Truely Great People I Get to Hang With

As some of you may know, this week is the (5th?) annual Storymakers writing conference, and the 1st annual Whitney awards. I’d just like to take a minute and thank the many people who have put in untold hours, money, and talent to make this possible. Take someone like Rob Wells who has spent more time this year than I’m sure he ever imagined for an award that he isn’t even eligible for. Or Annette Lyon and Heather (HB) Moore who worked tirelessly to bring top notch agents, editors, and guest speakers to the conference despite raising families with young kids, and writing books. Or authors like Kerry Blair and Tami Norton who traveled hundreds of miles to teach classes.

What do these people get out of this? Fame? Not when you’re talking about fewer than 200 hundred attendees. Of course that is an amazing number of attendees, but it sure isn’t going to make your book a best seller. (If you even have a new book out to promote.) Fortune? I don’t think I even have to explain that one. But let’s just say what they make in sales won’t even cover their gas. I mean shoot, they don’t even get an award named after them.

One do they get? More competition. Every year conference attendees end up publishing with LDS or national publishers. Major stress. Consider coordinating the meals, binders, schedules, rooms, and travel for close to 200 people of all levels of writing talent.

Okay, there is one thing they get out of it. The joy of seeing each other for what is often the only time each year, in kind of a bog family reunion. Lots of laughs. Stories that get passed down every conference—like Tristi’s fairy outfit or BJ surprising Rachel by running down the aisle in his Indian headdress, outfit, and war paint. And probably most important of all, the satisfaction of passing down some of the things they’ve learned over the years, and the talents they’ve been blessed with to a new group of authors.

Thanks all. There are too many of you to name individually, but it is an honor being associated with people as selfless and wonderful as you all. See you Friday.