Friday, March 11, 2005
Blogs - Conferences - Classes
BlogSpeak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok so I am always a dollar short and a day late. I have joined the blogging crowd. It is partially ego driven. Partially procrastination driven. But mostly it is out of a desire to give readers of my web sites and/or newsletters an opportunity to talk back to me. I've got a few items to get the blog rolling.
One post is called Speech Writers on Speech Writing. I have posted my take on the elements of a good speech. How about contributing some of your thoughts? The blog of course allows you to comment. The other Just In Time Speech Writing talks about the dangers of starting on a speech too soon.
You can get to BlogSpeak by clicking on the menu item in the left hand column.
Red States Blue States
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is impossible to be in Washington DC in the company of a few hundred speech writers from across the U.S. and not have a good time. If you are a political and news junkie and your idea of a star sighting is Dick Gephardt in the hotel restaurant then one of two things is going on - you live a very strange life or you are a speech writer. And if you are the latter your may well be living the former.
Even though there was representation from Red States and Blue states, including some from the current administration, everyone was able to talk politics without getting Political.
Regardless of their personal or professional politics, they all shared a single value - a love for the craft. They were endlessly fascinating people to talk to. Very bright, very committed people who clearly love what they do and really wanted to be at that conference. My only regret was that it didn't go on longer. I have talked to a number of people who go back to the conference again and again.
So if you are really serious about being a speech writer - freelance or otherwise - put the Washington Conference on your "to do" list right now. Remember - February in DC. You'll get hooked. The website reference is www.ragan.com.
On the same site you should check out the Speechwriter's Newsletter put out by the same folks who put on the conference. Just go to the speechwriting link on the left hand side.
And if you want to go to another interesting blog on speech writing, David Murray- the aforementioned newsletter's editor- has a very interesting slant on the craft. I call him a young curmudgeon - a great writer and a very interesting guy. His blog is - The Speechwriters's Slant
Hacks and Flacks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the above noted conference an interesting demographic factoid came up. In chatting to many of the participants, it was clear that a remarkable number came from a journalistic background. But then I thought about it. It makes sense. Both professions call for insatiable curiosity. A dogged tenacity to find a new angle on subjects that they have written about a thousand times before. And wanting to tell a story.
So what's not to like? But who has more fun. The hacks or the flacks?
Speech Writing Workshop In Vancouver, BC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally I am getting around to putting on a speech writing workshop - an all day affair - in Vancouver. A final date hasn't been selected yet, but I am looking at sometime in May or June somewhere in Vancouver proper.
At this stage I am looking for expressions of interest. I need at least 15 people and will limit the class to a maximum size of 30. This will be a workshop for non-fiction writers who want to add speech writing to their skill set.
This is not a writing class per se, but will cover the issues you must concern yourself with when a client calls you and says "We Need A Speech." This one day workshop will get you to the point where you can feel confident that you can say "yes" to such a request.
If you think this might be of interest you could you drop me a line by going here and I'll put you in the "very interested" file and of course keep you posted.
