LOGISTICS

Q. What should I wear to the conference?

A. Dress is casual, but should be appropriate for meeting agents and editors, which you will have the chance to do.

Q. Where should I go when I first arrive at the Hyatt?

A. Go directly to the Ballroom level, where you will find coffee and registration. The panels themselves are one floor below on the conference level.

Q. When do I get my conference packet?

A. You will pick up your conference packet at registration on Saturday April 16th. You should have received a confirmation, either by e-mail or in the mail, which you should bring with you.

Q. What's in my packet?

A. Your conference packet will contain a conference brochure, an updated schedule of panels and their locations, a map, an e-mail directory of panelists and moderators, a reporter's notebook, a pen, and lots of other good stuff.

Q. Will I be able to get a vegetarian meal on Saturday?

A. Saturday's luncheon will be either chicken or salmon. If you would like a vegetarian meal, you should make that request to your waiter as soon as you arrive at your table. If you have special dietary requirements (*not* preferences!), please call the ASJA office at 212-997-0947 to arrange for a special meal.

Q. How do I know where to sit at lunch?

A. If you are a conference attendee who is not appearing on a panel, you may sit anywhere you like, except at tables marked "Reserved." Reserved tables are set aside for panelists. If you are a panelist, look for the table with your panel number on it.

Q. Will there be any food available on Sunday?

A. This year, a continental breakfast will be available, courtesy of iUniverse, Inc. from 8:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. You're on your own for lunch, but the Food Court at Grand Central Station, directly below you, has every imaginable kind of cuisine.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE CONFERENCE

Q: Will I be able to spend time with editors on Saturday?

A: Given the size of the conference -- about 700 attendees -- and the full schedule on Saturday, do not come expecting time for one-on-one conversations with editors. At most, you'll be able to introduce yourself, hand out and collect business cards, and, perhaps, describe in a sentence or two a story you'd like to pitch in the future. But this contact has to happen in the hurried moments after a panel session or on a catch-as-catch-can basis in the hallways. In other words, you will need to be proactive about it. At the same time, please be courteous. Remember that these editors have given up their Saturday to participate in the conference.

Q: Should I bring clips and resumes to hand out to editors?

A: Business cards are definitely important. You'll want to hand them out to other writers -- lots of valuable networking happens at the conference -- and pass them along to the participating editors. Clips and resumes, though, are best left at home. You may have the chance to pitch a story idea, but it'll need to be summed up in a sentence or two -- and you'll definitely need to follow up with a post-conference query. Editors won't want to be collecting paper from anyone. There's one exception to this: The optional one-on-one mentoring sessions on Saturday. If you sign up to be personally mentored by an ASJA member, it would certainly be okay to bring a couple of finished queries or, if appropriate, a resume or a list of recent publications. Or just feel free to come armed with questions.

Q: If I don't like a panel, can I leave and go to another one?

A: Attendees will benefit from the conference in direct proportion to how much they invest themselves in it. If a panel turns out not to be meeting your needs, it's in your best interest to get up -- quietly and inconspicuously, please! -- and go to a panel that will be beneficial. And if you can't attend a panel you'd love to hear, pick up the audiotape so you can still benefit from it.

Q: Can I bring a tape recorder and tape panels?

A: Although to date we haven't restricted tape recording, we discourage it. All panel sessions are professionally recorded and those recordings are available for purchase as audiotapes and CD's on site. Because taping is directly from the speakers' microphones, these tapes will have better sound quality than those recorded by audience members. If there are two or more panels happening at the same time that you'd like to attend, you'll be able to purchase recordings of any session you missed.

Q. Can I take notes with a laptop?

A. Some conferences discourage this because the noise can be distracting. We leave it to the discretion of panel moderators: if they ask you not to use your laptop, please comply.

Q. If I sign up for mentoring, what should I expect?

A. Details about what to expect from Mentoring can be found at http://www.asja.org/wc/2005/wcmentor.php

Q. If I sign up for a One-on-One workshop, what should I expect?

A. Details about the One-on-One Workshops can be found at http://www.asja.org/wc/2005/1on1.php

Q. Where and when can I sign up for my free contracts consultation?

A. You'll be able to sign up for contract consultation at the contracts table. Your packet will contain information about where to find the contracts table.