By Martha Mintz, ACN President
How many stories have you written about practices that restore, regenerate, rebuild, or reinvigorate? More than a few, I’d bet. I just finished one, and you’re reading yet another. This one isn’t about tending the usual flora and fauna, it’s about the experiences that give ag communicators the restorative boosts they need to continue to improve and thrive.
Creative work is extremely rewarding, but it can also be draining. Over the years, I’ve noted consistently recurring periods of high motivation, inspiration, and gratitude for my work as a communicator.
They come after intensive collaborative story pitching and planning sessions that lay the groundwork for an amazing year of storytelling. Or when I’m capturing images on a shoot after a long, slow winter season.
Each year Ag Media Summit delivers the biggest boost. Of all the events we attend, this is the meeting put on by ag communicators, for ag communicators. You’re not there to report on the event—though you’ll still find plenty of good stories in tours, panels, keynote speakers, and from the industry partners taking part in InfoExpo—you’re there to take in content that applies directly to you.
My professional skillset is largely woven with fibers plucked from many AMS sessions I’ve attended throughout the years. Writing, photography, design, videography, drone piloting, podcasting, file management, workflow, team management, industry trends and issues, disruptive technologies, ethics, finding leads, interviewing, the list of topics goes on and on.
As with any good meeting, some of the best bits are found in the discussions that spill from the sessions into the hallways. There, we brainstorm with peers to tease out the information we found most interesting. Those chats usually segue into swapping tales of adventures in the field and forging lasting connections.
I’ve attended at least 17 of the last 20 Ag Media Summits. Each year, I walk away with a few helpful tricks, fresh perspectives, new friends, inspiration, and a revived spirit. I’ve already locked the meeting into my schedule (and next year’s). If you want to take your AMS experience to the next level, be sure to check out the amazing pre-conference tour or the photography workshop. I look forward to seeing you in Kansas City! – Mintz owns Corral Creek Communications