Chrissy Kolaya: A few thoughts on attending the AWP Conference
Curiosity, connection, and kindness will hold you in good stead at AWP '24
Chrissy Kolaya is a poet and fiction writer, author of the novel Charmed Particles and two books of poems, Any Anxious Body and Other Possible Lives. Her work has been included in anthologies by Norton, Milkweed Editions, and in a number of literary journals. [My review of Charmed Particles is here.]
Kolaya is passionate about collaboration and has worked with comic artists, book artists, filmmakers and composers on collaborations and adaptations of her work. Her work has been supported by grants, fellowships, and awards from the Fiction Meets Science Program at the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Studies in Germany, Bread Loaf, the Norman Mailer Writers Colony, the Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, the Jerome Foundation, the Loft Literary Center, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Central Florida.
She teaches in the creative writing MFA program at the University of Central Florida, where she was awarded a 2022 Reach for the Stars Award, one of the university’s highest faculty honors. You can learn more about her work at chrissykolaya.com.
I put this piece together for some of the grad students I teach, many of whom will be heading to the AWP Conference (Association of Writers & Writing Programs) for the first time this week. I thought it might be useful for us all as we hit the road for our annual conference/homecoming for writers.
The first time I went to AWP, I was terrified and overwhelmed. There were so many people there, all of them trying to accomplish all of the same things I was! Suddenly, everything I imagined for myself seemed impossible. I wondered: How am I going to succeed as a writer when there are all of these other folks I have to compete against?
Here’s the thing, though. Art is not a zero-sum game. The more of it there is, the better the world is. After many years, and lots of trial and error, I’m now able to see AWP in a very different way: as a chance to connect with other folks who are as excited to geek out over writing as I am.
My mantra these days: Go with an attitude of curiosity, connection, and kindness.
Some tips for this:
If you’re a planner (like me!), you can build yourself a schedule ahead of time using the tools here, here, and here.
If you find yourself attending a panel that isn’t what you thought it would be or doesn’t seem useful to you, it’s completely okay to sneak out if you can do so unobtrusively. If you think this is likely to be the case, try to snag a seat in the back and on an aisle if at all possible. You can check out another panel (again, if you can sneak in unobtrusively) or roam the book fair.
Almost all panels will have a time during which the audience can ask questions. Before raising your hand to ask your question, check in with yourself first, and ask: Is my question a real question, or is it an attempt to center my experience and/or work?
Food at the convention center is expensive, and you may not want to stop for lunch. Pack yourself a healthy snack. (Can you tell I’m a mom?)
Be kind to the people tabling in the book fair. Whatever kind of a long day you’re having, theirs is probably longer and filled with more awkward interactions. Should you find yourself book-fair chatting with an editor who has rejected you or has been sitting on a piece for quite some time, stifle the urge to tell them this. Instead, tell them something you like about their journal: the cover, the design, a piece you admired in it.
Follow up after the event—reach out to the folks you enjoyed meeting, whose panel you found especially helpful, etc. Tell them what you appreciated!
Buy books and journals if you can; if you’re on a tight budget, note that nearly everything will be deeply discounted on Saturday as the conference comes to a close.
If you’re an introvert, pace yourself, but don’t hide out. You may want to make use of the conference’s Dickinson Quiet Space or the Low Light Space.
If you need other accommodations, you can learn about them here.
Treat the conference as an opportunity for genuine connection rather than a networking event. People can sense naked self-promotion and ambitious angling. You’re in a room with almost everyone across this country who cares as much about creative writing as you do! Try to enjoy that as an experience.
Remember: As big and as overwhelming as it may seem while you’re there, the writing world is small, and these folks will be your colleagues for the rest of your career. Behave accordingly (including and especially at evening and offsite events).
Keep an eye out for folks who seem to be terrified and overwhelmed, and if you can, invite them to join you and your friends for a conversation, a meal, an offsite event.
Looking forward to seeing you all there. If you find yourself feeling lost or lonesome, I hope you’ll reach out. My AWP dance card is always a more-the-merrier one, and you’re welcome to tag along with whatever I’m up to.
Safe travels, everyone! See you in Kansas City!