by Edwina Perkins @EdwinaPerkins

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference is at the end of May, and I know what you’re thinking. I’ve got time. Let me stop you right there. The writers who walk away from conference week transformed, are the ones who started preparing months before they ever packed a bag. So let’s talk about how to get ready.

Here are six tips to help you arrive confident, prepared, and ready to make the most of every moment.

Tip 1: Get Your Body Ready

I’m starting here because people don’t always think about this one, and then they’re surprised on Day Two when their legs are talking to them. Blue Ridge has hills. Beautiful, mountain hills. And you will be walking them all week long.

If you don’t already have a walking routine, start one now. Even a short walk a few times a week will make a difference by the time May rolls around.

And drink lots water starting today. Altitude sickness is real, and it can knock you down faster than a harsh critique. Don’t wait until you’re already in the mountains. Give your body time to adjust before you arrive.

Tip 2: Visit the Website More Than Once

Head over to blueridgeconference.com and get familiar with it. Then go back. And go back again. I’m serious. The site is loaded with information: faculty bios, class descriptions, the full schedule, scholarship details, FAQs and it gets updated regularly right up until conference week. A one-time visit won’t cut it. Make it a habit.

Tip 3: Dig Deep into the Faculty

You will have direct access to agents, editors, and authors who genuinely want to help you grow, but you have to do your homework first. Read their bios. Look up their books. Visit their websites. Find out what they’re looking for.

Walking into a conversation without knowing who you’re talking to is a missed opportunity. Knowing their work turns a brief hallway chat into a meaningful connection. We cannot emphasize this enough!

 Tip 4: Research the Classes and Build a Game Plan

There are a lot of classes at Blue Ridge and it can feel overwhelming if you arrive without a plan. Print out the schedule, highlight what interests you, and sketch out your week before you get there. The website even has a personal schedule planner Edie designed you can fill in ahead of time.

Will you change your mind once you’re there? Probably. That’s okay! But having a game plan keeps you from standing in the hallway wondering what to do next and it makes sure you don’t accidentally miss something you really wanted.

While you’re planning, there are a few tools you’ll want to start thinking about. We’ll cover these in detail in future sessions, but here’s your heads-up:

• Conference Notebook — Bring a dedicated notebook just for conference week. Label it, tab it, and bring plenty of pens. You will fill it up. Notes from classes, conversations, and your own ideas all of it goes in there. This is one of the most practical things you can do to make sure you leave with more than just memories. And there’s even a planner our conferees can print out and fill in to make their personal schedule. More information about the planner to come.
• One-Sheet — A one-sheet is a single-page document that summarizes your book project: title, genre, word count, target audience, a back-cover-style description, and your author bio. Agents and editors expect them. If you don’t have one yet, start thinking about it now. We’ll walk you through exactly how to create one in an upcoming session.

Tip 5: Order Your Business Cards. Now

Networking is one of the most valuable parts of a writers conference, and a good business card is how people remember you after the week is over. Our own Edie Melson wrote a fantastic post on exactly what should (and shouldn’t) go on a writer’s business card. Check it out at blueridgeconference.com/business-cards-for-writers.

The key word here is now. Don’t wait until the week before. Order early so you have time to check for mistakes and time to reorder if you find any!

Tip 6: Sign Up and Join the Community

Spots for paid critiques and mentoring sessions with faculty go fast. As soon as the critique and mentoring faculity are listed, get on the website and secure yours. These one-on-one sessions can change the trajectory of your writing, don’t leave them to chance.

And don’t wait until you arrive on campus to start connecting. Join our Facebook group — Blue Ridge Conference Writers — and introduce yourself! It’s a warm, active community where you can ask questions, get encouragement, and even get feedback on your business card design before you place your order.

Let’s Recap

Here are your six tips for conference preparation:

1. Get physically ready — walk and drink water
2. Visit the website — often
3. Dig deep into the faculty
4. Research the classes and build your schedule
5. Order your business cards now
6. Sign up for critiques and mentoring and join the Facebook group

This is the start of your preparation. There’s more to come in the following weeks, so make sure to read all the post and view the videos to come. We can’t wait to see you at the conference!

Edwina Perkins is an award-winning writer, freelance editor, speaker, a sensitivity-reader, and advocate for seeking more diversity in the publishing industry.

She is the Acquisitions Editor with End Game Press, Harambee Press—an imprint that seeks to publish ethnic writers. She’s also the Mentoring Coordinator with the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and loves the excitement of writers and watching them develop in their craft.

Edwina serves on the Word Weavers International Advisory Committee and is also a freelance writer for Guideposts Magazine.

After thirty years away, she loves calling North Carolina home again. Edwina is a wife, mother of four adult children, and grandmother of two.