Well, so much for blogging more regularly (New Year’s Resolution #9). Who knew four months could fly by so quickly? In my defense, I have managed to keep some of my other resolutions: I have read 19 books already this year, putting me at 38% of my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 50; I did finish Ulysses (Why did Joyce put the best chapters last?); I am three weeks out from running in the Maryland Half Marathon (I can’t feel my legs anymore, so I feel like I’m close to ready); I’m still resolutely NOT Silver Fox; if the Post-It Notes stuck all over my desk are any indicator, I’ve ditched my white board lists completely (sorry, all you fuchsia trees out there); and I’ve been pretty successful at that “live in the moment” attitude.

Sadly, some of my other resolutions have fallen by the wayside: I wrote one entry in a journal, but misplaced it the next day and haven’t tried it since; my hour-long attempts at working on anything have blown up to 2-4 hours instead; and my dog can legitimately now be called, if not a true coffee table, then at least a fuzzy gray pouf, though I’m still working on that one.

Part of what’s been keeping me so busy (other than doing my best impression of a Gump groupie) has been my classes this year; they’ve been cool and challenging and the work load has been tough (duh, it is graduate-level, I know). One of the really cool things going on in my current class has been visits from different authors whose books we’ve studied this semester. We’ve had Michele Brafman, author of Washing the Dead; Leslie Pietrzyk, of This Angel on my Chest; Ellen Bryson, author of The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno; and tonight, Keith Donohue (The Stolen Child) will be visiting (but I’ll miss it, because of parenting stuff I just can’t miss, because those things matter, too, and many times, they matter more).

Hearing these authors talk about their inspiration, their very different processes, their experiences with and without agents, their paths to publication, their highs and lows and how they’ve handled them, has been incredibly interesting and illuminating. Each talk has been unique, each Q&A has yielded more insights and tips, and I feel very fortunate for having had these opportunities.

However, not everyone has access to grad-level writing classes and visiting authors; that’s precisely why writing conferences and other literary events are so very important–how else can you find answers to those questions, connect with other writers, find inspiration or comfort in the experiences of more experienced authors?

I’m very excited that the next couple of months hold several different events for me: First up is this weekend’s Conversations & Connections event, hosted by Barrelhouse magazine. I attended this one two years ago, and it was fantastic. The readings, the networking, the panelists, the speed-dating (with editors, don’t worry) were all outstanding. I hear it’s going to be sold out again this year, so if you didn’t get your ticket yet, better luck next time! The weekend after that, I’ll be attending the Washington Writer’s Conference: Books Alive 2016, for the first time, and I’m pretty excited by the lineup (Don’t believe me? Check it out here. ). It’s always exciting to try a new conference for the first time.

Speaking of trying things for the first time, that brings me to the last writers’ event I’ll be participating in this spring: the Johns Hopkins University Conference on Craft, a week-long residential writing experience, with this year’s theme of “Writing the Sea.” I love to write, I love the sea–what’s not to love?

I’ve been attending different writing events for a decade now, in multiple states, and I can honestly say that each one of them has brought value to me as a writer, whether it’s learning about the business side of writing, making connections with agents, or finding new friends within the big, wide world of the Writing Community. If you’ve never tried a conference before, I heartily recommend doing so. There are so many out there to choose from, it’s easy to find one that’s a good fit for you–and that’s good for you, too (here are just a few reasons why you should consider attending one).

Maybe I’ll even see you at one of these–be sure and say hi.

Cheers! 🙂