Conferences are a writer’s best friend.  Like a shot of much needed adrenaline to keep you motivated.  Listening in on “fellow crazies” stories, you’ll bask in their successes, and offer a comforting arm for their rejections, because everyone in the room wants the same thing—to make it in the publishing biz.

You meet industry experts that can offer real advice on how to make your novels better.  The critiques can be painful, but a wise writer will set their feelings aside and listen.  Nine-times-out-of-ten the expert is right, and your novel needs the slashing it’s getting.

My very favorite one is the Las Vegas Writers Conference that happens every mid-April.  Unfortunately, events in my life forced me to miss it last year.  And I felt the effects of that missed jolt of encouragement all year long.

This past week, I finally remedied the problem by attending the conference once again.  I want to thank the Henderson Writers Group for putting the conference together year-after-year.  Since I was once the Treasure for this group, I know on a personal level how difficult it can be.  But it’s worth every sleepless night, and headache they have to overcome to make it happen.  Writers everywhere need opportunities like this to better our craft.