Seth Cotterman

by Robin Byrd

July 16, 2015 at the National Dramatists Guild Conference. We were exhausted and exhilarated and ready for the rest of the week. Our workshop presentation Using the Senses: Character and Story Creation cover sheet and bios went really well. I don’t know about the other ladies but the content of some of the sessions, I attended, had me spinning. Such profound insight and resolve to do the best work and create the best art – just to be in the room with these artists was inspiring.

Robin Byrd, Laurel Wetzork, and Debbie Bolsky sitting in on the opening presentation after our workshop "Using the Senses: Character and Story Creation" at the Dramatists Guild Conference: Writing the Changing World, #writechange. — Robin Byrd, Laurel Wetzork, and Debbie Bolsky sitting in on the opening presentation after our workshop “Using the Senses: Character and Story Creation” at the Dramatists Guild Conference: Writing the Changing World, #writechange.

Some of my favorite sessions were The Global Impact of Diversity on our Stages with panelists: Lydia R. Diamond, Rehana Lew Mirza, Mike Lew and moderated by Christine Toy Johnson and The DG Fund Presents: Beyond Emerging: The Stages of a Writer’s Life with panelists: Lydia Diamond, Christine Toy Johnson, Mike Lew and moderated by Seth Cotterman. Will talk about those later.

Speaking of the Dramatists Guild Fund, they gave away free T-shirts in exchange for a bit of encouragement sharing. I got a T-shirt with “Always try to do more than you know you can.” – a saying by Edward Albee that can be found in his interview in The Legacy Project: Volume 1. After writing our saying down on a sticky, it was placed on the DG Fund Encouragement Wall. (#KeepWriting) Totally awesome! My saying is “Always be writing…”

Gary Garrison, David Faux, Seth Cotterman and Amy Von Vett came to visit and a wonderful time was had by all!

Last Saturday at the DG’s Saturday event, I was met by the irrepressible Larry Dean Harris with a hug. Then Gary opened the session with a town hall meeting where he encouraged and cajoled and reminded us his team is there for each and every one of us, from contracts to advice to the members only portion of the DG website. Specifically, he reminded us, he cannot help, if he doesn’t know; if we don’t tell him. I was helped immensely by David Faux several years ago during a difficult time. Saturday made me proudly remember I am a member of a community and not just writing alone in my far corner of the world.

Gary also discussed the first national DG conference last year in Virginia and promoted the second coming up this August in Chicago. Much of the content will be streamed so even those of us who cannot make the trip, can watch a portion of the conference. And he announced the 2015 conference will be held in Los Angeles!

I attended David Faux’ break-out session on the business of playwriting where he broke down the DG Bill of Rights into witty, passionate and accessible terms and answered many questions. If you’ve not read the DG Bill of Rights, here is the link: http://www.dramatistsguild.com/billofrights/. Take the time to read it. It is who you are; a professional. I needed to be reminded. I find it difficult to stand up for my rights. But stand up I will. It’s funny. I realized, if I don’t demand a professional contract, why should anybody else treat me as one?

Oh, then lunch. I cannot say enough about the kindness of Ebony Rep/Nate Holden Performing Arts Center and their volunteer run snack bar. The turkey sandwich with the added slice of apple was simply delicious!

Thank you so much for a marvelous afternoon and for bringing me back to the fold. 🙂