I have a very earnest question for any of you that have been involved with the planning or putting on a conference for writers, agents etc. When all is said and done are they suppose to make money, break even, or put the club in the hole???

When I did them for the government, they fussed if we made money, fussed if we didn't, and fussed if we broke even....so who knows?

JJ

p.s. I will say this...when I do one for our class reunions, we (the committee members) try to make a little bit of money because the cost of doing business goes UP every year. So...we always try to make a profit.

JJ

Come on ladies need help here???

Okay, I posted before about the guy who is an attorney turned writer/agent/publisher. He's having a literary conference with a writing contest and an expensive banquet where the prizes will be presented along with publication in his online magazine.
He is charging a $20 entry fee to the contest and $135 conference fee plus I think it was $85 for the banquet. His conference speakers are agents and publishers--(himself and his wife) and a couple of published authors - (himself and his wife and another guy vanity published by his publishing company).

I can't believe how many of my writer friends are submitting work and going to the conference. Seems like a rip off to me. As to profit, the guy is apparently making more money than he would make as an attorney.

The non-profit writer groups to which I belong usually make a small profit that they use to get the next year's conference going and pay expenses for speakers, etc. A lot of the speakers turn out to be friends of those in charge or someone they hope to influence, but usually the program is somewhat instructional.

Hope that helps. I don't think there is one answer.
smile

I should add that I just attended an American Christian Writers conference which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was very instructional, but primarily for beginning writers.

I would have preferred that they include more agents and publishers and less authors as speakers, but everyone was so nice and it was well organized so... No contests.
smile

If you can't make money or at least break even, I wouldn't even try to do it. Chatty, never done this so I don't know.

I've planned an expo and by all accounts it was very successful.... althouth it was not for writers.

You have NO IDEA how hard it is and how time consuming it is to do it. It's just a major undertaking. Therefore, you need to make sure you make at least some money for the amount of work you will have to put into it to make sure it's a well attended success.

I've been involved with a few writers' conferences, and the goal was to cover expenses and make enough to start the next year's planning.

Thanks and that does answer my question. On Monday the 21st I am gong to my regular Writers Club meeting. We just had our conference and the attendance was mind boggling, many speakers, agents and publishers and authorsattended. I received an email days afterwards from our Vice Pres. stating that the Conference put her and our President in the hole to the tune of $5000. to $7000. they are asking for ideas of ways we as a group can try to help recoup this money. I for one want to know WHY we came out in such poor shape? This is my first conference and I thought maybe I was wrong and all of them ended in such a mess financially....Should be an interesting meeting.