Putting My Introvert On The Back Shelf

One of the things I love about writing is that, for me at least, it’s a fairly solitary pursuit. It’s just me, my computer, and the characters in my head. (To clarify, just in case anyone is wondering about my sanity, I do realize they’re not real and that I am, in fact, the one making them say and do things. Plus they never tell me to do anything mean. Promise.)

I’m not one of these stereotypical introverts who can’t have a short and pleasant conversation with random people, mind you. I’ve always more considered it the reality that being around groups of people and expected to be “on” for large periods of time is incredibly draining to me. An extrovert, by comparison, would feed off that energy and be amped up for weeks after such an experience. I can cope with it (so long as I know alone time is coming), extroverts can’t cope without it (or at least, not happily.)

That said, the business end of writing is not for the introverted faint of heart. There’s an awful lot of networking and reaching out to people who you don’t know from Adam required in sending out queries, finding an unbiased critique group (cause while your mom will always say positive things to you, she is probably not the most unbiased audience. Even if she’ll also give pointers for improvement), and so on and so forth.

And that doesn’t even take into account the writer’s conference. I have been to several writer’s conferences and always found them intimidating and overwhelming. Fun? Definitely. Useful? Absolutely. But still scary. This is why it’s been a while since I went to one. Now, with a polished manuscript in my hands, one that I very much want to see turned into an actual, honest to goodness book, I’m poking my toe back into those waters.

The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference is about a month away. I’m already having back-to-school anxiety nightmares. (You know the ones, can’t find your class, get to class but realize it’s the day of the final and you’ve not been there all term, can’t find your locker, can’t open your locker…they’re restful dreams, let me tell you.) Even so, I’m looking forward to going. The list of workshops is incredible (honestly, I need to figure out a way to clone myself so I can be in multiple places at once). The setting looks beautiful (not necessary, by any means, but definitely a bonus.) And I even managed to send in some writing for a critique (I only needed to breathe deeply into a paper bag for twenty minutes before hitting send on that email.) It’s going to be great.

And when I get home, I’ll probably not need to talk to anyone for a week.

(If you’ll be there too, let me know – I’d love a chance to say hi.)