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February 2005

Gearing Up for a Great Conference

This year, ASJA's annual conference, scheduled for April 16-17, has a theme sure to resonate with every freelancer: "Better Bylines, Bigger Bucks." And this career-boosting event, which draws hundreds of attendees each year, will be packed with intriguing innovations and bonuses for writers at all levels, thanks to months of brainstorming by co-chairs Bob Bittner and Minda Zetlin, along with their team of creative volunteers. Here's a look at some of the highlights.

Three tracks of panels for diverse interests. For people who are new to freelancing, a special "Breaking Into Print" track provides smart, jargon-free guidance on the basics, including "Finding Great Ideas" and "How to Sell Your First Article." (I will be moderating a panel on contracts, which will include contracts committee chair Erik Sherman and publishing lawyers.)

A separate "Business of Writing" track, aimed at more experienced writers, offers lively new sessions, says Minda. "'Secrets of Power Pitchers' will feature speakers like Sally Stich, who are extremely successful and prolific, telling you what to do, including finding clever titles that sell your idea. We'll also have a panel on the no-query approach, with people like Sam Greengard who have built impressive careers through networking."

Offered for the first time ever will be a third track targeted to authors, called "All About Books." Some panels will be for first-timers, and others will be for those who want to build on the publishing successes they've already had, such as "After the First Book" or the panel on collaborations. And both authors and journalists can benefit from an upbeat session on "Getting Past Rejection" with an agent, editors, and a psychologist, plus an extremely persistent writer who sold her book after eight years of rejection.

Supersized sessions on popular topics. In 2004, one of our best-attended programs was Sree Sreenivasan's "Smarter Surfing" workshop. But while Sree can whip through an amazing amount of information in an hour, people left hungry for more, says Bob. "This year, he'll have two hours, so you'll leave with twice as many fantastic tips on how to get the most out of the Web -- and find the facts you need, fast."

A double session with Andrea King Collier will delve into career planning how-to, Bob adds. "Part one will discuss developing a business plan, which can be an incredibly powerful tool, since most writers are passengers instead of drivers." The second part has the scoop on following through with your plan as it lifts you to the next level.

We're also introducing "bonus sessions" after the panels on do-it-yourself publicity and six-figure freelancing. The speakers will be available at a smaller, more informal gathering to answer your questions, or chat about their topics in greater depth.

Expanded Sunday workshops. For the first time, we'll have specialized tracks on Sunday -- as well as a tasty continental breakfast, courtesy of iUniverse.com, which is hosting a workshop on self-publishing. As discussed in my December president's letter, this is the company behind ASJA Press, our self-publishing program, which was launched by energetic volunteers like Shirley Camper Soman, whose most recent iUniverse title is Let's Stop Destroying Our Children.

Sunday's writing track includes workshops on query letters and essay writing, while the book track will address crafting winning book proposals. Bill Dyszel, author of such books as Microsoft Outlook for Dummies, and ASJA Webmaster Bruce Miller will share great techie tips on topics like the best software for writers. And we'll also have an agents' roundtable that will start with speeches, then break into small groups so the audience gets an opportunity to talk with each agent individually.

As usual, the conference will offer one-on-one mentoring by experienced ASJA professionals, plus our unique Idea Marketplace, a free trade show of hot concepts from top public relations agencies, businesses, the government and private individuals. Stop by to find ready-to-sell story ideas to pitch to your favorite editors. Other treats include the Saturday lunch with keynote speaker H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger, author of the bestseller -- and now feature film -- Friday Night Lights, and a relaxing cocktail party with a drawing for prizes with "writer appeal."

I hope to see you at the conference!

LISA COLLIER COOL of Pelham, New York, is president of ASJA. E-mail the president through www.asja.org/contact.php.