Blogs

For three days, we laughed. OK, howled.

We left renewed, inspired, motivated.

Fresh from the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, some of the 350 attendees and faculty tapped out humorous and, often, heartfelt columns and blogs. Here's a sampling:

"Postcards From the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop" from Yuliya Patsay of the She Suggests blog

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop 2012: Will Somebody Please Remove the Ferret from my Toe?" by Dave Fox, author of Getting Lost: Mishaps of An Accidental Nomad

"Being Erma" by Tracy Beckerman, nationally syndicated humor columnist and author of Rebel Without a Minivan: Observations on Life in the 'Burbs. And another, "Here's Why Jennifer Aniston Probably Won't Be Inviting Me to Her Wedding"

"Life Keeps Getting Weirder: An Open Letter to the Dayton Marriott" by Anna Lefler, author of The CHICKtionary

"Draggin Girl" by Deb Amlen, New York Times WordPlay columnist and blogger

"Best Moments From the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop" by Tara Adams

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop - A Unique Chance To Study 'Funny'" from The Laughing Mom blog

"Erma Bombeck, I Am a Writer" by blogger Nicole Shirley Morgan

"An Ode to the EBWW" by Gianetta Palmer

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop?...We'll See" by Carolyn Plath

"You Had Questions? EBWW 2012 Had Answers" by blogger Jody Worsham on the National Society of Newspaper Columnists website

"The Once and Future Queen. Finding Erma Bombeck" by Kyran Pittman, author of Planting Dandelions: Field Notes From a Semi-Domesticated Life

"The Spirit of Erma" by Karen Walrond, author/photographer of The Beauty of Different

"On Being Erma's Child" by Jim Higley, author of Bobblehead Dad

"Lovefest - Erma Bombeck Style" by Suzette Martinez Standring, author of The Art of Column Writing: Insider Secrets from Art Buchwald, Dave Barry, Arianna Huffington, Pete Hamill and Other Great Columnists

"What Erma Bombeck Taught Me (Just This Past Weekend" by Amy Wilson, author of When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be

"14 Things I Learned at the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop" by blogger Joe Donatelli

"Bombeck Writers' Workshop Closes With Dedication" by Mary McCarty, Dayton Daily News columnist

"Stooges Funny? Don't Make Me Laugh - Bombeck Rules" by Gina Barreca, author of It's Not That I'm Bitter or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World "Erma

Bombeck's True Gift" by blogger Stacey Hatton

"How I Overcame Chronic Shyness at the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop by Jef Blocker

"The Spruce is Greener Surrounded by Family" by blogger Steve Vest

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop: The Meat and Potatoes (And the Chocolate Cake)" by Lisa Tognola, creator of "Main Street Musings" column

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Wrap Up" by Sarah Hunt

"Life According to Erma" by blogger Jen Havice

"College Boys Aren't Cute Anymore" by blogger Erin Breagy Gross

"Literary Arts Alive and Growing Here in Dayton" by Sharon Short, Dayton Daily News Literary Life columnist

"What Would Erma Say?" by blogger Dawn Weber

"UD Dedicates Tree to Writer's Memory" by WDTN-TV

"The Next Erma Bombeck" by blogger Susanna Hickman Bartee

"Six Things I Learned at EBWW" by blogger Leslie Marinelli

"Six More Things I Learned at EBWW" by blogger Leslie Marinelli

"Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop: The Craft of Writing; the Gift of Friendship" by blogger Darlene Sneden

"From the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop - Blogging, Branding and Social Media, Part 1" by blogger LD Masterson

"This is Where I Come From. And, I Might Be a Little Irreverent. And Also Irrelevent. And I Kinda Don't Care," by blogger Janet Frongillo

"Tricks to Beating the Shy Monster" by blogger Alexandra Rosas

"Dessert AGAIN? OK, I'm In!" by blogger Nancy LaFever

"Thank you, Erma Bombeck" by blogger Jules Fredrick

Attendee Susanna Hickman Bartee penned one of the best descriptions of this year's workshop: "We were 350 writers and wannabes who met for seminars, encouragement, inspiration and tips. It was a grand party where everyday people like me got to listen to and rub elbows with Pulitzer Prize winners, Hollywood writers, uber-successful freelancers and even (in my case) share an elevator with Betsy Bombeck, Erma's daughter. It was hard to leave when it was over."

Mark the date: April 10-12, 2014. Join us for the 2014 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop.

- Teri Rizvi

Teri Rizvi, associate vice president for University communications at the University of Dayton, founded the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop in 2000.