Allie Pleiter is an author of more than 50 books, a speaker, and a writing coach.
How can someone get the most out of writers conferences?
You need to strike the balance between an open mind and a set of goals. I always try to make one significant connection at each event—something where you find a useful alliance, strike a chord with someone, or just make a new friend. And I try not to get overloaded with things I need to do. I aim for one solid nugget to apply from each workshop I attend. There will be dozens, but I can’t do dozens; and if I try I often end up doing none of them.
What’s your best advice for writers?
It’s always this: Just write. Craft is great to study, markets are important to understand, but nothing improves your writing like writing. There are no secret handshakes and no shortcuts. Get the words down on the page.
Please give us a snapshot of your class at Write-to-Publish, “Creating a Cohesive Career From Everything You Do.”
Writers today are far more like entrepreneurs than artists. We need to balance a number of elements in order to build a sustainable career. My class will offer guidance on how to build a diversified career that can withstand setbacks, capitalize on trends, respond to new opportunities, and gain strength over the long haul. With a little strategizing and thought, you can build the kind of diversified writing career that will serve you for many years to come.
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Interviewed by Susan Miura, speaker, freelance editor, and author of four award-winning novels and a children’s book.
Faculty Interview: W. Terry Whalin