Monday, August 18, 2008

How To Beat The Post-Conference Blues

So, you did it. You poured over the conference brochure, registered, made travel and hotel reservations, and emptied your piggy bank to pay for it all. God spoke to your heart through te speakers and other conferees. The whirlwind days are behind you, and you're home again. Now what?

The initial excitement has been replaced by re-entry into everyday life. Work, family, home, church, and other responsibilities pull you in a hundred directions. How are you going to accomplish all your writing goals? Your conference balloon bursts with a bang. What have you gotten yourself into?

Editor A wants your article with the necessary changes ASAP, while Editor B needs 3 devotionals within a month. Several bloggers want to meet for lunch, while 2 newspaper editors are clamoring for testimonies. How do you sort everything out and fit them into your already impossible-to-handle schedule?

Calm down. Take a deep breath. Maybe several deep breaths. Spend some quality time with the Lord and your family. Slow the pace. There's an old Pennsylvania Dutch saying: "The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get." Trying to rush through tasks often causes more problems than it solves.

After the initial flurry of activity subsides, pull out your conference notes, and list your tasks in order of deadline and importance. The bloggers' lunch can go to the bottom of the priority list, while Editor A gets top billing. What items get your creative juices flowing? While all those freebies you picked up at the conference are tantalizing, they can wait until your life settles back into a more normal routine. When you're watching TV, you can pull one or two out and decide whether or not you want to submit to those markets.

Perhaps you received a critique at the conference. Your work-in-progress needs some polishing. Be sure to carve out some time to put what you've learned into practice. Oh, and don't forget to unpack all those craft books you stuffed into your suitcase and almost got a hernia lugging around. They'll refresh your memory.

There. You now have a plan. You're ready to sit down at your computer. With all your ideas, at least you won't be wondering what on earth to write.

6 comments:

quietspirit said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts here. I felt that same way when I went to a writers conference last year. I also used to feel that way when I went to church women's conferences and church growth conferences.

Also, thank you for your kind words you left me on my blog.

Annie said...

Great tips here, as usual. I believe that we often get overwhelmed after a conference. The, "Where do I begin", can really bog us down.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Quietspirit -

Yes, both writers conferences and church-related conferences are mountain-top experiences. Moving back into daily life with all its challenges is a jolt to the system.

I hope this post gave some tips on how to ease back into a routine and still retain the joy of special moments.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Annie -

Thanks for taking time out of your extremely busy schedule to stop by. I think the principles in this post can be applied to many life situations.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love the quote "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get"

I can totally relate.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Kathryn -

Welcome to my blog! I post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The first time I saw that quote, I knew I'd never forget it.

Blessings,
Susan :)