Call for Proposals

Do you have career-changing tips, new information about industry trends, or are you excited about an underserved niche that you want to share with other writers? Are you interested in using your journalism skills to find experts on a new-to-you topic that you can learn about alongside other members?

The American Society of Journalists and Authors is seeking your ideas for sessions to inspire, motivate, and empower professional, independent non-fiction writers attending our 2027 virtual conference. The conference will feature 60-minute sessions in three writing-related areas: journalism, content marketing writing, and books.

What We Look for in a Conference Session Proposal

The 2027 virtual conference will emphasize insights from experts, interactive presentations, and the opportunity to connect with editors, publishers, agents, and other outlets that assign work to freelancers.

The ASJA conference committee will review all proposals in the process of developing programming that meets the needs of ASJA members and other professional freelance writers. To increase the likelihood that your proposal is accepted, keep the following in mind when filling out the form:

• Offer real value. Attendees should leave with information or ideas they can act on immediately, whether the session you’re proposing covers pitching, sourcing, networking, writing, time management, running a freelance business, or timely freelance issues or trends. Don’t just talk about why any of those things are important, teach hands-on skills to achieve goals.
• Appeal to a diverse group. Proposals should take into consideration the breadth of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) for freelance writers, the subjects they cover, sources they talk to, and teams they collaborate with. We are especially interested in:
  • Proposals for sessions with editors or others who assign freelance work
  • Speakers who are not ASJA members, and ASJA members who haven’t presented at an ASJA conference recently.
• Make sessions interactive, and fun! We are looking for not only panel discussions, but also expert-led sessions that make full use of the online, interactive nature of a virtual conference, rather than simply presenting information in a standard panel format.
• Be specific. Explain what your proposed session will cover, the session format (interactive workshop, small-group discussions, etc.), and how writers would benefit. When possible, include at least a few names of potential presenters (including yourself if you plan to present), and their area of expertise. Explain how the session would be structured. For instance, a 5-minute introduction, 5 minutes of instruction, 10 minutes of writing time, followed by a 15-minute breakout session, another round of writing and breakout time, and a 10-minute Q&A). 
• Be willing to plan the session. You can expect some assistance from the conference planning committee, but should be prepared to solicit and confirm speakers and act as the session moderator or find an ASJA member who will. (Feel free to talk through general ideas with other members one-on-one or brainstorm with others on our  Facebook page. You can use these connections to gauge interest and fine-tune your thoughts, too.)

Please note: ASJA keeps registration fees low by tightly controlling conference expenses. This means the organization cannot offer monetary compensation to speakers at this time. However, speakers will receive a discount code to register for the event at the best possible price.

Speakers may request to appear at a specific day or time. The conference planning committee takes requests into consideration but has the final say on the event schedule.

Session proposals are due by Wednesday, Sept. 30. If your proposal is accepted, the conference planning committee will send instructions about next steps, including how to register for the conference, submit materials, and prepare for the event.

Having trouble submitting the form? Click here.