WriterFest Nashville

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend my very first conference for writers. 

On the first day of WriterFest, I walked through the doors of Belmont University not knowing a single soul. In the spirit of full transparency, I was beyond nervous. 

The longest I’d ever been away from my 14-month-old was three hours, and this would be an all-day affair (two days in a row). 

Each day, I would need to pump at some point in the middle of the conference in an unfamiliar place. 

My current work in progress was still in the first draft phase and nowhere near ready to truly pitch. 

With those anxieties swirling overhead, I reached inward to drag 8-year-old Melinda to the surface. That little girl who was all knees and elbows wouldn’t have hesitated. She would have smiled easily, made friends quickly, and been elated to share her treasured stories with the world. I promised myself I’d “go for it” - ask the questions, introduce myself, and make the most of the experience. 

While I’m a naturally extroverted person, the fear of rejection or judgment in regards to the vulnerable process of sharing art can feel crippling at times. By nature, writing tends to be a solitary pursuit. We wrestle with comparison, self-doubt, the conflicting ideas in our heads, and converse with the characters we create, but we’re generally alone at our task for a majority of the process. This is by no means a complaint or a “con” of being a writer, but merely the necessary reality in which we exist.  

So what happens when you’ve been on your writing journey for too long without coming up for air? What happens in our brains when we become insular, never reaching out to others in an effort to broaden our horizons or deepen our understanding? Growth rarely happens in a vacuum, and I knew I needed to step outside my comfort zone in more ways than one.

Before I knew it, I was swept into a carefully curated schedule of events. I was met by a friendly staff and soon found myself surrounded by fellow authors, screenwriters, and songwriters at every level of the publication journey. The excitement in the air was tangible and with every minute that passed, my fear of rejection melted away. 

Before long I’d exchanged nearly every bookmark business card I’d brought.

By the time the conference was over, I felt like I’d found my people and a renewed sense of inspiration for my novel. The fire I’d been lacking was rekindled in earnest and I know the driving force behind it was undoubtedly connection.

The agent meet-and-greets, proposal pitch sessions, Q&A panels, and keynote speakers were all incredible. Two full days of industry professionals pouring into your craft? Words couldn’t do it justice!

I’m sure it will take me weeks to fully process all of the notes I feverishly took down; I felt starved for every bit of guidance from those who had walked the path before me. A moment that literally unraveled me was when Edwina Findley - actress and author of The World is Waiting for You - spoke such poignant truth into the captive audience. “What makes you unique is what will carve the path to your God dream,” she said. I know I wasn’t alone as I held my tears at bay. For anyone who’s ever wondered if their story was worth telling, her words were healing. 

I didn’t take myself too seriously and was able to laugh when I stumbled on my words in front of an entire session; it resulted in making new friends. I raised my hand multiple times in a Q&A even though the panelists staring back at me held incredibly intimidating resumes, and I learned some vital information I’ll be able to use in my future querying process.

In an intimate workshop with only eight other writers, I volunteered to share my proposal first to the elite literary agent leading our group, and she surprised me with positive feedback. I marched right up to every single agent during the meet-and-greet portion of the program to introduce myself and was pleasantly surprised to have two of them ask me to query them directly with my manuscript once it was finished. 

Everything that could have been a bump in the road became a blessing instead:

My baby had a wonderful time at home with my husband and mother-in-law. 

The WriterFest team and Belmont University’s HR department designated a comfortable, private room for me to pump that was located in the same building as the conference. 

I never felt out of place as an unpublished author or because my novel was still in progress. 

At the end of the conference, I walked back through the doors with a plan for my novel, new tools to utilize in my writing, and a feeling of belonging to a wonderful community of like-minded creatives. In a world that can often make you feel like you have to be something you're not, I was reminded of Oscar Wilde's quote:

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” 

WriterFest made me realize just how vital that sentiment truly is, and I aim to do just that.