Volunteer for Yourself

The Writers’ League of Texas will be having their annual Agents Conference this June. The conference will have a full line-up of workshops, as well as opportunity for attendees to meet and talk with agents and editors from around the nation.

If you’re not ready to pitch your book or don’t have the money to attend the conference, consider volunteering to work at the conference. You won’t be able to attend the workshops for free or have a free one-on-one consultation, but you will learn a lot about what goes on behind the scenes of a conference, you’ll probably have the chance to see others pitch and thus learn from watching, and you’ll meet a lot of people who are also working the conference, as well as the staff of the Writers’ League. And, on top of all that, you’ll most likely have a good time.

No, I’m not part of the League any more. I’m not on the Board or staff. But I have been. I’ve also been a member and a non-member. So I know all sides. As a former Executive Director, I know how much volunteers are appreciated. As a volunteer, I know how valuable the experience can be.

So, if you’ve got the time, volunteer. If not for the WLT Conference, then for whatever literary group you’re interested in, be it Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, your public library, or a book club. Trust me, it’ll be worth your time. You'll be doing more than volunteering for that organization. You'll be volunteering for yourself.