Learning al fresco in the garden of our villa in the Valpolicella wine region. (Photo by Owen Rubin.)
Part of being a good writer is getting out from behind your computer to attend a conference, workshop or other events coming up. These are places to network and learn, of course.
But more imporantly, getting away can help you move forward with renewed enthusiasm and energy. When you get out of your rut, your mind makes room for all kinds of exciting thoughts. And when working with like-minded people, you find new ways to solve problems and expand your ideas.
My events focus on becoming a better writer and content communicator. You’re making an investment to differentiate yourself from the crowd and meet your goals.
So what’s on your agenda this year? Why not come join me?
First the “beyond” category, a can’t miss event coming up in Italy:
The villa and grounds include a pool, vineyard, and seating for lounging and writing outside.
1. Verona, Italy: Our week-long workshop on food and wine writing 6/30-7/6
Need a change of scenery to get revitalized? Come to my third Italy Food and Wine Writing Workshop with co-host Demet Guzey, who teaches food writing at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. You’ll write and we’ll give you individual feedback to improve your work immediately. I’ll also answer your questions about recipe writing, getting a cookbook published, food writing trends and more. After all, we’ll have a week together to eat artisan Italian dishes, drink Valpolicella wines and luxuriate in this spectacular 500-year old villa.
“It was a fantastic group and I learned a lot from Dianne and Demet. The villa, restaurants and tours were wonderful. The entire experience gave me the creative boost I needed.” – Lisa Marie Todd, lifestyle and food blogger, Los Angeles, CA
Closer to home, I have these events coming up:
1. New York: Keynote speaker at the Food Writing Forum, April 5-6, 2019.
At the Food Writing Forum, the theme is “Opportunities and Challenges in the Digital Age.” Speakers include Dorie Greenspan, Madhur Jaffrey, cookbook editor Rux Martin, Sara Moulton, and Julia Turshen. (See these interviews on my blog with Dorie, Rux and Julia.)
2. Santa Fe, NM: A workshop on Finding Your Voice at IACP, May 17, 2019
Planning to attend the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) annual conference? I’ll be teaching an optional 2.5-hour workshop called Finding Your Voice Through Personal Essay on May 17, 2019, the day before conference opens. (You have to scroll down to find it.)
Voice is the single best way to differentiate yourself from all the other food writers out there who are writing on similar subjects. This is true whether you’re writing a blog, pitching essays, writing recipes or writing memoir.
3. Portland, OR: Workshop Leader, The Tastemaker Conference, September 19-21, 2019.
As part of the conference, I’ll be teaching a class called “Your Voice Matters: The Art of Storytelling to Make Your Blog Writing Stand Out from the Crowd.” It’s a big theme for me, to help writers discover ways to approach similar content.
I hope to see you at one of these events. Meeting readers and people in our industry is the most fun part of my work. Like you, I need to get away from my office and into the world. Doing so invigorates me and gives me energy for my projects. I know you will experience the same reward.
Any questions? Shoot me an email at dj AT diannej DOT com.
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