My First Literary Con

As a wannabe writer, I decided to take the leap and attend a writing conference. When I asked my friend, Lori Lake to recommend an appropriate conference for someone like me she didn’t hesitate to tell me that the GCLS (Golden Crown Literary Society) Conference would be perfect. She was correct, as usual.

The location? Disney World-Orlando, FL. Yes, Florida in June is HOT HOT HOT and let us not forget HUMID HUMID HUMID. Mix in a few thunder storms to top it all off! I digress …

The con was a mix of writers, readers, publishers – a welcoming and wonderful bunch of ladies! The incomparable Lee Lynch was the Keynote Speaker. I was spellbound through her entire speech. I’m honored to have heard her story. A true trailblazer.

The Con kicked off on Weds night with a “Meet and Greet” … free ice cream and toppings, sodas and water (oh, and a cash bar for those that required a little liquid courage in order to interact!) Mingling of newbies – dubbed “Con Virgins” – with all the repeat attendees was the intent of this first event.

GCLS Con was this aspiring author’s dream come true – I was surrounded by friendly, talented and awesome women from throughout the world. People traveled from Australia, Georgia, Israel, California, England, Missouri, Holland, Minnesota, Oregon and Ohio – these are only a few of the locales our sisters hailed from. A small contingent of ladies with a large geographic representation.

Hugs abounded between old friends and new. The workshops were awesome and the women amazing. We were like one big happy family. And after three days of workshops, coffee chats and panel discussions the event was capped off with the Awards Ceremony and dance afterward. Sunday morning there was a “good-bye” brunch and then the sad tearing down of the vendor tables and packing … hugging … saying good-bye to old friends and new.

I learned so much and feel so energized. A recurring theme I heard throughout the event is that we don’t write for the money … we write because we love to write. Writing is hard work – work that those of us who love it thrive on. In the end it’s not about the money. Writing is about telling a story … finding an audience who will enjoy our stories. Write what you want to read.

My summary of the Con:
The one clear message I took away with me was that no matter our level of success in writing and being published, there’s one core value that ties us all together and that is our love of writing. Words nourish, whether we’re
writing them for others to read or reading what others have written. That’s powerful stuff.

Thanks to Lori Lake and Patty Schramm and the rest of the Board for putting on an amazing wonderful conference. I’ll be back next year. Thanks, too, to all my new friends and the BABAs (you know who you are!) This was a powerful experience, interacting with so many talented women who respect each others talent and potential without question. I can’t wait for next year’s Con!

In the meantime – may the words flow …