Holding a workshop or being a presenter at a conference has always interested me. I know in some cases the conventions solicit applications. In others, you get invited. Here’s the tale of how I was invited to join the faculty for the 2022 Las Vegas Writers Conference.
The Email
On Feb. 12, 2022, I spotted a curious email in my inbox with “Las Vegas Writers Conference” in the subject line. I figured maybe someone wanted me to add it to Haunt Jaunts’ Paracons & Horror Fests page. No, that’s not the sort of event I would normally include but who knows? Maybe there was a reason they thought I should.
So I opened it and was stunned to find the following message:
Ms. Mroch,
I am the Education Chair/Conference coordinator for the Henderson Writers’ Group in Henderson, Nevada, a city adjacent to Las Vegas, Nevada. I had asked Sharon Day to be on the faculty for our April 7th – 9th, 2022 virtual conference over Zoom. She had accepted, but her doctor has asked her not to do the sessions because of the medical problems she is recuperating from. When she told me this afternoon that she couldn’t attend and give sessions on blogging she recommended that I contact you to possibly take her place. Tere is a lot our attendees need to know about how to blog and make it useful to their purpose. Most don’t ever have success so they give up. I want someone who can show them how to be successful at it. Sharon says you could help us out. That is if you are willing to. If you want to talk to me in person, use one of the phone numbers (I am not sure where you are located) in the signature below to call me, or I can answer questions over email. You can see our conference website at www.lasvegaswritersconference.com . We are in the 18th year of hosting the conference.
-Jo-
The Circumstances
I was blown away for a couple of reasons. First, once upon a time Sharon and I talked almost every day. Well, by “talked” I mean either exchanged emails or I’d comment on her blog, or maybe she’d comment on mine. She’s the creator of Ghost Hunting Theories.
Then Life happened and we each had things to deal with and we drifted apart. You know how that happens.
In my case, I chose to spend more time trying to be active and play as much tennis as possible. I almost quit Haunt Jaunts entirely at that point.
Of course, I came back to it hard and furious a few years later, and in the last couple of years I’ve worked diligently to improve the content and concentrate on SEO, which had the amazing side effect of actually seeing my blog generate revenue.
Which leads to the second reason Jo’s email was so astounding. I had just announced that Haunt Jaunts had become a paying market for writers. I’ve always been open to guest posts, but it had also always been my goal to one day offer monetary compensation for posts too.
Well, that day had finally come. I’m consistently generating enough revenue each month to cover website maintenance and hosting fees, with enough left over to pay for guest posts.
Not a lot. Only $15 per post. And I can’t accept very many each month. Just three to start. But I’m hopeful one day I’ll be in a position to increase both.
At any rate, if Jo’s email had come a month earlier I may have struggled with imposter syndrome and declined. But by the time it arrived, I’d taken a moment to do something women so often don’t: pat myself on the back. When I evaluated where I started and how far I’d come, it even impressed myself. If I wasn’t going to take a moment to acknowledge that, who would?
So I did.
Then came Jo’s email.
It has been years since I caught up with Sharon. I often think of her fondly and hope she’s well, but have I ever reached out? No. Yet, she still remembered me too. And I felt so flattered not only that she had recommended me, but that Jo decided to take a chance on me too.
And of course I immediately wrote Sharon to thank her and catch up on old times.
Presenting
Most people dread public speaking. I am not most people. Am I any good at public speaking? Who knows? But I love it. I always have. So after quickly checking out the site for the conference, I wrote Jo back and said I’d be honored to attend.
But since I was a last-minute replacement, there was work to be done pronto. I had to fill out a contract and title and describe three workshop presentations. Jo explained they might not schedule me for all three, but they wanted to have them available just in case.
So I sent it all back, and guess what? I’ll be presenting all three during the 2022 Las Vegas Writers Conference.
My 3 Workshops
All times are PT.
Thursday, April 7
2:30-3:20 p.m.
Blogging 101 (Marketing/Publicity) Session 1, Track 1: Session 7, Tract 1
Learn the basics of setting up a blog and what it should contain from a blogger, successful in many aspects of the craft.
4:30-5:20 p.m.
How to Craft Blog Posts that Get Traffic and Make Money (Marketing/ Publicity) Session 3, Tract 2: Session 14, Tract 2
Learn how to make your blog profitable and well-read.
Friday, April 8
9:00-9:50 a.m.
Great Blog Expectations (Marketing/Publicity) Session 4 Tract 2: Session 10, Track 3
This session covers what you expect from your blog and what you can realistically see from your blog.
2:00-2:50 p.m.
Blogging 101
Saturday, April 9
9:00-9:50 a.m.
Great Blog Expectations
3:00-3:50 p.m.
How to Craft Blog
2022 Las Vegas Writers Conference Info
If you’re a writer who would like to attend, you can do so in person or virtually. They will have blue pencil sessions with editors and agents, as well as pitch sessions.
The cost is $149 for attendees or $99 for members of the Henderson Writers Group (HWG).
For more info, to register and to see a full list of faculty and workshops, visit: https://lasvegaswritersconference.com.