Blogs

Idaho author Elaine Ambrose called traveling to the 2018 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop "a sacred pilgrimage for the healing power of another belly laugh."

Jolyn Young, a first-time attendee, made the trek from a remote cattle ranch in northern Arizona with the hope of furthering her freelance career and connecting with other humor writers. "Also," she blogs, "my two young kids don't sleep through the night, and I really wanted a nap." Another first-time attendee from Arizona, Renee Schafer Horton, writes she's "back on the horse, holding onto the dreams" of reviving her writing career - "and getting those words published."

Kelley Chikos, of Vernon Hills, Illinois, didn't expect her second trip to the biennial workshop to be "the Wild Wit and Wonderment" of the 2016 event. "Yet there it was - the same waves of ease, of feeling instantly valued," she wrote upon her return home from the popular gathering that attracted more than 350 writers from across the nation, Canada and even Spain.

Perhaps Laurie O'Connor Stephans, of Plano, Illinois, best described the workshop's appeal - its supportive atmosphere - in her blog: "There's a reason that fast-talking motivational speakers make millions working sales conferences. There is nothing so motivating as being encouraged and told again and again that it's possible for your dreams to come true. But we didn't have hucksters at this workshop. We had professional writers and comedians and teachers who weren't just being paid to rile us up, but who were there to illustrate how possible it was to be a writer. They told their own stories to show how possible it was for us to tell ours."

In all, more writers tapped out more than 50 essays, literally thousands of words to capture the spirit of three laugh-filled days of learning and networking at the University of Dayton, Erma's alma mater.

In the days leading up to the sold-out workshop, EBWW faculty member Dr. Nancy Berk introduced New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly, actress and writer Kathy Kinney, and comedy writer Joel Madison to attendees through Parade.com features and "Whine at 9" podcasts. As an upcoming treat, Kinney is producing short video features of stories attendees wrote during a "find your own voice" workshop she conducted with writing partner Cindy Ratzlaff.

Here are links to newspaper and online stories, blogs and podcasts - all inspired by the April 5-7 workshop:

Bonnie Anderson: Dear Marion Winik

Elaine Ambrose: Laughing With Erma Bombeck and Friends

Anne Bardsley: An Honest-to-God Day in the Life of a Writer

Jennifer Belden: Thoughts From My Third Erma Bombeck Writers' Conference

Dr. Nancy Berk: New Yorker Cartoonist Liza Donnelly on Women and Humor and the Power of Live Drawing

Dr. Nancy Berk: Kathy Kinney Talks Creativity, Comedy and the Gift of Playing Mimi Bobeck (Podcast)

Dr. Nancy Berk: Comedy Writer Joel Madison on Finding Your Funny and Falling Back Into Stand-up (Podcast)

Kim Bongiorno: People Care

Kelley Chikos: Erma Two

Lynne Cobb: Top 10 Symptoms of "Erma-titus"

Lynne Cobb: A Funny Thing Happened...How I Survived My Most Embarrassing Moment

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp: Mother Figures for the Motherless

Marcia Kester Doyle: Fly on the Wall at a Writer's Conference

Lori Duff: Things You'll Never Hear Me Say

Kathy Eliscu: Writing: Learning, Bite by Bite

Max Filby: Bombeck Family Donates $460K to UD's Workshop, Learning Center

Jen Gregory: The Best Plan is No Plan at All (Sometimes)

Stacey Gustafson: Erma Bombeck and Friends, You Inspired Me

Kim Hedzik: On Measuring Value: Throw Your Calculator Away

Tassie Kalas Haney: Erma and the Bag Lady

Renee Schafer Horton: How Erma Saved Me

Elly Lonon: My Mom Still Smokes

Kate Mahar: Sometimes I Can Write

Lori Mansell and Julie Osborne: The Queen Returns

Lori Mansell and Julie Osborne: Queen Forever

Fred Marion: No One Knows If You're Good Enough

Allia Zobel Nolan and Teri Rizvi: A Laugh-Out-Loud Journey

Lisa Packer: Modern Hotel Room Design: A One Act Play

Martha Peebles: Erma Awesome

Yvonne Ransel: We Came, We Saw, We Kicked...

Teri Rizvi: The Gift of Laughter

Teri Rizvi: The View From a Hotel Room of One's Own

Teri Rizvi: 2018 EBWW Hits a New High, Writers Call Workshop Inspiring, Mind Blowing and 'Beyond Words'

Teri Rizvi: A Sacred Pilgrimage

Teri Rizvi: 'Our Communal and Biennial Home'

Dorothy Rosby: Erma Bombeck: Bringing the Generations Together

Joanne Salemink: Erma Notes 2.108

Samantha Schoech: 17 Quiet Days to Write

Amy Hartl Sherman: It. Is. Limitless.

Sharon Short: Wit, Wisdom at Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop

Lois Simenson: Quest for Funny

Dana Cotton Starr: In the Company of Funny, Fearless, Inspirational, Beautiful Ladies

Laurie O'Connor Stephans: The 60-Year-Old Virgin

Laurie O'Connor Stephans: A Miraculous Blessed Event

Lee St. John: Bon Voyage!

Lorrie Tom: The Dream Rejection

Angela Verges: Motivational Monday - 4 Things That Make You Feel Rich (Not Related to Money)

Leah Vidal: I Wish I Had Known

Bryce Warden: Slow Your Roll

Tana Weingartner: Erma Bombeck Centers Get Financial Boost From Late Husband's Estate

Susan C. Willett: Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop: What I Took Away and What I Left Behind

Jess Witkins: ERMAgawd: Why You Must Take Risks and Find the Funny

Jolyn Young: Three Days of Funny

Amy Zlatic: Finding Myself in Dayton