Why Attending Homeschool Conventions is Beneficial for Writers (Even if You’re Not Homeschooled)

Homeschool Conventions helping writers? Yeah, it sounds crazy. But contrary to what one might expect, Homeschool Conventions are NOT just for parents who want to learn tactics for homeschooling their kids.

I had the privilege of attending a Homeschool Convention recently– and I was surprised to learn that a lot of what a Homeschool Convention offers can benefit a writer, whether homeschooled or not.

Today, this article will dive into how attending Homeschool Conventions is a great way to find writing resources, network with other writers, and improve your craft.

#1. Homeschool Conventions Often Offer Classes on Writing

It depends on the event, but homeschool conventions sometimes invite authors to speak on their craft. Even something on reading in the genre that you work with can be helpful.

At the convention I attended, I listened to a class by author Bryan Davis on reading fantasy. I understood what a good Christian Fantasy novel should look like and learned some excellent tips about writing strong male characters. I also attended a class on building tension from a class by Tim Shoemaker— which helped me figure out what I was doing wrong in my novel! Classes may also have Q&As at the end, where you can have the rare privilege of asking the author questions directly.

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#2. They Are Cheaper than Writer’s Conferences!

If you are just starting as a serious writer, you may not want to spend $200+ on an overwhelming conference like Realmmakers. Homeschool conventions are an excellent way to get your feet wet in an environment similar to a writer’s conference without the pressure of a few hundred dollars in expenses. Homeschool conventions often have a family discount. One-day passes cost a tenth of the price that an entire writer’s conference can cost.

If you’re low on budget but want to attend writer’s conferences, start with a homeschool convention. The best part is they are often centered around a weekend or a spring break, so even if you’re not homeschooled, you can pay for a single day and spend your Saturday there.

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#3. They Are an Excellent Chance to Practice Networking

As any serious writer knows, networking is a crucial element in building a platform. Networking is the process of building relationships with other professionals in the business. Of course, you should never talk to someone “important” with the sole reason of trying to build your network– that is unethical and rude. But there are lots of authors at homeschool conventions who are happy to answer questions about their work, especially if you are polite and respectful. Networking can be terrifying, but a low-key environment like a homeschool convention allows you the freedom to learn how to respectfully approach authors and professionals, without some of the extra pressure that writer’s conferences bring.

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Reason Number Four: You Get Real-Life Examples of Public Speaking

Little known fact: learning to speak in public is a crucial part of being an author. In your published life, you will probably give interviews, host webinars, speak in classes and conferences, and talk about your craft for schools– at least, if you want to go places as a writer. So learning how to speak in public is an important skill to work on. Where better to learn to speak in public than listening to excellent public speakers?

The best way to reap the benefit is to take notes and observe how the speaker is giving his presentation. Does the speaker use slides with all of his points illustrated? Does he bounce all over the place? Does he use stories? How does he interact with the audience? Does he tell jokes?

I had the pleasure of listening to excellent speeches by Bryan Davis, Tim Shoemaker, and Andrew Pudewa. I thoroughly enjoyed their presentations, and I would recommend attending a workshop with them if you can. You can access some of Andrew’s speeches on his website; I listened to “Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination.”

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Fifth Reason: BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!! (Need I add more exclamation points?)

THERE ARE BOOKS.

BOOKS GALORE.

If you know homeschoolers (or formal homeschoolers), then you should know that we love our books. It’s a common joke (and truth) that if a writer wants to make it big, they need to write books that the HS community will talk about. And of course, the bibliophilia is very obvious at a homeschool convention.

Authors are there, selling books, some of which you may have never heard of (Honey Butter, anyone?). There was a business selling used books (found some gems there, including an original print edition of The Black Stallion Returns by Walter Farley). There were HS distributors with book sales plagued with authors the likes of Susan K. Marlow, S.D. Smith, and Andrew Peterson. And the sales! Convention vendors will often have special discounts. I bought The Green Ember for twelve bucks. Plus, if you buy straight from the authors, you can have it signed. I now own the entire signed series of Wanted: A Superhero by Bryan Davis. I even got a book on organizing and repairing books.

Anyway, BOOKS! Seriously, that should be a great reason for going to a convention.

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I had an amazing time at the homeschool convention, and I came home with plenty to reflect on. I hope that this article introduced you to a potential resource you can use to help you in your journey as a writer.

Have you been to a homeschool convention? If you have, what is your opinion on them as a resource for writers?