Search This Blog

Monday, April 22, 2013

So Here is the Deal With Me and Conventions

I'm going (in 9 days) to Romantic Times Convention in Kansas City.  Before this year, I had been to two conventions. One in New Jersey, a fiction writers convention, and one in New York City when RWA was there.

This year, I drove to San Antonio and went to The Naughty Sleepover. It was fabulous.  I see the values of conventions. You learn a lot, meet people doing what you're doing, and also find out what hte readers are thinking.

But here is the deal with me and conventions. I get really, really nervous.

So first of all, I will be getting up really, really early to get there.  Its going to take me two planes.  I'm a really bad flyer but since I'm doing it sans children I can always take something if I need it.  If everything goes as it should, I'll get to the hotel about lunch time.

Then if I can immediately check in, I'll go to my room.  Where I am going to feel like hiding for the entire convention.  I tried to do this at the Naughty Sleepover but since it was a small convention I thought someone might notice and forced myself out of the room.  It was a good thing I did, I had a great time.

I will have all sorts of reasons for why I am hiding in my room. I want to write. I'm tired.  I'm ____ (fill in the blank)

Why? You might ask? Because I get really scared. You see there's a reason I sit behind a computer and tell stories.  I'm shy and I have a difficult time putting myself out there.  Oh, sometimes I can fake it but to believe me when I say my heart is racing when I do.

When I relax and know you, I'm very relaxed.  I've been told I'm a pretty good friend.  But make no mistake if you see me at RT.  I'm nervous. And I'm thinking about going back to my room.

7 comments:

  1. I can totally relate. Felt the same way at a writer's event this past weekend. Wish I was able to go to RT to meet you. Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeppers. I remember you leaving NY RWA before it was over. I would hide in my room with the A/C on the whole time if I could. I always feel like I'm latching on to people. I seem like I'm outgoing usually. But it's a cover up. I'm totally not.

    ReplyDelete
  3. PS: At NJ RWA, I left what turned out to be a great party (or so I was told) to go back to the room and watch the Yanks get slaughtered in a play-off game. Derek Jeter broke his ankle. Good times.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Actually, I'm shy....I confess it I'm shy..

    I'll stop singing now.

    Can't you guess neath this confident air is a mask that I wear cause I'm shy.

    I had to finish it. Now I'll stop singing. But it seemed pertinent.

    Oddly I'm very shy with people I don't know, or very outgoing. Never now which me will show up. I would be shy at a convention unless someone gets me drunk, then I'll be silly as can be and will probably sing.

    A lot.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You know you can always call me. If you don't have my cell let me know and I'll give it to you. We should be at the hotel mid-afternoon on Tuesday. Feel free to glom on at any time.

    Most writers are introverts. As you said, there's a reason we sit behind computers and tell stories.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nobody would have known you were nervous in San Antonio. I don't do well in crowds,either, but as I go to more cons the percentage of people I know grows and I get better.I'm glad you're gettng out there and especially glad you went to San Antonio so I could meet you in person. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful at RT. As Cassandra said...most of us are like that. You're in good company. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for posting this. I feel the same way and have yet to attend a convention. While no one who knows me would call me shy, I'm a true introvert who finds socializing exhausting (ditto for travel). It's good to hear the pay off is worth it!

    ReplyDelete