Conference Fever? Or Conference Overdose?

I’m an active memer on several writers forums, and I’m noticing a trend on all the romance-focused ones.

Participation by writers who plan to attend the conference in Atlanta has become almost entirely focused on the upcoming conference.  Topics all seem to evolve into discussion of shoes (flip flops ok?), purses (do you need one?), parties (dinner at 9??), travel arrangements (who wants to share a cab), who plans to buy the workshop cd’s – and will you be my new friend?, and what tourist sites in Atlanta are not to be missed.  When you spend (on average) over $1000 to travel, sleep, eat, workshop, party, and network for 5 days and 4 nights, it makes sense that you’re going to be a bit single-track minded about the event.  I’ve become guilty of it myself – almost everything I plan these days is divided into either “pre-conference” or “post-conference” in my head.  Update the kids vacinations?  post-conference.  Oil change for the car?  Pre-conference.  Call the electrician to see why our power bills shot up 70%? pre-conference. 

Likely overwhelmed (and maybe a bit annoyed) by the constant conference chatter, writers who aren’t attending have hunkered down in their writing bunkers and quieted their chatter.  Non-conference talk – actual writing talk! – has died to a low murmer on a few forums.  Those not attending are probably long tired of hearing about who has what appointment, what parties they’re missing, and which headliner workshop they won’t get to hear first hand.  They probably don’t know how much we miss them on the forums and loops.  But I’m sure they’ll be back once the rest of us have conferenced ourselves out.  (Well, I hope they will!  Ladies – and babes, and gents - I miss you!)

I’m lucky Atlanta is so close to me; Dallas is way ‘cross the country from my east coast home, so my plans for next July are still up in the air.  But if I have to sit out next years RWA main event, I will get to taste first hand just what it’s like to have to listen to everyone else make plans for a party you will have to miss yourself.

To all the non-attendees – please forgive me as I become one of those writers who will spend the next 3 weeks gushing like a freshman invited to the senior prom.  First conference can only happen once :satansmoking: