The Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop

Everybody has a story. And many of us want to share our story in a book. A funny one, if possible. I mean, why keep all that profound wisdom and creativity to yourself, right? 

Well, if you’re serious about being funny (or funny about being serious), then you’re going to want to know more about the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop.

I’ve been twice now.

And I’ll go again and again if I can.

There’s a lot to love about what I now call “The Erma Event” or even “The Erma Experience” instead of the “workshop” referenced earlier. Either way, it’s all a tribute to the great Erma Bombeck, who made millions laugh for decades.

If you have a book in you, you really should consider going.

You’ll learn. A lot. You’ll bond. A lot. And you’ll eat. A lot. 

I just used “the three-beat technique” there. Yeah, I picked that up at the workshop. I know the instructor is beaming with pride. And here I go, about to use it again, as I share my top three reasons to attend.

1. The workshops (obviously). There are two days packed with classes you can sit in on, from Jump-start Your Writing to It’s Funny Because It’s (Not) True: Writing Humorous Fiction. There are workshops on pitching your book, and marketing it, too. And there are classes on improv, if you have the dream of going on stage with your material and making the world laugh (I know my limits, so that will not be me, but there are dozens of people at the event who are that person, and when you watch their standup show at the end of the event, you’ll think you’ve been transported to a top comedy club). And even though most of the classes are offered more than once, you’ll still struggle to see them all and soak up all the priceless info the experts are sharing. I was paralyzed by indecision before each and every class, trying to figure out which room was going to transform me into the world’s next bestselling author. If I have any criticism of the event, I wish it went one more day, with the same classes offered, so I could have time to actually sit in on each and every one.
2. The speakers. As I mentioned above, there are experts who teach classes, but also bestselling authors who speak to the entire conference at lunches and dinners. They share their experiences and encourage the rest of us to take whatever we’re dreaming of and make it reality. They drop wisdom, like making sure we share vivid details because “the rider needs to live in the story” (that one was from Anna Quindlen, A Short Guide to a Happy Life). Or, “Confide, but don’t confess. Your readers can’t forgive you.” That golden nugget on memoir writing came from Jacquelyn Mitchard (Deep End of the Ocean). Not only do they give speeches, many of those speakers make a point of socializing after each day’s events, gathering in the hotel lobby or bar, not just pouring out the tips they think will help us, but getting to know us as people, too.
3. The other attendees. I’ve never seen another event where so many other people are cheering for MY success. Many of the attendees have already written a book. Plenty have written several. They aren’t threatened by you doing the same. They WANT you to, and they’ll share the lessons they learned going through the process, so you don’t make those same mistakes. Need a publisher? Here’s the guy I used. Need marketing help? This is what I tried. I’m stumped on a good title for my book. Let’s brainstorm over drinks. My stomach hurts from laughing so hard. Take this Tums. (and yes, that last part actually happened to me.)

More than anything, it’s the general vibe and energy that makes this conference worthwhile. You’ll be surrounded by people who WANT to get to know you, who welcome you into their circle, who make an extra seat at the table, literally. The conference is famous for its great desserts each night, served before the entree even comes out, and they won’t give you grief for taking a bite of that before you start the salad. Trust me. I did it every night. They’ll want to meet up with you between events, and after. And you’ll want to meet up with them. You’ll walk away with a new gang of friends. Good ones. And they’ll support you afterwards, as you put all you learned into your next project. I speak from experience, since at least five of the attendees at the Erma event are part of the book I’m publishing, 101 Tales from the Terminal. And yes, two of the attendees helped me with the title (shout out to Kathleen Lopez Preston and Kathy Tully on that one).

If you want to be part of the fun, the next event is set for March 26-28, 2026. Go ahead and add it to your calendar now.