Conferences are wonderful. There's no other way to explain the benefits other than saying you must attend. 

Attending a conference allows the writer, whether new or seasoned, to interact with their peers, network with editors and publishers, and sharpen their writing skills. The goal is to have conferees walk away encouraged and filled to the brim.

Though more and more conferences are going to a relaxed dress and setting, there is one thing that should not change—how you present yourself.

There is something to be said for presentation. When you go to a restaurant and place an order for your food, you expect the staff to be courteous and clean. You insist your food look palatable. When those things don't happen, the ultimate response is not good. 

The same can be said from conferee to faculty. As a director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference, there are certain things I expect both from the venue where our conference is held and from our conferees and staff. I want my conferees to feel they have received a good value for their time and money spent, so I work diligently with the venue and with faculty to express exactly what I expect from them when our conference begins. On the same turn, my conferees expect to return the favor.

So what does it mean to present ourselves approved? I direct you to 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Presentation is important. From your personal appearance, to attitude, to the work you show.

Let's talk personal

Today's world has lost its need for tidiness. Personal dress, from droopy pants to gaping women's shirts, rule the roost. It's all about comfort and less about personal neatness. Professionalism seems to take a back seat these days, when it once set individuals apart. Be old school and respect yourself enough to be at your best.

• Present yourself approved by your cleanliness, dress, and posture – Learn the importance of a handshake. Use good posture over slumping. When you talk to a publisher sloppily dressed and slumping, you give the impression of "I don't care." If you'll dress cruddy and slump, you don't bring about the feeling of quality work. Not only should you be tidy, but clean and fresh – hair, teeth, and that much-loved deodorant are a plus. You can be comfortable without being messy. Not only will you look better when you straighten up and dress appropriately, but you will feel better and carry a stronger sense of self confidence.
• Present yourself approved by your attitude – These days the attitude of entitlement rages. Kindness, teachable spirit, and willingness to cooperate are fading. Here's a hint and something for you to seriously consider: Publishers love excellent manuscripts, but if the author is difficult to work with, if they fight and argue every move, that author will probably never receive another contract with that publisher again. There comes a point where the financial cost and stress points supersede the desire to publish a second time with an author. There are times when, in the editing phase of a manuscript, an author can work to negotiate particular changes they want but, ultimately, the publisher has the experience and knowledge to know what is best. Pouting, fighting, continuous phone calls, and multiple emails only serve to make you look like a "problem author." Publishers are not going to ruin a manuscript. Endangering their financial investment and employee time is the last thing they want. It’s their job to make your work a success. Learn to trust their experience.
• Work with kindness and a willingness to learn. Even when you disagree with an editor, state your reason, but be polite. Show your desire to work alongside them to make this the best work possible. Offer them the respect they have earned as an editor or publisher. You've heard the expression, "You get more with honey than vinegar."  It's true.
• Present yourself forthright and honest – Be on the up and up with financial dealings as a writer. Take time to learn the financial side of selling your books. Check into your state and local governments, and be sure you are adhering to what is legally required of you. In Tennessee, when I purchase books, I am required to pay the sales taxes to the state. As soon as my books arrive, I go to the state site and pay the taxes. I could probably slip by unnoticed because I'm not selling thousands of books from my home, but the fact remains, it wouldn't be honest. Invest in a good accountant if you are unsure of how to make right and fair deductions at tax time. Pay your taxes on your royalty income. Present yourself forthright and honest.

At Christian Devotions, we have a motto: A devotion may be the only Bible someone sees. When you present yourself as acceptable, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, you may become the only Bible someone sees. There is responsibility in the writing world. Present yourself as a glory to God in word and deed.

There may be few who love you as much as me – who love you enough to be honest about your personal presentation, physical, professional, and spiritual. Be proud of being a writer and present yourself as acceptable. You may be someone’s only Bible.

(Clipart courtesy of www.1001freedownloads.com & Algotruneman – Registered user. Used by permission)

My agent recently landed a new book contract for me. Jumping around the house shouting woo-hoo aside, I regained my composure and re-read the note the acquisitions editor send to my agent.

