The Gathering by the Sea

Each September, St. Pete Beach transforms into something extraordinary—a quiet paradise where career novelists trade the solitude of their desks for the hum of shared ambition. The Novelists, Inc. Conference, better known as NINC, gathers hundreds of professional authors at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

This isn’t an entry-level convention. It’s a professional summit, a place where writers already walking the path come to learn sharper ways to navigate it. The atmosphere is unhurried, yet charged—spotlight on conference rooms, waves against the shore, and minds turning toward what’s next.

Six Years of Leveling Up 

This was my sixth NINC, and I can honestly say it’s become a yearly reset button for my publishing life. Each visit sharpens my focus and reminds me why continual learning matters.

Through the years, I’ve watched both the industry and my own perspective evolve. The sessions now dig deeper into long-term sustainability—rights management, direct sales, team building, automation. The friendships run deeper too. There’s comfort in walking into a lobby where faces have become colleagues and allies.

You don’t leave NINC inspired in an abstract way—you leave equipped.

Balcony Rituals & Feathered Magic

While many head for the beach at sunrise, I prefer the balcony. Coffee, notebook, Gulf breeze—that’s my ritual. My assistant joins me, camera in hand, capturing both the calm and the motion of the morning.

The brown pelicans have become my muses—ancient, unbothered, and confident. They skim the water like thoughts searching for the right opening line. When they dive, it’s decisive—no hesitation, no rewrite. The snowy egrets, in contrast, embody patience. Slim white forms, black legs, golden feet, stepping precisely through the shallows as if editing the shoreline itself.

Watching them reminds me that every creative process has its rhythm: the bold dive, and the quiet wait.

Sessions That Sparked the Next Chapter

Kickstarter for Authors — Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing at Kickstarter

Oriana’s presentation on Kickstarter for Authors was one of the most eye-opening sessions I’ve attended at NINC. She laid out a comprehensive process for planning, structuring, and managing a successful campaign — from concept to fulfillment — and showed how authors can use crowdfunding not only to raise funds but to build community and excitement around their books.

Among her many insights, a few stood out to me most clearly:

• Define your idea and identify who it’s for.

• Decide what you’ll make and what it will cost.

• Connect with your audience early and share your plans (for me, this blogpost is part of that connection).

• Design your campaign so that it tells a story — one your readers want to be part of.

These were only a few of the practical steps Oriana shared, but they resonated deeply. They reminded me that crowdfunding isn’t chaos — it’s storytelling in real time. I’m seriously considering a special edition of my bestselling series, Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar & Grill, and before I move forward, I’d love to know if my readers would be excited for that kind of project.

The AI Search Revolution — Ricardo Fayet, Co-Founder of Reedsy

Ricardo’s session felt like peering into the near future. His message was simple but powerful: visibility now depends on conversation.

He asked a question that stuck in my mind—“How many human discussions are happening about your book?” It reframed everything. Instead of chasing algorithms, he urged us to cultivate readers who talk. Genuine enthusiasm creates the signals machines only follow.

Since then, I’ve started tracking engagement differently—not just numbers, but voices.

Connecting with Readers — Damon Courtney, CEO of BookFunnel

Damon has a way of making hard truths sound almost cheerful. He shared with us a list of what won’t save us: writing faster, writing to market, or writing alone.

His reminder hit home—success grows from relationships, not algorithms. For me, that means doubling down on something that’s been part of my career since November 2016: my newsletter. It’s where conversations stay real, where readers become part of the world I build.

The Sunsets That Bookend the Day

St. Pete Beach faces west, which means every evening ends in spectacle. The sky burns amber and rose, the horizon softens, and for a moment, everyone pauses—authors, vendors, hotel staff—just watching.

Those sunsets are more than scenery. They’re closure. A reminder that each day’s learning, each spark of an idea, deserves a breath before the next begins. The Gulf has its own kind of applause, the slow rhythm of waves acknowledging the work done and the words yet to come.

When Conferences Become Compass Points

I attend events across continents, but NINC stands apart. It isn’t about hype—it’s about craft and longevity.

The sessions assume you already know the basics. The real question becomes: How do you thrive in a shifting world? That’s the conversation NINC keeps alive. For authors who treat writing as both passion and profession, it’s an anchor and a map rolled into one.

What Comes Next

Each year at NINC feels a little different—not bigger, not louder, but wiser. The faces change, the tools evolve, yet the purpose stays the same: to keep growing in a business that never stops changing.

To everyone who reads the books, joins the newsletter, or shares a kind word—you keep this dream alive. Your support lets stories travel farther than any algorithm ever could.

As the conference ended, the waves outside carried on—steady, deliberate, unstoppable. That’s the rhythm I’m taking home this year: not a rush, not a race, but a steady forward motion toward the next story.