Last week I attended the World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga. 1,200 writers, publishers, booksellers and editors in one place over four days. Conventions provide great opportunities to make connections. If you’re an aspiring writer where else can you go to meet professional editors? At conventions, especially SF ones, they’re there and they’re pretty accessible. It’s a chance to put a face to your name. If you introduce yourself politely and have a pleasant conversation, you have a good chance that an editor will take a look at your manuscript at a later date (don’t try and hand it over to him then and there). A brief cover letter mentioning your meeting should be enough to prompt his memory. He’ll think, “Oh, yes. I remember So-and-So. I’ll take a quick look at what she’s got.” It sets your manuscript apart from anonymous submissions. And that’s a worthwhile thing.

Gardner Dozois gave a wonderful, informative lecture at the Odyssey Writers Workshop on the subject of submissions. The podcast is online and can be downloaded here.