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The inimitable Gail Collins.
I'll admit it right here and right now: I had no idea what I was doing at the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. I actually received the call last summer from Matt Dewald, director of the conference, while I was attending the BlogHer conference. He'd left a message, and before returning his call, I called Marcus, slightly panicked.
"Dude, this guy from the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop just left me a message about going to the conference next year."
"That's great!"
"Yeah, I think it is. But truthfully? I can't tell if he's calling to invite me to just attend, or to actually speak."
"You doughnut," Marcus laughed, "there is no way they are calling you almost a year in advance to ask you to attend. They're asking you to speak, woman! Call the man back!"
Marcus was right, of course: I called Matt back and he graciously invited me to talk about using social media to enhance your brand as a writer. After thanking him and accepting his offer (with such exuberance that for a moment I suspected he might be having second thoughts), I couldn't help myself:
"So, Matt, can I ask how you found me?"
A quick pause, then an admission:
"Honestly? My wife Teresa reads your blog."
Well, Teresa, I owe you one: this was sincerely one of the most enjoyable conferences I have ever attended. The registration and logistics ran smoothly, and everyone I encountered was so amazingly warm and open and generous with their spirits and advice. Another thing: unlike most blogging conferences I've attended (or been given the honour of speaking), which are so often about networking and marketing and the immediacy of publishing, this workshop was about the art of writing (specifically humour and human interesting writing), and delved deeply into the beauty of a well-crafted piece. The information offered was particularly eye-opening.
But most impressive were the keynote speakers: sweet mother of Gumby, they were insanely good. On the opening night, Loretta LaRoche was so funny and had the audience so rollicking with laughter in their seats that when she closed her speech by having everyone stand up, hold hands, sway and sing along to Dean Martin's That's Amore, it felt totally normal (and if that's not testimony to the power of humour, people, I do not know what is). The following day, the lunchtime speaker was Gail Collins, former editor of the New York Times opinion page, who spent the first 5 minutes of her talk giving a riveting and entertaining account of 300 years of the history of American women (as you do), followed by a description of how the revolutionary writer Erma Bombeck helped lead the charge for feminism through her humour writing. As it happens, Erma Bombeck was one of the people whose work personally inspired Collins to become a writer. Collins was so engaging -- really captivating and funny -- I'm not afraid to say without the slightest trace of exaggeration that she is my new and absolute example of the writer I aspire one day to be. And the keynote speaker on Saturday night, the very funny Bill Scheft (a lead writer for Late Show with David Letterman), was hysterical; however, what made me fall completely in love with him was the way he was truly overcome with gratitude and appreciation when the crowd leapt from their seats at the end of his talk to give him a standing ovation. He was thoroughly adorable.
As you can tell, I can't say enough good things about this conference. If you're a writer or a blogger or even someone who some day hopes to become a writer or a blogger, I strongly urge you to put this biennial conference on your "must attend" list. I may not have known what I was doing there when I arrived on Thursday last week, but by God, by the time I got on the plane to return home on Saturday morning, I was already scheming about how I could go back in 2012.
Song: That's Amore by Dean Martin
Mon, April 19, 2010
Reader Comments (22)
I *KNEW* you would rock this conference. Just as I knew I had good reason to be jealous I missed it. It's on my must do list. Absolutely.
Until you mentioned it yesterday, I had no idea this conference existed but now I MUST go to one! Erma Bombeck was a huge early influence for me.
Erma Bombeck was a huge early influence for me also
Well of course they asked you to speak. Sounds like you had an amazingly inspirational time.
I attended the conference and your session. I thought it would be weird to attend your session twice. So, I spared you. But you are not giving yourself enough credit. Along with the keynote speakers, you were/are brilliant. You exude beauty and brilliance and shared it with us. You inspired me, and gave me fantastic input. Thank you, Karen! I drove home yesterday taking pictures of all kinds of wacky things that just stuck out to me. Did you know that the WalMart in Newton, Iowa has liquor where the candy should be in the checkouts? I think it spoke bounds about the town I drove through. Here's wishing to more conversations of beauty and all things bloggy. I have to get to running and yoga and then I'm going to spruce up my blog with all of your recommendations. Thank you Karen.
I think I owe Teresa one as well! Your presentation was eye opening and so heart-felt. It made me realize that if you really love what you are doing and really enjoy what you are writing about others will too! Intimacy v Being personal was something I never thought about (as I tended to shun both) but you really illuminated the difference and how important the former is (which was later re-conveyed when attending the Wade Rouse's workshop. Thanks for all you do and to Erma too!! ~ Beth from www.mommyonashoestring.com
Thanks, Beth and Leslie! As I mentioned, the people I encountered, including those who attended my sessions, were so warm and generous -- and clearly the two of you aren't exceptions. Lovely reading your comments, and thank you SO much for coming!
I loved Erma Bombeck. And, of course, I love you.
Meeting you was one of the highlights of my weekend at the workshop.
I'm upset I didn't get to meet you at the conference, but thank you for expressing my thoughts about it so perfectly. I was blown away by the keynote speakers and enjoyed myself immensely. What a weekend!