I recently attended the Muse and the Marketplace conference, offered by Grubstreet in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2018, I attended two conferences. Whether I attend any in 2020 will depend on time, budget, and the location of the conferences.
People define being a “serious” writer in many different ways. I’ve certainly met those who think the only way to be a serious writer is to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in writing, or at least a degree in journalism. And I’ve met others who think every writer is serious. My own feelings are somewhere between these two extremes.
A serious writer (in my view) is someone who works to improve on their writing. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they are working to produce better writing. A very experienced writer might want only to produce writing more quickly but without sacrificing quality, or might want to have a better understanding of how to market their already-good-enough writing.
My definition is a bit self-serving, though most people’s are, I think. The Muse conference in Boston focuses on two aspects of writing: technical craft (Muse) and gaining notice/money/etc. for the writing (Marketplace). For a writer like me, it’s a nice combination.
Although I haven’t published any novels yet, I consider myself a mid-career writer. I’ve edited more than most people read in a lifetime, published a few poems, and am currently working on my fifth novel. I hope that eventually four of those will see print. Two are “done” already, having gone through several rounds of revision and feedback, a third is near completion of the first draft, and the fourth is early in the first draft.
Conferences like Muse and the Marketplace provide me with a chance to meet other writers at various stages in the process: some had already been published, some were agented but not published, others were not agented and had no aspirations of becoming so, etc. Being able to get a variety of perspectives on writing is helpful in keeping me centered.
If the Big 5 publishers aren’t comfortable with the type of writing that I produce, then looking for a smaller publisher or pursuing self-publication is alright. I heard plenty of stories of all three types of publication in which things turned out well and plenty in which it turned out badly. None guarantee either success or failure.
If you aim to make writing a regular part of your life–or if it already is–I recommend attending a conference if you find one near you. It doesn’t need to be big, offer agent sessions, or have famous speakers to be worth attending. You’ll still be spending most of your work time alone, and it’s nice to make new friends.