Professional gatherings like the annual Romance Writers of America conference have always been a great way for authors to network with editors, publishers, and other writers. In contrast to conferences, which have a business focus, romance conventions like Romantic Times's Booklovers Convention and the eponymous RomCon let readers share book recommendations and meet their favorite authors. Now publishers are using these events to market titles, find out what fans really want, and build brand recognition.

Conferences are the first port of call for writers looking for a business boost. "Writers who choose a more industry-driven conference get the opportunity to meet with their publishers one on one, attend writing workshops, and sometimes pitch projects to editors and agents," says Jean Anne Rose, the director of publicity at Simon & Schuster. "For publishers, conferences can be a way to assess trends and hear feedback from booksellers in the field, and spend quality time with authors outside of the office."

Writing conferences tend to be future-focused and give writers an opportunity to influence the trends. "One of the most exciting parts of writers' conferences is the exchange of ideas," says Kensington editorial director Alicia Condon. "This is where editors, writers, and readers discuss—and launch—the latest trends."

Many authors, both new and established, attend conferences hoping to sell a novel or at least to interest an editor in looking at a manuscript. Mary-Theresa Hussey, executive editor at Harlequin, says, "The final decision to acquire is always based on the work, but the early conversations about the characters, conflicts, and motivations of a novel can pinpoint areas for further development. And in the end, the sheer pleasure—as well as eventual exhaustion—of meeting with like-minded others who love to talk books and authors and plots and ideas and pop culture can be immensely stimulating and rewarding."

In our brave new electronic age, the Internet provides a platform for book promotion and discussion, but nothing replaces the face-to-face encounter. "With social media playing such a huge role in how readers discover new books and interact with authors, it's more important than ever to attend offline events and conventions as a way to supplement those online relationships," says Kensington editor-in-chief John Scognamiglio. Shauna Summers, executive editor at Bantam Dell, agrees: "We find these events extremely useful in connecting with our authors and getting to see them face-to-face, which is a refreshing change from the e-mail world we all live in."

Making Big Plans for RWA

This year more than 2,100 published and aspiring romance writers, editors, agents, and other industry professionals will gather for the 31st annual Romance Writers of America Conference in New York City, June 28–July 1. The event is so popular that even in these tight economic times, it's sold out.

RWA is the peak of most publishers' business calendars, and attending publishers go out of their way to make a splash. Mass book signings, readings, author panels, celebratory dinners, and plenty of networking are commonplace. A traditional highlight is the Rita Award ceremony, which recognizes outstanding romance novels published the previous year. The Golden Heart awards are given to high-quality unpublished manuscripts, and many Golden Heart winners acquire their first agents and even make their first sales at RWA. The award ceremony is often referred to as the "Oscars of romance," for the importance of the awards as well as the spectacle of 2,000 women (and a few men) dressed in glamorous red carpet–worthy finery.

At special Spotlight panels, editorial teams and publicity and marketing staff will answer writers' questions and offer advice on how to be successful in the current market. Editors will also be available for appointments to meet with authors who want to pitch a novel or series.

Autographing books is a conference mainstay. Kensington has partnered with the New York Public Library to sponsor a book signing for its Kteen YA paranormal romance authors. Ballantine Bantam Dell plans to host a signing for 20 of its most popular authors. The conference-wide Readers for Life signing, supporting literacy programs across the country, is also a major draw. "If you've ever walked into the RWA Readers for Life autographing, that room crackles with energy and excitement," says Pamela Spengler-Jaffee, senior publicity director at Avon. "Hundreds of authors, thousands of books, thousands of readers. And all proceeds go to a good cause."

Longtime RWA attendees know to bring an empty suitcase for carrying home all the publisher freebies. New American Library plans to distribute a paranormal romance sampler highlighting some of its upcoming titles. Nancy Fish, marketing and publicity manager for Cleis Press, says, "Conference-goers love swag, so for RWA we are creating postcards, signed galleys, bookmarks, catalogues, and the hot new giveaway: trading cards."

Publicity at RWA is aimed more at writers than readers. David Long, senior acquisitions editor for Bethany House (one of the few inspirational publishers attending RWA), says, "We're there not only to support our authors but to continue to raise our profile for writers and agents who may not know anything about inspirational fiction or who have outdated views on it."

Many publishers attending RWA take the opportunity to build camaraderie and show appreciation for their authors—and maybe stir up a little jealousy—by hosting special events. For example, Pocket Books hosts an annual Pocket Family Dinner. "We want to celebrate everyone's accomplishments for the past year and create excitement for the upcoming year," says director of publicity Jean Anne Rose. Other publishers like to lay on the swank. "After hours, we'll be romancing authors and agents at a gala cocktail party, complete with tuxedoed escorts," says Vida Engstrand, senior publicist at Kensington. Taking advantage of the vampire craze, invitations to the shindig will say, "Get sucked into Kensington romance!" and include temporary tattoos of vampire bite marks.

