Pikes Peak Writers just finished up their 30th Annual Pikes Peak Writers Conference. The theme was Wordstock ’23, 3 Days of Peace, Love, and Writing. As president, it was my job to shake hands and kiss puppies. By puppies, I mean the wonderful Oski, faithful companion and service dog to Chris Mandeville, but I digress already (easily distracted by books and dogs). I had the freedom to roam the whole conference area, attend whatever workshops I wanted, and run errands throughout the hotel for my fellow volunteers working the conference along with talking with conference attendees.

A whole lot of volunteers are required to put the PPW conference on, including our conference director, Jenny Kate, our MC, Bowen Gillings, our programming director Karen Fox, our bookstore manager, Laura Hayden (second in command, James Knight), our registrar, Charise Simpson, our sponsor coordinator Nikia Hunt, our pitch coordinator Cara Allen, our webmaster, Sharon Manislovich, our wonderful and talented ballroom coordinator and creator of our theme, Rebecca Glesener Davis (aren’t these decorations just groovy?), and so many more. I wish I could name everyone, but that would make this post very long. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped make this conference possible, including those that just jumped in and helped out at the spur of the moment.

I talked to PPW members, non-members, agents, editors, and writers of every level from novice, to hobby, to indie, to traditionally published. This post is aimed at those that are newer to the writing game, writers conferences, and what to do after drinking from the fire hose that is a writers conference.

1. Use the momentum of conference to your advantage. Use your enthusiasm to write that blog post, create a writing schedule, make your writing space as inviting to your process as possible, create an exercise routine, or, ya know, get words on the page. You can use the high energy of conference to help you for days, even a week after conference, which can help you begin to create good habits.
2. I take copious notes while at conference. My brain fog and memory issues have intensified after having Covid and my notes are more important than ever. My notes include everything from room numbers to notes from talking with other writers and the people that help us get our books into the hands of readers such as the wonderful Mark Leslie Lefebvre, director of business development at Draft2Digital. Who is both informative and entertaining and kindly gave me a whole lot of information about publishing anthologies with D2D. Prioritize your notes you took and take action on them starting with the most important. Add those book recommendations to your TBR pile, send a thank you note to those that helped you out, follow up with those you wanted to meet up with outside of conference. BUT don’t be an obnoxious stalker. Don’t send pages to anyone that didn’t specifically ask for them. Don’t add anyone to your mailing list that didn’t give you permission to do so. Don’t ask for favors unless you’re ready to return them. Don’t try to sell anybody anything.
3. Once you’ve got the post-conference work out of the way, it’s time for some pampering. Celebrate in whatever way your little writer heart loves.
4. Get writing! I want to see your book in the bookstore next to mine next year when YOU attend Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2024! You can get a friends of Pikes Peak Writers discount until the end of May. Pull out your flapper dresses, fedoras & channel your inner Gatsby! Check it out!
5. Questions: What’s the first thing you do when you get home from conference? What do you miss the most about conference and how do you hold onto that until next time?