“…a wonderful author to work with…”  “…willing to do what we ask on marketing…”  “…we enjoyed working with her…”

Throughout the note, the acquisitions manager continued to remark on “this author’s willingness.” Though I was humbled by her kind words, something from Liz Curtis Higgs trickled back to mind. She said as she spoke at a conference, “Who wants to work with a person who thinks they are the be-all, end-all when there are authors out there who have a spirit-filled heart?”

Those words spoke volumes to me and I have remembered them for years. Who wants to work with a person who thinks they are the be-all, end-all? The answer is simple – no one! Being a willing author, and one with a teachable heart is something we can all do. We simply have to want to do it.

I believe in teaching loving truth to conferees and the truth is, a bad attitude will prevent the advancement of your writing career. God has blessed me to stand on both sides of the publishing table – one as an author and the other as a managing editor. The marriage of these two things has driven home the vital importance of being an author with a willing and teachable spirit. Integrity is more than honesty. It’s your outward and inner attitude. It’s how you treat others. How you respond to hardship, trials, and change. Integrity is dependability and it’s the combination of all these things that label you an author of integrity.

How does attitude affect your career? Like any job, there are folks in the line of authority who need cooperation. If you harbor a bad attitude or if you are a demanding author who stomps your feet at every turn, folks dread working with you. Before you know it, you gain a less attractive label. Unfortunately, one that will follow you just as close. Here are some things to stick in your author toolbox that will help you maintain the title, an author of integrity.

*Open minds invite cooperation – In a world where self-publishing on Amazon has primed writers to do all their own work, a certain attitude surfaces when those writers sign a traditional publishing contract. Once you’ve set at the steering wheel, it’s hard to scoot over to the passenger seat. When we self-publish, especially in areas like Amazon, we’re forced to learn what I call, fix and slap, publishing. In other words, we learn to quickly fix things and slap them together forgetting that there is a level of professionalism required to attain a product that looks…well, not self-published. (Let me qualify this statement. When you self-publish through a company that takes the reins but allows you full creative ability, it’s different than when you are at the helm, punching and prodding your way through a maze of stuff alone. There are amazing self-publishing companies available who will help you through the steps.) Moving into the traditional publishing world, removes your hands-on approach and requires you to submit to deadlines, publisher requirements, and qualified editors – folks who have years of experience. When you are asked to loosen whitened knuckles so others can take the wheel, sometimes the attitude gets a little touchy. Possessive. You are no longer the driver. You are now a passenger. Have an open mind and trust your publisher knows what is best for your novel. Cooperate for a superb finished product.

* Willingness invites participation– When you enter the traditional publishing world, remember you have a team behind you who wants nothing more than a huge success for you. Be willing to trust their years of experience. Allow them to move a project ahead, even if it may not be exactly as you imagined. You may have a picture in your mind for a cover, but the marketing team, who spends hundreds of hours researching titles, photos, colors, and fonts understands what draws a reader’s eye to your book on the shelf. They can produce an eye-catching cover that doesn’t look like the pictures were cut from a magazine and pasted to the front, one that shows readable fonts in colors that don’t look like you’ve melted a Crayola crayon and dropped it on the page. Be willing.

*Be timely – Meet deadlines on time. Though publishers are willing to move deadlines in the event of uncontrollable issues, remember it’s not a simple process to just change a date. Your book is one of many in the pipeline and when you move or miss a deadline, you are disrupting the work of everyone’s predetermined timelines from editing to marketing, to quality control. Make every effort to put edits and deadlines at the top of your priority list. Never wait until you put yourself in a position that causes missed deadlines.

Work through the proper protocol – Because we are human, there are times we run upon disagreements with our editors. Keep in mind your editor is not your enemy. It’s their job to help you and the publisher come out with a successful book. But occasionally we hit a snag that we can’t seem to work through. Don’t jump the gun and fire an angry letter to your publisher. Bad move. Instead, contact your agent and let them step in as the negotiator – after all, that is their job. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they can help solve the issue with your editor. If you are un-agented, then ask to have a conversation with the managing editor who oversees the projects. Generally, things iron out smoothly. Jumping the protocol of a publishing company is a bad move, regardless.

The right attitude transpires into good things. You will lay the groundwork for future contracts based not only on your work but also on your integrity as a solid author. Strive to be an author whose integrity shines. You will set the pace for your writing future.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com and johnhain

Photo 2 courtesy of pixaby.com and JESHOOTS-com