I'm exhausted. I'm also exhilarated. We pulled off another fabulous, fantastic conference this year and I'm already looking forward to next year. There's just something about joining together with like-minded people in a spirit of cooperation and friendship to talk about something we all love to do and to learn how to do it better. I got to see old friends and to make new ones. Sheesh, I wish we could do this once a month.
My hat is definitely off to Josi Kilpack and Julie Wright, who headed up the event this year. And, as always, our intrepid business manager, BJ Rowley, without whom there would be no . . . well, anything. He's just that good.
One of the best moments of the conference was getting to meet Lisa Mangum, the head of acquisitions at Deseret Book, and to hear her say how much she enjoyed the event. In fact, she gave us this quote to use in our advertising and I'm so full of the love of the moment, I'm going to put it right here:
"I have been to many writer's conferences during my ten years as Acquisitions Editor for Deseret Book Company and I can say without hesitation that the LDS Storymaker's Conference is one of the best I've ever attended. I was impressed by so many things about the Conference: the classes were exceptional, the presenters were stellar, the speakers were inspirational, the attendees were enthusiastic. I left the Conference thinking to myself, ‘Here are the writers who are devoted to their craft, who are willing to work hard and be persistent, who understand the business of writing and of publishing. Here are the writers who are going to revolutionize the LDS writing world.’ I was so happy to have met so many great people who are involved in such a thriving, active writer's community. I look forward to reading the work that will come as a direct result of the Conference. It truly was a privilege to attend the 2007 LDS Storymaker's Conference.”
Isn't that just beautiful?
If you have any yen at all for writing, I encourage you strongly to attend next year's conference. We haven't selected the date for it yet, but I'll let you know as soon as we do.
And, just for fun, here are some other blogs on this topic (If you don't see a blog about the conference at the top of the pages, scroll down -- I'm still learning how to direct this blog thingy to just the right blog.)
Robison Wells on Six LDS Writers and a Frog
Marsha Ward at Writer in the Pines
Julie Wright at . . . well, JulieWright.com
Darvell Hunt at LDS Writers Blogck (he wrote this one about my class --I wasn't expecting that. Thanks, Darvell!)
Anyway, it was a really cool conference and I'm not the only one who thinks so!
5 comments:
It was an amazing weekend and no one could stop talking about Tristi's class! Sheesh, what are the rest of us, chopped liver?
Tristi was the perfect diva for the event, it's worth coming to just to see her strut her stuff.
Aw, thanks, Josi! I really love the conference and am committed to doing whatever I can to make it more enjoyable, and if it means putting on wings and dancing around like a fairy, then that's what I'll do. Or any number of other costumes. Hey, I just like costumes -- what can I say??
Tristi, you should have presented your class material in front of the whole group as a guest speaker rather than hiding in the back corner of the libary. Excellent "call to repentance" for us writers who haven't quite perfected our craft as much as we could have by now. You really put us in the hot seat (well, in the hot classroom, anyway--pun alert for those who attended.)
Reference to your class in my blog entry at LDS Writers Blogck was certainly warranted.
Darvell
I am stand in the presence of greatness! I am always amazed at how quickly you think on your feet. Alas, I needed the help with grammar so I missed your class. I knew after last years class that it would be great but It was scheduled at the wrong time.
I might add that Julie and Josi did a fantastic job.
Now that we have patted each other on the back I need to get back to work. Great job!
Darvell, thanks again for your kind comments. I appreciate it a lot. You know, that hot room felt good after the freezing ballroom, but by the end of the class I was definitely roasting.
Keith, thanks for your comments as well. It really was a lot of fun and I can't wait for next year.
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