Tag Archives: Flathead River Writers Conference

Flathead River Writers Conference Recap – Part 2

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by Debbie Burke

Two weeks ago, I reviewed the 35th Annual Flathead River Writers Conference in Kalispell, Montana. If you missed that, here’s the link. There were too many great speakers and too much information to cram into one post. Today is a continuation of the conference summary.

Author, poet, and educator Jake Arrowtop

Fiction author and educator Jake Arrowtop wasn’t even interested in poetry until he realized that could be a positive influence at an alternative high school on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. With obvious affection, he describes his students who are either “fighting” or “giggling.” He encourages them to write poems as a release for the pent-up emotional energy of teenage angst combined with historical, intergenerational trauma. His male students especially struggle with “indigenous masculinity, the notion of a warrior who has nowhere to go.”

After Jake read a poem written by one dropout, his support inspired her to write more. Soon she had a stack. He printed her poems and bound them into a book—a piece of art she could proudly hold in her hands.

Another moving story came about when he took six boys to Yellowstone to hunt buffalo. The night before, the boys had crowded into Jake’s motel room to hang out, giggling, eating junk food, and goofing around until he finally shooed them to their own rooms at 2 a.m.

Early the next morning, they trekked to the “killing fields” outside the park boundaries where hopeful hunters wait for buffalo to emerge from the national park sanctuary. Jake honors the hunting tradition and appreciates the massive amounts of meat that sustain him and his community.

When he spotted a buffalo, he aimed his rifle and shot. Although it was a solid hit that should have been a kill shot, the buffalo leapt around like a jackrabbit for several seconds until Jake’s second shot dropped him.

The boys gathered around Jake, hooting and cheering.

Instead of celebration, guilt and regret overcame Jake. He broke down, crying in front of the surprised boys.

It took time for him to sort out and write about his complex feelings. Later, he realized the act of taking the boys to teach them hunting had connected him with the heritage of untold generations of nomadic, Native people, following buffalo across the plains. He felt the heavy grief, sorrow, and profound loss of their way of life. He says it was good for the impressionable boys to see him cry and that gave them freedom to express complicated emotions in their own poetry.

Jake works to channel the students’ energy away from fighting and instead to a positive, creative release through writing. “My biggest goal is to introduce kids to community-shared experiences.”

From listening to him, I’m certain he’s already achieving that goal as a teacher who makes a lasting impact on his students.

 

YA author Jess Owen Kara and graphic author Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Jess Owen Kara attended her first Flathead Writers Conference at age 16. Now she’s featured at the conference as an award-winning author of YA fantasy series and contemporary realistic YA fiction. Her publishing routes include indie-publishing, crowd funding, and traditional. She offered words of advice for writers to sustain themselves on the long and sometimes frustrating journey.

Writers often see traditional publication as the magic bullet to fame and success. Jess puts that in perspective. Following traditional publication of her novel Furry Faux Paw, the boss at her day job asked how sales were going. Jess replied, “I’m still here.”

Her attitude of equanimity grows from realistic expectations and how she defines success. Rather than dreams of NY Times bestsellers and movie deals that are out of the writer’s control, she counsels writers to ask: “What is your idea of success today? It may be to write XX number of words.”

More wisdom: “Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Comparison is the thief of joy. Compare only to learn from others.”

Despite conventional advice to build a brand, Jess believes, “You are not a brand, not like shoes or cereal. Good storytelling is the most effective sales tool.”

She quotes Michelangelo at 85 who said, “Still I am learning.”

Last, “the only way to fail is to stop writing.”

Jess is a survivor. We’ll continue to hear from her for many years to come. 

 

A writing conference is a great chance to build a mailing list. I took the opportunity to encourage sign-ups for my list with a prize drawing—a hand-crafted wood pen inspired by my book, TheVillain’s Journey-How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate. My good friend and TKZ emeritus Steve Hooley created the stunning pen.

Do contests work? The winner Bill Bond was thrilled and here’s the stack of sign-ups from the conference.

The upside of the Flathead Writers Conference: many excellent speakers. The downside: too many excellent speakers. A good problem to have even though it resulted in a jam-packed schedule with breakout sessions. I wanted to hear both speakers scheduled at the same time but couldn’t. Drat!

One session I missed was the panel with editor/publisher Cindy Spiegel (Spiegel and Grau), and literary agents Abby Saul and Julie Stevenson.

Literary agent Julie Stevenson

Later, I chatted with Julie and she shared her impressions: “It was such a wonderful weekend—so thoughtfully organized, and filled with warmth, inspiration, and a true sense of community. I came away feeling renewed and grateful to have spent time with such an engaged and generous group of writers and publishing professionals.” Julie graciously offered her assistance with future events, adding: “I’m a big fan of the conference and want to see it continue to thrive.”

Wow, how wonderful is that from a veteran agent?

As always, one-on-one appointments with agents and editors are popular. People can submit pages from their WIP in advance and receive individual professional feedback. Appointments always fill quickly, and writers come away with true insider perspectives to improve their work.

 

Did I mention the abundance of great information that came from this conference? As before in Part 1, this post is running long and I still haven’t covered all the high points. Come back in two weeks for Part 3 about the Flathead River Writers Conference, featuring memoirist Robert Petrone, graphic nonfiction author Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, and romantasy novelist J.D. Evans.

