Field Trip

Authenticity, Vulnerability, and Synchronicity: My 2017 Writer’s Digest Conference Story

/ saraletourneau / 26 Comments

Wow. Was Writer’s Digest Conference really three weeks ago? Somehow it seems longer ago than that (maybe because I caught a cold on the final day, so it took a couple weeks to resume my normal routine). Yet I still remember that weekend as clearly as the last book I read – because the ideas and lessons I carried home this time struck very close to the heart.

It’s not right, then,  to write this year’s report as an in-depth overview like I did for last year’s. Instead, I’d like to share why WDC 2017 was so meaningful to me, more so than the 2016 or 2015 editions. So if you’re interested in learning about (or refreshing your memory of) the conference format, venue,  and range of writing and publishing topics, check out last year’s post. Otherwise, let’s start not at the beginning, but at the moment when the impact of this conference first began to sink in.
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GoFundMe Campaign for Iceland Writers Retreat Begins Today

/ saraletourneau / 22 Comments

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I’m sharing some AMAZING news with you today – and asking for your help in making a dream come true, and an incredible learning experience be within reach.

(*takes a deep breath*)

Today I’m starting a GoFundMe campaign to fund a trip to the 2017 Iceland Writers Retreat, with the hopes of raising $3,500 USD by February 4, 2017. After the jump, I’ll share links to the retreat and the campaign page so you can see the cost breakdown, perk levels (yes, PERKS!), and so on. But first, let me explain why I want to go and why I need financial assistance to do so.

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Field Trip: Writer’s Digest Conference 2016

/ saraletourneau / 35 Comments

WDC2016 Banner

Now that all of the late-summer busyness has passed, I finally have some time to tell you about this year’s Writer’s Digest Conference! And what an amazing four days it was. In fact, I think it topped the 2015 edition!

With this post, I’ll give a general overview of WDC 2016, including which sessions I enjoyed most and what I learned. Last year I did a trio of posts for DIY MFA; and while I would have liked to have covered the conference for the site again this year, it wasn’t possible with my friend’s wedding 2 weeks later. The good thing is, waiting to do this post has given me time to digest (no pun intended) everything I absorbed that weekend and feel grateful for continuing to invest in my writing career.
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Stacking The Shelves, Vol. 19 & Field Trip: Boston Teen Author Festival 2015

/ saraletourneau / 33 Comments

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Stacking The Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga’s Reviews that shares the books (both physical and virtual) that you recently purchased, borrowed from a fellow reader or the library, won from a giveaway, or received as gifts. Stacking The Shelves will post on Saturdays as new books are added to my shelves.

It’s time to report on the 2015 Boston Teen Author Festival! Since I wanted to tell you about the event, I’ve decided to make this post a combination of Stacking The Shelves (which I’ll link up at Tynga’s Reviews) and my Field Trip series. So, what you’re about to read is part photo diary, part written report with quotes and writing tips, and part BOOK SQUEE FEST. 😀

Um, as always, bear with me on the photo quality, especially the zoomed-in shots at BTAF. (I really, really need to get a new camera.) Otherwise, enjoy!

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Stacking The Shelves, Vol. 14: Writer’s Digest Conference Haul

/ saraletourneau / 33 Comments

Stacking The Shelves banner

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga’s Reviews that shares the books (both physical and virtual) that you recently purchased, borrowed from a fellow reader or the library, won from a giveaway, or received as gifts. Stacking The Shelves will post on Saturdays as new books are added to my shelves.

Round #1 of #WDC15 coverage begins today! In addition to my articles-in-progress for DIY MFA, I knew I was going to do a Stacking The Shelves piece here. I mean, how can a writer go to a literary conference and not come home with more books? That would have been shameful, wouldn’t it? *lol*

So, here’s my haul from the event:

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Field Trip: Downtown Plymouth and Brewster Gardens

/ saraletourneau / 19 Comments

Another daytrip I took during last week’s vacation was to one of the oldest towns in the United States: Plymouth, Massachusetts. I live maybe an hour from Plymouth, but before last week’s trip I hadn’t been there in about 15 years! So, one of my best friends acted as “tour guide,” and we spent a few hours around the city’s downtown and waterfront district.

One pleasant surprise during this trip was Brewster Gardens, a small park on Water Street that combines urban environmental restoration with tributes to Plymouth’s history. This breath of fresh air and quiet was a lovely reprieve from the city’s busy streets, and I took a few pictures of my favorite spots there. Enjoy!

As for the first photo below… if you’re familiar with early American history, you’ll recognize it right away! 😉

Like with the Heritage Gardens post, feel free to click any of the photos for a larger view.

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Field Trip: Heritage Museum & Gardens (Sandwich, MA)

/ saraletourneau / 20 Comments

I took last week off from work to continue revising The Keeper’s Curse and to treat myself with a couple daytrips. One of those trips was a drive down to Cape Cod (the “arm” or “curled bicep” that sticks out from Massachusetts) for sightseeing, a spot of afternoon tea, and a leisurely walk around the Heritage Museum & Gardens in Sandwich. Heritage features art and automobile galleries, a vintage carousel, traveling exhibitions, and a number of outdoor play areas for kids. And the gardens! The grounds are home to thousands of flowers of all kinds: rhododendrons, daylilies, hostas, azaleas, hydrangea, and many more. Not to mention herbs, trees, and shrubs of all different varieties, and some originally from Japan, Korea, and other countries.

Mid-May may be too early for most of the blooms, but there’s still so much to see at Heritage. I spent almost 3 hours there, walking its nature trails, taking pictures, and simply enjoying the peace and quiet and being in the moment. I already know I want to visit again next year in late May or early June, when more of the flowers are out. 🙂

Below are some of my favorite photos from my trip to Heritage Museum & Gardens. Feel free to click each photo to view a larger version. Enjoy!

FYI – I’m a bit behind on normal blog articles because of my vacation and also from finishing a beta-reading project. Hopefully I’ll catch up this week and have some new things for you next week!

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Field Trip: The Muse And The Marketplace 2015

/ saraletourneau / 21 Comments

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What an excellent way of getting back into the literary conference swing! The Muse & The Marketplace 2015 (a.k.a. #Muse15) was this past weekend in Boston, Massachusetts – and though I was only able to attend on Friday, I absolutely loved it! In fact, as I was walking from Park Plaza Hotel (where the conference was held) to the Back Bay train station that evening, the first thought that bubbled into my mind was, “I HAVE to go all three days next year!” 🙂

So, yes, #Muse15 was a fantastic learning, networking, and confidence-building experience. Here’s my report on Friday’s events, from the general conference details, to the presentations I attended, to lessons learned and tips for attending future conferences.
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Field Trip: WANACon February 2014

/ saraletourneau / 6 Comments

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In some ways, WANACon doesn’t count as a field trip in the true sense of the phrase. (Click here to read my “promo” article for WANACon.) It’s an online writing conference you can attend from the comforts of home, someone else’s house, a cafe – wherever you can bring your laptop and find a wifi connection. However, it meant two days of geeking out and investing time and money into learning more about the craft of writing, something I’m more than thrilled to do. I may have been at home and in front of my laptop for much of the time, but in my head I was seated in crowded classrooms and surrounded by other writers who shared my passion and excitement. I took flurries of notes, listened to each presenter with rapt attention, and almost immediately applied what I was learning to my work-in-progress (WIP). In other words, I was far, far away mentally – and I had a blast! Continue reading →