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Introvert in Chicago: My Time at IBPA University 2019.

Updated: Sep 18, 2019

About a week or so after a soul-wrenching roadblock in my attempts to have something resembling an actual career, an email popped into my inbox. It was from Lisa Malvin the Assistant Director of Professional Development Programs at The University of Chicago Graham School. She was asking for volunteers to this conference happening in Chicago the following month. I immediately emailed a tame version of my initial reaction which consisted of, "YES PLEASE SIGN ME UP," to "I am very interested in being a volunteer."


This was the first time I had jumped at an opportunity to put myself out there, where I would have the chance to do the dreaded networking that is essential. I had all but avoided networking up to that point and now here was an opportunity where it was natural and expected. I had to go.


My journey started on a rather cold and rainy day. I had just missed the Metra to downtown Chicago. After about twenty minutes, a train pulls up several minutes before the timetable said it would. My brain told me it would take me the opposite direction if I got on, which was crazy, but I got on anyway. A couple of hours later I was in the fanciest hotel room I'd ever been in, and I wasn't even mad about the lack of free wifi because I had something even better. I had a smart TV with connection to YouTube and Netflix. An introvert's dream.


After sleeping only so-so, I ventured down to the registration desk and was ushered right in and put to work. Festivities were kicking off in a matter of minutes. I received a quick crash course in the welcoming spiel for attendees, and before I knew it, it was showtime.


The conference itself started with the opening keynote from the founder of Sourcebooks, and Dominique Raccah had the full attention of everyone in the room from the moment she walked on stage. That is how much respect for who she is and what she has accomplished throughout her career that everyone had. Raccah talked about the humble beginnings of Sourcebooks and the trial and error involved in building what would become the 10th largest publisher in the country. Full of inspiration and a new understanding of what it means to be in independent publishing, everyone rose to their feet in applause as she finished her talk. I'm neither an independent publisher nor an author, but I was personally inspired to keep pursuing my passions because everyone in that room had started from where I was. If I kept working hard and learning everything I could, I was sure I could create something amazing.


I was even inspired to the point to do something that is usually incredibly hard for me; talking to people. It also helped that there was a little game where you could collect stickers as you went around to the different sponsor tables. I looked over to the closest table and kept walking right out of the big hall. I did a lap by the registration desk, took a breath, went back in, and said, "Hi I'm Sarah." For the next hour or so I was running on adrenaline and diet mountain dew as I networked.


After my self-imposed overload of social interaction, I took a break to drink some water and eat a snack. I thought about going to a class in the last round of sessions that day, but what I really wanted to do was to be involved and help. I could see they were in the process of getting set up for the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards that evening, and I jumped right in. I got to help set up the displays showing all the book finalists. I returned to my internet connected TV that night feeling like I accomplished a lot and was ready to recharge for the next day.


I decided to sleep in a little the next morning because once again the elevator made it hard to sleep. I made my way to the registration desk at around 10:30 am hoping to help, but things had calmed down from the day before and I was free to explore and go to sessions. I went to a class on publishing children's books and packed away lots of information for future use. Before lunch was served I ran by the registration desk again, and I ran into another volunteer Marie. Over lunch, we started chatting about our experiences so far and ended up going to a few sessions in the afternoon together. Afterward, there wasn't really anything else to help with. All that was left to do was to take a break and wait for the closing session.


I had done something that was hard for me personally and honestly something that I avoided at all costs. I networked, but I did it in my own way by being myself and showing my drive to help in whatever way I can. I challenged myself to talk to every sponsor table and at the I end of the day I ended up gaining some freelancing opportunities in the world of book reviewing. I really couldn't be happier than to have the chance to read books for money! It doesn't feel like work having to write up a review afterword since I've already been doing that for fun for this very site. 2019 IBPA Publishing University was honestly a life-changing experience and I hope I get the chance to go to more IBPA conferences in the future.

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