I’m just back from the most amazing weekend, hanging out in Roanoke Virginia with some crazy fabulous female journalists. We gathered from all over the country for JAWS CAMP.* And yes, I was inspired, literally, to climb a mountain with some of this gang:
There are so many things to love about JAWS, including its individual and collective sense of humor. When asked in one session to list the sources we trust, mixed into a list heavy on newspapers and magazines was “my dog,” “the ghost of Jerry Garcia,” and “my husband”–followed quickly by “NOT my husband.”
Also, lots of Cubs fans:
Here are some of the writing tips I brought home with me. Or perhaps you might call them writing and life tips:
1. from Fernando Santos, The New York Times Pheonix bureau chief.
“Writing is work. A lot of work. Writing is ugly, painful, solitary and utterly rewarding … The true beautiful stories live in the ugliness.”
And on that humor thing, Fernando’s talk, which included high praise for outlining and for Scrivener — both of which I also adore, and neither Fernando nor I is being paid to say that — included the sad lament,
“There is no Scrivener for home improvement as far as I know.”
2. from Mindy Marques, Executive Editor of the Miami Herald
“You’re never going to feel you’re ready, so just jump in.”
Mindy also hit the humor note with
“Men dwell on their strengths, whether they have them or not.”
and
“My definition of a great career is being hired one more time than you’re fired.”
3. from Rachel Louise Snyder, who has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, This American Life, and NPR:
“Know who you are. Write what you would write if no one was paying attention … Keep pitching. Have your second place in mind.”
4. from Tina Susman, Buzzfeed News National Editor:
“Do something that will prove you are willing to go the extra mile.”
5. from JAWS president Sandra Fish:
“Being a lifelong learner is crucial to your career.”
and last but certainly not least:
5. from Danyel Smith, the Culture Lead at ESPN’s “The Undefeated”:
“Grab your career by the horns. Embrace the crazy in your life.”
Coming for 1 Thing Thursday this week: a short tutorial on how to use Facebook Live, which I now know is shockingly easy thanks to a session I attended at CAMP! If you want to make sure you don’t miss it, just subscribe to 1st Books. – Meg
*JAWS is the Women and Journalism Symposium, and CAMP used to be an actual camp of sorts, but is now an acronym for “Career and Mentoring Program.”
