Writers are a fun group of people! In many communities, writers periodically get together for food, fun, and entertainment!
In my local area, writers get together for a variety of events, so all writers can find something to enjoy:
- marathon writing sessions, where they write throughout the night
- speakers from the publishing industry, so they can learn more about an aspect of writing or publishing
- conferences, where writers of all types can find something of benefit
- classes, so they can spend a few hours learning about a particular aspect of writing
- socializing and networking events, times to just have some fun and intelligent talks
- contests, to test your writing skills and compare them with one another
- book fairs, so writers can make a little money off their passion
- … and so much more!
As a writer, what is your favorite type of event to attend?
April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.
She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published three books.
As a writer, my favor type of event to attend are conferences. Conferences are a great opportunity to meet people who are writers just like me and also to attend sessions from authors who have been there. Of course if the conferences last a couple of days, it is a great opportunity to spend time with your colleagues on a relaxed basis to get to know them better.