Category: Writing

Hate crowds? Love alone time? Shudder violently at the mere thought of ‘networking?’ You, too, can succeed at a writing conference! Here’s how.

Writing conference tips for students and accomplished writers can be more important than knowing what hotel to book. Consider Oregon author and essayist Tom Titus.

Titus knows that getting out into the world and interacting with people is beneficial to his writing career. But as an introvert, he finds it’s the last thing he wants to do.

“It requires a lot of energy to be an introvert in an extroverted world,” Titus explains, describing the daunting crush of 15,000 people in hallways and in workshops during the AWP Conference in Portland last spring.

But what if the over-stimulation of a writing conference makes you want to – as Titus quips – “hide under your hotel room bed curled into a fetal position and sucking your thumb?” He and other authors have developed techniques to help even the most introverted author navigate chaotic professional gatherings with success. Some deflect their anxiety by finding a conference buddy or volunteering at the event. Others painstakingly pre-plan their schedule, building in numerous breaks for alone time.

#1: Practice Talking to Strangers

The first and perhaps most important of the writing conference tips involves rehearsal.

Chicago writer and accessibility specialist Courtney Craven attends numerous gaming events, but they but found themselves overwhelmed at their first writing conference. “The imposter feeling that I think a lot of introverts deal with was a big issue for me,” they say. “Put me at a gaming conference, and I can go on for days, and all signs of introversion vanish. But in writing, there’s still that big ‘you don’t belong!’ wall I see because I’m still a student, I’m not published, and it’s hard for me to envision myself as belonging among people who have been successful as writers.”

Writing Conference Tips for Students & Introverts #2: Listen to Your Body

New Jersey author Steph Auteri describes herself as a “socially anxious introvert who likes to go to one writing conference a year.”

She had a wonderful time at her first conference, sponsored by the American Society of Journalists and Authors and held in New York City, in part because she’d been invited to speak as a panelist. Having a specific job to do – whether it’s appearing on a panel or working a table or volunteering in a workshop – is a lifesaver for many introverted writers.

When it comes to effective writing conference tips for students and introverts, Auteri found that when she attended the same event the next year as a participant without a specific task and surrounded by throngs of people, she had a very different experience.

“I felt myself wandering the halls with this bone-deep exhaustion and overwhelm, and I was thinking, ‘You paid all this money to be here; you can’t just leave this conference,’” she explains. But in the end, she left early and took the bus back home to New Jersey.

It’s important to have an exit strategy for meals, workshops, panels, or any other event that feels energy-draining rather than essential.

Conference meals can be particularly grueling for introverts, she notes. Often, writers find themselves sharing a table with 11 other people in a banquet hall setting two and three times a day. “If, at that point, I’m just staring at my food, I don’t initiate conversation,” she says. “I just let myself eat and be separate in the midst of the chaos without feeling like a total weirdo.”

She also reminds herself that she can simply leave the meal. “I tell myself, ‘You can go hide somewhere, and get back to the conference when you have the energy,’” she says.

Titus tells writers it’s important to have an exit strategy for meals, workshops, panels, or any other event that feels energy-draining rather than essential. He chooses a seat that allows him to leave a location without climbing over people and reminds himself that people aren’t judging him for walking out. “Part of that is learning that if you think people are thinking about you, it’s probably not true. They don’t really care about you; they’re not thinking about you at all,” he says.

Titus has learned to work with the tension of being an introvert at a writing conference. He understands that the anxiety fueling that tension also provides a certain amount of energy that he can use to turn on what he calls his “extrovert façade.” At AWP last spring, he found himself able to tap into that energy despite the crowds and make authentic connections with the people around him.

More Writing Conference Tips

“The best way for me to network at conferences is to be a speaker. Speaking is such an abstract experience that it’s devoid of much of the anxiety-producing social baggage of meeting people and having to engage one-on-one. I

“Meetup groups [found on meetup.com] are usually smaller in size and less stressful for introverts. I go to the local writers Meetup group near me on a regular basis. This has enabled me to make friends with whom I can then attend the larger writer conferences.

