishers forgot the hard economic times we find ourselves in:

Publishers who have been tightening their belts nonetheless threw their traditional cocktail parties at upscale venues, from restaurant Teatro Goldoni (Random House) to the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton (Harlequin, celebrating 60 years of romance publishing with strobe lights, a chocolate fountain, and an open bar).

I’m not criticizing, since these are authors, publishers, agents and others who have continued to produce books that readers are eating up, even in a recession. While these gatherings might seem a little lavish and over-the-top, conventions such as the RWA one, remain important tools for those in the industry, especially authors.

Cocktails aside, RWA is three days of hard work. Authors attend tense rapid-fire pitch sessions with agents and editors (one called it “speed dating for writers”) and countless workshops on the writing craft and the ins and outs of publishing. Hallways, lobbies, and the nearby bars and restaurants are crowded with people—mostly women—clutching piles of free books, handing out glossy promotional cards and pamphlets, and sharing valuable insider gossip.

I think that even if you’re not a romance writer, you can still learn from events like the RWA convention. Most importantly: Even as a writer it is still very important to get out there and network with others. No longer can a writer live the cliched life of a struggling artist who works alone. There are so many writers out there trying to get published that you cannot afford to ignore other writers and the industry as a whole.

From attending writing workshops to poetry readings and even book fairs and conventions, all those types of events (and there are a lot more than what I have listed) can be important networking opportunities for you. You’ll never know when you might meet that writing mentor you’ve been looking for. Or when you might meet that agent who loves the idea behind your novel and is interested in representing you.

I once heard an old wise man say: “It’s not what you know, it is who you know.” This couldn’t be more true for the publishing world. Even if you are self-publishing your novel, meeting the right people can launch your book into the stratosphere and even land you a traditional publishing contract (if that’s what your goal is).

How do you network as a writer? Let us know what your networking strategy is in the comments below, and whether it has yielded any fruit for your career.

One Response

My first published romance novel, The Road To Love, released in April and I would love to get some ideas on marketing from people a little more experienced than I am at this. We have done self marketing a little bit (bookmarkers, posters on community boards, etc), along with my publisher setting up webpages, but I would love a few more ideas that have worked for other published authors in the past.

Lisa Renee Faust

Lisa Renee Faust 7/23/2009 2:53 pm