This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Realm Makers conference in Philadelphia. It was the third time I’ve made the trek to Realm Makers, and each time is worth five times what it cost and ends up being better than the last.
What can I say of my fabulous four-day adventure into a land of humidity and rain, surrounded by geeky writers, fellow book-lovers, friends old and new, epic costumes, and all around fun?
From getting up at 4:30 am the first morning to catch my flight, to staying up until 4:30 am the last night/morning, Realm Makers 2016 was as epic and delightful as I’d anticipated.
Major shout out to Becky and Scott Minor, the conference orchestrators extraordinaire, as well as the many other volunteers who made this year’s Realm Makers a smashing success.
It was a time filled with memories I’m going to treasure, and more importantly, a time that gave me a kick in my writing pants.
You see, I’ve been stuck in a writing valley for some time now. With school, work, blogging, friends, amazing TV shows and movies, and yes, social media *guilty sad face* vying for and grabbing my attention, my story pursuits have fallen by the wayside.
It’s not so much writer’s block as it is writer’s rut. I went into Realm Makers hoping the boundless camaraderie, excellent teaching, time among fellow geeks, and people pitching and describing their stories would launch me back into my writing groove.
Only time will tell, but my adventure seems to have provided the cure I was looking for.
There’s something to be said for meeting people in person. Having friends on social media, is great, but it’s nothing compared to actually connecting with them face-to-face.
Not only was the time spent with my geeky tribe inspiring and motivating, I found much encouragement along the way. Many people mentioned they enjoy reading my blog—if you’re one of them and reading this, THANK YOU!
Conference Highlights
I was finally able to have the amazing Nadine Brandes to sign my books. 😀
Free books! One from Patrick Carr as an award during his class. He gave us a collage of seven author photos, and whoever guessed the most won. (Two of my roommates tied for the win as well.)
Meeting another Zac! (same spelling, too) 😀
The costume dinner, with everything from Jack Sparrow to Agent Carter.
NERF WAR.
In the wake of Realm Makers, I’m determined to put more of an effort into my writing. Life has become crazy, and I’ve slacked off significantly in the past year and a half. But no more.
What does this mean?
- I hope to either pick up where I left off with my work-in-progress, or tackle a new idea to get the creative juices flowing.
- Look for my newsletter to come out regularly (I’m dreadfully sorry I haven’t sent it all summer).
- Expect more updates on writing and perhaps more short works of fiction, on the blog and in the newsletter.
- As always, I’ll continue posting here and hopefully keep you guys entertained. Caveat—life is shaping up to be busier than it already is, so I may have to drop back to one post a week.
Looking forward to next year in Reno, when Realm Makers celebrates its 5th-year anniversary.
In the meantime, let the writing begin in earnest.
P.S. Feel free to bug me about it. Accountability always helps. 😉
28 thoughts on “Realm Makers Adventure”
Sounds delightful! Glad you had a great time, wish I was there. 😉 Best of luck on kicking your writing back into gear! 😀
Thanks, Deborah, it was fantastic. 😀
Mmmm, yes. Here’s to more writing.
Thanks for the virtual pass to your trip. I’m glad you’ve got fresh inspiration for your writing. Such a blessing to spend time with like-minded fellow travelers on the same journey, isn’t it? Writing can often be a very solitary affair but it does not have to be.
Looking forward to seeing where you go with your work as you throw yourself back into it full force.
Absolutely, DJ. It was such a great experience, and spending time with fellow writers and geeks was one of the main reasons.
Thanks, I’m hoping to start kicking that procrastination and lack of productivity into the Crack of Doom. 😉
Great update Zac! And great to see you at Realm Makers again! I know what yo mean about being in a bit of a “rut” and I always tend to find that I’m more inspired when I head back from a conference. It’s a great time to jump in now before the momentum slackens haha 😀 Good luck!
Great seeing you again, too, Emilie. And thanks for the fantastic headshot session. I’m excited to see how they turn out. 🙂
Yes, I need to strike while the creative iron is hot.
Is Realm Makers always in Reno?
It sounds AMAZING and I would love to go some year!
No. It’s switched back and forth from St. Louis to Philly the past four years. Next yeas is the first venture out west.
It’s beyond amazing. If you can ever manage it, GO. You won’t regret it. 😀
It was great meeting you in person. I too have been stuck in a writing rut. It is so freeing to hear that it isn’t just me. Realm Makers always seems to relieve me of my writing burdens.
You too, Cathrine. Thanks for reading my blog. Any time someone mentions how much they enjoy it, it gives me extra motivation to continue. 😀
It’s always good to hear that you’re not alone in something. Glad you found my post encouraging in that regard.
It was so fun seeing you again this year! And I’m honored that my signing your books was a highlight. 😛 I look forward to the day that I get to ask YOU for a signature!
It was great seeing you too, Nadine. 🙂
Awww, thanks. That would be a fantastic day indeed.
I’m glad you had a great time! It was good seeing you again this year. 🙂
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It was good seeing you again, too, Victoria. Keep up the writing and blogging. 🙂
Ah zac and zac!!!!!!!
Yes and yes!! 😀
Realm Makers sounds like a fantastic conference! I’m so glad it inspired you to return to your work-in-progress!
It really is, Abbey. We’ll see where the inspiration leads. 🙂
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