Three Reasons to Find Good Writing Peers
By Cindy K. Sproles The wonderful thing about attending writing conferences is making friends. It can be a little intimidating, especially as a first-timer. We know few to no other conferees, meaning we shrink just a little. We may even wonder where that confidence went before we left home. Let's be honest. It's a little scary. This is why peers are essential. Here are three reasons to establish those people who become your tribe. Make a Friend When you walk into a conference, your priority is making friends. Sit next to someone and start up a conversation. I know, writers are introverts, and most of us struggle with those initial conversations. Carry mints or gum, pens, and here’s something you can say: "Would you like a _________?" The conversation will go forward from that icebreaker. At my first Blue Ridge conference, my arms were covered in poison ivy and wrapped in white gauze. It was all I could do not to scratch. I looked like a zombie. Who in ...
