A Writing Adventure

Part 1: I went to a Christian fiction writer’s conference- specific enough?- last Thursday through Sunday. A lot of prep led up to the event. What grew from that preparing was a sense of foreboding.

I was spending a large amount of money and time for possibly no forward movement in my writing.

Would the documents I labored over be the right things to convince an industry professional- an editor or agent- to consider my work? Would the break-out sessions I signed up for be educational and helpful? Would the time away from my family during a very busy fall be fulfilling and restful? And most importantly, would I connect with other writers, find some like-minded crazy people, with whom I could collaborate, critique and jointly improve our work for the Lord?

Part 2:

The day before I left for the conference, a calm came over me.

I was convinced it was my response to the fact that I had officially run out of time. The documents I had been preparing were as good as they were going to be with the time and knowledge I had. I printed them- 38 flights of stairs that day retrieving them from the basement printer- collated, stapled, labeled, and tucked them into a portfolio. Before bed that night, I wrote a list of all the things I thought could happen at the conference. I did that back in June and at the end of that conference I was relieved to see so many good things checked off. Would this 300 person conference in San Antonio be similar?

Part 3: A Thursday morning ride to the airport and two flights brought me to the San Antonio airport where I searched for other writers to share a ride to the hotel. No luck. Self-talk ala SNL’s Stuart Smalley kicked in. It’s OK. Things are just getting started. Deep breath, chat with the Lyft driver, pick up the room key from the front desk and take a glass elevator to the top floor to find a room with a great view of the Riverwalk and the bustle of the city.

If I don’t connect with anyone, this will be a great place to rest and read, to reflect and write. No matter what, it’s a win.

In my registration materials I discovered I did in fact get two appointments- one agent and one acquisitions editor! The agent was the same person I had pitched to at a June conference; a follow-up with her was gold. And the acquisitions editor was from a major Christian publishing company that has already published gritty, realistic Christian fiction like mine so I was anxious to pitch to them! HOORAY! But, of the documents I had created for the trip, I needed none of them. Not one. With two potentially fantastic appointments, did that matter?

Part 4: Exhausted in my room at the end of that first night I wrote this:

I can’t say it’s been great. Dead space. Awkward silences.

I don’t want to encroach on return attendees’ fun, but I managed an awkward conversation with one of the two people I know and an introduction to the woman she was speaking to. It’s like I don’t know what to do with myself after introductions/ complementing the person I sought out to meet. I guess I thought a conversation would naturally flow… Should I have waited out the awkward silence? It makes me sweaty just thinking about it. Maybe Friday will be better. If not, I can certainly do all the things on my own- I’ve never had a problem eating alone in a restaurant or exploring somewhere on my own. But will I have to?

Part 5:

But Friday. Friday!

From start to finish it was an answer to my prayers.

I rose early enough to swim a few laps in the rooftop pool just after sunrise, the peace and exercise so soul-filling. At breakfast I connected with three other Ohio women who were also seeking connections. At the end of breakfast we made a plan to meet for dinner- a promise of a writer’s conversation for an entire meal! Later in the morning, I pitched to the publishing company- words rolling off my tongue and a connection with the editor as we spoke about other authors and Ohio chocolate. God stood in the peace I felt. The meeting ended with her requesting my manuscript! That’s not a publishing guarantee but the next step in this journey and I’m grateful to take it with this company!

Part 6: Saturday was as fulfilling as Friday: swimming, worship and prayer, informative break-out sessions, giant chocolate chip cookies, and a speed tour of the Alamo. A fancy gala closed out the conference and after, I met my new writer friends for a drink. That hour of fellowship ended with promising talks of possible future meet-ups to critique each other’s writing or plot novels together.

I rose early Sunday to fly home and while I waited for my ride, the managing editor of the publishing company I didn’t get an appointment with walked past me. If I’m supposed to talk to her, please God make it obvious. From afar I saw her walk out the door and hail a cab. It’s OK. It was a red letter conference anyway.

Forty minutes later and through airport security, I walked past a newsstand and saw the same editor perusing books. With my heart pounding, I approached her, asked if I could pitch to her, and delivered a slightly shaky, sort of stumbly (unforgettable- in a good way?) pitch.

When I walked out of the newsstand, I read the sign pictured here and was overcome by the realization that God had been blessing me and this time from start to finish.

Part 7: The list is highlighted now with what happened, and there’s only one “bad” thing lined in pink. But it was the solitary start that made the Friday connections so much sweeter, the successful pitch something even bigger to celebrate.

I am chagrined anew at my lack of trust in God, in His plan and provision, in my hesitation to pray for big things.

Someday I hope my hindsight grows into foresight and I start every adventure with the trust that regardless of what happens, regardless of the outcome, God has it all and all of it is good.