Aspiring writers: Book expo and writing seminar coming to Tallahassee
The literary community in the Big Bend is in for a special opportunity next weekend as a new nonprofit, LitCon, celebrates the power of words at its first Author’s Expo in Tallahassee.
This free two-day event assures there will be authors, publishers, and bibliophiles from all over the country. It begins with The Writer’s Symposium and Workshop at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 7, at the Leroy Collins Public Library. The Author’s Expo will follow at noon, Sunday, October 8, inside Florida A&M University’s Grand Ballroom on campus.
Lena Payton-Webb, a Daphne, Alabama resident, self-published author, and co-founder of LitCon, said the purpose of the events is to educate aspiring writers and to celebrate those who have successfully published their work.
“The first event is all about learning the process of writing,” said Webb, a retired military officer and owner of Blu Impressions Designs in Alabama. “The next day will focus on the books and the authors.”
LitCon was co-founded in July by Webb and Shawnte’ Austin, of Tallahassee. Their mission is to highlight self-published authors who are searching to get exposure. Their goal is to provide a space for literary creatives to collaborate with others who have mutual aspirations.
“We are filling the void in local communities by providing authors a chance to showcase their creative works and engage in meaningful discussions,” Webb said.
Webb and Austin are both self-publishers and the sole owners of LitCon, which is a self-funded venture. The Tallahassee event is their inaugural event. Others will be held next year in Mobile, Alabama, Atlanta, and Baltimore.
LitCon’s Writer’s Symposium will provide resources and offer guidance based on shared experiences on how to approach the writing process. The community and authors will have a chance to speak about their own books and the development of writing.
“A lot of people are interested in writing or have a story to tell,” said Webb. “However, they don’t know how to navigate that. This event is a good educational platform.”
The Author’s Expo is designed to be a festive event where participants meet and interact with authors. Attendees can also purchase signed copies of literary works produced by guest authors who will be in attendance. Some of those names include fiction writer Lisa Perron, and Lauren Reign, who recently published a children’s book.
Shawnte’ Austin, the expo’s coordinator, said the primary challenge for an author to overcome is getting their works known. Austin also said it’s not an easy journey for new or aspiring authors, so the organization wanted to introduce the community to this event.
“It’s a ton of work,” said Austin, who works in insurance management. “So, what we’ve done is streamline that experience into an expo for authors.”
Nayla Payton of Detroit, Michigan, understands the importance of such events.
Payton, who will serve on one of the panels, explained how attending book events and expos helped prepare her to publish her first novel, “Things I No Longer Accept,” a story about self-love and self-discovery.
“It’s been very inspiring because I’ve been going to a lot of book events and networking with many other authors,” said Payton, who took a year to write her novel. “I stay motivated by talking with fellow authors because everyone can get overwhelmed with the tediousness of writing a book and it can be triggering.”
The Writer’s Symposium and Workshop and Author’s Expo are both free for all ages to attend. For more information call 888-213-8505 or visit www.litcon.org.
If you are a published author and want to share your experiences, LitCon has an author and vendor registration now open at www.litcon.org.
Democrat writer Mikiyah Everett can be reached at Meverett@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: LitCon celebrates power of words at first Author’s Expo in Tallahassee
