I arrived at the 2015 Philadelphia Writers’ Conference having brought pants. Preparation is very important. My wife and I had traveled to Mexico for our 10th anniversary in 2011. A sign posted in front of one of our resort’s restaurants stated “Business Casual Attire.” Having only packed shorts, I asked the host if dress-shorts would be adequate. He paused, perhaps translating in his head, then smiled and said loud enough for many of the diners to hear, “Ah, no pants!” He reached into his podium and produced a pair of polyester stretch pants. Word of this seemed to spread among staff members. More than a few greeted me with a point, smile, and the phrase “no pants” for the remainder of our trip.
A little preparation for writing conferences– preparing the writing, not the pants– goes a long way to ensure a rewarding experience with realistic expectations. As soon as you register, check the submission deadlines for contests and critiques. Take advantage of these opportunities– you paid for these as part of your registration fees. Generate the best writing you can, submit it, and realize you will question whether you should have sent it or not. This is natural, and most of us ask this question the moment after we hit the submit button. One of the main objectives of a conference is to improve our work and to learn– if our submissions for critiques were perfect, we wouldn’t be looking for feedback, nor would the thousands of other submitters doing the same each year. As your conference date approaches, use the following checklist to continue your preparations:
1) Prioritize some short writing projects to work on by the pool, and limit the number to no more than one per day (I can work on no more than two projects during a three-day conference);
2) Create a note-taking system of folders (digital or paper) before you leave: one for each class/workshop/session, one for each project you bring, and one for each piece you had submitted for critique;
3) Create a cloud back-up for your digital files or organize your existing storage spaces to make online work, uploading, and downloading efficient;
4) Set aside a small notebook or pad to carry with you to all sessions for jotting down ideas: new project ideas, lines of dialogue for old stories, and the unpredictable variety of words that will come forth at the strangest times, and
5) Make sure you have a handful of business cards pointing to your website and social media (you will be networking even when you don’t think you are networking).
Conferences have been incredible experiences for me, generating ideas and feedback informing my work for weeks after I leave. Squeeze everything you can from these investments of time and money. Prepare your work and work-flow as well as your suitcase. Most importantly, don’t forget your pants.
david cooper writing 
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