Journalists and Optimists Part 2: Dennis Schaal

As mentioned, recently, I had the great fortune to work with Veronica Chambers, author, journalist and Stanford Journalism Fellow, on her fellowship project Journalists and Optimists.

Veronica Chambers

Chambers interviewed 3 prominent journalists, Gabe Spitzer, Dennis Schaal, and Rebecca Carroll about the ways they’ve pivoted their careers as journalists in the current hostile and at the same time fertile environment. I was dialed into the interviews and was able to make notes, and based on audio recordings, make a detailed visual record of each interview.

Here is my graphic recording of Veronica Chamber’s interview with Dennis Schaal (see my previous post for Gabe Spitzer’s interview):

Journalists and Optimists: Veronica Chambers interviews Gabe Spitzer

Recently, I had the great fortune to work with Veronica Chambers, author, journalist and Stanford Journalism Fellow, on her fellowship project Journalists and Optimists.

Veronica Chambers

Chambers interviewed 3 prominent journalists, Gabe Spitzer, Dennis Schaal, and Rebecca Carroll about the ways they’ve pivoted their careers as journalists in the current hostile and at the same time fertile environment. I was dialed into the interviews and was able to make notes, and based on audio recordings, make a detailed visual record of each interview.

Here is my graphic recording of Veronica Chamber’s interview with Gabe Spitzer:

Bindercon LA, March 19 & 20th

a.k.a. The best conference in the world, a.k.a. One of the most worthy ways I’ve ever spent my time or money.  I’m actually writing this from LA in a hotel room that just last night was filled with the unruly shrieking of 3 of the many, many new Friends For Life that I met here. In a few minutes, 2 more Friends will arrive and the shrieking will resume. *I obviously meant “readings”

Bindercon is a conference for women and gender non-conforming writers. The panels were so intense and smart and wonderful that words alone could not convey the impact. Which is why I sketch-noted pretty much everything I saw.

If you like sketch-notes, graphic recording and the stories, advice, and wisdom of powerful human beings, then please enjoy my notes from Bindercon LA:
Please feel free to share and repost as a whole or part with credit to Gillian G. You can link back to me here, at gilliang.com, or on twitter @GillianGdotcom.

Keynote Address: Jillian Lauren & Rebecca Walker 

Out of the Comfort Zone: Creating a Diverse Career: Pamela Redmond Satran

Lunch Keynote: Robin Schiff & Lisa Kudrow

How to Tell Your Story – It Matters:
Margot Leitman

Breaking into Book Writing: Minal Hajratwala & Stefani Von Borstel

Breakfast with Tina Aldatz
Writing Cultural Identity: Sabrina Almeida, Natashia Deón, Simona Supekar, Monona Wali, Sandy Yang, Désirée Zamorano

Tense & Sensibility: Ways to Tackle Tragedy in YA Literature: Brandy Colbert, Lissa Price, Isabel Quintero, Lilliam Rivera, Elizabeth Ross

Keynote: Effie Brown & Jenny Lumet

Every panel was incredible, the event itself was smooth and so thoughtfully & inclusively planned, and the connections and friends I made are… stupid hot. Like everyone blows my mind with the hotness of their minds and ideas and motivation and hilariousness and goof-offery and wisdom and drive.  I don’t have even one snidey, off-hand chaser for that sincerity shot. I mean it.

The event ended on the talk with Effie Brown and Jenny Lumet, and the  resonating theme for me was that we* have to hire each other      (*We: Women & non-conforming writers, producers, artists, collaborators, agents, creatives…) and support each others good work.

Speaking of: Please check out my weekly webcomic Jerkface A-hole. It’s a teen diary, drawn in-class, coloured with highlighters, and written with the toxic combination of feelings and a sense of humour. Jerkface A-hole.
ALSO, I do this type of work for hire. So if you’re speaking or running a conference, I can sketchnote (as above, for posting later), and can do graphic recording  (live-draw on a stage during talks). I’m based in Toronto, and can travel.  

Note: These were initially for my own reference only, and so include the points that stood out to me at the moment and cover only the panels I attended. Any and all spelling/grammar mistakes are TOTALLY intentional. I swear.