I completely forgot about AWP and recently figured out it’s coming up based on the Instagram posts I’ve been seeing. I will not be attending. My reason? Mostly poor planning. I’ve attended twice, one time as a presenter, both times feeling winded. You get this textbook with all the events and you attend a ton of things and you say hi to people and then you get roped into dinner. The stimulation is enough for me to hibernate and recover for a good month after.
This season, with the conference upon us, there are lots of posts with recommendations on how to navigate AWP. Here are my thoughts on it, but also thinking about AWP in comparison to other writing conferences.
Readings over panels. Obviously, you go to AWP to attend the daily presentations and panels. You know you have to sometimes sacrifice one you want to attend for another. Perhaps it has to do with time and the set up of the space, but I feel the craft panels don’t carry the same weight as the panels that touch on more practical matters, such as getting an agent or finding artist residencies.
That’s not to say the practical ones can’t be disappointing, too. I attended one session about alternate day jobs for a writer outside of academia. At the time, I was drowning in part-time teaching gigs at colleges. The panelists consisted of two copywriters and one woman who was the Executive Director of a nonprofit. I don’t recall getting any real information about how to explore careers outside of academia and I left that session discouraged. My main thing about panels is that I recommend you attend, but don’t expect that it’s going to be a life-changing conversation. Attend the ones that interest you—or better yet, go attend and support the ones where you have colleagues presenting.
Now when I move outside of AWP, and consider other smaller conferences like HippoCamp, I find that the panels are wonderful. Perhaps the smaller conferences are more selective in the presentations they accept, but I filled my notebook with ideas after those sessions.
When it comes to AWP, the readings are a fabulous way to get to hear work from peers and to interact with other writers. It’s low-stakes, a great atmosphere, and a wonderful way to get to know different literary journals. Speaking of which, here’s the info on an Off-Site Reading by Hypertext. They’re cool people, I promise.
There’s also the following reading by Women Who Submit for the release of their newest anthology Transformation. One of my essays is included in this lovely collection and this reading will be full of stellar writers. Another great event with a wonderful community.
Visit the Bookfair. Some smaller conferences have this too, but for AWP, this is quite the experience. I loved walking around different stalls to chat with the editors and readers. It’s a great way to better understand the type of work they are looking for, and also to get to know them as people. If you’re looking at presses, learn about the kind of work they are publishing. What books are coming out and why did they choose t to publish them? Mingling with the people behind the bookmaking industry can help you figure out where you would ideally like to have your writing in print.
Support local bookstores. There’s usually a stall or two for a local bookstore and that’s the best time to splurge. Give them the love!
Take time for yourself. Conferences can be so overwhelming, with all the people you meet up with, get introduced to, etc. You worry you will be miss out on if you dip. Be sure to get some alone time if possible. Head to a cafe or relax in your hotel room.
In my experience with attending conferences, I let go of the feeling that I had to land an agent or jumpstart my literary career. That kind of mental pressure hampered my experience. Freed from that burden, I found I could handle the conference instead of the conference handling me. It is a lovely community.
Safe travels!
I’ve never been to a conference! One day I’d love to experience it. What are the small conferences you recommend?