We’re deep into winter, and The Association of Writing Programs Conference, or AWP, is upon us again! This literary behemoth, which has grown exponentially in attendance and scope over the years, can be daunting, both for vets and newbies alike. How do you get the most bookish bang for your buck at an event that spans four days and attracts some 12,000 like-minded individuals? We here at Plume have a few tips we’d like to share.
You can’t be everywhere at once.
Your most anticipated events are scheduled at the same time because…of course they are. You can’t simultaneously listen to your favorite poet talk about writing in an era of reduced arts funding and take in a panel about avoiding cultural appropriation when writing characters unlike yourself. Pick one of the two, sit in the back, and unless it is everything you dreamed it would be, feel free to (quietly) slip out and (discreetly) sneak into the other room.
Give the book fair a try.
Maybe you only came to AWP because you want the keynote speaker to sign your well-loved copy of her memoir or your mentor is on a panel and you think he might tell an anecdote about your ridiculous dissertation committee. With everything going on, it can be easy to forget about the book fair. There will be a lot of tables and many offer (often free!) swag. Just try not to take everything that comes your way, though, unless you brought extra luggage or don’t have far to travel home. In that same vein, a lot of tables will be trying to unload their wares on the last day, so this is a good time to swing by and score some great deals on literary magazines and other goods. Also, don’t be so quick to ignore calls from unknown numbers. Yes, it could be that weird guy in the yellow skinny jeans from the dance party at the hotel lounge last night, but it could also be someone calling to say that you won that raffle you forgot you entered at the book fair!
You can always take a break…to write!
Veteran AWP attendee (she’s six conferences in, and counting), Samantha Tetangco, has the following to say: “I offer advice no one gave to me, which is to remember that you are a writer while you are there—so when you feel inspired, go write! I like to start a new short story when I get there and write throughout the conference, between panels, in the mornings. So many writers in one place, and so few are actually writing. Feels like I get to steal their unused muse for the weekend!” (On a side note, don’t be fooled that Samantha is always off in a corner writing. She’s a communications officer for the conference and just last year moderated a panel called The Politics of Queering Characters. This year she’ll be sharing her work at a panel called The Badlands Reading).
Try to get out for a few hours.
AWP is held in diverse, beautiful cities all over the country that have their own unique cultures and charms. When you grow tired of the labyrinthine shuffle from room to room and simply can’t take in another idea, no matter how relevant or moving, go for a walk (if it’s warm enough!), go to a museum, go to a coffee shop that isn’t a hotel Starbucks, go catch up with that friend from undergrad who moved here five years ago. You won’t regret it, and you’ll return to the conference feeling refreshed.
When talking to someone famous, grab a friend.
A few years ago, after she gave a reading, I went up to talk to one of my favorite short story writers. I don’t know about you, but I am bad at talking to famous people, especially those I admire. I can’t even remember what I said now—I think it was something inane about the weather in Albuquerque—but before I could even self-flagellate, my poor friend, who was trembling, said something even less coherent to the writer, and I felt secure in the knowledge that my awkwardness would fade from the writer’s memory much more quickly. On a related note, use the size of the conference to your advantage in terms of visibility. If there’s someone you’d rather not see (I think most of us have at least one), it’s easy to disappear into the crowd without appearing rude or obvious.
Save your AWP schedule.
I know what you’re thinking. That giant book with all the MFA ads and panel descriptions and I-don’t-even-know-what-else? Didn’t you just tell me not to lug home every little thing I collect at this conference? Yes, I did. But trust me when I say, you will want this book later. Even if you take copious notes (guilty!), you will not catch every panel member’s name or remember every event that you attended. When you’re home and have had some time to decompress, you’ll want to look back at what you just experienced. Maybe you want to look up the books that writer you’ve never heard of on that feminist YA panel has published. Or maybe you’re feeling ambitious about proposing a future panel and you want to get an overview of what panels were already done to death this year (hmmmm). Of course, all of this information is surely online, but don’t we already spend enough of our lives hunched over our keyboards?
The AWP Conference, like most things in life, is what you make of it. There’s a lot of opportunity and creative juju in the air, but it can also be downright overwhelming and isn’t for everyone. I spoke to several writers who said they either have never had any interest in going or that they went and didn’t find it enjoyable. But if you are going this year or plan to in the future, we hope you found some of these tips helpful!