Decompressing After a Conference

 

By Andrea Merrell

I’ve just returned from the Asheville Christian Writers Conference (ACWC) at the Cove (the Billy Graham Training Center) in the mountains of North Carolina. The conference is two and a half days of worship, amazing keynotes, classes, mentoring, and one-on-one appointments with industry professionals—not to mention the incredible food and atmosphere at the Cove.

This year, 90 percent of our attendees were new writers or had never attended a conference. Needless to say, by the end of the conference most felt a little overwhelmed with everything they heard and experienced. It was truly a power-packed weekend.

As I think about my own experience at my first conference (BRMCWC) over fourteen years ago, I can totally relate. Some say that attending a conference is like trying to drink from a firehose. There is so much good information to take in, and we wonder how we will ever remember what we learned or how to put it into practice.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned writer, the best advice for you is to go home and take a few days off before diving in to your notes and to-do list. Take time to rest. Spend time with friends and family. Spend time with the Lord. Take a nap. Spend time in nature. Once you feel refreshed, you will be able to absorb and process everything you learned. Then you can return to your work-in-progress (WIP) with a new perspective and a new fire.

And don’t forget to go through those business cards you collected. Send a note to the new friends you made and stay connected.

Writing conferences and critique groups are critical for the writer. This is how we hone our skills and become part of a huge network of like-minded folks who get each other.

ACWC takes place in February. If you’re looking for a great conference, consider this one. You can get info at https://ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/. One of the best comments I heard this year was, “I feel so comfortable here. So at home. I feel like the staff and faculty really care about me. I will definitely be back.”

How do you decompress after a conference. We would love to hear your ideas.

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How do you decompress after a writers' conference. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)