“Introverts are general avoiders of small talk and, as a result, [we] want to get to the juicy topics as quickly as possible. We crave genuine and authentic connection with people, so the quick and surface-level nature of conversations at conferences can be overwhelming. To avoid this, connecting with peers you’re interested in meeting ahead of time via social media or email could be a good solution. 

“No matter which you are (extrovert or introvert), start looking for those ‘angels’ who have something to teach you, without thinking about what they can do for you. That makes them the focus, and who doesn’t want to talk about themselves? This takes the pressure off the introvert, who now becomes the ‘interviewer.’”

Source:  Melissa Hart for the Writer©

• This dynamic can create a difficult environment for writers, as they may feel inadequate or misunderstood in their own homes. Overall, the experience of being a writer in a family setting can be challenging, highlighting the complexities of balancing personal aspirations with familial expectations.

Remind Yourself Their Attitude Is about Them, Not You. The biggest thing writers need to recognize and understand when dealing with unsupportive family and friends is that their attitude about you pursuing your dream of writing a book is about them, not you.

Many introverts are natural writers, but speaking their thoughts out loud can be harder. Here’s the latest science behind this common introvert issue.

Why are words so hard for introverts? Let’s look at the science.

If you’ve ever heard someone describe themselves as a “visual thinker,” they mean they think in pictures, not words — which is actually very common. According to the Harvard scientists, this tendency appears to be ingrained in the most primitive parts of our brains, probably because language is a “recent” development for humans (you know, we started assigning different grunts to objects a mere 100,000 years ago).

Of course, those images we “see” in our minds need translation, if we’re going to get our message across to other hominid-like creatures. This takes focus and energy, and it can be an inefficient process. To put it mildly, our brains are still playing evolutionary catch up.

But that’s not the whole story when it comes to introverts.

Why Are Words Harder for Introverts?

If you’re an introvert like me, sometimes words seem, well, extra hard. Your “word problem” may get you labeled as quiet or shy, when in reality, you have plenty to say. Sometimes it reflects negatively on us introverts because we come across like we don’t know what we’re talking about, even though many introverts love learning and often become subject-matter experts in their chosen fields.

In a society that values fast and frequent talkers, it can be tough to be an introvert.

Contrast long-term memory with working memory (sometimes called short-term memory), which is limited and retains information for mere seconds. Working memory puts information on the tip of your tongue. It’s easy to access, but you don’t hold onto it for long, unless you move it to long-term storage.

Here’s the kicker: Introverts tend to favor long-term memory over working memory, while extroverts do the opposite, according to Dr. Marti Olsen Laney in her 2002 book, The Introvert Advantage. And this preference for long-term memory can make speech challenging for us “quiet ones.”

How Long-Term Memory Use Challenges Introverts

How does our reliance on long-term memory complicate things for introverts? Well, pulling information out of long-term memory can be slow and tricky. You need the right association or “key” to unlock the memory you’re trying to retrieve.

For example, let’s say you were trying to remember your first date with your now-spouse. Walking by an Italian restaurant, you catch a whiff of olive oil, and BAM, the smell reminds you of the dish you ordered that night. In turn, this memory “unlocks” more information about the date — what she was wearing, what she said, and how you dropped a meatball on the floor and tried to hide it by covering it with your shoe.

Although complex information can be stored for long periods of time in long-term memory, reaching into it might complicate things for introverts when they speak.

Anxiety Makes It Harder to Think

Another reason speaking can be difficult for introverts has to do with anxiety. Not every introvert experiences social anxiety, and not all anxious people are introverts. Even some very outgoing extroverts feel it! Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon for introverts to experience some level of stress and discomfort in social situations, whether they have a diagnosed anxiety disorder or not. After all, our comfort zones are back home, alone, with a good book or show.

Anyone who’s ever suffered from anxiety knows it’s mentally and emotionally draining. That mental drain can make it harder to think, focus, and recall information. During times of anxiety, big or small, the stress hormone cortisol is released, which can interfere with memory and concentration, among other things, which makes it harder to speak.

