Last fall I signed up for an interesting new food blogging conference that promised to be small and unique and filled with hands-on experiences. I was the second person on the list of attendees and our names were very lonely on that list as BlogHer Food announced it too, would be on the same weekend and many chose to travel to Atlanta instead of Washington DC. There were times through the winter when I wondered if I had been too hasty in sending in my registration and putting the cost on my MasterCard. The excuses mounted, but deep inside I knew that this was something I had to do. It was my last stand at moving toward the kind of food blogger I wanted to become and being a force of change in moving food blogging toward a respected and paid profession in the future. I wanted to do what I loved and did with passion, but I wanted to forge a career out of that love and passion. I spent the winter months moving my blog to WordPress without any technical help, building a strong network of trusted bloggers and friends on Twitter and Facebook, and watching my Google Analytics numbers and Klout scores so I would have the business numbers and platform to match my passion. Then May 20th came and I took a deep breath and got myself to the airport.
My faith in Robyn and Casey‘s vision of what a food blogging conference should be and the vision of the attendees and panelists and sponsors of who food bloggers are and can be was validated, celebrated and acknowledged throughout the weekend. When I came home from the last two conferences I was invigorated and motivated by the connections I made to the gluten-free food blogging community. Most of the richness of the experience was due to the forming of a close network of like-minded, committed gluten-free food bloggers with a shared mission. The conferences merely provided the backdrop, the venue. Of course there were eye-opening moments where we all began to see just what this world of the food business was all about. It was important because some of us had landed in the midst of that world by accident when our children or we had a celiac diagnosis or a gluten-intolerance issue that turned our relationship with food upside-down. There were valuable moments in each of the conferences that provided insight and the values session at BlogHer Food and listening to some of the speakers at IFBC were catalysts for me to move in a new direction.
That said, what I remember most from BlogHer Food is the noise. Rooms filled with too many women with my ears ringing. I couldn’t have a real conversation with any of the sponsors, because I couldn’t hear. There was this frenzy of grabbing and filling empty swag bags and I felt the sponsors saw us as this seething hungry mass of grabbing hands wanting more. At Eat, Write, Retreat we spent the weekend participating in workshops with the sponsors. We used their products in the workshops and sampled their products leisurely with time to savor them, ask questions about them and remember them individually and not just one more random thing to pop into hungry, open mouths. The representatives of the sponsors were decision-makers who were at the top of their professional game and ready to form partnerships. There was a sense of mutual respect and an acknowledgement that these were important professional alliances. As a food blogger who has dealt with college interns and those fresh out of school doing social media for sponsors this was a refreshing change. Social media reps with no real clue about the gluten-free blogging community or with an expectation that I am going to want to accept every free thing they offer and cheerfully write a positive blog post because they were so generous has been a demoralizing part of blogging. The group of bloggers assembled represented a move to blogging with integrity, being selective about the sponsors with whom we align our brand and the sponsors and ourselves recognized it. The bloggers at this conference were the kinds of bloggers I wanted to be with and learn with as they worked to sharpen skills and become professionals worthy of respect.
The panelists were also there to connect with and nurture the attendees. This was not the typical scenario of having the famous superstars with the starry-eyed groupies standing apart from the rest of the attendees. There were respected, seasoned, well-known professionals sitting with us at dinner, participating in workshops, hanging out in casual conversations, joining us on the walking tours all weekend long, before they even made it to the stage to share their thoughts. I think every blogger in attendance found someone they connected to and received mentoring, advice and encouragement from them. The panelists and presenters were just like the sponsors in that they came to connect, nurture, and acknowledge the efforts of the bloggers who came to DC to learn.
