OK, another thought: This conference has some truly fantastic panels. That said, one of the things I enjoy the most is continuing to develop friendships with other authors, editors, and agents. I spend a lot of time visiting in the hallways. It's not just social, though that is also a wonderful benefit. It's about the synergy from the other great people involved in different aspects of this craft. It's also about the true people and real relationships that are the hidden gem of this industry.
The industry's secret that everyone knows is that networking is key. The secret that we don't often think about is that we are real people, and that real relationships are the oil that greases the world's machine. Our relationships give flavor and joy to the entire process, the interaction, the smiles and jokes and deeper discussions that bring them to life. We aren't machines, despite my previously stated bad analogy. We are real people. How wonderfully that settles the nerves, brings enjoyment to my life, and energize!
I don't mean to get sappy. This is not about a family reunion, though it sort of is like that. It's about the fact that we so often work in the bubble of our homes, our offices, or wherever we sit to create. We grow taller through such relationships. We expand. I'm not just talking about our ability to write because we know more about the world. I'm referring to how it expands us as individuals and motivates us to help each other, to be more than just someone with a laptop. Real people interacting with real people become more than the sum of the parts. And that is what life is truly all about.
2 comments:
Great post, you never know when you talk to someone if could really help you out later on down the line and in turn when you could make all teh difference for someone else.
It was great seeing you there! Glad to hear things are going well. And I heard that the class you taught was packed. WAHOO! Sorry I couldn't be there to cheer you on, but I was in a different workshop.
Don't forget ... lunch with the Novel Thoughts group some time soon! :)
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