 |
What a great Labor Day weekend! How did you spend your time off? Did you do something fun? (That’s a good conversation starter, by the way, because it invites the sharing of personal information.) For the third year in a row, I volunteered at the Hawaii Writers Conference, (the weekend formerly known as the Maui Writers Conference). |
Ahhh! 4 days of bliss for everyone who loves writing, books and movies. That would be me and 700 of my dearest writer friends.
When I attend a conference of like-minded folks, I’m never at a loss for words. (Not that that happens to me anyway. After all, I am the Queen of Conversation. <blush>) "Tell me about your project" got everyone talking enthusiastically. Notice the word project, instead of book. That’s because some folks were screenwriters and poets.
Here are some other good conversation starters you can adapt for your conference or group:
- Why did you come here? What do you want to get out of the conference?
- "What presenters have impacted you the most? Why?"
- "What good tips have you picked up so far?"
- "Have you had any consultations with publishers or agents? What did they tell you?"
- What’s the next step for you, writing- and publishing-wise?"
The key to a good conversation
Ask for more information on any given topic. That means you gotta resist the urge to blab about your own project, your own favorite authors, until your turn comes. Did my turn come? Yes. Everyone was curious and eventually invited me to talk about my own coming E-book, Do You Squeeze the Toothpaste in the Middle? Playful Questions for Dates and Mates. I love how people smile when they hear the title.
Alas, the conference ended, and I am suffering from a serious lack of schedules, speakers, speaker-host teammates, authors and wanna-bes. But my dawgs are happy to see more of me than my coattails. (Does anyone wear coats with tails anymore?)
++++++++
Next post: Why you should volunteer. Special perks you might not know about.
==================================
Thanks for reading my blog.
- Tracey E. Bennett, Queen of Conversation