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TKZers: At a conference, have you ever had a private appointment with a publishing professional? What did you learn from it?

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Hot off the presses: brand-new box set of Tawny Lindholm Thrillers, Volumes 1-3. 

Three exciting novels only $7.99

Writers Conferences – Finding Your Tribe

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Courtesy of Flickr

Years ago, my husband and I had a good friend named Jimmy Bogle (not to be confused with the American Ninja Warrior). Jimmy was a little person who stood about four feet six inches in cowboy boots.

Jimmy told stories about growing up in the 1920s and ’30s, during an era when little people were considered “freaks” and “abnormal.” Children born with dwarfism were often hidden away in the basement so they wouldn’t bring shame on their families. Many grew up in isolation, never knowing there were other little people like themselves. A few found homes in circus sideshows or vaudeville but career options were pretty limited.

Then came the casting call for Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.

During the poverty of the Great Depression, parents of little people seized the chance to earn money from their children’s size.

Jimmy was a teenager at the time. He was chosen to take over the role of the Mayor of the Munchkins when the original adult actor (who receives credit on Wikipedia) couldn’t finish the film. Heavy makeup transformed Jimmy into a wrinkled old man.

More than a hundred little people came together and were cast in the movie. Many had never encountered another little person before. For the first time in their lives, they connected with others from similar sheltered backgrounds, with similar problems and feelings. They were no longer isolated but suddenly among friends with whom they had an immediate connection. In 21st century parlance, they’d found their tribe.

Let the celebration begin!

The Munchkin cast was short in stature but long on partying. They drank and danced and pulled pranks. They fell in and out of love several times a night. Full of mischievous exuberance, they trashed the hotel where they were staying.

Knowing Jimmy, we suspect he played ringleader to this merry band of cut-ups.

In 1981, Billy Barty, Chevy Chase, and Carrie Fisher starred in the film Under the Rainbow, a fictionalized account of the making of The Wizard of Oz. Jimmy scoffed at the movie, saying it didn’t do justice to his gang’s shenanigans.

What does this have to do with writing conferences? I’m glad you asked.

Although writers’ families don’t hide us away in basements (at least not usually!), we are often perceived as different from regular people.

Writers work in isolation, living inside our imaginations. Many are shy introverts and are sometimes perceived as antisocial.

That is, until we get around other writers. Then we emerge from our shells.

At my first writing conference, I was a tongue-tied beginner, ill at ease, self-conscious, surrounded by professional authors who, I was sure, wouldn’t lower themselves to talk to an unpublished nobody.

Big surprise. They were welcoming, encouraging, and, amazingly, as plagued with self-doubt as I was. Shyness melted. Friendships blossomed spontaneously from our common passion.

Like the little people who came together as Munchkins, I’d found my tribe.

I became a conference junkie and my dear husband supported my addiction. Instead of birthday gifts, he treated me to various gatherings.

Along the way, I became a volunteer at Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (TKZ‘s own Jim Bell is their keynote speaker this year) and Pikes Peak Writers Conference. I judged contests, handled the registration table, moderated panels, etc. Working behind the scenes made me appreciate the experience even more, seeing how much time and effort went into pulling together a successful event.

Because I saw many different presenters, I became a speaker wrangler for the Flathead River Writers Conference sponsored by my local group, the Authors of the Flathead. Inviting editors and agents for a fun weekend in Montana is a far easier job than querying (begging) them to consider a manuscript.

I learned they were not cruel gods who cavalierly damned struggling writers to slush pile purgatory. They are human beings who genuinely feel bad about rejecting manuscripts. They struggle with budgets, timing, and marketing constraints. They serve as midwives who are often as ecstatic as the author when a book is born.

And they like to talk to writers. They’re glad to demystify the publication process.

Conferences provide a rare opportunity to interact face to face with editors and agents. If traditional publication is your goal, meeting the pros in person can be a big step out of the slush pile. When you’ve paid tuition, they can see you’re serious about your career.

Whether you go the traditional route or self publish, contacts at gatherings can enhance your knowledge in ways you never imagined. I once spent an afternoon in a hotel lobby listening to an FBI agent and a forensic anthropologist trade stories. My collection of business cards is a great source for experts in all kinds of fields.

While the cost of conferences can be off-putting, many organizations offer scholarships or internships. Volunteer help is always needed and may earn discounted tuition.

You can also cut expenses by splitting the gas bill and sharing lodging. I’ve roomed with three pals whom I only see at conferences. Our reunions are always a blast. Like happy Munchkins, we drink, laugh, and stay up all night, although we don’t trash the hotel…at least, not that I remember!

Conferences provide more than education and professional contacts. They take us out of our solitary world and give us a chance to connect with our tribe. I always come home energized, inspired, and eager to write.

Now for a shameless plug: if you’re looking for a friendly, intimate gathering that offers lots of useful information for a reasonable price, please check out the Flathead River Writers Conference, September 22-23, 2018 in Kalispell, Montana.

Look me up—I’d love to meet TKZers in person. We’ll celebrate like Munchkins.  

 

 

 

When Debbie Burke is not writing suspense and thrillers, she’s on the planning committee of the  Flathead River Writers Conference, now in its 28th year.