After finishing my first novel, I came to a bit of a standstill, unsure of where to go next or who to speak to. While reading articles online about publishing, editing, and outlining was informative, I felt distanced from the advice because I was unable to ask questions of their authors, hear authentic writing journeys, or share my own experiences and ideas. [ . . . ] Sitting in the packed ballroom of Old Main, discussing my writing hopes and motivations with others and asking how doing what I love can better the community, I learned about the social, cultural, and personal aspects of the writing profession. By the end of the conference, I could once again visualize my future as a writer.