I’m attending Open Camp this weekend.

While people who read The Juggling Writer regularly may wonder what a recap about a conference focusing on Web technology has to do with writing, so far every panel discussion I’ve listened to has offered things I can do and use as a writer to get what I write seen by more people.

The first panel of the morning I attended was Giovanni Galucci’s (@giovanni) Practically Illegal Blackhat SEO Techniques. Giovanni asked that what he discussed not be shared, so I’ll respect that. I will say that while he discussed many ways for bloggers and other people online to get higher Google rankings, beneath it all was still a sense of, “You gotta make great content!” [My words, not Giovanni's].

What I liked even more than the tips Giovanni shared was his manner of presentation. It’s clear that doing frequent videos online and presenting all the things he discusses allows him to speak to a big group and get his points across. I think I learned more just watching him present than I did from the information he shared. A good example: he put the presentation together this morning–and he presented this morning!

Now, this wasn’t out of not caring about the presentation and rushing at the last minute; Giovanni likes including timely things in his presentations, and there were slides and videos shared for things that just happened yesterday, and that are happening today.

As a writer of mostly fiction, what I do is planned out and reworked over and over [and over and over].

But when it comes to blogging and sharing with the people who read my blog and follow my Twitter feed, Giovanni’s presentation was a reminder that I still have the ability to offer fresh content about things that just happened, or about to happen.

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The next presentation was by Cali Lewis (@calilewis), host of GeekBeat.TV. Cali’s presentation, Success with Multimedia, was one of the sessions I was really looking forward to, since I’m planning to begin podcasting next month, and since I’ve wanted to do more with video.

Cali discussed the importance of determining if you want to shoot for worldwide success in online media, or if you want to focus on things more local. After getting people to think about their goals with online multimedia, she discussed some of the pros and cons of blogging, podcasting, and video blogs and streaming video.

Of blogs, Cali said that the written word can be flat to many people. Obviously, as a writer, I focus on words. The point Cali was making wasn’t that blogs are inherently boring; it’s that unless you’re producing original content people want to read or need, there are better ways of getting your content seen online.

With audio, Cali talked about how hearing people provides a sense of meaning. We can hear the inflection in a speaker’s voice; we can tell that what might come across as sarcastic in print is actually meant as humorous when we actually hear it [my words, not Cali's].

When it comes to video, we can have a much stronger influence over an audience. Video allows us an easier way to evoke emotion and create a connection.

Cali believes that video is a conversation–even going as far as mentioning that some people admit to talking back to her when they watch the videos she produces.

While Cali loves video, she admits that it’s important to first figure out what it is you’re hoping to accomplish online, and then decide if video is right for you.

YouTube vs. RSS

Going with the theme of deciding the best way to use video online, Cali discussed the benefits of YouTube and RSS feeds.

For YouTube, Cali used Lamarr Wilson’s WilsonTech1 You Tube channel as an example of a successful YouTube channel.

If you’re creating random videos (one-offs), YouTube can be a great place to share your videos.

If you’re creating ongoing content, an RSS feed on a blog, iTunes, etc. may be the way to go. (If you’re creating something ongoing, giving viewers the option to subscribe and have new videos delivered is a better guarantee they will receive content than having them remember to keep visiting a YouTube channel.)

Of course, most people using video successfully online use a combination of a YouTube channel and an RSS feed. Again, it’s all about deciding what’s best for your needs.

Streaming Video

Cali said streaming video online is where things are moving at this point. Having the ability to have a presentation or appearance live, supported by a chat room where you can receive instant viewer feedback, really creates the connection and conversation Cali mentioned in her presentation.

Using social media in conjunction with any multimedia you’re doing online is vital. Cali can schedule tweets to go off while she’s streaming live to remind viewers to come to her site and interact as things are happening. Using media in combination with social media creates an even better sense of community and awareness that you’re out there doing your thing.

As a writer, I can see the benefits of doing more with audio and video. For published novelists, streaming video of limited appearances allows people in rural areas you’re skipping to still take part in the fun. Cali’s presentation left me with a lot to think about–definitely worth the price of admission to Open Camp!

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I also attended a couple other presentations this morning (Trey Ratcliff’s Clever Tricks for Your Blog and Scott Kublin’s Online Marketing Mindset), but they’ll have to wait until later. Right now, I need to get back to the sessions!

I’ll babble more this evening…

We’ve all heard people touting the importance of that ever-present writing buzzword: platform.

We’ve all heard that without a platform, you may as well give up writing, no matter how good you are.

We’ve all heard about how writers need a blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook account, a Foursquare account, a Gowalla account, a YouTube account, a Tumblr account, a Goodreads account, a blog on Amazon.com, a– well…you get the picture.

Without all these things, a writer stands no chance, right?

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I recently attended the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference.

