“Words have the power to change moods instantly, and because of this, we should respect their importance.” – dimitrireyespoet.com
I had a very good March 2020 so far. Considering the fact that COVID-19 has made its way to New Jersey and my fiance, cat, and myself are all practicing safe distancing, I have plenty to be thankful for. We’re safe and healthy with a stocked fridge and bookshelf, plus I got my first chapbook award for my upcoming collection, Every First and Fifteenth in addition to attending my first AWP writers conference this year.
AWP stands for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs and has many resources throughout the year. Every year, they also have an annual writers conference in a convention style format where registrants have the change to listen to panels, attend readings, and buy books at an extremely discounted rate. The location changes from year to year, so if you are in the United States, there is a possibility that a conference can be coming to a state near you, though often times, writers from all over the country will make a mini vacation of it and travel to wherever it’s located.
Why Go Through All the Trouble?
AWP is like no other conference of its kind. The conference lasts about four days, runs roughly from about 9AM to 5PM every day, very big press attends it, as well as other book publishers, magazines, organizations, and universities, and there are also additional readings and parties that happen after the convention closes from about 6PM to midnight! As you can see with this brief explanation, AWP does in fact go BIG! And that’s what draws in such a large crowd of writers and those interested in being in the literary business.
Connect with Other Writers
Generally, AWP is the essential example of writing community because we know what it’s like to talk to non-writers. They just simply don’t understand certain functions of our lifestyle and that’s okay. Whether we are overcome with happiness when our work is published and we tout that poem with or without a check attached, or we spend 45 minutes determining where we should place a comma and laugh in elation when we decide we didn’t need it at all, no one will understand that satisfaction like another writer would.
Within the gatherings, a writer is bound to find another writer to talk to that is at a similar point in their writing journey but the best relationships formed are with writers who are less or more experienced than you. I say this because there’s much to be learned from that interaction. In mastering a content area, teaching and mentoring on the subject is an important milestone and talking to a writer who is less experienced offers to solidify your knowledge and pass down information. And if you are talking to a writer who is more experienced and has achieved some acclaim, there is a great value in that friendship and that’s how mentor/mentee relationships form.
Talk with Admins at Universities / Get Chummy (and involved!) with Organizations / Have Editors & Publishers Put a Name to a Face
The excessiveness of the header is to help illustrate just how packed these conventions can get. AWP is also an advantageous time to get in front of Administrators at a prospective university. When shopping around for MFA’s or universities that offer BA’s in creative writing for that matter, it may seem a bit overwhelming if you’re looking online. There might be many questions you have so you’ll spend time playing phone tag or incessantly checking your email for a response, but programs are often FLOODED with other departmental and university-wide dealings. Not to mention the fact that they’re tending to students. At the AWP bookfair, many of the universities have tables set up with information and will politely talk to you about what their school offers. If there’s a connection between you and their staff, I believe it can possibly put you in a better position when applying for the program.
The same applies for organizations and editors/ publishers of magazines, journals, and publishing houses. Whether you are trying to secure a fellowship, a residency, or you’re just trying to get published with a certain institution, visiting their table and talking to their representatives is a great way to do that. You will quickly realize that most of them are also writers with the same objective, and they’ll be more than willing to hear you out and possibly pay it forward if you are genuine in conversation— of course, I can only say that this will give you an edge. Knowing folx is only half the battle and you still need to be putting your best foot forward in the application and/or submission process!
Discover Different Books & Writers
Those running tables have to pay money to ship their books to the conference, and that can get expensive. As one of those people working for a publishing house, we were also trying to gauge a fine line between having a full table while not bringing more inventory than we can sell. Therefore, the books on the table are priced to sell as well! At AWP, books can be anywhere from 20%-50% off. At the AWP I attended in San Antonio, Texas, there was even a point on Saturday where the AWP staff had a blowout sale where books were $5!
While talking to the table attendants, you may even learn that some of their authors will be there for a book signing which is another great networking opportunity. *As an insider tip, when shopping around for publishers or journals, it’s always a good idea to talk to those who’ve worked with them in the past. This way, you can genuinely ask about their experience without much bias.*
Teespring
Patreon
