The list that every conference goer MUST HAVE!
I'm cheating a little here talking about conferences.
I actually won't be leaving for the NJRW "Put Your Heart in a Book" Conference until Friday morning, but since I won't be around then, I figured I'd post some pre-conference talk now.
Oh, and in case you're wondering who will be at the conference, here is a list of some of the attendees:
Keynote speaker — Sabrina Jeffries
Luncheon speaker — Heather Graham
Angela James, Bob Mayer, Mary Jo Putney, Jen Talty, Susan Wiggs, Lisa Verge-Higgins, Julia London, Marie Force, Judi Fennell, Elaine English, Lisa Dale, and tons more!
Anyhew, one of my chaptermates, Ruth Casie, posted an awesome must-bring list for us conference goers, which I thought I'd share with you all now.
Things to Bring to a Conference Handy Dandy Check-list:
Clothes (casual business most of the time, dressier business for
pitches or editor/agent meetings, dressy for Awards Ceremony)
Comfortable shoes & gel inserts
Snacks for between workshops when you can’t stop for lunch
Medications (no hangovers allowed) & prescriptions
Your schedule
Laptop/cellphone/camera (& chargers/power cords)
Paper/pen/highlighter
Business cards
Small toiletry case for purse or bag
Some way to ship back or carry your goodies
Some way to personalize your RWA tote bag to make it easier to find
among the 2000 identical bags
Small sewing kit for wardrobe malfunctions
Bandaids for blisters
Mints/candies to suck on for energy and fresh breath
Swimsuit/cover-up/workout clothes
Cardigan for chilly conference rooms
Dress purse for Awards Reception
Earplugs, white noise app on phone
Cash for tips, Literacy Book signing, dining with friends, vending
machines
Extension cord for hotel room (2-4 women, 1 sink—do the math)
Extra hangers for hanging all your nice clothes in the closet
Pins for lanyard (PRO, chapter, etc.)
Sharpie marker, tape
Hand sanitizer, wet wipes, stain stick or wipes, moisturizer
Other things to prepare and do:
Print out of hotel reservation, and email all important documents to
yourself to ensure you have copies
Attach business card to phone/camera in case it gets misplaced
Make sure you drink plenty of water
And lastly, bring your enthusiasm!
I have to admit, I'm not new to conferences, but some of these things I wished I had brought to some of them! And now, I won't forget.
Oh, and you're welcome. :-)
Have a great week!
26 comments:
I think I'm going to let you pack for me, okay? :-) Have fun!!
What a fabulous conference line-up. You sound perfectly prepared. I think I'll save this list for someday when I finally make it to one myself. Enjoy!
have lots of fun! You sound very prepared!
This is a terrific list. I wish I had seen this several years ago.
Ah, experience is a wonderful teacher. LOL.
I'd love to go to this conference. Love the line-up of guest speakers.
Have a great time!!!
Great advice, thanks! Hope you have a wonderful time! :)
If I ever go to conferences - I shall remember your list!! Thank you lovely Jennifer! Enjoy! take care
x
I'm so jealous. I've never been to ONE conference. Seeing the name Sabrina Jeffries makes me even more envious though. Oh, to be you this weekend...sigh...
Can't wait (of course, because I've got a great roommate!)
I haven't been to a conference yet. This looks like a very thorough packing list! Have fun!!!
LOL. I haven't been able to go out of town yet for a conference...but some items on the list would've come in handy even for a local conference.
You're ready to go. I like to be prepared for trips, too. Hope your conference turns out to be a great experience.
You are one organized lady! May I copy your list for when I go to my next conference?
Good checklist. It's been a few years since I attended a conference.
I'm bookmarking this for next year!
Thanks for sharing such a GREAT list! I'm going to bookmark it for my next conference. Have a fantastic time :)
Great advice! One of these days, I'll go to a writer's conference and meet all ya guys! I mean seriously, you're just awesome to meet online and I bet you're the same in person!
Have fun at the conference! I'll be thinking about you! :)
Super helpful. I'm excited for a conference coming at the end of this month here in San Diego area. :)
Great list. Makes me wish I was signed up for a conference. Maybe next year...
Great list! Hope you have a blast at the conference. :)
Ooo, I love lists!
Hi, Jennifer! Great tips. Right now the only conferences I've participated in are online ones, but will bookmark this for the hopes that one day I will get to attend a conference in person. Have fun at your upcoming conference!
That's a great list! It's so helpful to hear from others who've been through it.
Looks like you're ready to roll. Have all kinds of fun.
You have a terrific list here Jennifer, I went to Anaheim and guess what? I didn't take my Kindle Fire charger and was out of contact!
And gel inserts? :)
I WILL get to a conference one of these years...
Thanks for the tips!
Post a Comment