Bios - Both Writing and Editing

**M* <m*@optonline.net>**

Don't worry, after next week my e-mail dwindles down to next to nothing.

Next week March 25th to the 28th, I will be in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
attending the 9th annual Can-Am (Canadian American Daylily Symposium). This
year not only will I give a lecture but I will also be the emcee (or is that
mc?) for one day.

While putting together my own bio this morning and gathering bio's for the
speakers I'm to introduce I had several questions.

Do you always use the same bio, or does it change depending on the audience?
*How much information is enough and yet not too much (oh how I hate those
intro's that go on and on).
*Is being featured in an article or magazine worth more oomph than writing
the article?
*What about past positions on various groups' board of directors? For
instance I rarely include information that I was on the board of the
American Hemerocallis Society as Display Garden Chairperson and then for two
more years as Regional Vice President for New England and Eastern Canada. I
always think the "average Joe" is going to hear the word Hemerocallis and
think "that poor girl, they should find a cure for her hems..."

Looking it at from the other side, what do I include in the introductions of
the other speakers? If their bios are good, I'll just read them as is but if
they're too long do I dare edit out information? One speaker just sent me
his whole resume. Is it in poor taste if I make a joke about the speaker?
Nothing hurtful intended.

For any of you who happen to be interested in the symposium here's the
website: http://www.distinctly.on.ca/can_am/

In particular I can't wait to see Sydney Eddison, a favorite garden writer
of mine and Frank Smith who was famous in the Orchid world (just read the
Orchid Thief) and has bought a cutting edge daylily hybridizing program
lock, stock and barrel. Also been practicing my non-existing french since
Albert Mondor will surely increase the attendance from french speaking
gardeners.

Thanks in advance for your tips.
Melanie Vassallo
Garden Writer/Lecturer/Photographer
melaniev@optonline.net

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