Writers Digest Writers Conference 2007 NYC

"Find what you're passionate about and write," said editor Judy Hottenson during the conference lunch break. I didn't expect going to NYC coming back learning more about myself then the trade, but after returning home from the conference - I learned just that.

With just being found positive for mono, I went to NYC with an open mind, tired eyes from driving 5 hours and a hungry energy, excited to learn. At roughly around 7:40 am, I had already registered and was sitting downstairs looking through my pamphlet when Jodi Picoult walked by to get ready for her key note opening speech. I felt like a middle school girl at their first boy band concert - I felt like I had just seen a celebrity and really I had. At 8:30, Jodi gave a great speech which woke me up and opened my ears. She was very down to earth and real, making jokes about the research she had done and how she had to work to make her ordinary, healthy life and more fictional one. I couldn't stop smiling. Something that she said that made me interested had to do with her research. She stated, "Don't write what you know, but what you are willing to learn." I loved it. To be able to hear my favorite author speak about her trials and hardships made me realize how badly I want to be a part of this craft.

The first session I attended was a session about Your Breakout Novel - spoken by the agent Donald Maass. He began in a slightly depressed tone by began to open up by creating a workshop environment where we had to think about the current novel we were creating. I thought of the novel I am currently writing, A Separation of Heart, and about them main charactors, or in my usual case, the three of them. He brought us through different ways to jump into the protagonist's head and become them which helped me quite a bit.

Then it was lunch. Being it hurt too much to eat, I barely did. I sat at a table of woman who had to be twice or three times my age. I found myself trying to act older and more mature, folding my napkin on my lap, cutting the chicken with a knife (which I never do) and beginning polite conversation. Some of the women said that they were so enjoyed to see someone my age beginning their writing career so early in their life. Im pretty happy about that too.

After lunch I got to get 19 Minutes signed by Jodi Picoult, which I had been looking forward to all morning. When she asked me for my name, I swear I almost forgot. Then I got it right and asked for a photo to be taken, obviously. She said that we could be twins because of our hair and I laughed nervously. I still can't believe she was right there .

The last part of the afternoon was a session on Young Adult Writing that I attended because that audience is my main concentration. From that session, I learned that this is what I want to do. I want to be a novelist and really I am already. Whether I accomplish this in the next 10-20 years or if I end up self publishing, no matter what I will do it.

I would have attended the pitch slam if I had been prepared but by 3:00, I was already dead. I didn't feet too good but I knew I had learned a lot. I learned that I need to write and concentrate on what I love. Sure I will have lots of other careers alongside writing, but I will make room to have it. Because I have always made room to write and how could I possibly stop now.

And just like editor Will Shwalbe said, "When you see your book being read on the subway, you know you'll make it." And believe me, I will.