Yesterday I attended ConTroll YA Under the Bridge, a Young Adult Literacy Conference. The best thing about it?
It was held in ADRIAN! Where I live! Nothing cool ever comes to Adrian.
I was sooo happy that I didn’t have to drive to Ann Arbor or Toledo, or even Detroit to attend such an event.
Some sweet stuff I picked up at ConTroll YA
The worst thing about it?
THE NAME.
“Con” apparently stands for conference. The “Troll” and “Under The Bridge” parts apparently just have to do with that we are in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, hence, UNDER the Mackinac Bridge. But, that is like 300 miles away.
Still confused? It was a conference that brought eight Young Adult authors, both contemporary and fantasy, to the Adrian Public Library for panel discussions, a workshop, and a book signing.
This was the first year for this event. It was evident, but everything seemed to run smoothly and I learned a lot.
I was kind of bummed that what was touted as a “Writing Workshop” turned out to be more of a workshop on traditional publishing. This would have been very informative for my asbestos friend, who wishes to take that route. Unfortunately, she did not attend. I would have preferred a workshop on the actual writing process, or self publishing. I learned about traditional publishing from the Ann Arbor District Library Emerging Writers Workshops that I attended, and from the 12 years I worked at the Borders corporate office. Granted, Borders mostly taught me about the end of the writing process, where your book is published, reviewed by buyers, ordered, allocated, replenished, marked Out of Print, and returned. That past knowledge was enough to convince me that traditional publishing is not for me. And the information I received yesterday strengthened that fact.
There was one self published author there yesterday, Eric Priuska author of “The Fireball Rebellion”. He offered up that he loved all the control he had with self publishing, but that the downfalls are that you have to do absolutely EVERYTHING yourself. Ya, I kinda figured that.
Great tips from ConTroll YA:
– An outline should act as your story’s GPS, and that it is more important to know what your plot points will FEEL like, more so than what actually might happen.
– All writers are narcissistic to believe other people will want to read what you created, and also an insecure mess.
– To market your book, you must be PRESENT, as in you can’t be obnoxious, but you also cannot be a wallflower.
– You have to keep real yourself, and your author self separate.
– An agent only gets paid when they get you a publishing deal. Don’t pay one out of your pocket.
– Don’t let in people who are not going to be supportive of your writing. (Guess who?)
– Every scene should have conflict & every scene should be moving the story forward.
– For every character, you should build a history, then know what they want and what they are willing to do to get it.
Every change I thought up to make to my novel while I was at the conference, I had talked myself out of again by the time I got home.
For the first year, I think it went great. I would definitely go back again next year. The room wasn’t full, but there were enough people that with two entries, I couldn’t win a door prize. And, as I sat in the seats listening to the authors in their panel discussions, I dreamed that maybe I would be up there next year discussing my YA book I am working on, The Wind Could Blow a Bug.
Books of the Authors who participated. Thanks!
Below are the authors who participated. I have added the links to their home pages as well. Please support them. I did.
K.A. Barson – 45 Pounds (More or Less)
Eric Priuska – The Fireball Rebellion
Kate Bassett – Words & Their Meanings
Aimee Carter – The Goddess Test
Courtney Allison Moulton – Angelfire
Leah Cliffored – A Touch Mortal
I also learned this week that Jack Link’s Sweet & Hot Jerky and Planters Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Almonds are a great compliment to one another.
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