the muse online writers conference

the muse online writers conference

The Impact of Online Writers Conferences on Aspiring and Established Writers

1. Introduction to Online Writers Conferences

The world that all writers knew changed dramatically in March 2020, and everyone began to notice the many virtual opportunities throughout the industry in less than a month. Many attendees who have difficulty and expense in travel to on-site conferences would greatly appreciate more virtual events in the future, plus those who are agoraphobic, shy, or who prefer to work from home. National Association of Writers in Education agents cited in “The Bookseller” Magazine say the “vibrant explosion” of online events this year will transform the whole sector and “change conferences and festivals in the long term”. Many, if not all, of the conferences also offer a blog or specific forum or a community, often with networking opportunities. Some offer the option of volunteering blog posts to share attendee experiences. These virtual events open new opportunities for many people who felt overwhelmed by newcomer writers and illustrators, industry professionals, and otherwise entering the sometimes overwhelming and uncertain world of writing for children.

Online writers conferences are now commonly accessed by authors, illustrators, and filmmakers in multiple genres at all career levels and of all ages. No matter what they’re called – classes, courses, webinars – there’s a growing demand for a great conference educational experience, thanks to the adaptation of the once face-to-face event into an online experience offered during the pandemic. As the number of online events multiplies more rapidly than anyone had predicted before the COVID-19 pandemic, a question regarding the quality and effectiveness of the literary experience remains relevant. Notwithstanding the stress and cancellations related to the pandemic, the book business adapted quickly to the new environment.

2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Writing Events

The effects of these conferences could further help a writer’s career. Virtual workshops are generally less expensive than in-person attendant workshops, which involve the conference fees as well as any equipment or gear the writer may feel is necessary to bring. Additionally, there is no need to consider – or budget for – travel, hotel rooms, or dining-out expenses likely to occur during an extended virtual event, all of which can dramatically increase the cost of attending an in-person event. In addition to these considerations, virtual conferences are friendly to the jaws of writers’ pocketbooks in a number of other ways. Outside of the more obvious benchmark costs listed above, virtual conferences remove any financial pressure to purchase the various amenities one would avail themselves of while at an in-person event. If you are attending a virtual panel or reading, for example, and happen to leave your knitting project at home, then no time or financial cost is lost. It’s also easier to grab a quick meal or use the bathroom when you’re already ensconced in your living room.

There are several advantages and disadvantages for virtual writing events. These low-cost, highly accessible online conferences offer a multitude of financial, geographic, and temporal benefits to both writers and event organizers. The low cost of transportation to and from the event allows writers to reduce their potential debt as they seek to further their careers in the literary industry, potentially opening their monetary resources up to other conferences, workshops, and classes geared towards career-related aspects, such as hireability in their field or how to better promote themselves.

3. Building a Strong Online Writing Community

Many elements of effective community building exist in online writers conferences. Commonly available only to the attendees of a physical event, these niche and often practical festivals (P3: Power of Purple Prose) or small, genre-compatriot-themed gatherings have of late begun to ensure a free, remote option. These online conferences trade on connections, offering hopeful writers the chance to meet editors and agents and learn from their collective experiences. Into the unique physicality of the on-site weekend, they inject offerings of a la carte online content. Outside of the event, workshopping, socialization, and connections are traditionally the most-mentioned benefits to conferences. They offer communal ties that motivate and mes-calize the power of many.

There is a great deal of informality in the online world, and not just with SMS-speak or pop culture references. Using the commonplace to produce trust creates a natural kindness based in a comfortable level of emotional intimacy, and this is something every strong online community should have. A tech-savvy, noncommercial approach should be implemented when building a writing community online. The web is your oyster; many social networks can be used to begin a writing community. However, no matter what medium a writer chooses, it should be something with which they are already familiar and in which they already participate. Moreover, these communities must have shared goals; often, they are designed around a common project.

While online accessibility makes it easy for writers to interact with one another, it makes it difficult for a writer to feel heard and understood by a member of their virtual community. Further, it barely requires a show of hands to point to examples – particularly on social media platforms – where writers more easily devolve into infighting, competitive boasting, and a general shaking of fists about industry complaints. Effective community-building employs clear strategies that go beyond simply giving writers a place to connect. Communities often rely on online interaction but should be built via contact in person or in other mediums as well.

4. Navigating the Digital Landscape: Tools and Resources for Writers

Writers write on a variety of platforms and use a variety of tools available to them. Among these are word processing programs such as Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Scrivener; design programs including Photoshop and Canva; blogging platforms such as WordPress and Medium; research tools including PubMed and JSTOR; social media, podcast, and YouTube accounts for reading or speaking their work online; websites offering tools for creating and marketing new work; and print-on-demand and online publication platforms, among others. Such a variety of tools available to the writer of literature today indicates that the writer is, in fact, already participating in the changing water around them, and it is no less important to be aware of offline tools a writer can use, such as choosing to write in longhand or on a typewriter, self-publishing zines and chapbooks, promoting work at local events, using library resources, and other community-minded forms of influence.

Technology and digital advancements are continuously changing the terrain of the writing world, offering myriad new resources and tools for writers to choose from. These can streamline processes, improve productivity, and enrich a writer’s practice and access to resources. Familiarity with these platforms and tools allows writers to use them to their utmost, improving their writing experience and outcome. Further, a better understanding of how technological advancements can affect the writer of literature can result in a better-educated writer and a greater reach for their work.

5. Case Studies and Success Stories from Online Writers Conferences

Case Study One: Writer and Screenwriter, Tamsin Mathias, shared with us that as a result of her 1-2-1 session with Literary Agent, Charlie Wilson, she secured representation with him. Her sessions with Charlie have empowered her to push her writing career forwards, and after connecting with him again at our October Meet the Agents, Tamsin reported back to us that her middle-grade novel has now landed on the editorial meeting table with one of the UK’s leading publishers. Prior to working with Charlie, she sought feedback on a script: “While I was sitting down to write this letter, I received an email from the final competition judge for The Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards. He sent notes on my screenplay. He shortlisted my story of a journey into a world of the unknown out of nearly 4000 entries. My goal now for this treatment is to get it to Charlie at Blake Friedmann, and for him to sign me on it!”

From participants of our online events

We asked some of our Twitter followers and social media users to share some of their experiences with The Literary Consultancy. Many of the responses below come from delegates who have attended the Salon London events over time. These case studies highlight the fantastic work some of our writers have gone on to achieve having worked one-to-one with a TLC reader and are published in their own words.

Case Studies by Social Media Followers

Two years ago, just as the world situation was changing, we decided to run a Virtual Fiction Festival on our site. Over an intense weekend of sessions with industry professionals, we discovered a community of writers who were open to discussion, collaboration, and excited about the possibilities in fiction writing. Since the first conference, we have now hosted over nine conferences, ten craft sessions, a virtual film festival, and are now listed as one of the major writers’ conferences on the 2021/2022 listings. On this page, you will find a selection of carefully selected quotes from writers about their experiences with The Literary Consultancy and what they took away from the sessions.