The GenreCon launch party, with its fantasy-themed attire, kicked off at Cloudland in Fortitude Valley on Friday 28 February. While I’m not into casting spells or any such things, I do enjoy meeting writers and learning about their writing journey and the business of writing. I can certainly say that the GenreCon atmosphere created by storytellers, that came from far and wide, was electric on launch night and the days that followed.
GenreCon was presented by the Queensland Writers Centre, and hosted at the State Library in Brisbane. You might be wondering what the benefits are of attending a writers’ conference. I would say it’s like plugging yourself into a power point to recharge your creative batteries and, in the process, getting overloaded with great marketing tips, and inspiring stories of writer’s successes. Yes, there are also tragic stories of rejection, exciting overseas or interstate trips where your books get lost in transit and lots of other bumps along the way. But the overall clear message is—never give up because your breakthrough is just around the corner!
The atmosphere at GenreCon was abuzz with expectation. Of what, exactly? Of connecting with like-minded people who share a love of the mystical craft of writing. Of having our work discovered, and of refreshing our desire and reasons for writing. A special highlight for me was having my novel, When The Glitter Fades on sale at the GenreCon bookshop!
Gold Nugget Writing Tips From Keynote Speaker Steff Green
# 1: Be clear on your genre and brand – what do you want to be known for?
Steff Green writes under her pen name, Steffanie Holmes. Her genre is spooky kooky romance, and her branding is clear in the way she dresses and presents herself—even going as far as dying her hair blue. 😊 Steff was a definite standout amongst GenreConners, and clearly a very smart businesswoman.
What is even more impressive about Steff is that she was born legally blind yet managed to smash her way through the writing world and become a top selling self-published writer. She can claim earnings of a million NZD! That is not only encouraging, but it also sets the bar high—there is no excuse for quitting if you’re serious about the business of writing. And like all businesses, don’t expect to make that kind of money overnight. Steff makes it clear that it takes commitment, consistent writing, engagement with your readers, and not quitting when you hit the low peaks. Steff has been committed to her craft for 10+ years.
Steff was honest about the highs and lows and shared what worked and what didn’t. Her sales come from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Draft2Digital, Shopify, and Findaway World (now part of Spotify).
# 2: Outsource work – don’t take on too much. It will only overwhelm you and affect your productivity.
# 3: Tell a story that has meaning to you and your readers.
# 4: Give readers a chance to be a hero or heroine through your character creations.
# 5: Connect with your readers/fan base. Find out what they want, like, and expect from you, then give them above and beyond.
# 6: Raise money for a project on Kickstarter. Once you have a following of readers, there’s a good chance they will back you with projects such as special limited editions, production of merchandise related to the book project such as T-shirts, bookmarks, and plushies. Your followers will fund the project in exchange for receiving the goods once they have been manufactured, so it’s a win/win for both you and your followers.
Steff Green’s Solid Gold Nugget:
# 7: DON’T QUIT BEFORE THE MIRACLE! – Steff’s success didn’t happen overnight. It took a commitment of around ten years to hone her craft; to understand the business of publishing; to determine what works and what doesn’t, and to have the courage to experiment.
To find out more about Steff Green, visit her website, Rage Against the Manuscript for loads of information on self-publishing.
Stay tuned for more gold nuggets from GenreCon 2025. There’s way too much to write down in one article.
As a theatre lover with a passion for writing, let me end with:
Break a finger!
Jacqx
Related articles:
Who Are You? A Guide to Writing Your Memoir