My First LCC: Barb Schlichting

I’ve attended two conferences, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and have found everyone friendly and helpful. Hopeful is the main word that I could use to describe the conferences.

I sat with one published author who gave me a whole lot of editing advice, which I put to good use.

She suggested that I read my manuscript out loud, to see how it sounds. I did just that once I returned home.The following conference, I shared with another online friend. This person had beta read for me a few times and was more than willing to help me with my pitch. I had signed up to pitch to an agent, and because of her advice, it went better than expected. This conference also had time set aside to meet in groups with agents to work on our pitches before the assigned time. It was great to meet other struggling writers.

I also sat in on many panels and learned how to give strength to secondary characters or where to look for poisonous plants among the weeds. I also look at crime scenes a lot differently than I ever did. I’m getting good at locating clues in the movies, too. It was also great to meet friends from yahoo lists and other social media. Everyone expressed good wishes with my unpublished series.

I’m looking forward to my first Left Coast Crime Conference. It’ll be great to renew acquaintances, and learn more about the craft of writing.

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Barb Schlichting lives in Bemidji, MN, in the land of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. She graduated from Bemidji State University with an undergraduate degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in special education. She has two grown boys, a husband, and five grandchildren.