Why You Should Participate in WriteOnCon

@lattefarsan on Flickr

It’d be cool if I started off this post saying that WriteOnCon 2013 got me my agent, but it didn’t. Technically. And yet, if I hadn’t participated in the online conference last year, I might not have finally gotten The Call I’d been dreaming about for years. Maybe.

I know that sounds a little contradictory. Allow me to explain.

WriteOnCon2013 took place from August 13-14, 2013. For those who don’t know, WriteOnCon events are like online writers conferences. They include giveaways and excellent forums in which writers can critique each other and ninja agents and editors can make requests. It’s pretty fabulous, and this year it’ll be happening again on August 26-27, 2014.

Back to my point.

Last year when the conference started, I was in the middle of edits on my then-titled Sci-Fi SLAVE & SIRA. I wasn’t yet ready to query, but I’d edited enough that I felt comfortable sharing my first 250 and query-in-progress to the forums, where public critiques were going on.

And holy wow, you guys. The feedback I got? SO HELPFUL.

By the time WriteOnCon was over, I’d written over eight drafts of my query letter (I honestly lost count) based off the feedback. I changed things around in my first 250 and tweaked it until most of the problems were mostly resolved. And I critiqued more query letters and openings than I can count.

I’m not going to say when WriteOnCon was over, my query letter and first 250 were spotless. They weren’t, and I still revised my query so many times over after all was said and done. My opening has also had more than a couple minor tweaks since last year, too.

However! I can’t deny that my query and opening was absolutely better after the forums ripped them apart. And considering it was my first 250 that later piqued my now-agent’s interest (followed by the query shortly thereafter), I am super ridiculously grateful for my experience with WriteOnCon2013.

So if you’re querying, or will be querying soonish, I seriously recommend you make a point of checking out WriteOnCon2014. And even if you’re not querying, there’s so much to be learned from public critiques (even if you only critique and don’t share your work), that I still recommend you take some time to check it out.

It’s an absolutely wonderful opportunity for writers to meet other people (I also found a CP during WriteOnCon2013!), improve their skills, refine their work and maybe even get some requests (I didn’t, but I know of many writers who did). Don’t miss out!

Have you ever participated in a WriteOnCon event? Will you be participating this year? Why or why not? 

Twitter-sized bites: 

#Writers! Are you participating in this year's @WriteOnCon event? Here's why writer @Ava_Jae says you should. (Click to tweet)  

Debating whether or not to participate in @WriteOnCon 2014? Here's why you may want to consider it. (Click to tweet) 

Public Critiques: Terrifying and Totally Worth It

Photo credit: Peter Alfred Hess on Flickr

With Write on Con gearing up for their annual online writer’s conference (August 13-14), the critique forums have recently opened. This is a great opportunity for PB, MG, YA and NA writers to get their queries, first 250 words and/or first five pages critiqued, as well as a chance for writers of all genres and categories to practice their critiquing skills. 

I’ll be the first to admit that for the longest time, I found public critiques enormously intimidating. For years I glanced at forums and online critiques, but I never dared to submit my writing. Truth be told, I was terrified to post my work publicly, only to have it torn apart for all to see. And let’s be honest, it sounds pretty scary. 

But last winter I finally participated in a public critique session, and to my surprise, I loved it. 

The thing is, getting your work critiqued is always scary. Invariably, it stings, and sometimes it makes you want to hide your work in a hole where no one will ever see it again. But receiving and utilizing critiques is the fastest way I know to improve not only the critiqued work, but your level of skill in the craft of writing. 

That being said, public critiques can seem even more terrifying because you’re not just asking one person to tear your work apart—you’re opening it up for anyone who is willing to take the time to point out the flaws in your work. And it’s a little scary, yes, until you consider that you’re all in this together. Every person who critiques your work is looking for a critique as well (and if they critique your work, it’s good etiquette to take the time to critique their entries as well). Everyone is there to learn, and no one is perfect. 

The one downside of public critiques is that sometimes you’ll get conflicting advice—one person will say they love your first line and someone else will say to get rid of it, etc. But every time you show your work to more than one person, there’s a chance that you’ll receive conflicting advice—it’s a hazard of critiquing. In the end, it comes down to you deciding what’s best for your writing. 

I definitely recommend public critiques to writers of all stages. It’s a fantastic learning experience for all involved, and as a very nice bonus, you’ll end up with much stronger work by the end of it. 

Have you ever participated in a public critique? What was your experience like? 

Twitter-sized bites: 

Have you ever participated in a public critique? Here's why one writer swears by them. (Click to tweet) 

Public critiques may be terrifying, but writer @Ava_Jae believes they're more than worth it. And here's why. (Click to tweet)