Beyond celebration, the overall focus at RWA is networking, says Avon's Spengler-Jaffee. "For published authors, RWA is a great way to meet professionals from across their publishing house: publishers, sales executives, marketers, and even the occasional wild-eyed publicist, running amok with boxes of books."

Business or Pleasure? Both!

Local and national reader-focused conventions give fans the chance to meet authors and talk about their favorite titles. For newer and smaller publishers, regional RWA conferences are a good way to make connections and increase brand recognition. "At the national RWA conference, we're still a tiny voice," says Bethany House editor Long. "This year we'll also be spending some time at one of the regional RWA conferences in Georgia. Traditionally the South and Midwest have been regions that have shown more interest in inspirational fiction, so it makes sense to introduce ourselves. "

Many industry pros say that smaller events are lower pressure and lower stress. Kelli Martin, a senior editor at Harlequin's Kimani Press imprint, says, "Given the number of writers who attend the pitch sessions at a big event like RWA, you might listen to a lot of not-quite-right before you get that diamond in the rough. Sometimes the conferences are just too big." Adds Birgit Davis-Todd, senior executive editor for Harlequin, "I have a fondness for small conferences—say, 100 to 200 people. They tend to be less formal and you can connect with both writers and readers more easily."

Professional networking still happens at fan-oriented conventions, but these events are generally much less formal, allowing writers and readers to relax and enjoy themselves. At Romantic Times's Booklovers Convention, for example, participants frequently come costumed as vampires, zombies, and their favorite characters from popular books. Programming may include educational panels for authors, but the focus is on readers interacting with writers. "Authors benefit immensely from making personal connections with the men and women who already avidly read their books, and meeting with new fans who are actively searching for new voices to fall in love with," says Avon's Spengler-Jaffee. "Also on hand are influential bloggers, the entire RT staff, and booksellers from around the world."

The genre blog Fresh Fiction sponsors a number of social events at conventions, from intimate teas to the festive "Boas and Tiaras," where fans and authors don sparkly tiaras and feather boas. The blog's upcoming "Readers and 'Ritas" event in North Texas kicks off with pizza and margaritas and concludes with a masquerade ball.

"Aside from the fact that the attendees are mostly women, fan-focused romance cons are similar to Comic-Con," says Cleis Press associate publisher Brenda Knight. "There is a very upbeat buzz. Fans' loyalty and fervor for the writers they love is huge. Romance cons are as much about the readers who attend as they are about the industry. They are as close to focus groups as publishing has."

Author Delilah Devlin goes a step further. "Maybe it's my prejudice, but I have attended romance, literary fiction, and mystery conventions, and romance conventions are generally better run," she asserts. "The venues, the meals, and the events are usually of a higher quality. Women just know how to do these things, and there's more money to be spent within romance organizations because there are more romance writers out there paying dues."

Some intrepid authors, in search of a more personal convention experience for all, have found themselves running their own small conferences. Sherrilyn Kenyon hosts K-Con, while Christine Feehan has her own FAN convention. "I love hosting a conference for my readers," says Feehan. "[Writer] Brenda Novak and I host the event in Sacramento, on a river paddle boat that has been converted into a hotel docked on the Sacramento River right in Old Town." Events include a themed costume party complete with casino games and plenty of prizes, private book signings, and a champagne brunch.

Author Katie MacAllister's KatieCon 2010 grew out of a simple plan to host 10 visiting fans for tea at a Seattle hotel. Somehow the guest list grew to several hundred. "There was no way I could possibly cope with meeting and spending time with that many people in one day, so I decided that it would be better to have a two-day conference, with a limited attendance of just 50 readers, where we could all hang out together, eat some wonderful food, and have fun," MacAllister explains. Entertainment included games like Romance Jeopardy, a pirate-based murder mystery game, and GothFaire, based on a setting from her books, with a palm reader, a tarot card reader, a nail artist, and a henna tattoo artist. For MacAllister, the only real downside was losing a month of writing time while planning the con. "When I do it again next year, I will be offloading much more of the work onto my assistant," she says. "But the event was all fabulous beyond my wildest expectation."

Perhaps most important, the social atmosphere at romance conventions enhances the sense that romance readers, writers, and publishers are all part of one big family. "Often we hear from authors who've met valuable contacts by attending the RWA chapter meetings and national conference," says Kerry Donovan, senior editor at New American Library. "And the people they meet there are part of a tight-knit romance community that can help guide a new author through the ins and outs of the publishing process."

"Every editor has a conference story," says Amy Pierpont, editorial director of Grand Central Publishing's Forever line. "Being pitched a novel in the bathroom (yes, it does happen), holding the hand of a nervous first-time conference attendee as she bursts into tears in the middle of her pitch.... Mainly, the stories are about human connection. After all, whether we write, read, edit, or sell books in the genre, we are all romance fans."

Charlene Brusso is a frequent reviewer for PW.