Hi Julie! Oh, how I wish we could have lunch together more often and engage in rodent speculation! So funny, I went back through my photos hoping I'd captured that critter but I have the same view. These are great tips. I love hearing about the panels I missed!
Didn't know Erma Bombeck Conference was a thing, so now I'm sold! I grew up reading Erma's column and books and I think she had a lot to do with how my own humor developed. I haven't figured out how to write my humor yet, but a conference sounds like a great reward for figuring it out before 2028. Thanks for sharing this❣️
Yes,definitely keep it on your radar! I think it's got a lot of great sessions on Erma-esque writing. I've been meaning to go back and do a re-read of more of her stuff, too.
"Is this only funny to you or people you know?" OH this is just great advice in general. Our worlds can get very insular and that can cause a lack of "translation" or sorts on the page.
Agreed. I think especially when it comes to things like essay or satire topics, I think most pubs want something that is going to appeal a little more broadly.
Thank you for sharing the bit about newsletter frequency….I recently had this issue with someone and I’m solidly in the once a month club… so it’s nice to feel like I’m not alone!
Yes! Which reminds me that I remember hearing about a conference where people put on their badges whether they were introverts or extroverts, which I could see maybe being good too.
Thank you for this (and all your posts.) I'd caution against negating a piece because it may seem funny only to you or the people you know. The showrunner for Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, said at a Promax convention that the universal was in the details. We can often be surprised at what we think is peculiar to ourselves that many people actually identify with.
Ah, that's a good point! I think there is definitely something to finding things that feel peculiar to you, but others actually relate to, but I think there are some things that aren't relatable or interesting to many other people, which can have trouble finding an audience or may just have a pretty small audience.
I was also wondering about that advice. It seems like the funniest stuff is NOT funny to many people--it has to walk a fine edge. So if you previewed it with the wrong people you might shoot down something that was actually hilarious for the right (small) audience.
I think you are right -- finding the right audience for feedback or sometimes testing it with a larger audience to see if it's falling flat everywhere can be good.
Hi Julie! Oh, how I wish we could have lunch together more often and engage in rodent speculation! So funny, I went back through my photos hoping I'd captured that critter but I have the same view. These are great tips. I love hearing about the panels I missed!
If you had captured a photo that would have been amazing! I loved hearing about one I hadn’t gone to in your newsletter too :)
Thanks for the tips! I've attended that conference in the past--couldn't make it this year. But I agree it's a good one.
Definitely a good one!
Didn't know Erma Bombeck Conference was a thing, so now I'm sold! I grew up reading Erma's column and books and I think she had a lot to do with how my own humor developed. I haven't figured out how to write my humor yet, but a conference sounds like a great reward for figuring it out before 2028. Thanks for sharing this❣️
Yes,definitely keep it on your radar! I think it's got a lot of great sessions on Erma-esque writing. I've been meaning to go back and do a re-read of more of her stuff, too.
"Is this only funny to you or people you know?" OH this is just great advice in general. Our worlds can get very insular and that can cause a lack of "translation" or sorts on the page.
Agreed. I think especially when it comes to things like essay or satire topics, I think most pubs want something that is going to appeal a little more broadly.
Lol - based on your photo, i vote muskrat
Ha, I appreciate you weighing in on this!
I live in Ohio, after all, so I'm uniquely qualified to imagine this animal
You are obviously an expert! I think you are probably right that it was a muskrat, though, despite my kind of wanting it to be a beaver.
Thank you for sharing the bit about newsletter frequency….I recently had this issue with someone and I’m solidly in the once a month club… so it’s nice to feel like I’m not alone!
I do think that less can be more -- some newsletters that I really enjoy are sent even less frequently -- like maybe only once a quarter.
I love the friendship bracelet idea for all conferences. Maybe it could say something like "Introverts Unite!"
Yes! Which reminds me that I remember hearing about a conference where people put on their badges whether they were introverts or extroverts, which I could see maybe being good too.
Thank you for this (and all your posts.) I'd caution against negating a piece because it may seem funny only to you or the people you know. The showrunner for Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, said at a Promax convention that the universal was in the details. We can often be surprised at what we think is peculiar to ourselves that many people actually identify with.
Ah, that's a good point! I think there is definitely something to finding things that feel peculiar to you, but others actually relate to, but I think there are some things that aren't relatable or interesting to many other people, which can have trouble finding an audience or may just have a pretty small audience.
I was also wondering about that advice. It seems like the funniest stuff is NOT funny to many people--it has to walk a fine edge. So if you previewed it with the wrong people you might shoot down something that was actually hilarious for the right (small) audience.
I think you are right -- finding the right audience for feedback or sometimes testing it with a larger audience to see if it's falling flat everywhere can be good.
Great tips in here, Julie! thank you!
Thanks, Diane!
Jealous that you and Liz were hanging out!
You should come next time and hang out with us!
Sounds amazing!! Thanks for sharing your takeaways 🙂
It was fun! Thanks for reading :)
This seems like it was so much fun! Thank you for sharing what you learned with those of us who couldn't go.
It is fun! Would love to see you at a future one :)
I had some serious FOMO around Erma this year, so I appreciated this recap! I’ll definitely try to make time to go next year.
I get that, and it would be great to see you at the next one (although it's every two years, so 2028, I guess :)
Aw yay!!! I'm so glad you liked the friendship bracelet, I had such a good time making them!! So good to see ya!
Yes, it was great to see you too!
Thanks for sharing!
Of course!
thanks for the recap, julie!
Thanks for reading, Bizzy!