Choices, Choices

So after talking with my Creative Partner, Lisa, I have a decision to make about writing conferences next year. Novelists, Inc. or RWA National?

Blaze author Alison Kent had this to say on her blog the other day:
"Except for editor or author dinners and publisher parties, I rarely walk out of the hotel. I don’t sightsee. I don’t consider conference a vacation (except this year when it was a vacation). It could be held in someone’s basement for all I care about where I am. Conference to me, any conference, is a business trip. Learning, networking, catching up with old friends, making new ones - authors and readers, both. "

And at Romancing the Blog, Kassia Krozzier said this:
"Attending the Romance Writers of America Annual Conference is something you have to do to believe. It’s absolutely amazing, from the stunningly crowded Literacy Autographing (record-setting year!) to the awards ceremony. .. it’s basically 2,000-plus women in a single hotel."

So I need to weigh the Pros and Cons:

Conference Fees-
NINC $360 ($295 + $65 for the all-day workshop)
RWA $390 (No extra costs)

Hotel Room- (will need to share either way)
NINC $180/night [conference rate no matter how many to a room]
RWA $175/ night [rack rate. This may be lower by next Spring]

Airfare- [as of August 3, 2006]
NINC in San Diego $436 (will be lower with frequent flyer miles)
RWA in Dallas $254

Meals Included-
NINC: Th dinner, Th dessert buffet, Fr breakfast, Sa breakfast, Sa lunch
RWA: Th lunch, Th appetizers, Fr breakfast, Fr lunch, Sa breakfast, Sa lunch, Sa dessert buffet
(However, I never go to the RWA Welcome Reception or the continental breakfasts and budget for real food)

Taxis, Other Meals, Miscellaneous- [about the same for either conf] $300

On the financial face of it, RWA looks like the better deal at $1644 vs $1816 for NINC, so now I have to look at the intangibles:

I won't bore you with a complete recap of the 2006 NINC conference- you can go back and read my comments and I'll just sum up.
1. Smaller venue
2. Much smaller number of attendees
3. Everything is focused on published authors
4. I didn't have to be 'on' all the time
5. I felt I had time to talk to people

Specific benefits for next year: Escape from East Coast spring weather to Southern Califonia warmth; Eric Maisel is giving an all-day coaching session ; I truly got a lot out of the workshops I attanded; It's easier to talk to editors/ agents when there's no invisible clock ticking away your 8 minutes.

Other considerations: Without a buddy, I tend to hide out in my room. Lisa isn't going this time so the New Orleans experience cannot possible be duplicated. Only three industry professionals came and I'm not sure how many NYC folks will fly cross country in 2007. If I do end up going, my boys will be flying in for a short family vacation and either my time or theirs will be compromised. (Conferences are traditionally my chance to get away from it all)

RWA is stressful for me- it's noisy and crowded and chaotic and despite all of the people everywhere I usually end up feeling lonely somehow. However there are good points:
1 Tons of industry professionals and publisher spotlights
2 Chances to meet with my Harlequin editors
3 Chances to hook up with old and new friends
4 Lots more workshops to choose from

Other considerations: Dallas- TEXAS- in the middle of freakin' July; I'll have two books out next year and need to promote them; at my last RWA conference I had a chance to talk to two agents and also sold the premise for the novella I'm currently working on.

Specific benefits: Lisa will be there and face to face time with a long distance critique partner is priceless, plus I'd be guaranteed a roommate I get along with.

So, great, the list is done, the arguments are weighed and I still don't know which way to go... Thoughts? Suggestions?