Why You Should Attend a Writers' Conference: Patricia Smiley

Sue Grafton, Hank Phillipi Ryan,
Patricia Smiley & Elizabeth George
Photo Credit: Robin Templeton

Sometimes I think I've heard everything there is to say about writing and the publishing business but, of course, I¹m always wrong because things change. That¹s why you should consider attending a writers¹ conference. Mystery fan conventions are fun, because you get to attend panels, listen to your favorite authors wax poetic, get books signed and hang out in the bar, people watching. However, if you¹re serious about writing and you want to learn nitty-gritty tips to inspire your process, or about the latest trends in the publishing business from editors and agents, you need CCWC.

The California Crime Writers Conference is a biennial, two-day event that began in 1995 as a one-day symposium organized by Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles. In 2007, the conference partnered with the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America to become the even bigger and more comprehensive CCWC. 

As 2012-2013 president of SinC/LA, I co-chaired CCWC 2013, which featured keynote speakers Elizabeth George and Sue Grafton. The inspirational luncheon speeches given by these two authors were worth the price of admission. In addition, attendees chose from a variety of workshops in four tracks (Craft, Business, Law Enforcement/Forensics and Nuts and Bolts) lead by bestselling authors, law enforcement and forensic experts, plus top agents and editors. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. One award-winning author told me the conference featured the best law enforcement/forensic track she had ever seen in all her years of attending conferences. 

CCWC 2015 is shaping up to be another winner. This year, I¹m co-chairing the Law Enforcement and Forensics track, which will include: homicide detectives, an FBI special agent/firearms trainer, a forensic entomologist, an expert on serial killers in the medical field, a forensic psychiatrist, just to name a few. Too often writers collect information about forensics and law enforcement from TV and film. Unfortunately, many of those ³facts² are fiction. CCWC allows a writer to learn firsthand from experts who will share knowledge and answer questions about how detectives approach a crime scene, what kind of firearm a fictional character might use and why, how insect activity reveals clues about a death, how a serial killer thinks and how to avoid mistakes when writing about forensic science. 

But for me, the most compelling reason to attend a writers' conference is for the opportunity to network with fellow attendees. Writing is a solitary pursuit. Writers need to charge their batteries by basking in shared experiences. Whether you¹re looking for an agent, a critique group, an independent copy editor or just some conversation with fellow scribblers, join us at CCWC this June. Invest in yourself. Register. Learn. Share. Succeed. You deserve it.

Patricia Smiley is the bestselling author of the Tucker Sinclair mystery series. Her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Two of the Deadliest, an anthology edited by Elizabeth George. Patty served as co-chair of the 2013 California Crime Writer¹s Conference and is co-chair of the Forensics Track for CCWC 2015. For more information, visit www.patriciasmiley.com .