Finally, there has already been follow-through from the conference. Casey has already sent the contact information for the sponsor that had to leave early and I didn’t get to see for the pitch session. The sponsors who showed interest in my pitch have been in touch three times since I left the conference and have confirmed a sponsorship that actually pays bloggers in cash not product for a series of guest posts I’m planning. Two of the presenters have reached out already by email and on my Facebook page. I was not just another anonymous food blogger wanting a signed cookbook or free product, I was an individual that they remembered and wanted to work with in the future. Pam Anderson said that there is a huge wave of change coming and that we are at least in the boat we created by already being in the blogging world. For those who have hesitated, it is too late. I say that those who chose to attend Eat, Write, Retreat are on the leading edge of that change with the tools and connection to take food blogging to another level of professionalism, respect and yes, even financial success. There is a growing understanding of the power of the blogger, but also the sense of the need for integrity, professionalism and accountability. Sponsors who want to be part of this wave of change are supporting bloggers who are ready and this weekend in DC has shown them who are.
Read more reviews with photos of the food, the swag, the friendly faces from:
- Diane at The W.H.O.L.E Gang one of my gluten-free pals along with Rella, Johnna and Gretchen.
- Mike from Verses from my Kitchen who shared dinner on our walking tour.
- Lara from Good Cook Doris as delightful in person as her smiling photo on her blog.
- Kimmy from Lighter and Local who shared the after-conference hang out in the hotel and a cab to airport.
- Wendy from Healthier Kitchen who was one of the three Wendys at the conference.
- Betty Ann of Asian in America whose questions to the panel inspired us all.
- Renee of Flamingo Musings who shared the elevator with me on my way to and from the 14th floor several times and whose jams were in our goodie bags.
- Kelly from Way More Than Cheesesteak who got to see my bossy Mama Bear in action when I nearly chased her back to her pitch appointment when she was crossing her name off the list.
- Registered dietitian, Diane at Eat Well Eat Clean
- The beautiful and delightful Tricia with the gorgeous blog Eating is Art
- Alejandra from Always Order Dessert and I agree with the Lifeway Frozen Kefir.
- Maisha of Girl Born Hungry describes the nurturing words of Monica Bhide and Shauna, the Gluten-Free Girl.
- The fun Christina from Fork you! No, fork you!
- Visit Allie at Live Laugh Eat for her insider view of the conference.
Tomorrow I’ll share my thoughts on being a gluten-free attendee at Eat, Write, Retreat. The words will not be as positive, but the learning, the way it was handled and the experience was enlightening for all involved.
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I enjoyed meeting you, too, Wendy! EWR was an awesome experience for all of us, I think, and left us all with much food for thought.
I agree, Renee. We will be feeling the effects of Eat Write Retreat for a while. Sounds like they are planning more for the coming year to keep us thinking.
Lovely, well done post. Thanks for the link!
Happy to link to great bloggers who care about food, Wendy. Thank you.
Hi Wendy,
Love the way you speak about the connections made between bloggers. The group of gluten free bloggers from IFBC are some of my favorite people.
Wish I had managed to make it to Washington last weekend, it sounds like the place to be.
Jean
Yes, Jean, there were friendships forged at IFBC that will last a lifetime. That was the beginning of a group of gluten-free bloggers gathering together to make a difference in our online community. Maybe next year!
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It was a complete and utter honor to meet you. So happy we got to chat at the end of the conference and share a ride to the airport together. I think what you’re doing is admirable and impressive. I look forward to seeing where you take it, and I can’t wait to share more with you!
Kimmy, I hope what I am doing and how it is all coming together can be a model for other food bloggers, not just the gluten-free community. Our first project is set to start on July 1st, so look for it and learn. I’d love to share it with other bloggers as it progresses and we see how it works and how to improve it. I just loved meeting you and hearing about your blog and your life. You young women are out there making things happen and it can translate to food if you want it to.
Totally applauding this post. It was such a pleasure to meet everyone this weekend and eat great food together. Eat Write Retreat was my first food blogging conference, and I feel so lucky that it was!
Jael, your name was mentioned quite often this weekend as one of the favorites for chatting and visiting with during the conference. I’m so glad it was your introduction to the food blogging world so you could see how good it can be. Looking forward to working together soon.
What a great recap and reflection post… wish the timing would have worked out so I could have been there. Sounded like a wonderful event!
It was a wonderful event, Kristen. After hearing you on a panel at BlogHer Food last fall, it is a conference that would welcome you and your philosophy of creating community.
