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I'll be writing an article called The Good, the Bad and the Useless--Conference Goodies. If you attend writers' conferences, you know what I'm talking about. Authors and publishers give away many items with their names on them. Some of these are brilliant and others make you go HUH? and you throw said item in the trash. Some of these items include...

postcards
pins/buttons
key chains
magnets
candy/gum
bookmark
book thongs
note pads
nail files
bookmark w/charm
excerpts
pens
free books
Which are your favorite? Which are the items you don't bother to pick up? Which do you take but give away? Which do you take but decide later you don't like it and throw it away? Which are the most useful? The least useful? Do you have a favorite (or least favorite) item that's not on this list? If you would like to comment and leave your name and website addy, I may quote you if I decide to use your comment in my article. (Free promo for you.) Thanks for your help!

5 comments:

Playground Monitor said...

I'm a sucker for pens. But only ones that have some substance to them and ones that are retractable. However, someone at RWA this year had a double-ended highlighter/felt tip marker that's been great for editing.

I like note pads, mini notebooks and sticky notes too. They're always handy either in my office or by a telephone.

I brought home lots of free books this year -- some to keep and read and some to give away. I did a contest on our blog with one just last week and the winner happened to live locally, so I got to meet one of our blog readers. FUN!

Because I make book thongs, I'm kinda partial to them :grin: . I make mine with glass beads and pewter charms. Definitely a little more expensive but they're nicer looking and many times are a conversation item.

Someone had star-shaped clips with a magnet on the back and I love that! It's on my fridge to hold notes. I got another one last year and it's on the door from my garage to the utility room (it's a metal door with a foam core) again as a way to leave notes for the DH.

Someone else had keychains with a carabiner on it. I love those clips so I took one of those.

I got a neat luggage tag one year that had a place I could slip my business card in.

We gave away 4-packs of crayons this year and they seemed to be popular. I'd overhear people saying "My kids will like these."

I brought home EVERYTHING from my first conference and tossed most of it when we moved 18 months later. This year I only took those items I could use. Of course, different people like different things so it will be interesting to see what trips another person's switch.

Marilyn
www.writingplayground.com
www.writingplayground.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I, too was at RWA and loaded up on goodies from the goodie room.

Pens and notepads are my downfall -- if there was a support group for individuals who have more pens and paper than they will ever use in a lifetime, I would likely be the poster child for that group.

Free books are always welcome and I will take those that I might not have ever purchased but that I find interesting and sometimes it has opened my eyes to a whole new genre.


Because I read so many books, I love a good book thong.

Magnets, non retractable pens, pins, and buttons are items on pass on.

There was also another item I passed on at the RWA goodie room -- condoms printed with the title of an upcoming release. It kind of made me go eewwww

Anonymous said...

I picked up a few bookmarks, thin magnets, keychains (plain, cuffs & a skeleton I love!), a few pens (retractable or with a lid), a wine glass charm, book thong, paper pads, a tipping chart and a lipgloss pot. I haven't thrown anything out. I don't believe in being wasteful.

Vonda Sinclair said...

Thanks so much, ladies, for your opinions on this! I'm getting some really useful info to put in my article!

Pamela Tyner said...

Oh, I got one of those star-shaped clips with a magnet on the back too. LOVE IT!

The condoms I think are kind of cute and fun. But since I have no need for them...

Books are number 1 for me, followed by pens/pencils.