Writers Conferences Abound

I was unpacking some boxes the other day (yes, six months later and I still have a garage full of boxes!) and finally got around to putting away my books.  I had forgotten how many books I have on the craft of writing!  I think I've single handedly kept Writer's Digest in business.   I've never met a book about writing that I didn't feel the need to buy.  And now we're heading into my favorite time of year...summer writers conferences.  I had been eyeing The Maui Writer's Conference. It's over Labor Day weekend.  I'd been twice before years ago and it was fabulous (of course, it's in Hawaii). I looked at the list of presenters and it doesn't seem to be as big as it has been in the years past (because of the economy I'm sure). Then there's the SCBWI Annual Children's Writing Conference in the beginning of August over in Century City.  I went two years ago and heard Neil Gaiman (author of Coraline) speak and was generally awed by all of the children's writers in the room.  A new conference recently hit my radar, the Williamette Writer's Conference in Portland.  Every session has a workshop I want to attend (which is rare) and there are going to be plenty of editors and writers to network with. This is the same weekend in August. They are all in the same price range although Williamette comes in by a nose as more cost effective.  I have four novels that I wrote that are a good rewrite (or two or three) away from being finished, so this gives me even more motivation to get my act together.  I'm reading Ariel Gore's How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead and she so accurately describes that love/hate relationship you have with your work in progress when you hit page 100.  I'm so there.