If you’re feeling anxious and struggling to speak, take a deep breath and cut yourself some slack.

Writing Uses Different Brain Pathways

If introverts commonly experience a “word problem,” it might seem strange, then, that they’re also known as talented writers. In fact, plenty of prolific authors are self-professed introverts, from John Green to J.K. Rowling. Even if you’re an introvert who doesn’t write for a living, you may prefer texting and emailing over in-person meetings or talking on the phone.

How can this be? Again, according to Laney, writing and speaking use different pathways in the brain. These writing pathways simply seem to flow more fluently and easily for introverts.

If, like me on the podcast, you find your mind going blank, the best thing you can do is try to relax and let your mind wander. When your mind wanders, it may latch onto the right key to pull up the memory you need. Buy yourself some time by saying, “I need a few moments to think about that.” If all else fails, tell the person you’ll get back to them later — via text or email.

Article by /introvertdear.com

So, what do you think?  Yea or Nay?

Here are 31 daily writing prompts for December, one for each day. The holidays are an introspective time of year when we reflect on fond memories, time-honored traditions, goals for the future, and personal growth. To celebrate and spark this season of reflection, I’m challenging myself to 31 days of daily writing centered around thoughtful holiday prompts.

December Writing Prompts

• December 1st – Write about your favorite holiday tradition. Why is it so special to you?
• December 2nd – If you had a personal chef who would make you anything you wanted, what would you ask them to cook tonight?
• December 3rd – What is the most amazing thing you have ever seen someone do? Describe what happened.
• December 4th – Where is the most interesting place you have traveled to? What sights, sounds, smells do you remember most vividly?
• December 5th – When you were younger, what did you think your life would be like now? How is your real life similar or different?
• December 6th – If you were in charge of planning school lunches, what would you serve that would be healthy but that kids would actually want to eat?
• December 7th – If you could be any fictional character from a TV show, book or movie, who would you choose and why?
• December 8th – What is your favorite way to spend a snow day? Describe the perfect snow day.
• December 9th – What is the best advice you have ever been given? How has it impacted your life?
• December 10th – What traditions does your family have surrounding the holidays in December? Where did those traditions come from?
• December 11th – What is the best gift you have ever given someone? What made it so meaningful?
• December 12th – What is your favorite winter memory? Why do you cherish that memory so much?
• December 13th – When you were a baby or toddler, what food did you hate to eat that you love eating now?
• December 14th – If you woke up tomorrow with a special talent like flying, reading minds or super strength, what would you do?
• December 15th – What would your perfect weekend look like? Describe your perfect weekend day by day.
• December 16th – Who has been the biggest inspiration in your life? How have they inspired you?
• December 17th – If you could talk to any animal, which would you choose and what would you talk about?
• December 18th – What is the kindest act you have done or seen someone else do? How did it make you or them feel?
• December 19th – What is your favorite winter activity? What do you enjoy so much about it?
• December 20th – When you were younger, who was your role model or hero? How have they influenced you?
• December 21st – If you could give everyone in the world one gift that costs no money, what gift would you choose and why?
• December 22nd – What is your favorite holiday movie? Why do you watch it over and over?
• December 23rd – What was the most memorable gift you ever received? What made it so special?
• December 24th – If you could stay one age forever, what age would you choose and why?
• December 25th – What does your perfect holiday meal look like? Describe the food, decorations and people.
• December 26th – What is one small thing that always brightens your day when it happens unexpectedly?
• December 27th – If you could meet anyone living or dead for dinner, who would you invite and why? What would you talk about?
• December 28th – What is the best thing that happened to you this past year? What made it so great?
• December 29th – What is one goal you have set for yourself for the new year? Why is that important to you?
• December 30th – What was your proudest accomplishment over the past year? Why were you proud of this?
• December 31st – What is one thing you learned about yourself this past year? How will that change how you live in the new year?

Article by Richard Edwards, a writer and an educator and the owner editor of Every Writer.