FRIDAY STIR FRY - Conference Time!!!

2013 ORACON



It's conference time for one of my writing groups http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/conference-2014/oracon-2014/

I love going to this event. We always have great presenters, inspiring and motivational content and great networking opportunities. It helps rejuvenate my muse. 

The last few years I've helped with the planning because I've been on the board - two years as secretary and this year as treasurer. It's fun and exhausting at the same time. But we have great volunteers and everyone wants this day to be a complete success. 

Four years ago I pitched to a New York agent and she requested my manuscript. What a thrill. I was so nervous, my voice shook and cracked as I gave her the summary of my novel Beyond The Horizon. After she said she wanted to see it, I walked on air the rest of the day. Unfortunately, she ended up leaving her publishing house and they sold and my book came back. But, I will never forget that thrill.

The next year: 

Not so good.
The agent I pitched to was less than thrilled with my story.
In the critique session with a published best selling author, she ripped me a new one for my choice of language and references to characters in a bar scene.
And then the final blow was a critique of a query letter I submitted for the Query Letter Gong Show.
It also got ripped apart.

But, I learned something even from that conference. I better get a thicker skin if I was going to succeed in this business. 

This year, I'm not pitching but I am getting a professional head shot from http://www.davisphotodesign.com/        Wish her luck trying to make me look pretty. :-)

Do you enjoy conferences or do you see them as a waste of time?

MOJO

I seem to have lost my mojo.
The original meaning of mojo was along the lines of magic spells and charms. But, the following definition is closer to what I'm feeling.

According to The Urban Dictionary:

mojo

N. 1. Self-confidence, Self-assuredness. As in basis for belief in ones self in a situation. Esp. In context of contest or display of skill. 2. Good luck fetish / charm to bolster confidence. 3. ability to bounce back from a debilitating trauma and negative attitude Yep, that pretty much sums it up. How did I lose my mojo? I'm going to attribute it to a couple of things. 1. Old age. and . . . Oh, lets just go with that. Old age encompasses most everything I'm feeling lately. I tire easily, my brain refuses to function sometimes, my joints tell me when the weather is changing. The thing is, I'm not really that old. I should have another good 20 years in me, but several incidents these last few months have made me feel like an aging prize fighter down for the count. The details aren't important. The bottom line is I don't want to do anything productive. And that includes writing. :-( I'm hoping it's just a phase and I'll snap out of it. 'Cause this is no fun. I want to write and I want to pitch to an agent at OraCon. http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/ SNAP OUT OF IT!!!! Have you ever lost your "mojo"? And if so, how did you get it back?