Are we all cut out to be Alchemists? Genrecon ‘25 reflections

For those of you grievously unaware, the Queensland Writer’s Center puts on an annual writing convention – Genrecon – to bring together career authors and emerging writers from all over Australia, to connect, celebrate each other’s victories, and console each other’s losses. With the talented Steff Green headlining among many other accomplished presenters, there was a veritable feast of wisdom and knowledge shared. This year’s theme, Alchemy, was dedicated to the elusive transformation of pithy manuscripts to something of monetary value; a quest that many valiant writers have failed to complete. Of course, sentimental ol’ me has been thinking of my fallen comrades, and the feasibility of this alchemical transformation. Although I haven’t reached a conclusion yet, I do have three ‘golden nuggets’ (thanks Lori-Jay) from the various talks and workshops that may help any novice alchemists, including myself.  

1.      Know thyself…and thy audience

When I was younger, I’d scoff at the notion of writing for an audience, sure that if I wrote something I enjoyed, then other people would too.

You can guess how wrong I was there.

Reality hit me hard when I approached the end of my horror Mortal Thoughts and realized I’d never thought about who I was writing to. I balked at the potential confinement of being beholden to a set of rules and expectations set out by an audience…which is still partly true. But what I learned at Genrecon is it’s less a custody and more a contract with readers. They agree to sit down and follow your story, just as you agree to entertain them along the way. They come for the safety of the experience you’re selling them, whether it’s a cozy fantasy or a creepy horror. That notion - that readers come to writers for a familiar emotional experience - completely changed my view on the reader-writer relationship…making it easy to oblige.

2.      Don’t be afraid to pivot

Like many emerging authors, I’ve long dreamed of being traditionally published. The older I get, it’s become a logistical choice as well as a sentimental one. Listening to successful authors like Steff Green talk about the sheer admin involved in launching a self-published author brand, the marketing and resources involved…the mind boggles!

But Steff made a strong point about how she didn’t reach this point overnight. In fact, she didn’t reach success until her thirty-third book! Her journey was described as a mixture of hard work, creativity in reconnecting with her audience and rebranding appropriately. She made it clear that even when the sales aren’t coming through, there are always options for reinventing yourself in ways that are still authentic and will reach the right people. One can only dream!

3.      As always, persevere.

A common message, but still necessary to hear. You’d think it would be simple to apply, yet after weathering rejections and spending endless hours wondering if anyone would ever like or care about your story, it becomes increasingly onerous. Just think of the demands – put in all your spare time, your sweat and your tears, give up your mornings and evenings and weekends and maybe it’ll all work out. No guarantees, though. If someone described a relationship like that, I’d tell them it’s unsustainable…and unhealthy!

But at the end of the day, we love it and that’s what keeps us going. And the magic of Genrecon is being surrounded by others who love it too. It’s the sharing of stories, of secret projects and passions. The camaraderie which makes the whole process a little more bearable. More than any golden nuggets, that’s what keeps me coming back year after year.