Whirlwind Week

This has been another action packed week. It was a quick day home on Monday.  I got my hair cut so I’m not nearly so shaggy.  I had a 2pm appointment with a web design firm.  They were looking for a copywriter.  I had an interview there and it looks like I’ll get some work from them.  I did laundry, ironed, and packed.

Tuesday we left about 6:30 to take me to North West Arkansas for my flight to the AWAI Bootcamp—a copywriter’s conference.  I’d gone last year, so I knew somewhat what to expect.  At the Palm Beach airport shuttle, I met two other writers going to the conference, so we chatted on the way there and became friends.  I had not met my roommate, but she was delightful (except for her phone announcing text messages all night long the first night.)  She’d met a friend on the shuttle… so now I had 4 friends.

One enterprising writer organized a newbie luncheon for all of the new people coming to Bootcamp on Wednesday.  I joined in and got acquainted with a few more people.

Then the adventure began.  Classes, dinners, breakfasts.  Wednesday 3:30-9.  Then Thursday starting at 7am we had classes going until 9 pm.  Friday it was 7-5.  Saturday 7-2 when I left to catch my plane.

I had learned that many people don’t ask the speakers to lunch… so I did.  I talked with the B2B (business to business writing) editor heading up AWAI’s new program.  I took her to lunch on Thursday and invited another B2B guru to lunch on Friday.  My roommate was so excited, I invited her to come, too.  When her friend suggested lunch, we invited him along.  He was so pleased… he picked up the tab for all of us!

 Josh Boswell was the MC, father of 10 1/2 and a Mormon.  Nice guy.

By the end of the first day, my head was STUFFED FULL of information.  Ideas of things to do.  New ways of writing better.  New ways to get clients.  Better methods of presenting myself.  I decided more firmly on a niche I want to write in.  I decided to join Circle of Success—it gives you all of AWAI’s programs and free …um, well, prepaid… Bootcamps as well as a two year training program. It also gets you into special classes at Bootcamp.

  Mark Ford

Mark Ford, founder of AWAI and of the Palm Beach Letter and a host of other enterprises was there and spoke.  So did Clayton Makepeace—one of the highest paid copywriters ever.  At one point he made nearly $2M. in one month. (Financial copywriters get royalties on each letter sent out.)

 Clayton Makepeace and winners of his contest.

Friday we had a job fair.  I learned about some interesting companies and I need to follow up with them. In the evening, my roommate invited me to meet with other copywriters who belonged to a Facebook site: CopywriterCafe. We walked about a mile to another hotel.  Really one of the few times I left the hotel… even though it’s just across from the beach.  We chatted and then were entertained by a guitarist.  It was a culturally expanding evening for me.  I don’t usually see guys with make-up jumping on tables to play guitar. I presume he was very good.  Also very loud.  And I was tired.  So I left early.

 Kelvin on guitar

But then… a Ben and Jerry’s reached out and grabbed me.   Loved the hat of the Ben and Jerry server.  Had to be the owner.  Could you pay someone enough to wear that?

Here is a tender mercy.  Well, first the ice cream was delicious.  But I started talking with the lady in line in front of me.  She said she was scheduled to go on the van with me to the airport. (I’d put up a notice asking who wanted to share a ride.)  Then a friend of hers came in and joined us.  She also wanted a ride to PBI about the same time.  “Palm Beach???” gasped the first lady. “I need to go to Ft. Lauderdale!” 

Imagine what would have happened had she just shown up at 2pm and discovered we were going to the wrong airport.  So lady #2 took her place… and I guess she found another ride.  But I’m glad I stopped at Ben and Jerry’s.

Drayton Byrd came from Britain to speak.  As I was going through security at the airport, he was in front of me.  So we chatted as we walked to our gates.

One of the delightful things is that people are so friendly.  There’s no competition or snobbery.  Everyone is very willing to help you and talk to you.

The flights to Orange Country were uneventful.  I was a tired puppy, but I didn’t sleep much.  It was nice to see Cynthia, Jim and Mom at the airport.  When we got to Mom’s I had some delicious apple pie with ice cream and went to bed.

Today was a celebration of the reformation at Mom’s church complete with bagpiper to celebrate the Scottish heritage.  Then they had a Scottish lunch afterwards.  I have now tasted haggis. It is not as bad as people say it is.  Of course, I don’t really know if this was cooked in a sheep’s stomach.