I attended sessions with agents, many of whom have sold books for bestselling writers and work for agencies representing some of the biggest names in fiction out there.

And what did all these agents say about a writer’s platform?

We really don’t care. If a writer has a blog or Twitter following–fine, but a great debut novel from somebody with no online presence is easier to sell than just a good debut novel from a writer with a strong platform.

Granted, I didn’t hear every agent in attendance talk about how they view a writer’s platform, but all the sessions I attended featured agents, and this feeling about a writer’s online presence was unanimous.

This differed greatly from the general consensus at sessions focusing on social networking, where the feelings about a writer’s platform ran along the lines of this:

Without a Twitter account, you’re as good as dead!

(Disclosure: I’m basing this off of recaps I read and what I heard from people who attended sessions focusing on social networking–none of which featured agents.)

So who’s right?

I’m going to lean more toward the agents, since they are the people representing writers and selling their work.

Several agents said they encourage their writers to blog, but said if the writers didn’t, that it was no big deal. The only instance in which agents said a writer must have a platform is for those writing non-fiction. But if you’re writing fiction, the best thing you can do is just write a great book.

If you do that, it doesn’t matter if you blog, tweet, or let the world know you’re the Mayor of Taco Bell…

On Saturday morning, I attended the Why We Still Love Fiction session, moderated by John Pipkin.

Panelists: agents B.J. Robbins and Alex Glass.

What Makes a Book Good?

When asked what the panelists look for in good fiction, Alex said he wants a book that’s a “transporting reading experience.”

While both agents mentioned that readers are looking for an escape right now, even if Alex is reading something edgy that’s not the kind of book one would normally read to forget the real world for a few hours, he still wants to be transported to the world of that book.

B.J. Robbins agreed with Alex. There were several times Alex answered first, and B.J. mentioned that she was writing down a note to say the exact same thing.

B.J. said she also loves the voice of a novel.

Things Fall Apart

When asked where they lose interest in a book, Alex said there are two things that pull him out of the transporting experience:

1. Writers trying too hard with language and prose.
2. Pacing issues.

If the writing is forced, you’re going to lose most readers. Many writers try too hard to sound like other writers, or what they think a writer should sound like when they write.

Alex said he’s requested manuscripts that start off great and then fly apart or lost all the momentum.

B.J. joked that Alex was climbing into her head and stealing her answers because those are things that also pull her out of the experience of reading a good book.

First Novel Advice

Alex admitted that most first novels he’s read haven’t hooked him. (There are, of course, exceptions.) His advice to writers was to get that first novel out of the way. Maybe even two novels out of the way.

If you approach him and say, “This is my seventh novel,” and you haven’t been published, that’s also very telling.

Truth is Stranger than Fiction?

Alex advised keeping autobiographical elements out of novels. (I was happy to hear that — I’m not a fan of that, myself.)

Alex and B.J. said that they have often questioned something in an author’s pitch, only to have the writer say, “But this really happened!”

Here, John Pipkin said one of my favorite lines from the session: “We have no allegiance to the facts.” I like the line because I’ve always felt people who say, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” aren’t reading the right fiction.

All three members of the session agreed that the best fiction is fiction that’s truly made up. Perhaps pieces of things the author experienced or heard about make it into a book, but basing a work of fiction on your life is usually not as strong as a writer may believe. This lead to a brief discussion about writing as therapy.

B.J. said writing as therapy is fine if you need to write for yourself to get things out, but writing as therapy usually makes for a book that’s only interesting to the person who wrote it.

Alex summed it all up with the line: “We are creating a piece of art for a commercial market.”

Most of us don’t live a life worthy of commercial art.

Dialogue

When asked what role dialogue plays in fiction, B.J. said it should move the story forward or illuminate a character. People talking just for the sake of talking or showing how well you can handle dialogue isn’t good, either.

Alex advised avoiding exposition through dialogue. It comes across as forced, and the role of a writer is to have a natural flow to a book–not have sections leap out because they sound out of place.

When asked for an example of good dialogue, Alex recommended Richard Price.

Both agents agreed that the way people talk in novels and the way people talk in real life is different. The goal is to be well read and understand how dialogue in novels works, and do that.

Both agents recommended finding writers who write great dialogue and figure out what they do that’s so great (but not emulate their writing).

On Trends

Somebody in the crowd asked if people should avoid writing something if what they write has become a trend.

Alex’s reply: “Absolutely not.”

Both agents agreed that chasing trends is a stupid move, but if what you write with passion just so happens to be a hot thing at the moment, it doesn’t mean you should stop writing because it’s flooding the market. You should always write what you love.

Neither agent will look at your vampire book, but if vampires are what you do well–write about vampires!

When asked if people should write to trends, both agents mentioned the process of getting a book accepted to sitting on a shelf can take years. If you write for a trend, by the time your book comes out, that trend may be long gone and you’ll be seen as coming in at the end of a fad.

