LDStorymakers Midwest Conference: The Funnest Little Conference Around

You should know by now that I have a thing for conferences and conventions. They tend to scratch my social itch in a way nothing else can quite reach. Because of this, I have been to lots of them. More often as an attendee than a presenter, but with a round view of both, I think.

Over the years, my favorite conference has always been the LDStorymakers conference in Utah. During my very first one, I made some lifelong friends and found myself welcomed into the loving arms of the writing community, even though I was 100% green at the craft. The foundation I found with these people has become a rock to which I have clung through my journey as a writer, and also as an evolving person.

That said, it’s slightly possible I may have some bias toward conferences sponsored by the LDStorymakers. But if that’s true, then it stems back to my first conference with them, in which we had only around 70 people in attendance, and James Dashner taught a class about writing strong supporting characters (during which we had a fascinating discussion about Star Wars—but I digress). If you can picture small classrooms in a small-ish hotel, crowded with hungry, eager soon-to-be authors, that’s what I remember.

And it’s also what I found again at this year’s LDStorymakers Midwest Conference held in Kansas. Small, intimate, and attended by hungry, eager writers who are fighting through the bottle neck of publishing.

Guys. I have SO MISSED that intimate setting. I didn’t realize how much I missed that until I was there. Of course, as always, the classes were stellar, the bookstore run professionally and with a large selection of books, and the offerings fantastic. But even more, the social time was killer.

What else can I say, other than YOU SHOULD GO! If you live anywhere in or near Kansas and are wanting to learn more about writing and publishing, go. If you have to travel a little distance to get there, it’s still worth it.

I could keep trying to convince you, but instead, I think I’ll let some pictures do the talking.

Authorpalooza at the library the Friday before the conference. So fun!

Agent Sarah Negovetich and I entertaining ourselves by organizing Danyelle's bookshelves (thanks for being patient, Danyelle!)

Because it just wouldn't be right without a specialized treat run.

And seriously, what better people to spend the opening night of The Maze Runner than the people who I met the same weekend as James?

And after it was done--late night snacks at Denny's. Because, obviously.

Traveling buddies.

Our authorpalooza panel.

This one is my favorite. It kind of says it all! (aka You will sing, you will dance, you will make forever friends!)

You can learn more about the LDStorymakers conferences (Utah and Midwest) at www.ldstorymakers.com.

Do People Read Blogs Anymore?

I’ve been blogging for years. And when I say years, I mean at least eight. In that time, I’ve made a lot of really amazing friends and connections, some who are writers, some who are readers, others just fabulous support for those of us braving what was—at one point—new territory.

At some point, blogging was the “in” thing. Everyone who was anyone, or who wanted to be anyone, or who was hoping to someday become someone was being told to start a blog. To promote that blog. To gain followers for said blog. Not only that, we were told to set a blog schedule and stick with it. Blog consistently. Do whatever it takes to keep your readers interested.

And it was awesome. Bloggers all over the world suddenly became well known. They made money talking about the things that most interested them. Some of those bloggers are still making good money, blogging daily, and have a consistent and loyal following.

Enter Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest.

Suddenly, blogs feel a lot less popular. And it’s no wonder. These other places are a quick and easy way to connect with people and have actual conversations that don’t involve writing essays and leaving comments. And yet, some of us have kept at it. We’re seasoned, we’ve built our audience one by one (or some of us have) and we’re determined not to let our audience down. But as I’m looking at the future, at the amount of time/energy/dedication it takes to remain consistent, I wonder. Do people actually read blogs anymore?

If you’re here reading this, obviously you do. So why are you here? What keeps you coming back, and what do you forsee in your blog-reading future? 

2 Social Networking Peeves

You know what I’ve noticed? Social networking has become, like, the hub of our collective lives. Or, well, the dramatic parts anyway.

Take Facebook, for instance (just one of a great many examples). I can sign on at any time of the day, and with a few minutes of scrolling, figure out what’s going on with a lot of people. Theoretically, this should be the best possible place to get news or information about the people we care about.

Except for two things. (Well, there’s probably more, but I’m just going to highlight these two.)

1. Some people have discovered that these public forums are a good place to whine about their poor, sad existences in order to garner instant sympathy.

2. Others have discovered that these same public forums are a great place for publicity, and so they fill every post with, “buy my___” or “I’m doing this, come see me” or “I know you’re so excited about me, me, me”.


Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to post about each of those subjects occasionally, sparingly. But I also think it’s important to have other updates in between. Let’s face it, no one wants to see how poor picked on you are 100% of the time, and if you never post anything entertaining, or of value to others, it’s highly likely you’re about to get unfollowed, unfriended, or hidden. Or in the worst cases, maybe even blocked.

The same rule applies to self promotion. Social networking sites are perfect for it. But if the only comments you ever make are all about your book or product, and you never take the time to give back to your collective following (chat, say something funny, comment on the weather or other people's statuses, whatever), people are likely to be more annoyed than glad for your potential success.

But I’m not an expert. This is strictly an opinion (or rant) based on my own experiences and observations. So I’d love to hear what you think about this phenomenon. Do you think it’s important to balance our social networking updates or posts?