Whether you’re a Jurassic Park (Michael Crichton), M*A*S*H (Richard Hooker), or Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle) fan, odds are you know more than a few doctor writers. There’s Robin Cook (Outbreak), Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner), and Samual Shem (The House of God) too. Still, my favorites are Tess Gerritsen (The Surgeon) and Michael Palmer (The Fifth Vial), and for good reason. They were the headliners for the first writing conference I ever attended.

My First Writing Conference

The SEAK Fiction Writing for Physicians Conference was a writers’ conference for doctors by doctors. To learn firsthand how two physicians with my medical training and background broke into a whole different field was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Although I understood that not everyone could be a New York Times bestseller like Tess and Michael, it was the motivation I needed.

I drove to Cape Cod from Connecticut a day early to attend a pre-conference with author Steven James (The Pawn). He may not have had an MD after his name but he had a lot (i.e., everything) to offer. The moment he started talking, I came alive. As we discussed writing strategies and pitched ideas, inspiration pulsed through my veins. It was liberating. Later that evening there would be an introductory reception with Tess and Michael, and I would get a chance to meet my role models. The writers’ conference was turning out to be everything I hoped it would be.

Making the Most of a Difficult Situation

I had turned my phone off during my pre-conference. So absorbed was I in the festivities, I forgot to check for calls during my lunch break. Afterward, I headed back to my hotel room, my heart pumping in the very best way, not knowing my heart would break only moments later. That’s when I got my sister’s message.

How do you chase a dream when you are living a nightmare?

My father had died. We were estranged at the time, and the news felt like I had been struck by lightning. We would never get the chance to reconcile. Things would never be right again. Guilt and regret strangled me. I remember doubling over and screaming without any sound passing my lips.

At the time, I was thankful to be in another state, away from family and alone in my grief. I needed time to collect myself and I couldn’t do that with people hovering over me. My first inclination was to crawl into bed and cocoon myself into oblivion. Still, whether or not I wanted to, I knew I needed to eat or I would face an inevitable migraine. I figured I could sneak a bite at the reception and then hole up in my room, trying to make sense of a world without my father.

When I opened my hotel room door, Tess Gerritsen was literally walking past my room. I could have let the moment pass, but did I need more regrets in my life? I introduced myself and we walked to the reception together.

What You Can Learn from a Writing Conference

This writing conference came at the worst possible time, but in its own way, it was a welcome distraction. I threw myself into writing during the day and kept to myself at night. I would be lying if I said it was easy at the time.

I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned along the way. Tess and Michael taught me about show don’t tell. We talked about building tension and misdirecting with Macgufffins. We focused on coloring scenes with the five senses, developing believable characters, and avoiding plot holes. There was the whole book business side too — how to build a platform and whether to go the traditional or self-publishing route. I met agents and pitched my novels. More interesting, I heard other people pitch their ideas. Let’s say you can learn a lot from a bad idea.

There is so much you can get from a writing conference whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned veteran. There are opportunities to learn about the craft, to get feedback on your work, and to break into the publishing business. More than anything, it’s about the people. You have the opportunity to network and meet fellow writers as well as other people in the book biz. I met my agent at one I attended years later. If that’s not a good reason to go to a writing conference, I don’t know what is!