Conference Panel Reviews
by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Here are a few more reviews of panels from the 2009 ASJA Annual Writers' Conference. These recordings are such a valuable resource for members as well as non-members, and for what can result from the knowledge you'll gain, quite a steal at the price of $15 for an MP3 download, $19 for a CD.

Free Money: How to Uncover Grants, Fellowships, and Other Financial Rewards
Moderator: Christine Larson, ASJA, magazine contributor and author.
Panelists: Sally Abrahms, ASJA, a 2003 New York Times Foundation fellow; Margaret Engel, ASJA, executive director at the Alicia Patterson Foundation; Constance Hale, ASJA, program director for the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard; Caitlin Kelly, ASJA, recipient of five fellowships; and Erin Torneo, ASJA, recipient of two fellowships.

If you don't come away from listening to this recording and Googling at least one fellowship or grant, well, I don't know what to say. I did. The women on this panel are not only inspiring, they make you feel silly for not looking into grants and fellowships because you won't win. We all think we won't win—until we do, and then we kick ourselves for not applying sooner. These women crammed so much useful information into this panel, they should be given an award for that. Listen—and apply!

Freelancing 101: Get Your Questions Answered
Moderator: David Budin, ASJA, author and former magazine editor.
Panelists: Greg Daugherty, ASJA, editor at Consumer Reports; Mary Mihaly, ASJA, author and contributor to Playboy, Reader's Digest, House Beautiful; Gina Roberts-Grey, ASJA, contributor to Woman's Day, AARP The Magazine, Self; Nancy Sheperdson, ASJA, contributor to American Heritage, Woman's Day, Discover.

Although primarily intended for writers early in their career, there's stuff for writers not so early in their career. I always like to hear personal stories about successes and gaffes. Likewise, the tips about rights, breaking into corporate writing, querying (simultaneously submitting), clips (how many to send, and how), getting many articles from one topic, organizing (Mary Mihaly doesn't have an idea file, but an idea pile), when an editor passes your idea on to another writer, are all good, and I listened to the end.

Ghostwriting for Big Bucks
Moderator: Alisa Bowman, ASJA, collaborator on more than 20 books, including five NYT bestsellers.
Panelists: Debra Gordon, ASJA, author or collaborator for more than a dozen books; Ellen Neuborne, ASJA, co-author/ghost of seven nonfiction books; Sally Shields, author of The Collaborator Rules and writer/collaborator of four books; and Michael Harriot, at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Bowman's literary agent.

I've been only tangentially interested in ghostwriting, so I began listening to this panel, mildly curious and not expecting much. My interest was instantly piqued. These generous panelists explore ghostwriting books, magazine articles, columns, and Tweets. They talk about how to charge and how to work with co-authors and experts you're hired by. Working with agents also is detailed. I love it when a panel delivers even more than it promises. If you've been curious about ghostwriting, this panel will not disappoint.

To Order: Visit www.asja.org/wc/recordings.php
CDs cost $19 each (longer ones are $25). You can also order MP3 downloads for $15.