Wendy you are such a wonderful writer. This was a beautiful recap of the event. I’m so lucky I got to attend with you and spend a little more time with you too. It was wonderful. I hope they do this again and keep it small and hands on.
As always, traveling with you, Diane, is the best part of these conferences. I learn as much from hanging with you and watching you navigate restaurants and hotel/conference dining. You were also there to support me and push me forward with some pretty dramatic results. If you and Shauna and Johnna hadn’t backed me up, I wouldn’t have met my goals. It really does take all of us working together and encouraging each other.
it was such a delight and a pleasure getting to know you at the retreat! i’m so grateful to find such a sweet community of gluten-free foodies… i look forward, with excitement and anticipation, to all that you’ll share and to a continued swap of delicious gluten-free recipes!
Gretchen it was pretty exciting for me to find three new-to-me gluten-free bloggers at EWR and to get to spend time with you. Your career path was fascinating to hear about and I can’t wait to see where your EWR experience takes it.
Wendy, this was such a refreshing review to read. I so so wish that I could have been there. It sounds like EWR was focused on exactly what I see for my future of blogging. So sad to have missed all of the experiences and connections, but it will be wonderful to see how all of you who did go use the knowledge and relationships from it and apply it to your own blogs! Thank you so much for this perspective of it. Oh, and of course I will be eager to hear about the gf food aspect.
xo
It was a breath of fresh air this weekend, Kim. I imagine you will be hearing and seeing how I use the knowledge gained from EWR up close and personal, my friend.
Sounds like it was a great conference!! I love what you said about the changing direction of the way of bloggers/sponsors, that’s so encouraging to hear.
Jenn, it was a very encouraging experience. The environment is changing and integrity, credibility, and professionalism will be the name of the game and bloggers who have maintained that stance from the beginnings of their blogs will be rewarded.
How inspiring! Thanks for sharing the experience with us. It really sounds amazing. I hope that by the time I’m ready to jump in with both feet that I’m not too late to catch the wave.
Heather, you’ve been blogging and working on your recipes and photos and showing up regularly with great menu ideas. I think you are already out there in your little boat and moving faster than you know. Coming from ‘gluten-free with young children’ is an important perspective and you are providing valuable content when you share your life. I think a career is sneaking up on you while you are in the trenches of mothering young children.
Wow, that does sound impressive and wonderful, Wendy! I’m glad you, Diane, and others got to experience it, but still disappointed I had to choose between that and another event that month. I came so close to attending … Like Heather, I hope I haven’t missed that wave either.
It is refreshing to hear how the sponsors and their products were presented. A win-win for all for sure. As you indicated, I’m sure the alternative method has never been their favorite either. I love that you have already formed focused parnerships; that is awesome! You will go far my friend and you should!
Shirley
Shirley, you started your own wave of change when you became the one who drew the online gluten-free community together. Working together and combining our talents, our readers, our expertise is what makes my project work. You were missed, but Diane and I managed to muddle through. She brought her hubby and I made some new friends.
I enjoyed reading your review, such beautiful writing. It was really terrific to meet you at EWR. What a stroke of luck for me to have a roommate with such a vision of where food blogging can go!
Thank you. What a stroke of luck to have a roommate who was sweet and upbeat and full of good energy. You and your toe running shoes were an absolute delight and inspiration. I am amazed at your balloon art business and the potential of your blog for a book deal. Who says art majors can’t make a living doing what they love! xoxo
Sounds like it was a great experience. I look forward to seeing where you go from here.
I don’t know what the situation was last year at BHF, but this year while there were situations where it was difficult to have a conversation, I didn’t have that problem with the sponsors. Maybe they learned from experience, and it probably depends on the set up at each location.
I can’t believe you came to my neck of the woods and I left town. As you said in my conference post, one of these days the two of us will meet up!
I will say that BlogHer Food is very responsive to complaints. The gf food situation was dramatically improved after criticism the first year. So, I agree with you that may be why it was better this year. I think all of the conferences have to be that responsive with all of us vocal bloggers. Yes, we will have to meet up, maybe in an airport as we go in opposite directions.