Over the past few days I have been too preoccupied with tying up loose ends to let the nervousness sink in, but now that I am less than 24 hours away from boarding the plane, I officially have the jitters. Not only am I terrified to fly, I am terrified to schmooze with writers whose work I read regularly in the pages of the glossy magazines I covet. The thought of approaching a writer, or even worse, an editor, to introduce myself and strike up a conversation makes me nauseous with nervousness.
Despite my queasy stomach, I am also really excited. I will be face-to-face with successful writers, top notch editors and peers who, like me, will be nervous and unsure of themselves.
Saturday will be a 12-hour day filled with workshops on topics ranging from developing ideas and breaking into national magazines to earning a six-figure income freelancing and writing for hi-end luxury markets. There are keynote speakers, an idea marketplace, and an evening cocktail reception.
But the part of the day I am most excited about is a one-on-one mentoring session, where I will have 30 minutes to ask questions, get feedback on my queries and just generally benefit from the expertise of a writer who has achieved national success. The woman I have been matched up with is a nationally-known writer and editor who has worked for some of the top woman’s publications, and I know she will be able to offer tremendous insight into moving into national markets – this opportunity alone is worth flying across the country for.
Before I can leave, I must pack…more when I return next week.