Yes, it has taken me almost two weeks to recover from the GCLS convention. I got my drank, dance, and all that good stuff on. It wasn’t a pretty site and the scary thing is—there are pictures. Suffice it to say, I loved every moment of it.
The con wasn’t all fun, some of it was work. I had a sit down with my editor and I was able to discuss some of my concerns and goals surrounding my next project. Yes, I could have had the same conversation over the phone, but the eyes don’t lie and I truly think my editor was being honest with me in every way. It was both gratifying and exhilarating. The meeting was private, so I won’t go in to any detail, but that half hour was worth the price of airfare to
If you haven’t had a chance to visit a convention, I strongly recommend doing so, if only to meet some of your favorite authors. If you have a story to pitch, go for it. If you’re told that your story is not interesting, pitch it to someone else. But try to listen and do ask questions. Behind every harsh critique is a grain of truth, which might just make you a better writer. You’ll know you are a professional when you take that critique and use it to write a story, so good that they regret passing you up. You won’t find a more perfect "f*ck you" than success.