B.J. broke away from the discussion of trends and said, “Expose that weakness in a character that makes me care about them.”

If you do that, whether you’re a trendy writer or not, you’ve done a large part of your job as a writer.

Digital Publishing

Opinions about digital publishing varied from people I spoke with and listened to this weekend. When asked about digital self publishing, Alex said he recently discovered a writer who self published their work through Amazon on the Kindle. He decided to represent the writer and just sold a 3-book deal for them.

Now, this isn’t to say that if you self publish in a digital format that this will happen to you. This particular writer (he didn’t mention who the writer was), rose above others. Digital publishing isn’t the only solution to getting work out there, but Alex admitted that digital publishing gives writers more options than ever before.

Odds and Ends

A few things from my notes that didn’t fit into a particular topic:

Alex does a lot of editorial work with the writers he represents. He sticks with the people he believes in–if one book doesn’t sell, he’ll work hard to sell the next one if he knows he’s representing somebody good.

*          *          *

John Pipkin said, “How hard you work is no testament to the novel’s quality.”

I liked that.

I’ve known a lot of people in all trades who think simply working hard is enough. Think about the person at the day job who regularly works 60+ hours a week, but gets less done in a week than you do. The artist who takes a week to produce a simple drawing; the writer who spends months on a 2,000 word short story.

If you’re not getting better with each new project, simply working hard is not enough.

*          *          *

When he’s chosen to represent a writer, Alex wants them to communicate with him what they’re working on.

*          *          *

Alex said there’s no way of telling how storytelling works.

He loves the writing of George Pelecanos.

*          *          *

B.J. loves Nafisa Haji’s The Writing on My Forehead.

*          *          *

Both agents said they will only take on a book they love.

This was reiterated by every agent I heard speak at the conference.

While agents do consider the commercial appeal of books, they aren’t calculating creatures sitting behind a desk ticking off boxes on a checklist full of elements for commercial appeal.

Agents are people who work harder than most people can imagine. They spend their days wading through a lot of bad writing to find the things that make them and the rest of us still love fiction.

The Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference started Friday, June 25. I attended a pre-conference pitch workshop with agent, Rebecca Oliver.

Here’s a recap of the workshop for those in other agents’ workshops, or for people unable to attend:

Rebecca began the workshop by sharing 10 things agents often hear that drives them crazy. None of these 10 tips were presented in a sarcastic or mean manner. Unless she’s the best actress in Austin right now, she loves what she does, and part of what she does is work with new and established writers to help them get better.

This is the list she shared:

1. No over-the-top comparisons — Agents have heard, “I’ve written the next Twilight,” or “I’m giving you the chance to buy the next Harry Potter,” repeatedly. You haven’t written the next Twilight or Harry Potter. Pitch your book. If it happens to turn out to be the next something great — wonderful, but avoid the over-the-top comparisons.
2. Know who you’re pitching to — Don’t pitch your sci-fi novel to an agent known for representing only literary fiction. Do your research and know who you’re speaking to and what they represent.
3. Don’t bury the lead — Don’t charge into a blow-by-blow detail of your book and then finish by saying, “Oh yeah–he’s a vampire!” Strong hooks help writing; they also help your pitch. Make sure you include the important stuff up front.
4. Listen to what I’m saying…and not saying — The agents attending this conference are experienced. If they offer advice, don’t argue with them–step back and listen to what they are telling you. Also, read their body language. If you see you’re losing them because you’re talking about something too long, adjust your pitch to get their attention again. Listen and be aware.
5. Know what your book is — Don’t go to your consultation asking an agent to help you figure out how to categorize your book. If you write historical fiction or thrillers, know that you write historical fiction or thrillers before you pitch. It’s not an agents job to help you figure it out.
6. Be familiar with other writers in your category — If you write contemporary family epics and can’t name other writers who write similar stories, you might have a problem. Be familiar with the books and authors in the category you’ve chosen.
7. Don’t focus on trends — If you’re writing about vampires because vampires seem to be the hot trend right now, you’re not being authentic. Be true to your writing and don’t chase trends.
8. Don’t expect an agent to take anything away with them — It doesn’t hurt to have samples of your writing to share with other writers, but most agents don’t want to be handed a synopsis or sample pages at a conference. They have more than enough things to carry back home with them.
9. Come with questions — An example Rebecca used (imagine you’re speaking to an agent): “If you were in my place and an agent offered representation, what one question would you ask them?” Your consultation can be a great place to learn a thing or two, especially if you couple this tip with #4.
10. State of mind — Don’t show up expecting to have an agent or editor when you walk out of your consultation. If somebody likes your writing, they will request pages after the conference. Finding an agent can happen, but it’s probably not going to happen this weekend. Instead, get the most out of it. Ask questions–learn new things. Interact with other writers. Have fun!

