The Happiness

Folks, meet my dog (if you miss her, you need to check your pure-and-simple happiness detector). Her name is Denza, and she's a Golden Retriever, which is arguably the most happy dog in the entire world. When she's happy--well, that's all the time. But when she's REALLY happy, she just sort of sits in front of you, grinning as if her life has been defined the moment your hand sunk into her fuzzy fluff.

This past weekend, I was a Golden Retriever.

I cannot begin to explain to you the joy I feel when I write. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I hate doing it, sometimes I want to be a brain surgeon and forget all about showing-not-telling. But I always have this joy--the joy that I'm creating something, be it another Les Miserables (I highly doubt it) or another building block for my "never-read-again" pile. I love to write, and I could truthfully say that if I could simply write for the rest of my life, I would be quite content.
So, the writing's enough for me. But then comes this week (and all the weeks in prior years). Not only do I get to meet scores of people who love to write and who love God, but I also am told that what I've written is quite GOOD by more than one or two sympathetic grown-ups. On the contrary, all of the people I met with this year were not only pleasantly surprised with my ramblings, but some of them even expressed an interest in publishing them. It's like being told that you're good at eating ice cream.

....

I think I could die happy 8D

I can't tell you how much the GPCWC means to me. Ever since I found it, I've been looking forward to a blissful weekend of escape every August. Sometimes there are hard things that are said, and I can honestly say that stings. But I've learned--I've been made to learn--that even when you feel like you've been hit really hard, you have to get up and keep doing what you love.

The first thing that simply amazes me about the conference is that it is FULL of God. He is in the sessions. He is in the worship. He is in the teaching. People pray with you after interviews. People pray with you after classes. People pray for you in the hallways. I can't imagine going to a more secular conference and losing that richness that simply permeates the GPCWC. Not only is it comforting and calming when you're stressed and frazzled, it's also a firm and solid foundation for a sensational conference.

The next great thing about the conference are the people. The people who come from all over the US--and sometimes outside the US, too--are simply incredible. They are from all kinds of churches, and they have all kinds of different views on faith and theology, but (thank God!) it doesn't stop from loving each other and sticking together like brothers and sisters in Christ. You meet the most unique and kind people, people who exhort you to keep pushing and moving forward even when you're so tired you're falling asleep at lunch. They interact in the classes, ask questions you wouldn't dream of in a thousand years, keep you smiling and keep you going all week. They offer the best advice and give you new leads on how to better your writing and yourself. I was humbled to interact with them this week.

Then there are the teachers, the writers, the editors, the agents, the people who make this thing happen. They. Are. Amazing. And that's truly all I can say. The teachers are funny, witty, sometimes brutal, but always honest and never cruel. They challenge you, they embarrass you, they praise you, they tear you writing apart and leave you bleeding but resolved to do even better next time. They hunt down every error and make it hurt--they train you to see your mistakes and not to make them again.
The writers, editors and agents who I've met with are gracious and excited that I've requested to see them, even if it's for the third year in a row or I forgot if they're an editor, agent or author and have to ask them what exactly they do for a living before the interview even starts so I know what I'm supposed to pitch. (true story, see XD). It's so rewarding for me to start out with a publisher skeptical of my idea at the start of the interview and shouting (yes, shouting) "SHOW ME THE UNICORN!" at the end. They let me make mistakes, honestly tell me what I do wrong, recommend other people to meet with and give me business cards and a piece of chocolate <3

The people who run the conference are true heroes. They man the cash register for hours. They put up with my stupid questions and tell me the answers again and again without even missing a beat. Without them, I'd be totally and hopelessly lost. They provide delicious meals and work for hundreds of hours on registrations and emails and making lovely informational packets for each and every conferee. I have one complaint and one alone: they always manage to spell either my first or my last name wrong. And I can understand why XD


Lastly, the material at the conference is in a class by itself. The teachers prepare it and present it; it's found in countless books in the bookshop; you talk about it, think about it, read about it and try to apply it the entire weekend. It's made very concise, not so that it's watered down, but that I can sit through a class with 30 mature adults and understand the intricacies of dialogue as well as they do. I appreciate that the teachers and authors make the material so understandable--I can use the handouts they give me all year long and come back with a better, more polished novel each year.

Guys, I'm just so blessed by this conference. It never fails. It's exhausting, it's stressful, it's confusing at times, but it's SO worth it. The only thing that could make me happier next year is if I see you there. (Except for you, Danielle. You are there every year, and it adds to the joy :3).

May we all be as happy as a Golden Retriever every day--or at least close to it.

~God Bless

Elisabeth