Agents and Editors

[CtrlZed]

If I can get it off work, I'll definitely be going to World Fantasy.  And the anime rooms was a joke (referring to goofing off) and not a way of convincing anyone to go or not go.  World Fantasy this year had a lot of Young Adult panels, too, with people who actually knew what they were talking about (unlike the Nasfic YA panels).  I don't know if that's an every-year thing, but it would be right up your alley, Fish.

[stacer]

Wow, no one told me that. Perhaps *I* should go to WF. And be on a panel.

[MsFish]

I'll have to consider it.  I really want to go to both, actually, but it's going to depend on the money thing, because I need to go to BYU's YA con this summer more than any of the others, so that one takes monetary precedence.  

[guitarbabe]

Hey, is the BYU YA con (I totally had to look up that lingo), is that in the summer? Someone told me there might be one next month? Is that just wishful thinking? We were talking about writer's conferences at this Schooled Magazine meeting and a guy totally thought there was one in March.

I DO know for sure that there's an LDStorymakers writing conference in March (I get to be a flunky and pass out fliers or something).

[Eric James Stone]

BYU's science fiction and fantasy symposium is next month: http://www.ltue.org/

[guitarbabe]

Oh wow! You guys really know everything, don't you? I'm totally going.

[Parker]

If you're into YA, Guitarbabe, then you might also have heard about the conference (not con) that BYU's having in a week or two.  Some big YA authors are going to be there--I think it's more of a symposium than a conference, really.  They have a week long writing conference in the summer that's totally worth it.  Dave Wolverton will be doing the Fantasy group this year.  $400 for the week, and there's usually at least one agent and one editor there, as well as many YA authors who know what they're talking about.

MsFish--is that the one you'll be going to?  Which section?  And yes, I plan on going to both WorldCon and World Fantasy this year.  I feel like after the response I got last time, I'd be dum not to.

[Peter Ahlstrom]

Guitarbabe, another good source of marketing research is the Writer's Market book. Suprisingly, though, they don't have one geared just to SciFi/Fan

Actually, there is. They don't update it all that often though.

[Eric James Stone]

Parker, where can we find details on the upcoming YA writing conference?

[stacer]

Hm, is the upcoming YA conference/symposium (not the one in the summer) new? It wasn't around when I was there, I think. Very cool that they're focusing on it.

I've thought about coming down for LTUE, and did go so far as to ask if work might find the possibility of paying for my airfare down, but I'm thinking it probably won't happen. Actually, looking at CONduit's schedule (if I were to pop down for a local con--I have an author who lives in Spanish), it might be a little more interesting. Shannon Hale's going to be at that, too.

[Spriggan]

It's been around for at least 2 years, many of the out of town speakers stay at the Cotten Tree.

[Chimera]

The upcoming Children's/YA con that guitarbabe has heard about may be the one I've gone to the past two years in March. It is not at BYU--it's at UVSC. It is called the Forum on Children's Literature, and it is for teachers, writers, illustrators, and librarians. The link is here. I have attended twice and found it to be very good. If you are a student, it is the best deal around--I think it's like only $35 for both days, and you get fed. If you're not, it's a little over $100 I believe. Still probably worth it--because you get to meet an editor and local writers, plus the special guests--but still not as good of a deal as when you're a student (which is why I got to go the last two years no problem).

I found this event to be more organized and helpful than Nasvic (the con we went to last September). The nice thing is that they had an editor from a good Children's/YA press each year--Candlewick two years ago and I think HarperCollins last year, I'd have to check my notes--and both times the editors said, "Since you are at this con, anything you send to me you can mark as 'requested material'"--and they said this whether you talked to them or not in person, they just announced it to everyone. And the break-out classes are NOT panels, so people actually plan and put together good, helpful information. I recommend it.

If you can only do one, though, do BYU's YA Conference in the summer--the writing one. I went two years ago, and it was very good. Some people on the board went last year and didn't find the workshopping part as helpful, but you still get to meet two editors and an agent, and the afternoon break-out classes have lots of information usually. Besides, you never know when Chris Crowe might perform Britney Spears again--he did it two years ago when I went! Definitely worth the $400.  

[Chimera]

Actually, there is. They don't update it all that often though.

Where do you find it? I did a basic search on Amazon and came up only with the Children's and the General.

[stacer]

Ah, then, okay. I know about that one. That's the one I went to my last year there, and wished I'd known about it longer. I concur with Chimera's assessment of it--it's a very, very good conference, and it's sponsored by SCBWI.

[Chimera]

I just called the registration people for UVSC's Forum on Children's Literature (see above long post from me), and because I am defering for a semester and still technically a student, I can get the discount and get the whole deal for $35. Being a perpetual student has it's perks, I guess.  

I am seriously considering coming up and going to it. 35 bucks for a good con, you can't beat that. And the middle of March is probably a good time to go apartment hunting in Salt Lake, making my final decisions about where I'm going to live. So I may visit in March! Yay!

I'm also considering coming up for LTUE, but don't get your hopes up. It kind of depends on gas prices or if some friends want to carpool to Provo.