RWA National Converence and the Big Clothes Debate

It's a beautiful, steamy morning in Dallas, Texas, and I'm spending a lot of time thinking about RWA National next week. For those of you who've never gone, it's an experience that can't really be described with words. Imagine 2000-2500 writers in one hotel, all mixing and mingling, teaching and learning, making connections and friends. The energy alone makes you want to hurry home and start writing. So it goes without saying, that I'm READY to go.

There is this one issue, however, that comes up every year that drives me crazy - clothes!

Every year well-meaning newbies ask the old-timers "what do I wear." It's a valid question. No one wants to show up anywhere underdressed and when you're new to writing, you are more paranoid than most about making a good impression. It's not the question that bothers me at all - the question shows intelligence and generally giving a damn about your writing career. It's the answer I sometimes hear that drives me insane.

"Nice slacks with a blouse or sweater, a suit or dress, comfortable shoes."

Huh?! Okay, I'll give you the comfortable shoes part - sometimes you have to walk miles from room to room and there's really not that much time in between. Do this for a couple of days in high heels and you'll be attending the RITA's barefoot. But business clothes????? I beg to differ.

Depending on the workshop you're attending, the room may contain 100+ women and not the best of cooling systems since conference is always in July and no one has figured out the benefit yet of holding one in Alaska. So it's a room of hormonal women, with low air ciruclation and sometimes not even enough chairs for attending. So you either stand or you sit on the floor if you were planning on taking notes. Does this sound remotely like an instance you want to have on slacks, a silk blouse or a dress? And can someone please explain to me how, in the laws of nature OR style, that dressy clothes would ever look good with what most people consider "comfortable shoes?" 'Cause the mental image of a power suit and loafers isn't getting it for me.

My advice - dress comfortably and neatly. If you are hot natured, wear capris and a matching top with cute, low-heeled sandals or Keds. If you're cold natured, wear longer pants/neat jeans & top and bring a sweater. It's that simple, folks. Trust me, I would bet my publishing contract that an editor has NEVER, EVER taken a look at someone in a conference room wearing a casual outfit and said "I'll never buy a book from her - she's underdressed."

Now, if you have an editor/agent appointment, this is where to haul out a more professional look. And I say this only because at least their first impression of you is of someone treating writing as a business and not a hobby. You should dress equal to or above the person to whom you're pitching, so slacks and a nice blouse are great for this instance. However, I want to be quite clear on this - if you have a high concept idea in a genre that is hot, hot and you have writing ability, you could probably show up in a bathrobe and still get a request.

Never forget that writing is a business. The main goal of the publisher is to make money. Hopefully, that's not the main goal of the writer or they've got big issues (but that's another blog). I think learning is best done when one is comfortable and relaxed enough to take in the information.

So please, please spend your time worrying over which workshop to take and how to apply all the wonderful information you will gain to your own work. Don't sweat your clothes. No one else will.