Welcome and Opening Remarks...
Moms: what you're doing matters. Being a woman is a gift.
Keynote Speakers: Gretchen Rubin and Heloise
Gretchen Rubin ~ author of Happiness Project #1 on NY Times best seller list.
Heloise ~ Heloise Hints - 11 books and lots of TV etc. Now she's starting a blog!
Heloise is gorgeous and funny! Her mother, the original Heloise, was essentially blogging 50 years ago. She wanted to help other mothers like herself - she would do it for her friends and thought why not do it in the newspaper. If you have a problem you ask her, and if she didn't know the answer she would go to an expert to find the answer. If she can't find answer she put in newspaper column and someone out there would have had the same problem! But 1958 military wive with two kids... at a party general said "who do you think you are, you are nothing but housewife." They made a $25 bet that she could not get a non-secretarial job writing. She did research and asked women she met, what is it you want to know. She dressed up and in those days high heels, stockings, girdle, gloves and hat - she went in when she knew the editor would not be there. She left a card, editor called her back and she said there was nothing in the paper that helps a woman. She worked free for first several months and "when you pay me, I can only earn $25 or my husband sells it will put us in a higher tax bracket".
She is lovely - she says women then did not have advantages but that we are an extension of that but it is instant. "Before you blog, post, think about it twice, once it goes up there it is out there forever and it can change peoples lives. Think in terms of longevity, instant but what you say today may effect you and your family today and tomorrow."
Publishing - sounds exciting. Heloise says like giving birth to a child three times. Concept, publisher - contract negotiations. Write the book send it in. It comes back and a copy editor will have little teeny post it note and they send it back flagged. Send off final manuscript and then book tour and in interviews they say (always remember a tv segment is like royal family engagement they remember entrance and exit) start of good and have something to wrap up with. Hope for a slow news day because your book gets over shadowed by the news.
Gretchen's book came first the blog second - for many the blog comes first and then they move on to a book. She started her blog because she wanted to test the novelty of happiness - it was an unfamiliar thing for her. Blog became gigantic source of happiness for her. Blog readers read different than a book so you have to recognize the difference. Big advantage to having a blog and audience because it proves people like to read what you say.
The person and the idea determine what medium your writing will do best in - what is the style/voice? - if you want to approach a magazine study it's style. So whatever media you are interested in study it. Gretchen notices that people want to come to you in a different way - ie some people watch video, some prefer radio, some people prefer print. Gretchen's FB page is active with different people than comment on her blog. They leave lots of comments on blog but not of FB or vice versa. Reach different people - know the audience.
Question/Answer
What is most difficult or scariest thing to overcome to get to where you are?
Gretchen started as a lawyer - clerked for Sandra Day O'connor. But she realized that she wanted to be a writer but had never acknowledged that - but her parents were tolerant of risk and supportive. Decided I would rather fail as a writer than succeed as a lawyer. Willingness to attempt and try - scary kind of happiness.
Heloise grew up watching her mother be the original Heloise at home - office in 1959 at home. She taped radio vignettes in closet. Did photo shoots in her home so she grew up with that. She worked hard from home, worked all the time. SHe worked with her mother for three years and really saw the business side, not the glamour side. She had to decide if she was going to take over for her mother on evening her mother died because syndicate wanted to get press release out.
When did you know this was going to be a big thing {gretchen}
Had no idea that it could grow as much as it has. Many people had told her she wasn't that interesting but what she realized that you learn the most from other people and that just by talking about her and her experience others learned about themselves and it helps other figure something about from themsleves
Heloise says that is key - we share information. Having a sense of humor in all things will get you through.
Is it always true that you should be true to yourself in life?
(Gretchen) Hard to maintain something fake online but profound question because .... difference between authentic and trying to be positive. Can you try to work within your nature to emphasize the positive? In the end you burn out because it is too exhausting not being true to yourself. You can only build a happy life on the foundation of your nature.
Heloise - her hair is just hair - we voted bangs! She has beautiful natural white hair. True to yourself because it is
How many people write to you weekly and how do you respond to them, do you have help? Heloise.
3-5000 letters and as email increased print mail decreased, still gets print mail. 800-1000 or more emails a day. Fear is that they want response right away - she can't answer 24/7.
Hilarious Heloise has micro-fiber cloth and is always prepared - helped someone in the audience remove a raspberry stain from their pants!
Gretchen, What can people do to be happier in their own lives?
1. Get enough sleep!
2. It matters more than it should but CLUTTER ... make your bed, self medicate by cleaning the closet.
3. Learn how to do something new - stretch yourself, be willing to fail and take risks.
Heloise says pick three things in your house that are important to you and do those and the rest can wait. Make bed, clean sink, etc whatever matters to you. She also says SLEEP - take cat naps. Go in bathroom shut the door, tell kids to leave you alone put bath mat on floor and have 5 minutes of quiet!
"Not who you go out with our where you go it is who you might meet when you get there" Heloise says we all need to interact with one another and wishes us success.
NETWORKING BREAK ....
Is it always true that you should be true to yourself in life?
(Gretchen) Hard to maintain something fake online but profound question because .... difference between authentic and trying to be positive. Can you try to work within your nature to emphasize the positive? In the end you burn out because it is too exhausting not being true to yourself. You can only build a happy life on the foundation of your nature.
Heloise - her hair is just hair - we voted bangs! She has beautiful natural white hair. True to yourself because it is
How many people write to you weekly and how do you respond to them, do you have help? Heloise.
3-5000 letters and as email increased print mail decreased, still gets print mail. 800-1000 or more emails a day. Fear is that they want response right away - she can't answer 24/7.
Hilarious Heloise has micro-fiber cloth and is always prepared - helped someone in the audience remove a raspberry stain from their pants!
Gretchen, What can people do to be happier in their own lives?
1. Get enough sleep!
2. It matters more than it should but CLUTTER ... make your bed, self medicate by cleaning the closet.
3. Learn how to do something new - stretch yourself, be willing to fail and take risks.
Heloise says pick three things in your house that are important to you and do those and the rest can wait. Make bed, clean sink, etc whatever matters to you. She also says SLEEP - take cat naps. Go in bathroom shut the door, tell kids to leave you alone put bath mat on floor and have 5 minutes of quiet!
"Not who you go out with our where you go it is who you might meet when you get there" Heloise says we all need to interact with one another and wishes us success.
NETWORKING BREAK ....
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