Bayou Writers Group Conference is Here!

Yes, conference is here. This weekend. I'm ready. Honestly, I'm ready to look back and say, well done.

What I'm really looking forward to doing is meeting the speakers I've been emailing for several months. I feel especially close to them since I hand-picked them myself. :) I'm sure the closeness is a wonderful figment of my imagination but I consider David, Randy and PJ all mine. Paula from Boy's Life is Angie's editor. I think we have a wonderful line-up. We've worked hard, and I hope everyone will benefit from it.

I'm also very excited about meeting writers who will be driving in from the surrounding area: Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and different parts of Texas.

If I stop to think about the 50, 60, almost 70 people attending this conference, hoping to learn something, make that needed connection, my heart leaps because I want so badly for them to get everything they want and need from our small conference. I feel obligated to them and to our speakers. I guess I put a lot of stress on myself for wanting everyone to walk away completely "writerly-satisfied."

This is the first time I've worked on a conference though I've been to many. I've complained about the lack of organization, lousy, unprepared speakers, even the food.

I'll never complain again. I'll say it louder: I'LL NEVER COMPLAIN AGAIN!

I have an enormous amount of respect for anyone who works on a conference committee and tries to guess what other writers want and need. And I have an enormous amount of admiration and respect for anyone who does it more than once. :)

I hope you enjoy our Bayou Writers Group conference. We worked hard--for you.