alt recap
Gabby asked me a while back to speak at Alt Design Summit, which is a blog conference held in Salt Lake City each January. I'll admit I had mixed feelings. From what I had seen of Alt, it appeared to be kind of a three-day-camp for blog superstars and wannabe up-and-coming bloggers. Before going I had seen the posts by bloggers worried about what to wear each day, the "aren't-we-having-the-best-time!" photobooth photos, and the power list of speakers and presenters and really... I wasn't sure I could find my place in the whole thing.
But I like Gabby, and I have friends and family in Salt Lake, and plane tickets were cheap.. so off I went.
I don't quite know how to explain what Alt is.. now that I have come and gone and seen it with my own eyes. It was inspiring and thought provoking, and nice to visit with old friends I knew in NYC (like Merilee of mermag, Kelli Ronci from uber-craft, Melanie Falick from STC Craft, and Mara from A Blog About Love). And fun to talk face to face with people whose work I admire (like Stephanie from stephmodo, Grace Bonney from Design Sponge, the lovely Amy Butler, and Pilar Guzman from momfilter). And to make new friends, like those I spoke with on the Work/Life Balance Panel (Sarah from Sarah Jane Studios, Chrysula Winegar, and Kathryn from Snippet + Ink).
Though the parties are a big draw for many Alt attendees, I guess I'm just not a big party girl. Instead, I loved having dinner with Chrysula and Sarah the night before we spoke on our panel, ditching the Friday night parties to have dinner at home with good friends in Salt Lake, and sitting and talking with people one on one throughout the day.
If you're headed to Alt you've got to bring some pretty business cards.. and I was happy to hand out these little guys I had letterpressed by Bryce Knudson of Bjorn Press a while back. They are the perfect size, smaller and squatter than a standard card and printed on a nice thick Lettra stock in a warm gray and pale cream.
Some of my favorite moments of the conference were the keynote speakers, like this panel which included Maxwell from Apartment Therapy, Deborah Needleman (founder of Domino), and Pilar Guzman (formerly of cookie, now running Martha Stewart Living). There was a lot of discussion about new media vs. old (blogs vs. magazines) and though I see that traditional publishing is in trouble, I don't see magazines and books disappearing anytime soon.
I also enjoyed the roundtable discussion groups that were led by industry experts and covered categories ranging from tax issues to ad networks to legal concerns. You just pulled up a chair and started asking questions. I would have loved to have been able to sit at every table.
I think everyone at Alt now adores Ben Silberman, founder of Pinterest. He told the story of how he turned his idea into a product and it was absolutely fascinating. I love him for quoting a line from the movie The Pirates of Silicon Valley (one of my favorite made-for-TV movies EVER). "I think .. there's something going on out there in California." And I loved hearing about how his girlfriend (now his wife) after hearing his ideas for years finally said "So stop talking about it and just go and DO IT." And he did!
The third day of the conference is small hands-on workshops and I was lucky to get to attend two: a screenprinting class taught by Eva Jorgensen of Sycamore Street Press, and a calligraphy workshop taught by Melissa Esplin of ISLY. I create so much on the computer these days, it was really nice to remember how it feels to make something with my hands.
Since Alt, I've been thinking a lot about my blog and what I want it to be (and definitely what I DON'T want it to be). I've never thought of it as a commercial venture, so the discussions about ad networks and corporate sponsors and search engine optimization didn't really appeal to me. To be honest, because my blog is not meant to make money, I do tend to put it on the back burner from time to time, setting it aside for books and shoots and other projects I do get paid for. I hope you'll understand that though I may not post five times a day, when I do post you will know it is about something I believe in (and not something I am being paid to discuss).
Many of you have asked for a recap of our panel on Work/Life Balance. I am gathering my thoughts and will share them when I have a moment (but it might need to wait a week or two.. I've got a book design due and valentines to make with the kids!).
Bottom four photos from the Alt Flickr stream.
02.2.2012
Reader Comments (24)
I've read a lot of ALT recaps in the last couple of weeks... living vicariously, I guess. But, I think this may be my favorite. I think it best represents my own personality and who I am as a blogger/crafter. I have to say, though, that I look forward to your posts whenever they may occur. So keep at it!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about ALT. I too, look forward to your posts when they pop up. Thanks for blogging Brooke!
This was great! I've seen a lot of Alt posts, but this one brought it back down to a level us non-career bloggies can relate to. :)
LOVE your input!!! Thanks for sharing and I would LOVE to read about your panel!
You're the best.
I would love to hear about your tips on life/work balance!
I appreciate your honest feelings about Alt. I am not into the fashion or party scene either. Though I would love to go to Alt to learn and be inspired and to meet up with new and old friends like you!
Adore your business cards. You have such an amazing eye. I have been meaning to email you to tell you how much I enjoyed your news years card too. beautiful and simple. so you, brooke!
Nice recap, and I salute your goals for this blog. I appreciate the high quality you share here.
This is why I appreciate your approach to blogging and the content here. Thanks for this honest evaluation.
Ditto to what everyone else has already said, it sounds like we all love reading your thoughts for the same reasons. Thanks!
I love this recap. next year I'm totally going to spend more time on my bus. cards and a little less time picking out clothing :).
xo
Mer
love this :) your posts always have great content! I much more prefer that over 5 posts/day!
me too!
Thank you for not posting 5 times a day! When I see your blog bolded in my google reader, I get excited because I know whatever you posted will be inspiring.
I enjoyed your thoughts from your panel discussion. I should have come and chatted with you; I'm not there so much for the social, but I loved the keynote speakers and the ideas they talked about, too.
Your blog is at the tippy top of my favorites because it's so authentic, unpretentious and fresh. I love both your topics and how you present them. It is always apparent who you are and what motivates you--I think we'd make great neighbors! Anyway, I have a request for a post someday. Can you talk more about your choices to blog the way you do? I so admire your format and decision to be a respite from the frantic sales happening on most blogs. It's very unusual and so, so refreshing!
Thanks for the honest accounting! It sounds like such an epic event.
You're blog was one of the first I read. I came to blogs via birthday party inspiration and the flower birthday was one of the most stunning I've seen! You design abilities are obvious. I'm a freelance designer, illustrator, mom.... Who when I moved to Sweden (met and married to a french-swede) I shipped back issues of Martha Stewart, paper samples and fabric remnant --- counting these things as my most valuables: so, again your site really speaks to me! Keep it up and I just know that when I tune in, there will be quality postings! I've recently started a blog and this post was very interesting to me. 1) interesting notes on Alt. I'd love to attend and 2) nice to hear your personal views. Continue the great work!
Wow, I love your new business card! It's beautiful.
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