Conference Recording Reviews
by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Here are a few standouts from the 2008 ASJA writers conference:

First Pages: Attracting an Agent to Your Book (Saturday)

Moderator: Aline Newman. ASJA Panelists: Laurie Abkemeier, literary agent in associate, DeFiore and Co.; Byrd Leavell, Waxman Literary Agency, and Kirsten Manges, Kirsten Manges Literary Agency LLC Reader: Dara Chadwick

This is always my favorite Saturday panel. I find it fascinating, hearing the first page (or less) of a book proposal read and hearing why agents do—or don't—find the tease compelling. The late great Sarah Wernick founded this panel years ago and fortunately it's become a conference staple. I like Dara Chadwick's reading, too, though it might be interesting to alternate with a male reader.

Have Your Say—and Make it Pay: Writing Essays and Op-Eds (Saturday)

Moderator: Kathy Sena. Panelists: Paula Derrow, editor at Self; Marilyn Milloy, editor at AARP The Magazine; Catherine Orenstein, freelance writer; Mark Schone, editor at Salon.com

Always interesting to hear editors and writers discuss essays and op-eds, two of my favorite forms. Self and Salon are viable venues and the intricacies of submitting to them are good to hear about. The AARP The Magazine editor seemed very nice and warm but repeated that she wants big names on the essay page, and my only thought was, Why is she on this panel, then? While other sections of the magazine are more open to freelancers, the point of this panel was essays. Regardless, a compelling speaker on this panel was Orenstein, a freelancer for major magazines and newspapers. She talked about the The Op-Ed Project, "an initiative to target and train women experts across the nation to project their voices on the op-ed pages of major newspapers and other key forums of public discourse, which are currently overwhelmingly dominated by male voices."

Pitch Slam 2: Women's Service Magazines (Saturday)

Moderator: Salley Shannon, ASJA (and conference co-chair). Panelists: Ellen Breslau, editor at Woman's Day; Alison Brower, editor at Redbook; and Darcy Jacobs, editor at Family Circle.

What a good idea this panel was—no surprise since Salley Shannon always puts together a stellar panel. Similar to the perennial conference panel, First Pages: Attracting an Agent to Your Book, pre-chosen audience members query and question the editors who respond in great detail as to why the pitch works, or doesn't. The only thing I found myself wishing for, at least during the first, say, third of the panel, until I got used to voices and which magazines they belonged to, was that speakers repeated their name before addressing the query or question. Was it Redbook that likes queries on tweens and teens or was that Family Circle? I found myself wondering. There was also dead air when an audience member asked a question. Salley repeated the question into the mike, but while you're waiting, you begin to feel like you do when you're listening to the radio and nothing's there and you're in limboland. This all would have been fine if you were in the audience, but for those of us not there, I only say, Remember us wee folk listening to the recording.

Inside the Magazine (Friday, for Members Only)

Moderator: Sandra Lamb. Panelists: Jim Schachter, editor at The New York Times Magazine; Jeff Garigiliano, editor at Portfolio; Mark Horowitz, editor at Wired; Julie Bain, editor at Reader's Digest; Michael Benoist, editor at National Geographic Adventure; and Morgan Clendaniel, editor at Good Magazine.

This afternoon-long panel delves into each magazine, and in great depth. It's a really really long recording of a really really long panel, which is so good because that's what you want—that sort of in-depth coverage. I'm on the fourth editor/magazine (Bain/Reader's Digest) and even if the recording ended here, I would have felt I got my money's worth. Of course NYT Magazine is a hard magazine to crack, so says the editor, and once again, why have editors on panels when they stress prospects do not look good for breaking in? Now the editor does discuss other special issues and magazines that the Times publishes and needs writers for, but still. On the other hand, the Wired editor was so thorough that if you want to write for Wired, listen carefully to what he has to say, and you will make it in! (What's also interesting and informative is the chitchat between panelists, when they assumed the mikes were turned off.) I hope this panel is offered again; it's a good one.

These opinions are solely those of the reviewer, and not those of ASJA or the membership at large.

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