Before blogger events I always have a nervous wee thing going on. I am always excited, who wouldn’t be? It’s the only time many of us are around people who have the same hobby (or job for many) and people who probably know us better than many we meet in real life.
I overheard these phrases and thought I’d share them with you:
- I didn’t recognise you! Your face doesn’t look like the one you have.
- People need badges on their foreheads
- I’ve been reading boobs all day
- I wonder if I can fit some of that cake in my bag?
- I am so inspired now
- Reminds me why I write
- It was worth the 4am start
- Did someone fart in that session?
- This is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had – it’s not the cheap stuff is it!
- Someone said there was win. I can’t find the wine. Is this Blogfest?
- I don’t care about anything now I have gin, except Nick Hornby – he was great!
- Did she just say the fuck word? Followed by the C-bomb! Worth the ticket price that.
- Lucy Porter was so funny, Penis Beaker. I nearly wet myself.
- Some people here know how to dress themselves and I look like a bag lady, with a shit bag
- I write because I love it, also if I didn’t I’d go a bit mad.
- I’m going to the find you funny panel thing, I want to be fucking funny!
I got up at 4am (after sleeping for about an hour thanks to Ivy), on a train at 6.06am. Watched House on my phone, arrived, walked back and forth between train stations. Met up with a group of lovely bloggers. Got the the venue shoved a green tea down my neck. got a free pen, memory stick and off to the morning session.
What I think was something worth noting is that it’s not tailored to new bloggers or old hats. It has a great mix of information, showing that they have paid attention to their blogger network. The sessions covered a lot of topics. You can take information from all of those and apply it to your stage in blogging.
They introduce you to brands. Face to face. If you work with brands you know that this is a big deal. Being able to have a chat with Coca-Cola about their new products, Unilever about a new campaign and Skimlinks or Affilinet about how to start making a bit more money with your blog are great opportunities. That, and you often get a really great freebie just for going to say hello.
There are usually a few giveaways too. And let’s be honest if you don’t win it doesn’t matter. You’ve just given a brand your contact details and something might pop up later on.
It’s not just about the brands and the free things (although that Littlewoods scarf is boss!), it’s sitting listening to established writers and journalists about their journey with words. Sitting shoulder to shoulder talking to people who are writing for their supper, writing for the love of it, writing because they need to, writing for some toys for their children, writing to make a change in the world, writing to escape and writing to share something with the world.
If I had to describe Blog fest in 140 characters I’d say this:
Lots of women, a few men, some gin, some cake, some free stuff, some insight, some inspiration, exhausting, informative & fucking worth it.
You can pop that bad boy straight in to twitter.
*You cannot get proplus with your tea.
