Clarity, your Potential, the Future of Books, and Other Random Highlights from LTUE

Feb 16, 2012

So it's been a bit of a crazy week, and I have yet to post about the LTUE conference last weekend (and I haven't dropped by your blogs for a while-- but I'll be seeing ya'll soon!). Without further ado, I give you the highlights of the Life, the Universe, and Everything Conference!

1. Friends! I made a bunch of new friends, made contact with some old ones, and got to have lunch with some blogger-buddies-turned-real-life-friends. (Below: Erin Summerill, Melanie Fowler, Chantele Sedgwick, Ruth Josse, Katie Dodge, Pat Dodge, me, and Peggy Eddleman. There were other awesome people too, including Shelly Brown who took the photo, but I didn't get pictures. Sad.)

2. At Dan and Robison Wells' story structure presentation, Dan pulled me up to the front before things got started (he was my instructor for a conference critique session a few years ago, so we know each other a bit). They were going to be asking the audience for story ideas to fit into the structure, but he said they wanted to start with a solid idea. Then he asked me what I was working on. I gave him my logline for TUGL and he said, "That's awesome! Can we use it?" So the brothers pared down the idea to its most basic and threw it out there to the audience. It was SO COOL to hear all the different ideas that came up from the simple "people store memories in external objects" part of my own story. (Plus, I'm excited that Dan Wells thought my basic story idea was awesome.)

3. Learning awesomeness about writing from the pros. Here are a few snippets:

  • L.E. Modesitt on clarity: "If it doesn't the hell say it, it doesn't the hell say it." Write what you want to say, don't write around it.
  • Brandon Sanderson on dealing with shiny new ideas: Write the idea as short fiction so you can get the buzz out, then go back to your current project. (I'd never thought of that, but it's a fun idea!)
  • Tracy Hickman on your potential: "You have not yet written your best work." Maybe that's depressing to some, considering all that you've written, but it makes me excited. We have so much ahead of us!
  • Dave Farland (I think) on the future of books: Your future is in your audience, your challenge is to connect with them, and your solution is to write quality books.
So, my friends, there you are! Two days of exhaustion, motivation, and inspiration shortened into one blog post. :) Now, tell me-- how has your week been? What new writing achievements have you made? How are you folks in general?

26 comments:

Katie Dodge said...

It was so good to see you! And I'm impressed that was your idea! Very cool! That was one of my fav presentations.

David P. King said...

It's a real shame that I only got to see you once in passing and didn't get to spent more time with you. Well, next time, unless you plan to hit the Hale signing at the Orem B&N this Sat? :)

shelly said...

Tuesday, I had surgery. I'm still in bed recovering but I'm working on revisions and suggestions. I like the piece of advice on getting out a shiny new idea.

Peggy Eddleman said...

I didn't know that was your story idea at the Wells brothers' presentation. So cool!

And it sounds like you went to some great panels that I missed.

It was a blast hanging out with you at lunch! And I totally came home exhausted, too. Funny how sitting and listening can do that to you.

.... Or, it could possibly have been all the laughing.

Anonymous said...

True two days of exhaustion. My brain wanted to explode with all of the information that I learned. But I also gained everlasting friendships with some blogger friends turned real!

thanks sha-llee!

Precy Larkins said...

Looks like you had a total blast!

Angela Cothran said...

What a great tip from Brandon Sanderson!!! I'm so going to do that!

Small Town Shelly Brown said...

It was fun seeing you there! I love your blog, btw. I don't think I've told you that but I should. It's long overdue!

A.L. Sonnichsen said...

I'm so glad you had a fun time!

I'm planning on going to a SCBWI regional conference in April. So excited about it. I get to see a couple bloggy friends there, too. :)

Cortney Pearson said...

Sounds like you had a fantastic time!

Jennie Bennett said...

You know Dan Wells? Gosh I should have been following you around like a lost puppy, tee-hee ;) It was awesome to meet you!

Angie said...

You know, I brought my camera and didn't take one single picture! Duh. I had a great time, too, and I'm so glad we got to chat for a bit.

Golden Eagle said...

Sounds like you had an awesome time at the conference! :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I would have loved to be at that conference. Thanks for the quotes from some of my favorite fantasy authors.

i'm erin. said...

Shalee! You are so much fun and cute and I love your long quick growing hair. I hope we can get together again.

Jolene Perry said...

I've heard so many happy things from there :D

Glad you got to go!

Elana Johnson said...

Awesome stuff here. And I'm jealous you only went for 2 days. I'm so doing that next year. 3 was EXHAUSTING.

Emily R. King said...

Fun! It sounds like you had a wonderful time. The story structure presentation must have been incredible.

Tara Tyler said...

such grat advice! i wish i could go, but it's so far away.
thanks for sharing!

Leigh Covington said...

I had so much fun at LTUE, but I'm so bummed I didn't get to talk with you. Bummer! We will have to make sure it happens at Storymakers. Are you hitting storymakers? I hope so!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

oh wow, sounds like you had a brilliant time.

Unknown said...

Oh YAY! You went to LTUE!! I'm jealous! lol. But still, I'm so happy you made lots of friends! :D

akoss said...

Didn't accomplish anything extraordinary lately, but I'm glad you had a blast and made a bunch of new friends. Maybe one day we will meet at a conference.
Shelly Brown's recap was fun to read too. I'm glad SHE took a picture ;)

Rachna Chhabria said...

I am thrilled that your idea had such a huge appeal. You seem to have learnt lots.

Ghenet Myrthil said...

It sounds like it was a great conference! So cool that you got to see Dan Wells speak. I really like his plotting techniques.

Teralyn Rose Pilgrim said...

I like Brandon Sanderson's advice. For me, that's what NaNoWriMo is all about: getting those darned ideas out of my head, then putting my focus back where it should be!

I went home to Portland to celebrate my birthday this week, so that's what I've been up to. It was fabulous. I'm glad you had fun at the conference!

 
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