Week-End Review: Links & whatnot

First the whatnot, then the links…

A good conference requires plenty of planning, so it’s smart to start early. And even if you’re not sure you’ll be going to a particular conference, if they’re asking for input on the programming, you might as well give ’em your ideas!

I really want to attend the 2nd Book Blogger Convention in New York next May, and their request for topic suggestions (anonymous) is still open. This year’s convention will be organized as a series of workshops on several tracks, which will provide more options for attendees and speak to a variety of interests…kind of like BlogHer does.

At this point, I’m still iffy about going to BlogHer for the third consecutive year, but since BlogHer’11 in August will be practically local (in San Diego) it seems wrong to pass it up! They’ve announced their Call for Ideas (first round) for the 2011 conference (open until October 31) and the programming tracks to be filled:

Skills path 1: The Social Media Geek 
This is BlogHer’s technical track. We want content for all levels: beginning, intermediate and advanced. What do you want to learn, related to your blog or other social media platforms?

Skills path 2: The Write Brain
This is BlogHer’s writing track. Content still is queen in our books, so we’re looking for professional-grade writing instructors and coaches.

Skills path 3: Minding Your Own Business 
This is BlogHer’s professional and career track. Blogs provide a personal platform and a professional platform. They can be online portfolio, resume, or thought leadership forum.

Impact path 1: Change the World
This is BlogHer’s activism, politics and social change track. Many of you are raising your voice, using your social media footprint to rally others, raising awareness and galvanizing action towards political action or in support of social causes.

Impact path 2: Changing Yourself
This is BlogHer’s personal track. Many in our community continue to blog as a personal pursuit, We use our blogs to explore who we are, what we love and the nature of online community and support.

At this point in the process, you do not have to registered or committed to attend BlogHer’11 to submit a session idea (but you will have to provide your name and e-mail).

Yes, I will be submitting ideas for both Book Blogger Con (already done) and BlogHer’11 (if I can come up with one!). And if you’d be interested in co-presenting something at BlogHer, definitely let me know!

Twitter call-out of the week: “Your book needs to sound a LOT better than your pitch if your e-mail opens with ‘Dear Book Blogger.'” (Also, BCC is your friend.) Best response to call-out, from @ReadingVacation: “Even I know better than that and I’m a kid.” I actually felt a little wrong about that tweet, but I didn’t name names and I wasn’t the only one with that opinion. But honestly, those two easy fixes just might score more positive responses to your pitches (no matter what you’re pitching)! And if you need a little more help, check this out: book bloggers who make it their business to help you connect.
October has become the “pink month” for breast cancer (awareness, screening, research, fundraising, etc.) Not to take anything away from that, but I’d like to inject a dash of purple for my personal health cause – Alzheimer’s disease. Today is the eleventh anniversary of my mother’s death from early-onset Alzheimer’s. I wrote about that, an Alzheimer’s-themed must-read book, and my participation in Memory Walk on Monday; I hope you’ll check that post out now if you haven’t already. I post a variation on it every year around this time, partly for newer readers, but mostly because it continues to be important to me.

The Memory Walk takes place in two weeks – on Saturday, October 23 (which is also National Make a Difference Day – and here’s one way you can!). A few loyal 3 R’s readers have kindly donated to help our team’s fundraising efforts for the cause – I’ve thanked them privately, but wanted to share their generosity publicly as well!

And now, on to the linkage…

Speaking (again) of cancer: if you know what it’s like, Miss Britt would like you to help her understand it so she can help someone else who’s experiencing it.

Following recent reports of youth suicides in reaction to bullying, a mother defines it as everyone’s problem; a former victim survivor reflects; and the MOMocrats declare a “Stop the Bullying” Blog Action to coincide with National Coming Out Day (Monday, October 11) and Anti-Bullying Month. Also: some “mean girls” don’t outgrow it

More echoes of Banned Books Week: one librarian’s hypothetical argument with a censorship advocate, and another’s exploration of real-life library decisions to stock, or not to stock, certain books.

Blogging on blogging: Passion, Reason, and Experience; and are comments merely a tool for self-promotion? (Personally, I’d say they’re much more than that…however, linking back to your own posts just might be the slightest bit self-promotional. But then again, I think self-promotion is allowed when it’s your own blog.)

Lighter reading: Could “Christian Zombie” be the next hot genre trend in publishing? Also: books for the bathroom; everything that Katie (my 16-year-old) hated about Mockingjay (spoilers galore for the six people who haven’t read it yet!)

And one last whatnot:

** Are you participating in the 24-Hour Readathon this weekend? Listen to some Beatles music while you’re reading! Tomorrow would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday, and I’ll have iTunes playing in the background – I have a dedicated Beatles playlist. And speaking of the Readathon: If you’re a participant and your name falls into my assigned group (N-Sh), I’ll be stopping by your blog to help keep you motivated during one of my Cheerleader shifts! And after all that, I’m planning a few days off the blog early next week for recovery, but I’ll be posting tomorrow and Sunday.

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