Monday, September 28, 2009

My Ear Finally Popped!

Seriously, six days after flying back from Denver, I endured several hours of crackling, wet ear imbalance. I kept tilting my head and pulling on my ear lobe because there was this squishing, crackling sound driving me nuts inside it. Today (Sunday), it finally feels free and clear.

That's a long time to endure inner ear imbalance. No wonder I was so tired all week, and unable to keep focused.

Starting today, I will have no excuses. Not one. I must get on a roll with my writing chores. One of the great rewards of attending a writer's conference is the boost it gives us to get back on track in our writing journey. So...

How many look at goal setting after conference?

How many tweak or define a new writing schedule after conference?

How many love to get re-organized after conference?

Not to mention all the revisions we're eager to do with all the great tips and pointers we learned at conference directly related to improving our manuscripts.

Oh, and what about following up with people we connected with at conference? Have you thought of a plan on how to keep in touch? What if they don't blog, how then will you keep the lines of communication open?


All these things are running through my mind as of late. On Wednesday, I'll answer my own questions here, but in the mean time, what about you? Have you considered these things? Other things that I ought to add to the list? What am I missing as a healthy follow-up to conference?


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

24 comments:

Rebecca Nazar said...

Yikes, sorry about the ear. Glad it's better.

I've never been to a conferences, but I imagine it's a great kick in the pants goal setting-wise, which is always nice.

Jessica Nelson said...

I'm glad about your ear too. How horrible! :-(

I've worked on some thank you cards, but I actually get home feeling kind of funky with my writing. *sigh* I'll get to work soon but I'm in between things and I don't know what to work on next, like limbo. LOL

Tabitha Bird said...

That ear does not sound fun. Poor you:( Denver will do that to you though. I used to live there. And flew in and out quite a bit.

I have never been to a conference, but I think looking at goals after something big like that sounds like a great idea. can't wait to read what you come up with.

Jennifer Shirk said...

Oh, wow, so glad your hearng is better!

And yes, I always seem to sit up a little straighter in my computer chair and set my goals a little higher after a conference. :)

Terri Tiffany said...

I'm glad you are better! And I can't wait to see all the awesome things you accomplish now that you are back and with new information!

Wendy Paine Miller said...

I didn't go to the conference, so I won't add anything there, but I am glad your ear popped. I used to have major ear issues as a kid and I remember that crinkly sound you hear when that occurs.
Yeah!
~ Wendy

Candee Fick said...

Post conference goals?
1) Recover physically and catch up on my sleep so I can think clearly - check.
2) Contact the new friends I made via email/blogs/facebook - check.
3) Write thank you notes to the editors/agents I met with - check.
4) Catch up on the stuff at home that piled up while I was gone or catching up on sleep - check.

Now on to the rest:
5) Look back through my notes and weave those new things into the current book.
6) Plot and plan the next book based on what I learned.
7) Start churning out new and improved pages.
8)Put queries in the mail.

If only I didn't have sick kids to take to the doctor or a part-time job with a full inbox. Life doesn't change even if I'm inspired by a conference.

Susan R. Mills said...

I have never been to a conference, but I'm sure those same things would be running through my head. I'm glad your ear is better. That is a miserable feeling.

Jody Hedlund said...

I've been spending the past week trying to process my experience too. In some ways it signalled the end of summer, didn't it? And now it's time to organize our thoughts and schedules and really put everything we learned into practice!

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Glad your ear is back to normal. I spent 20 days of this month with my ears plugged because of a sinus thing. Very irritating!

I didn't go to the conference, but simply hearing about all the stories has really made me focus on where I want my writing to go. What I want the future to look like as far as writing. It involved some major changes but has made me much more confident on my course of action.

Tana said...

Glad to hear you feel better. I hate that feeling, and my ears over react to life often. I hope good things came from that conference for you! DId you meet a lot of online buddies?

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

i've had that happen. it really is awful. i'm so glad your ear finally popped and you are free of that squishy sound. i'm so sorry it took so long.

jeannie
Where Romance Meets Therapy

Jill Kemerer said...

Oh, ouch! I'm glad your ear is better. I think you covered the conference aftermath! Nicely done!

Anonymous said...

Hey Eileen,

Sorry I have not been on here in a bit. I have to get caught up on your blog. Anyhow, I am glad that your ear is better and it seems as though the conference did you some good! I would like to go to one at some point. Well, good luck getting back to your wrtiting tasks! May God be with you! :o)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Eileen -

Glad you're feeling better. If it happens again, let us know. We'd be honored to pray. :)

I always come home from a conference with new ideas for my writing. Since a devotional website requested I tweak something I submitted, I went right to work on that item. Yay! It was accepted and will run in January 2010.

Three of the people I met at the last conference became Facebook friends. I'm getting a newsletter from one, and frequenting another's blog.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Erica Vetsch said...

Wow, that is a long time to have a stuffy ear. My ears kept popping for about a week as we were in and out of mountians and up and down hills.

Like you, I'm looking at goals and working on a schedule. And then there's the follow up. So much to do, so little time!

Katie Ganshert said...

I'm all about goals! And yay for your ear popping. That had to be a great feeling!!

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

I'm so glad you are free from the ear problem! Yay!

I think getting home from a conference would be overwhelming and yet so motivational. I can see how you would be inspired and ready to get down to business.

Robyn Campbell said...

Glad that ear popped. That had to be MISERABLE.

I have only been to one in person conference. It was so overwhelming. I had to figure out a way to process everything I learned. So I made files in my file cabinet labeled with different things from the conference. It really helped me and now if I need the info I know right where it is. And I do need it from time to time. Nice post! Thanks. :)

Jeanette Levellie said...

Eileen: So glad your ear feels fine now. Praise God for His mercies!

Hartline Agency's Blog, From the Heart, posted an article about post conference activities last week. Helpful tips.

Sounds like you've got it well-covered. The most important one is follow up with people you've met, including agents and editors.

Send those proposals! Jot and zip out those thank you notes! Pray for favor! God is good, but we must do our part.

Georgiana Daniels said...

You have a great after-conference list. In fact, I wish I'd done all those things when I came home the last two years. You'll have to blog on it again next year, because I fully intend to be there :D

Stephanie Faris said...

That is a long time for inner ear imbalance. Ouch! My first priority after returning from a conference was always to get those requested mss. in the mail ASAP. The rest seemed to work itself out!

Kara said...

So glad to hear about your ear. I tend to live with this problem and it is no fun!
I love that after conference high I feel. Problem is I never seem to have the time to get everything done I would like!

Kelly H-Y said...

Oh, that is so miserable ... glad the ears are finally back to normal!