Going to the Readers and Writers festival...should I?

I have just purchased the wickedest little black dress for the NZ Post Awards ceremony in May. Of course I have a few concerns - will I be brave enough to wear it (as 'little' is definitely a defining adjective on this occasion) ? Will it be warm enough to wear it? Should I be worried that my husband's comment was, "You don't look like a children's author in that." (Which raises the question, how does a children's author dress? :)

I have been scrutinising the 2009 Auckland Readers and Writers festival programme and have been pondering what to do. When I first started being serious about my writing I attended a fair number of author talks, lectures, workshops etc...in fact I was a bit of an event junkie of little discernment. Initially I was looking for inspiration and motivation. I needed to hear about the hurdles successful writers had overcome in order to perservere in the face of the obstacles confronting me. Then I had to admit that time spent attending author talks, workshops, lectures etc...was time I wasn't spending on my own work. I'd heard what I needed to hear to get going. The message began to sound the same at every different event. I had reached a point of saturation and I stopped going. Now I just go to the occasional event if I think it might be truly beneficial.

There are so far three lectures I'd like to go to on this year's programme (only two yesterday - maybe I should stop scrutinising). One on YA writing with Kate De Goldi, Mal Peet and M.T.Anderson which might be useful as I am working on a YA novel at the moment (or it might not - these things can backfire shooting one's confidence and motivation right out of the water), one on writers who write and teach writing with Paula Morris, Kirsty Gunn, Debra Adelaide and Marina Endicott, on the pitfalls and positives of doing both (potentially valuable as I consider other ways to make money through my writing) and added this morning due to a fascinating review in today's Canvas (Saturday Herald magazine) one on Marcus Chown, a writer who brings complex science to the masses. I love science. I crave scientific understanding. His sounds like a brain well worthy of examination. So folks, the question is, should I go? I'll probably just end up buying one of Mr. Chown's books instead (Quantum Theory Can't Hurt You) which I now desperately want to read - curse you Canvas review!.