HBIC Nation

Surviving Your Next Conference: How to Prepare, What to Do, and How to Unwind

In lieu of my usual #5forFriday, I'm taking a quick moment to talk about something near and dear to my heart: conference season. Every July I pack up my suitcase and head somewhere in the U.S. for the Romance Writers of America national conference to take meetings, see friends, and learn a bunch of stuff about the business of writing romance. It's a huge, fun, exhausting five days, and the first time I went it was totally overwhelming.

Because we all remember being paralyzed at some point during our first conference, the founders at HBIC Nation and I put together a handy Conference Survival Guide to help you navigate any professional conference you're headed to. This digital magazine breaks down goals planning, packing, tackling your schedule, in-conference self care, and decompression once you head home. Whether you're a veteran or a newbie, there's something helpful in there for everyone!

Welcome to HBIC Nation

A few months ago I spent the best weekend I've had in a long time with five of my fellow authors. We holed up in a house in the middle of the Virginia countryside surrounded by rolling hills and cows mooing in the distance. The six of us were there to reconnect, write, and recharge. On the second to last day, after eating a huge picnic out under a tree on the unseasonably warm February weather, we stared talking about how being a part of this group of six had gotten us through the good and the bad in our careers. Personally, everything changed for me as a writer when I found a community that both supported and taught me, but that wasn't unique. All of us had stories to share about what "finding our people" meant to us.

Sipping wine and soaking up the unexpected sun, we began to wonder about how to share that experience with other people. The more we talked, the more we realized that all six of us wanted to do the same thing: foster a community for creatives where they could find support, grow, and celebrate success. We didn't just want to cater to writers but musicians, actors, designers, and others as well because we firmly believed that we can all learn from each other.

HBIC Nation was born on that February day. It's a website, a Facebook group, but most importantly it's a place for creatives to gather. An HBIC is a Head Bitch in Charge—because we know "bitches get stuff done"—and we welcome all HBICs who dream big, do the work, and dominate.

You can join HBIC Nation by going to our website, clicking on the "Citizenship" tab, and signing up. We're also kicking off a supportive, inspiring Facebook group where we'll start applying the principles of HBIC Nation right now. Expect to be challenged to think about your career, celebrate the HBICs who inspire you, and enjoy getting to know your fellow creatives!

We also have shirts for sale because who can launch an empire without a great logo for continuing inspiration? Use this link to get 15% off your purchase automatically until May 11. (No promo codes required.)

We hope you'll join us, and we can't wait to see how you'll grow!