A few weeks ago at the end of September, I had the amazing opportunity to attend my first-ever writing conference! Wine Country Writer’s Festival took place in Penticton, BC from September 27-29. It featured a ton of sessions, networking, and inspiration. I’m so glad I had the chance to attend and connect with other writers! Read on for a full recap from my first writer’s conference.

Day One, Friday

I registered for the conference back in the summer, and I was so excited to attend! I knew the three days were going to be jam-packed with info. The weekend kicked off on Friday with a ton of opportunities for socializing, meeting fellow writers and presenters. We had a very in-depth book marketing session, which was actually super fun for me to attend! It was great to be at a session so focused on book marketing specifically, and I learned a lot. Soon, the afternoon was coming to a close. There were optional evening sessions to attend, but I headed home for the night because I knew the next day would be a big one.

Day Two, Saturday

Saturday was the big day of the conference, with a jam-packed day of sessions. There were so many options to choose from, it was hard for me to decide! I jumped around between many different sessions to make the most of my time. I learned all about pitching etiquette, how to not spread yourself thin, staying motivated, advice from other authors, and had a panel session all about the myths of writer’s block. Every session was so unique and interesting, I even had the chance to attend a poetry workshop! I also took part in what was called a “blue pencil session,” where you share your work with a presenter to get feedback. I discussed some of my newer poetry with a mentor and it was an extremely valuable experience! Receiving advice and mentorship from other writers throughout this conference was incredible and I’m so grateful for it!

After lunch, I had an additional opportunity to pitch to a publisher!! The conference matched attendees with publishers and we could pitch our written work to them over Zoom. It was my first time ever doing this, and it was super nerve-wracking but went very well! All of the staff/volunteers were so supportive and lovely throughout the process. Later that day, presenters hosted a “slush” where they read the first page of attendees’ manuscript and indicated if they would be interested in pursuing it for publication. It was a super neat exercise to see what captured the attention of writers and agents in what they read. Soon, our day of learning was coming to a close, and we got to mix and mingle with some music and appies. Some of the presenters read their work for entertainment, which was really neat. It was truly a blast to connect with everyone and learn so much!

Day Three, Sunday

Our adventures of the weekend were coming to a close on the third day, Sunday. We had a range of closing ceremonies, readings, and prizes shared for attendees. Mostly, we spent a ton of time networking and connecting with one another. It was so lovely! Being the first writer’s confernence I’ve ever attended, it blew all of my expectations out of the water. It was a treat for me to be a part of such a wonderful group of people, and learn so many amazing things! If you want to learn more, check out the Wine Country Writer’s Festival website. I highly recommend!

Final reflections

I ended the weekend feeling inspired and fulfilled, and that’s a feeling I’ll never take for granted. It has been one of the best weekends I’ve had so far this fall! I was very impressed by the conference and hope to attend again next year. With any luck, even more writer’s conferences will be in my future. If you are a fellow writer wanting to surround yourself with writers and mentors, you should check it out too. Cheers to learning and growing together! 🎉