Jeff Goins Headlines Southeastern University’s Writers’ Conference

Award-winning author and blogger Jeff Goins will be speaking at several events during Southeastern University’s College of Arts & Media annual writers’ conference on January 31.

Goins, who has written five bestsellers, is also known as a blogger, speaker and writing coach. He will be the guest speaker at breakfast and the keynote speaker later in the day as part of the Expressions Storytelling Institute and Writers’ Conference.

At breakfast, Goins will talk to the business community about using their creative energy to enhance their business skills. The session is being co-sponsored by the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and Catapult; a business incubator started by the Lakeland Economic Development Council.

Dr. Craig Collins, dean of the College of Arts & Media, said he thinks Goins’ talks will spark the light in everyone who attends and bring an understanding that business people need the creative energy that artists have.

“Artists and entrepreneurs are successful by careful and thoughtful design,” Collins said.  “Success doesn’t just happen. The processes that are inherent to the arts, when embraced, are the same processes that, when replicated, promote success in the workplace.”

Goins will also deliver a keynote address Friday evening for all writers who want to improve their skills from law briefs to mystery novels and more.

Between the morning and evening events, Goins and members of  SEU’s Department of Humanities, who specialize in writing and storytelling, will deliver a series of workshops geared toward providing writers with the skills they need to master the art of storytelling in their everyday lives and projects.

Along with his books, including “Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age,” Goins is well-known for his award-winning blog, GoinsWriter.com.

Goins said his blog is where he writes to share thoughts on writing, life, and creative work.

“We all have a creative gift worth sharing with the world, and that is our art. So, whether you have a business idea, a book in you, or some other project you want to start, my goal is to help you get that work out of you and into the world,” Goins wrote on his blog.

Goins works off the premise that being creative gives businesspeople a competitive advantage in the business world.

“For centuries, the myth of the starving artist has dominated our culture, seeping into the minds of creative people and stifling their pursuits,” he wrote. “But the truth is that the world’s most successful artists did not starve. In fact, they capitalized on the power of their creative strength.”

His work has been published in publications that vary widely, from The Washington Post, and USA Today to Forbes and Psychology Today.

Goins started on a journey to success after launching his blog, “Tribe Writers,” which attracted 100,000 readers within its first year. His goal is to get people to believe that they are all creative and then teach them how to use that ability to showcase their talents to the world, whether as artists, businesspeople or something else.

“Design is not a gift imparted to the few, but rather within our DNA,” Collins said. “We all have the capacity to create. We simply need to strategize, adapt and surround ourselves with like-minded creatives, both for professional learning and for the purpose of helping others. Whether a business professional or practicing artist, Jeff Goins will leave you with vision, hope and attainable strategies for thriving in this Creative Age.”

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the SEU campus at 1000 Longfellow Blvd. Registration costs $30, tickets can be purchased at https://cam.seu.edu/event/expressions/

Breakfast, which begins at 7:30 a.m. and will be held at Catapult Lakeland at 331 S. Florida Ave. is an additional $10 and can be purchased at https://cam.seu.edu/event/breakfast/