Anna and I have a conversation about the benefits and struggles of attending writing conferences. We talk in some depth about the 20Books conference that happened at the end of July in Edinburgh.
We agree that there are many benefits to attending events. They can provide the motivation to be more productive, to share and connect with other authors. 20Books was unique in some ways. There was a real collaborative feel, and it felt like every single person wanted to help others in some way.
It can be daunting to go alone and then there’s the cost of travel, accommodation and the conference itself. Overall, my experience is that the benefits outweigh the cost but it is worth considering a few things before you go.
Think about the purpose of the conference. Edge-lit and 20Books were two very different conferences; both valid in their own right. Like most things, you will get more out of the experience if you consider what you would like to get out of it beforehand.
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