Realm Makers // Tips for Newbies! (AKA, Things I Wish I Had Known)

Wow. Look at me, I’m so on top of things, aren’t I? Posting every two weeks, giving you guys quality content. Go me.

 

Okay, now that that’s out of the way, I WENT TO REALM MAKERS. AND IT WAS CRAZY. AND AWESOME. AND I WANT TO GO AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

I had such an amazing time, meeting all of you guys (and wishing some of you guys were there ;( ), taking a notebook full of notes in all the classes, book buying, dressing up for banquet night, the Nerf war that may or may not have happened. 😉

In short, it was such an amazing experience, and since I can’t accurately sum everything up, I’m going to throw some of these other bloggers posts in your face. Jenelle, Tracey, and Christine have some lovely recaps you should go read right now (you’ll find a couple pictures of me, if you look hard enough. 😉 )

So, as a writer, this was a totally worthwhile experience for me. I would go again in a heartbeat. But…there were some things that I wish I had done, and some things I wish I hadn’t done. So, if you’re planning on going some time in the future, or you just want some of my advice for next year, I’m going to list some pro tips that will help you be the best Realmie you can be. 😀

Tip 1 // Take as many pictures as humanly possible!

This is one of those things were I can see my quietness really makes itself known. I’m not the type of person to just walk up to somebody and say ‘Hey, mind if I take a picture with you?’ No, no, no, no, no, that is not me. If you come up to me and ask for a picture, I will gladly pose and smile. But it’s just not in my nature to ask.

But I wish I had. I so wish I had.

Because now I have no pictures of the event (except for the ones Christine sent me, THANK YOU SO MUCH ❤ ). It’s all mostly memories for me. And that’s totally fine. If you don’t care about the pictures, no big deal. But I know for me, pictures help keep events alive in my mind. And I do have the memory of a goldfish, so…

Also, part of the reason I didn’t take any pictures is because I didn’t have a nice camera. I had my phone with me, but any pictures I attempted to take on it were always blurry and/or grainy. So I gave up on that. I do have a little digital camera, but it’s not the easiest to use. And I also forgot it. So.

In conclusion: get yourself a good camera, and don’t be afraid to snap a ton of photos! You’ll be so glad you did.

Tip 2 // Consider if you want take notes on paper or on your laptop/device!

This kind of depends on how good at note taking you are. I know I kind of wished I have used my laptop (even though it’s big and bulky and weighs a half a ton XD ). Instead, I had a notebook with me. Which definitely worked just fine, I filled it up with a ton of great notes and it felt really great just carrying my little notebook and pencil to each class.

But I’m not the fastest note taker. There was a lot of stuff that I missed because I couldn’t write fast enough. (Most of the people giving classes were willing to send their slides out, though, so that was nice. 🙂 ) Typing is just much easier and more convenient for me.

But it’s also a pain to lug around a gargantuan laptop. In my case, I probably won’t end up carrying my computer around, but if you have a tiny, easily portable device, I would highly suggest using that, if you’re more into typing than pencil and paper.

Tip 3 // Bring business cards!

I so wish I had made some and brought them! Every time someone handed me there business card I would have to accept it and then…awkwardly not give them anything in return because I had nothing. XD

ME.

After I got home, I started designing some on Vistaprint, had them finished within a day, and then ordered a pack of a hundred. They’re super cute and I’m really excited about them. ^_^

So if you want to be professional and you have the money, it’s a great way to promote yourself and your business (editing, writing, blogging, etc).

Tip 4 // Book appointments!

I don’t know if they do this every year, but lemme tell ya, I definitely regret not meeting with an agent or editor or even a mentor.

The nice thing about it is that they have people you can talk to for each stage of writing you’re in. All polished up and looking to pitch? Go with an agent. Feeling pretty confident, but still feel like your manuscript could use a little more work before it’s ready? Try an editor. Still in the writing stage and just looking for general guidance and encouragement? Book a mentor.

I probably would’ve booked a mentor, if I hadn’t gotten around to it too late (go me. XD) I know a lot of my fellow bloggers had meetings with agents and editors and they said it was invaluable, talking with a professional.

So I am definitely booking sooner rather than later, if I go next year. It sounds like it was worth it.

Tip 5 // Don’t be afraid to take breaks when you need to!

This is probably the most important tip, in my opinion. Don’t tire yourself out, trying to do everything. It’s okay to step back and take a breather. Head to your room for a little nap. Do a little exploring on your own during break periods. Grab a snack and just sit and relax.

I came with my family, and we stayed on site most of the time. It was so nice being able to just head to my room if it was too much noise and people. I could hang with my family, watch a little TV, eat some of the food we brought. It worked out really well.

So if it’s getting to be too much, and you need to catch your breath, don’t feel bad about it. If the majority of us there are introverted, we’ll understand. (I don’t know if that was true, but nearly all the bloggers I knew who were there are introverted, so I’m just making up data. XD)

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Well, those are my tips for you future Realmies. I hope you heed my advice and come to Realm Makers next year! It was such a blast meeting you guys and for those of you who couldn’t make it I HOPE YOU CAN COME NEXT YEAR. Although, I don’t even know if I can go next year… Well, fingers crossed, I guess.

Have you ever been to Realm Makers before? If so, what are some of your favorite memories? I’d love to swap experiences with you! And if you haven’t been to Realm Makers, are you planning to go next year? ‘CAUSE YOU NEED TO. SERIOUSLY. Maybe you’ll see me there next year… 😉