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Conference Quotes

“It was most gratifying for me to become affiliated with the Mayborn Institute, which sponsors and promotes the discussion and application of nonfiction only on the highest standards; and I thus pledge my continuing support to the growth and success of the Mayborn Institute’s program.”
—Gay Talese, author, A Writer’s Life

“It’s no accident that the Mayborn Conference has very quickly risen to preeminence among the nation’s literary conferences.  Stacked with talent, smartly choreographed, and well-attended by enthusiastic confreres whose passion for non-fiction is palpable, the Mayborn offers a distinctive format no other conference can match.”
—Hampton Sides, author, Ghost Soldiers

“I just wanted to pass on that Tonyaa Weatersbee really loved the writing conference that you guys put on in Dallas.  She went on and on about it, and says she wants to use some of the techniques to write stories outside of her column format.  Very cool.”
—John Burr, assistant managing editor, The Florida Times-Union

“Great work, Mitch. You, George and others should be very proud of what you have accomplished with this ‘idea’…The crowd was superb in size, the dinner good and Mr. Talese was absolutely engaging and inspirational!  What a find it was to engage him as the keynote speaker.”
—David B. Kesterson, UNT professor of English

“I wanted to tell you what a great job Nancy, George and Mitch did in putting on the Writer’s Conference.  I thought the venue, speakers and dinners were super.  From the writing side, even an old salt like me picked up some pointers.”
—George Foster, president, Foster Marketing

“This was the best conference from start to finish that I have ever attended.  Really an awesome event!  UNT should salute the Journalism Department because of all the favorable publicity and general good will the conference will generate for the university…It was first class all the way and everyone involved should be very proud of the result.”
—James Bowman, vice president, Southwest Securities, Inc.

“You put on a great conference.”
—Glenn Hunter, editor, Dallas Business Journal

“Thank you for the invitation to come speak this year…It is wonderful to listen to the other speakers, and most of all to talk to people who so desperately want to WRITE!...You have a great team in George and Nancy and Brandee.  Congratulations on another great conference.”
—Sonia Nazario, author, Enrique’s Journey & reporter, The Los Angeles Times

“I had a wonderful time at the conference, and it was a pleasure to help with something so well done.  I talked to a lot of people…and they all universally praised the conference and the vibe.  The vibe is a hard thing to consciously produce.  It’s something that just happened because a lot of people worked hard to make things right.  Congrats to all of you who worked so hard on this.”
—Jacquie Lambiase, UNT professor of Journalism

“The Mayborn Conference is without peer in the country as a gathering place for serious nonfiction writers aiming to practice their craft at the highest possible level.  Any writers conference that devoted itself to literary nonfiction would be unique, but with its sheer star power and concentration of first-class talent, Mayborn sets the bar hopelessly high for any would-be competitor.”
—James Hornfischer, Hornfischer Literary Management