by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com
After the Pre-Westminster Fashion show, and before the Westminster Dog Show there is a conference tucked in between both and held at the Hotel Pennsylvania – it’s been taking place the past few years. What conference am I speaking of? The 4th Annual Pet Writing Conference of course! This year was my first year I was able to attend – but as a pet writer or someone in the pet industry thinking about getting into pet writing – this is a conference you should not miss. Meeting with other pet writers from across the US, pet authors who have published pet books and with editors and publishers – this was an intimate group of about 40 pet writing professionals I would not have otherwise have met.
The conference is hosted by Charlotte Reed of The Pet Socialite Inc., and at lunch time the world famous David Frei of the Westminster Dog Show and Angel on a Leash stopped by to speak to us and with us – in which he was a fab addition of the lunch break. I have met David a few times in the past and he did not disappoint with his stories of Uno a past Westminster Best in Show winner and his perfect pronunciation of the new breeds this year. You know the dog breed starting with an X, I wouldn’t even attempt how to pronounce it.
Prior to David showing up at lunchtime, there were different seminars throughout the morning – and I have pages of notes yet to go through and hearing from people in the pet writing industry and learning their ins and outs – was very informative and dare I say fascinating at some points.
I spoke with a publisher and was asking her what she sees in self publishing vs. trying to get your book published world, and she said her company has published pet books that were self published first and the traditional publishing methods. Was pretty interesting to hear her insight.
Another seminar had speakers from Petside.com and they were so nice and helpful – it was such a wonderful thing to see – as many of us have our own blogs, or pet magazines – they offered nothing but insight and even how to work with them.
Back to the books – one seminar after lunch that was almost a battle, was the Authors on writing – which featured a local Long Island author of 3 children’s books, the first being, ‘Ankle Soup‘ by Maureen Sullivan. I met Maureen 3-years ago at a pet event in NYC when she and her illustrator were debuting Ankle Soup – and the French Bulldog on the cover is what caught my eye. Turns out Maureen has been in the publishing world for a while, and yet she still self published her own three beautiful books. The other author in that seminar, had a book published called Culinary Canine – and she told us of the woes of getting book published, how long it took and how long before they see a percentage (yikes!). It was really insightful to hear the too authors almost battle out which publishing method was better. (If and when I write a book, I think I am going to self publish) – so for that part of the seminar alone – made it well worth the attendance of the conference.
I love the fact that I learned things I wasn’t expecting to learn, hence all the notes I still have to go through. And I was inspired by a few of the speakers that gave me great ideas for things I have coming up in my own pet world. Gotta love that – and of course all the networking too.
If you’re a established pet writer, blogger or budding pet writer, I would say while in the midst of next year’s Westminster blur – be sure to attend this conference. Now if I could just think of a catchy title for my book…
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