What To Do Now That #AWP20 Is Over

We attended the AWP 2020 conference in San Antonio, and as you may know, it wasn’t an easy decision, nor were we sure the conference would happen. We wrote about that here.

This year’s conference wasn’t as well attended as it usually is because of the uncertainty mentioned above, because of the potential for cancellation, and the fear many felt—justifiably, we should add—about the coronavirus. More than half of the sessions were canceled, including some that we were really looking forward to. Many small presses and universities chose not to come and deferred their registration until next year. But those of us who came were glad we did. The conference wasn’t perfect, but it was an event we’ve been looking forward to for months, and it was worth the wait.

We sat in on panels, offsite events, and browsed the book fair daily. Met with friends, old and new, and practiced various non-hug/non-handshake greetings.

Now that we’re back, we have a few things on our to-do list, and we wanted to share these with you, too, in case you need to do the same.

As we’ve said in our AWP post last year, “the most important thing to do is to connect with everyone outside of the conference.”

In that post, we suggested organizing your notes into categories like:

• Books to buy and add to your TBR pile
• Things to do immediately
• People to connect with

We also suggested:

• Sorting out your swag, of which, if you’re like us, you’ve brought home quite a bit
• Thinking about your own panel to propose for next year
• Sharing your experience online

We’d like to add a few more tips to the above.

Presentation slide decks are sometimes available during or after the conference. Others are uploaded on the conference website, too. Check the website after the conference to make sure you have all the files for future reference.

Did you visit all the sessions you wanted to attend? If not, you can ask fellow writers about the sessions you missed. At the same time, you can also message the authors, the editors, and fellow writers you wanted to meet but didn’t have the chance to. If a session was canceled (as so many were this year), you may still check in with the presenters and see if they have any resources they’d be willing to share with you.

Literary agents or editors may have requested your manuscript. Send it to them as soon as it is ready because they are bombarded with queries after a conference. Thank them, and always remember to stick with any deadline you’ve set with them.

If you met an editor or a literary agent who could be a beneficial connection for another writer, ask whether you could make an introduction. If the agent or editor agrees, send an email to both. Helping other writers build their networks is part of being a good literary citizen.

If you file taxes as a writer, document your expenses while they’re still fresh in your mind so that you write them off your taxes. Not only are the registration fee, your travel expenses, and hotel deductible, but also any books you bought for your professional development. Consult your accountant about writing off any lunch meetings and other expenses.

Attending a writers’ conference is centered on your professional development. Reflect on the things you’ve learned and put them into action through writing or marketing.

Note what you did well and what could be done better when attending your next conference. The AWP conference doesn’t completely end with the closing keynote on Saturday. Using your new skills and connections will maximize your experience and keep the spirit of AWP with you throughout the year.

It’s great to share the information you learned at the conference. Create social media posts or write a blog about it. Not only will you be providing value and engaging with your online network, but you will also be building your online presence.

Happy writing!