Rebecca then discussed 4 things she looks for in a good pitch.

She looks for the Four Cs:

1. Connect — Don’t walk in and immediately start your pitch. Connect with the agent. Tell them, “I know you represent [insert author, here], and I’d like to talk about…” Know who the agent you’re speaking to is and connect before you pitch.
2. Context — Be able to make a comparison (just not an over-the-top comparison) with an existing book and your book. Even something as simple as, “I’ve written a horror novel that will scare the hell out of you,” can work because you’ve let the agent know what you write.
3. Compel — Who is the main character? What is the main story arc? If it’s a love story, is it playful, painful, awkward, or funny? Don’t tell the agent every detail about your book, but be sure to mention the compelling details that will grab their interest.
4. Credentials — Let the agent know where you’ve had short stories published. If you have a blog, mention it. Even if you don’t think you have credentials, you just might. Rebecca used this example: “I’m writing an upmarket women’s story about an artist who lives in Austin. I own an art gallery in the city and have been an artist for 20 years.” That bit of information about owning a gallery and being an artist lets the agent know that your writing about art will be accurate–those are your credentials.

Some random tidbits:

1. Don’t say you write literary fiction if you don’t. It takes an incredibly talented writer to pull off literary fiction, and literary books often don’t sell many copies. That doesn’t mean agents don’t want to represent literary fiction–it just means you have to truly be a literary writer if that’s what you’re claiming to be.
2. Write a 1-page synopsis of your novel. Turn that 1 page into 1 paragraph. Turn that 1 paragraph into 1 sentence. Now you have 1 sentence that tells everybody what your book is about quickly, in case you get the opportunity to mention it in passing.
3. When somebody asked about how important the marketability of a writer is, Rebecca said that good debut fiction is not so hard to sell (it’s that second novel that’s the tough one). The pitch is the book itself. If the writer has great credentials or a large online following, that’s great. But with debut fiction, a great book can beat a decent book written by a writer with a platform. With non-fiction, the platform and proposal are important.
4. Commit to a project. Don’t approach an agent in a consultation and say, “Well, I have these three ideas for novels…” and ask which one sounds best. If you have other ideas, commit to the one you’re most passionate about or your most current project.

One of my favorite things Rebecca said this afternoon: “I live your life everyday.”

By that, she means she is constantly pitching stories to publishers. Not just one thing like the rest of us, but several things at once–and her livelihood depends on it. She only gets paid when she sells books, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who attended her workshop who felt that she was incredibly friendly, genuine, approachable, and serious about what she does.

She won’t represent a book she doesn’t love.

She has moments in life when she gets nervous, too. (Like the first several minutes speaking to a group.) I think quite a few people found this information soothing. It can be easy to see agents as magical beings guarding a gateway to our dreams, but they are real people who love good books as much as we all should.

I’m not saying all these things because I hope Rebecca reads this and thinks, “That Christopher Gronlund guy is one of the snazziest suckups I’ve ever met!”

I don’t plan to pitch my novel to Rebecca because I don’t feel it’s what she’s looking for.

I’m saying these things hoping it helps somebody who has written what she’s looking for and may be a little nervous about their consultation. Rebecca is very approachable and understanding–there’s nothing to be afraid of; that is, unless you tell her you’ve written the next Twilight.

Good luck!

This weekend is the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference.

If you’re interested in what I’m up to, I plan to update my Twitter feed as much as possible.

If you’re interested in all the goings on at the conference, check out the #wltcon hashtag.

If you’re attending the conference and see me, please say hi–I’m friendly and probably more shy than you!

I hope people coming in from cooler parts of the country stay cool in the Texas heat. I grew up in the Chicago area; after 25+ years in Texas, I’m just beginning to get used to the heat! (Austin runs about 5 degrees cooler than Dallas/Ft. Worth, where I live, so this is like a cold front for me.)

I hope everybody attending the conference this weekend has a great time…and great luck!

I apologize for being so quiet, lately — I’ve been preparing for the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference at the end of the month.

I’m sure I’ll post an entry or two before the conference, but I wanted to let everybody know why I haven’t been posting regularly.

I hope everybody’s writing is going well; I look forward to getting back to regular updates after the conference!

For the past couple years, I’ve wanted to attend an annual writers conference in Austin, Texas.  Each year, there was always a reason not to attend (work schedules, finances, not having my third novel completed).

I gave myself excuses not to attend.

This year, instead of excuses, I’ve given myself a deadline.

I just registered for the 2010 Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference.

My goal is to have the fourth and final rewrite of the current novel ready to pitch and to enjoy a long weekend in Austin next June.

(If anybody’s attended the conference, I’m interested in hearing what you thought about it.)