4 Reasons Why You Need to Be at the UCF Book Festival This Year

In just a few short weeks Central Florida will be graced with the presence of some of our nation's most talented and highly read authors. If you live in Central Florida and are a book lover, you know the feeling that comes when you see all the author tours, appearances, and signings announced in places like New York, Atlanta, and LA. I don't know about you, but I find myself wondering what we have to do to attract more cerebral activity here. I mean, the new Harry Potter ride is cool, but I want BOOKS! The UCF Book Festival is the perfect fix.

What Happens to Writers After the Writers' Conference? 7 Things That Should NOT Happen

So you’re walking along minding your business and stumble across an out-of-the-blue writers' conference and you have a chance one-one-one with an editor or an agent, and guess what? They want your proposal! Obviously, it doesn't happen like that.

It’s more like you’re finally getting to the writers’ conference you’ve been scheming and planning to attend for years. You’ve gone without Starbucks for months trying to save for it. You’ve written and rewritten the piece you hope to present. Your piece has been ripped apart by your critique partners and pieced back together through your tear-drenched eyes and shaking hands. You know all the editors who are coming by name and face. You’ve studied what house they represent and what they are looking for at the conference. If you’re really up on it, you’ve followed them on Twitter, friended them on Facebook, and commented on all of their blog posts. (A little scary, yes, and maybe this is just what I think would be the ideal prep for a conference.)