Nauseous with Nervousness

April 21, 2004, 8:54 a.m.
I am leaving for New York tomorrow where I will get out of bed very early in the morning, trade my pajamas for professional attire, grab my notebook and spend the day listening to some of the most talented magazine writers share their stories and advice at the annual ASJA conference.

Over the past few days I have been too preoccupied with tying up loose ends to let the nervousness sink in, but now that I am less than 24 hours away from boarding the plane, I officially have the jitters. Not only am I terrified to fly, I am terrified to schmooze with writers whose work I read regularly in the pages of the glossy magazines I covet. The thought of approaching a writer, or even worse, an editor, to introduce myself and strike up a conversation makes me nauseous with nervousness.

Despite my queasy stomach, I am also really excited. I will be face-to-face with successful writers, top notch editors and peers who, like me, will be nervous and unsure of themselves.

Saturday will be a 12-hour day filled with workshops on topics ranging from developing ideas and breaking into national magazines to earning a six-figure income freelancing and writing for hi-end luxury markets. There are keynote speakers, an idea marketplace, and an evening cocktail reception.

But the part of the day I am most excited about is a one-on-one mentoring session, where I will have 30 minutes to ask questions, get feedback on my queries and just generally benefit from the expertise of a writer who has achieved national success. The woman I have been matched up with is a nationally-known writer and editor who has worked for some of the top woman’s publications, and I know she will be able to offer tremendous insight into moving into national markets – this opportunity alone is worth flying across the country for.

Before I can leave, I must pack…more when I return next week.