Recently, I had the pleasure of attending my first writer’s conference ever—right from the comfort of my own home. The Writer’s Digest University’s Annual Science Fiction & Fantasy Virtual Conference was held online over one weekend in May using a combination webinar and online forum format. Attendees had 24/7 access to an online message board doubling as an information center to discuss their works, the conference, and more, while attending up to six live webinars spread evenly over the course of two days.

During this short but busy weekend, I learned a lot about writing—but I learned even more about what to expect, and what to prepare for, when it comes to attending these sorts of events. So I’ve compiled a list of writing conference advice and tips to help first-time attendees get as much as possible out of their conference of choice. Hope you find it helpful!

Writing Conference Advice for Virtual Newbies

First of all, a note: while this list is specifically geared towards virtual conferences, as that is the type of conference I attended, I think much of what I’m sharing here will apply to live, non-virtual events as well.

That being said, since staying in is still a safety priority for many of us thanks to you-know-what virus, virtual conferences will probably be pretty popular now and, hopefully, in the future. And I do think they are a great alternative for people who may be working with a limited budget or who lack local options and are unable to travel afar.

Without further ado—here we go!

Have a plan, but don’t get too attached to it.

To get the most out of anything, you have to know what exactly it is you want to get out of it. Do you want to focus on meeting other writers? Are you looking to build connections with editors and agents? Maybe you have a manuscript ready to pitch, or maybe you’re simply looking to learn a little more about your craft from the experts. Whatever it is, make sure to prioritize your plans accordingly.

That being said, know that even if your conference is virtual, things may not quite go according to your plan. Guests cancel. Technologies break. Life intervenes. I missed the entire second day of my first conference due to a migraine. (Thankfully, most conferences will share recordings with attendees unable to view the live versions, so I have those to look forward to.) So my first piece of writing conference advice for you is this: be ready to adapt your plans when necessary, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t quite to do everything you originally intended to. Just enjoy what you can, while you can!

Embrace the unknowns.

Maybe it’s just because I tend to be about a decade behind on reading new releases, or maybe it’s just because there are so many books getting published these days, but I hadn’t read a single thing by any of the presenters at the particular conference I chose. Now, I’ve skipped out on literary events before because of similar circumstances, but in this case, I decided to attend anyway, because (a) I knew, at least, that they were writing in, or at least adjacent to, my genre of choice an (b) because I was feeling a little impulsive.

I wound up learning as much as, if not more than, what I expect I would have from writers whose works I am more familiar with. In fact, I enjoyed David D. Levine’s lecture on “Using Sets and Props in Science Fiction and Fantasy” so much that I am now determined to track down every book and story he recommended to us—and his own works as well. So not only did I learn about sets and props, but I expanded my reading horizons a little bit, too.

Don’t let shyness silence you.

Listening attentively is a vital part of getting the most out of a writing conference, but so is speaking up when the time is right. At my particular conference, everyone seemed a little hesitant to use the message boards at first—until one brave soul (not me) finally started a thread about getting to know each other, and thus the floodgates opened. But what if she hadn’t posted? It’s possible we all might have let a valuable opportunity for connection pass us by. And who knows—at your first convention, it might be up to you to take that first step.

Moreover, don’t be afraid to ask questions during panels or webinars! Good presenters know there are no such things as bad questions; some just require more creative answers than others. So don’t be afraid. Ask. You never know what you might learn.

Take notes—lots of notes.

If you don’t want to write them down, feel free to take screenshots or dictate notes after the fact. Even informal journal entries will do. But do something, besides just listening, to really cement what you’ve learned in your brain. Future you will thank you for it.

And by the way, don’t just pay attention to the content of the presentations—pay attention to how the information is presented too. Which presenters did you like best? Why? Which panel pleasantly surprised you? Underwhelmed you? Motivated you to go write something? The reason for doing this is simple: someday, it might be you presenting at that conference. The more you take note of now, the better prepared you will be.

Attending a Virtual Writing Conference: Is It Worth It?

While I can’t compare my virtual experience with any other writing conferences, since it was my first, I do have some experience with the writing conference’s distant cousin, anime/comic book/fantasy conventions. And I can say, with reasonable confidence, that there is something probably lost in translation when attending a writing conference remotely, rather than in person.

However, I am pretty satisfied with what I got for the amount that I paid for it. About $200 for six live webinars, plus some bonus materials, and exclusive access to the online message board isn’t bad, given the quality of the presentations and the convenience of being able to stream from multiple devices. It’s also really nice to be able to review panel recordings after the fact, something not typically possible with live events (at least not on an official level).

So while I would still very much like to physically attend a writing conference someday, yes, I do think virtual writing conferences are a great place to start, especially if you’re not writing professionally yet, on a tight budget, or trying to stay home. And if you’re about to attend your first conference, virtually or otherwise, cheers! I hope you get everything you hope for out of it, and more.

As for me? I’m already looking forward to what’s next on my calendar… 🙂

Looking for more reading material? Check out my text-based interactive fiction game, The Harbinger’s Head, or try the free demo of my visual novel The Dragon’s Last Flight, illustrated by the lovely Odd Lazdo and available now on itch.io!