diff --git a/app/models/writing_conference.rb b/app/models/writing_conference.rb
index be738b4..6a78d3a 100644
--- a/app/models/writing_conference.rb
+++ b/app/models/writing_conference.rb
@@ -168,11 +168,11 @@ class WritingConference
       end
       value = value.join(" / ")
     when "publication_date"
-      value = self.publication_date.to_date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d") rescue ""
+      value = self.publication_date.strftime("%Y-%m-%d") rescue ""
     when "abstract"
        value = nl2br(self.abstract)
     when "language"
-       value = I18n.t(self.language) rescue ""
+       value = I18n.t(self.language) if !self.language.nil? rescue ""
     when "file"
       files = []
       self.writing_conference_files.each do |conference_files|