ASJA members appreciate both in person and virtual annual conferences–for very different reasons, according to results of the organization’s recent conference survey.
In-person conferences are better for networking with other members and prospective clients, and provide the sense of community, togetherness, and belonging that is a hallmark of ASJA membership, according to open-ended comments shared by some of the 106 people who took the survey.
On the other hand, online conferences are more convenient for writers who must balance time spent on learning and development with client work or non-work obligations, because it’s possible to watch sessions on demand or after the fact, according to respondents. They also noted that online conferences can be more accessible for people who are neurodivergent or who have physical disabilities. Online conferences are also more economical, because there’s no need to travel.
ASJA fielded the survey for two weeks in early June to understand members’ experiences, attitudes, and perceptions about both in-person and online conferences as part of planning for future yearly events, including conferences in 2027 and 2028, the latter of which will mark the 80th anniversary of the organization’s founding in 1948.
Fewer Days and Different Formats, Content, and Location
Preferences for how, when, and where writers want to improve their professional skills by attending an ASJA conference are changing with the times, a trend that officials at C2, ASJA’s professional management company, say they have observed at other associations they work with.
Some of the major takeaways of the survey bear that out:
Shorter timeframe. Fewer people are willing to spend the better part of a week attending a conference, regardless of whether it’s in person or online. According to ASJA conference survey respondents, more attractive alternatives are an in-person or virtual conference that is two days or one full day with two half days. Some members also expressed an interest in attending a virtual conference that consisted of several hours or half days of programming spread over multiple days or up to a week.
Locations outside of New York City. ASJA annual conferences have historically taken place in New York City because it’s long been the epicenter of the U.S. media industry. As online media and remote work have become the norm, the media industry is no longer as concentrated in NYC as it once was. That plus the high cost of hosting and attending an in-person conference in New York and a desire to appeal to people who don’t live on the East Coast could explain why a healthy portion of respondents expressed a desire to go to a future ASJA conference in a different city. The largest contingent still prefer a conference in the Big Apple, however, almost as many respondents expressed an interest in attending an annual conference in Chicago, Washington D.C, Boston, and Philadelphia. Other cities or regions that respondents mentioned in open ended comments: Denver, Detroit, Midwest or interior U.S. locations, or midsized, culturally interesting cities.
Improved content. ASJA conference chairs and conference planning committees solicit ideas for conference sessions from members (and nonmembers) and use the input plus ideas generated internally and from other sources to create conference programming. Ideally, they avoid repeating topics covered at the previous year’s conference or in monthly ASJA webinars. Even so, some survey respondents suggested including topics in future conferences that have been covered in recent yearly meetups, such as breaking into new markets, expanding revenue streams, and specializing in specific niche genres or markets. The most requested content respondents would like to see at a future conference are sessions on breaking into specific new markets; advanced craft of writing; and new ways to expand revenue streams. Also popular are sessions on the latest industry trends, pitch slams, and niche sessions on specific markets.
Different formats. Respondents want more diverse session formats. Although panels remain popular, people are also interested in attending hands-on workshops, expert Q&As, and getting coaching or mentoring, according to the survey.
Scroll through the full survey results below or download the file.
Look for a Brief Follow-up Conference Survey Coming Soon
ASJA’s board, executive committee, conference co-chairs, and conference committee continue to analyze the survey findings as they work on plans for the 2027 and 2028 conferences. As part of that effort, the ASJA office will circulate a brief follow-up survey later this week with additional questions that the initial survey results raised. ASJA members should check your email for the link to the follow-up survey, which takes less than 5 minutes to complete. All members are invited to fill it out, even if you did not participate in the initial conference survey.