The 3 B's of Conference Etiquette

It's that conference time of year. All the newbie writers, chomping at the bit, straining at the leash, starry-eyed and yada, yada. Yeah. I can spot a rookie in a writing conference auditorium seventeen rows away.

Then there are those who've been around the block a few times. Okay, too many times. Knuckles dragging on the carpet, saggy baggy eyes, a perpetual gaze of disillusion. These, too, are easy to find.

But whether you're a novice or an old pro, there are certain rules of etiquette that everyone must follow . . .

Be Friendly
Close your yap now and then and listen -- really listen -- to others. Believe it or not, you shouldn't be a walking, talking billboard advertising your latest piece of literary brilliance. Even though you're at a conference about writing, life is more than writing. Look past yourself to connect with others.

Be Kind.
This should go without saying, yet here I am, saying it. If you see a sniffly author wannabe who crashed and burned in the hallway, even if you're on your way to a high-powered editorial meeting, be the good Samaritan and lend a shoulder to cry on.

Be Polite.
Elbowing a fellow writer out of the way while you tackle the agent of your choice is wrong on so many levels. Okay, so that's a little extreme, but seriously. . . look for opportunities to let others go first, get the biggest muffin from bread basket, or even hang back when it looks like the elevator won't fit in two more people.

It's easy to slip into the mindset of hey-I-paid-a-bajillion-dollars-for-this-conference-and-I-wanna-get-my-money's-worth, but that kind of thinking will turn you into the writer everyone wants to avoid. Keep these 3 B's in mind to make your writing conference a success for you and those around you.