How to Attend AWP Without Losing Your Mind
Association of Writers and Writing Programs is an unholy combination of famous writers, grad students, and people in between (not that you have to be a grad student or former grad student to go!).
Thousands of people who are more at home writing in their kitchens than talking to strangers gather together in a conference center and try to sell books, learn things, meet people, and not go insane.
Here are some guidelines to preserving your sanity.
Find your people.
The best thing to do is find your friends: people who are the same speed as you to navigate the conference. If you don’t know people beforehand, find the ones who are reading poetry sitting on the hallway floor, dancing at the queer poetry happy hours, volunteering at the booths of publications you love, or are hanging out in the Dickinson room (a quiet room for introverts to gather their thoughts).
Strike up a conversation (“How is your AWP?” “What are you reading"?” “I love that pin.” “Do you know somewhere to get coffee/fake eyelashes/water that doesn’t cost $10?” “Crazy, huh?” )
Ditching a panel to hang out with old or new friends is the essence of what makes AWP worth the time and effort.
2. Do not remain in places that make you feel bad.
Does a panel make you feel like you will never be published and will probably die alone? Leave immediately. Does a conversation insinuate that if you don’t have an MFA from Southern Northern Arizona Tech University of the Circus Arts means that you are not worth the air you breathe? “Sorry I have to run to the bathroom/another panel/volunteer shift.” Leave.
I am overhonest, but I’d like to encourage you to lie to save your sanity. Practice those excuses as necessary. You are not required to stay in any spaces that threatens your writerly (or personal) self-confidence.
3. Pace yourself.
Hydrate, pack snacks, and know how many events you can navigate in a day without losing your mind or if you’re one of those fabled extroverts, how many events you have to go to in order to feel like you’ve done something awesome.
There is a lot of drinking at AWP. Participate if you want, but remember your limits. Being hungover at the airport at 5 am sucks. Ask me how I know. There is sober AWP every day for those who want to find community and support around not drinking. Also a tonic and lime looks a lot like a gin and tonic and no one will ever know if you are drinking or not. It’s none of their fucking business.
Find a corner, a view, a coffeeshop, your room, a place that makes you feel like yourself when you need a conference break. Text some friends. Look at pictures of your dog. Go to a bookstore. Take a breath.
4. Buy books on Saturday.
On the last day of the conference everyone discounts their books because no one wants to ship them home.
What are your tips? How did it go? Report back.