By Ashley Hodges Bazer
The
recurring theme I saw during the Pikes Peak Writers’ Conference 2014 could be
summed up in one word: SUPPORT. I witnessed it in many ways, and I’d love to
share just a few.
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By
volunteering to stuff bags the night before the Thursday add-on, I got to see a
unique perspective of the backstage work that goes on prior to the conference.
Oh, I’ve attended a few of the planning meetings, but nothing like this. As I stuffed
bags with a dedicated few, our conference team was putting out fires and taking
care of the last-minute details. You know the duck feet analogy. Ducks swim serenely across a pond and look so
peaceful and content...but below the surface, their feet are paddling like
crazy! That would perfectly describe what was going on that night. And as I
left at 10 p.m., I knew there were still many more hours the staff would put in
before they could give into sleep. I am in awe and inspired by the crew of
people who devote their time and energy to putting together one of the best
writers’ conferences around. This kind of unnoticed undergirding and support is
what makes PPWC so great.
As
the conference started on Friday, the electricity in the air was awesome. New,
nervous writers along with old friends coming together for a single purpose—to
hone their craft. The talent that gathered in the Marriott that weekend could
rule the world, if we all weren’t so bloomin’ introverted. The faculty and staff
headed off to their respective places to teach and support the hopeful
attendees. Even mealtimes weren’t wasted as they offered encouraging words from
both the podium and the host seats around the ballroom.
Pitch
day is my favorite, especially since I’ve been on the pitch staff for the last
two years. I love greeting attendees as they arrive on the seventh floor.
Whether you’re confident and ready, or nervous as can be, I’m glad to offer a
smile, a mint, or a verbal boost. This is my little way of giving back, of
supporting the courage and fortitude it takes to step off that elevator. But
beyond Pitch Day itself, I have to applaud the pitch staff and Bonnie Hagan for
stepping up after we lost Amanda. For those of you who don’t know, Amanda was
the heart and soul of Pitch—at least for the two years I’ve been involved. The
transition, despite the heartache, was seamless and only because of the support
of the PPWC leadership.
Saying
goodbye, or at least “See you again next year,” is never easy. Winding up a
conference like this requires perhaps not as much behind-the-scenes work as
pulling it together, but it still takes a lot. With a team of people and a
caravan of five or six cars, we took boxes, crates, and bags of
conference-related items to a nearby storage unit. The support was necessary,
and because we had so many hands, it didn’t take that long!
I’m
pleased to say that support wasn’t left at the conference. Through the
friendships cemented and connections made, I’ve gained a family of like-minded
folks in Pikes Peak Writers. They saw me through the launch of my book, cheering
me on and even purchasing it. Just recently, I attended one of the Write Brain
sessions, to be greeted with smiles, hugs, and joy.
I
treasure my time with Pikes Peak Writers. I really do. There is no other
experience like it in the world. And with programs like the Write Brains, the Open Critique sessions, and the Writers’ Night get-togethers, we’re able to capture
glimpses of that same excitement and wonder that we know at Conference. I’m
grateful for my family of writers—for everything. For the love. For the encouragement. For the support. Thank you all.
About the Author: Ashley Hodges Bazer is the author of Heralds of the Crown: Poison,
releasing May 16th, 2014 from Distinguished Press.
She’s often decked out in bellbottoms and grooving out on the lighted dance
floor. Okay, not really, but she does have a thing for the BeeGees. She lives
in Colorado with her husband and three children. After earning her bachelor’s
degree in theatrical stage management from Arizona State University, she went
on to work for Disneyland in that capacity. A love affair with books led her to
work for several different bookstores. Currently a producer for an
international daily radio program, she’s learning to balance working, writing,
and momming duties. Her debut novel, Asylum, was traditionally published by WestBow Press in 2012.
When she’s not writing, she’s crocheting or belting out Broadway show tunes.
And she's a real duchess!
(Editor's Note: Watch for Ashley in an upcoming Sweet Success post.)
