Archives: April 2006

So it’s the end of the day, I’m getting tired, I have dinner plans, I just want to finish up my blogging and go back to the hotel. I figured I’d go to Sree Sreenivasan‘s session on Web surfing, because, hey, I used Yahoo way back when it was on Stanford’s Akebono server, what was someone going to tell me that was new and newsworthy? Easy session to cover, right?
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The good professor had TONS of great information. His site has all the links you need to improve your searching, but his presentation included lots of great observations.
For example, Wikipedia has flaws, but it’s a good first source. But many databases that seem more authoritive, like those reached through www.searchsystems.net, also have flaws. The information may be wrong, outdated, or apply to someone else with the same name. Like Wikipedia, it’s just a starting point for further research – but it’s a great starting point.
Google Desktop Search has made my life easier. But even if you don’t use it, Sree suggested that you become familiar with the icon. If you are using a computer in a public place, like an Internet cafe, or borrowing your mother’s PC when visiting her, check to see if the icon is there. If so, right-click to stop indexing, or everything you are doing will be recorded.
And if you are using Google Desktop Search to track what your kids do online, well, um, guess what? They probably know this trick already.
Sree also explained that Google’s alert service and Google’s news page can act as de-facto clipping services. If you are working on a story, set those up to send you information as it comes available. He also said that a great use for Gmail is free backup storage; just email documents to your gmail.com address. You have to trust that Google won’t misuse your materials, though.
Finally, he noted that as much as he loves Google, no Web site is permanently perfect. Microsoft’s local.live.com may have some advantages to Google Maps, and ask.com’s new preview feature may redeem all the foolishness of the Jeeves the Butler days.

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After lunch, I attended a conference panel on writing for newspapers and magazines. Among the speakers were Neil Amdur of the New York Times

and Fran Carpentier of Parade.
Neil talked about newspaper writing in general. His tips?
1) Take a notebook and tape recorder with you wherever you go, even on vacation. You never know when you’ll come across a timely idea, and good stories are everywhere.
2)Be on the front end of a story. Look ahead.
3) Deliver on time. Give the editor time to edit. And, yes, former sports editors like Neil Amdur get edited.
4) Newspapers need so much content, that they are more accessible for freelancers than magazines. The downside? Lower pay.
5) Newspaper editors work in a negative world right now, and staff writers are unhappy. They welcome happy freelancers, or at least freelancers who do not complain. These people are fresh and fun, at least relatively speaking.
After the jump, ideas on pitching Parade:

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I have to say, as much as I love conferences, I hate luncheon keynote speakers. They are often boring and obvious, while I am overstimulated from the morning’s events and just want to site and think, add to my to-do lists and return phone calls. My plan for the ASJA conference was to eat lunch and bolt before the talk began. I was unable to get a seat by the door, the room was crowded, and, well, I was stuck for the speech.
Good thing I had to stay. The speaker was Stefan Fatsis, Wall Street Journal writer, NPR sports commentator, author of “Word Freak”, and Scrabble star. And he was funny.
The line that got the most applause?
“Maybe paying half-a-million dollars for the writings of a 17-year-old is not a good idea.”
Of course, the cynic in me wants to say, Little, Brown didn’t pay for the writings of a 17-year-old.

In the picture above, Steve Slaunwhite is sharing his expertise with an ASJA conference attendee. He was one of four copywriting experts who talked about this market, joining his fellow freelance copywriters Bob Bly and Deborah Gaines and Ogilvie & Mather partner Greg Ketchum.
Their biggest piece of advice is to get over it – copywriters make good money, and much of their work is interesting. “Being desired is sexy! Making money is sexy!” said Deborah Gaines.
A few more tips, after the jump.

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I kicked off the day with a bang – The Secrets of Six-Figure Freelancing panel. Writers Jennifer Pirtle, Kelly James-Enger, pictured above, and Brian O’Connell talked about what they have learned about making money as freelancers.
First note – they all hate the term “freelancer”. Why? Because it has the word “free” in it! Don’t call them ink-stained wretches, either – think of them (and yourselves) as independent writers and small-business owners.
Read their best tips after the jump.

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It’s Saturday morning, and I’m back and ready for action! I like going to conferences for two main reasons. First, I can get lots of ideas to use in my work. Second, I get lonely as a freelancer. It’s so exciting and inspiring to be around other ink-stained wretches. When I see other people making a good living doing what they love, I know that I can, too.
But the ASJA conference has one serious problem: too many concurrent sessions for any one person to attend. The good thing is that the ASJA sells tapes of the conference presentations to attendees and to those who stayed home. I’ll be ordering a few myself, and I’ll be reporting on those panels that I do attend today.

And speaking of blogs and ASJA, the American Society of Journalists and Authors has its own public blog, Contracts Watch, which tracks the latest news in the good, bad, and ugly of publisher and writer relations. Add it to your RSS list to stay up-to-date.
I have no great picture for this one. You don’t really want to see another view of large groups of people, do you?
Check in tomorrow for more news from the conference, and for more and better photos!

At the ASJA conference, I spoke on a panel about blogging. In the picture, from left to right, you can see me, Debbie Feit (www.ourspecialkids.blogspot.com), Lisa Iannucci (www.YoungWidowsAndWidowers.com), and Jen Singer (www.MommaSaid.net).
I talked about why I love blogs but don’t have one. My presentation is after the jump:

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As part of the ASJA conference festivities, president Jack El-Hai kicked off the annual awards ceremony. More than 40 books and 150 articles from the ASJA’s 1200 members were nominated for 13 different awards. Two of the winning articles were ones that I read last year and that moved me, “All the Wrong Men” by Janine Latus, which ran in O in October 2005, and “Will We Ever Arrive at a Good Death” by Robin Marantz Henig, which ran in the New York Times Magazine on August 7, 2005.
It’s always great to see talented people being recognized, but it’s more fun for folks in the audience if they have read the article (or seen the movie, or downloaded the song). I loved those deep reporting and strong conclusions in those stories when I read them, and I was happy to see that their writers’ won.
The complete winners list isn’t on the ASJA site yet, but I’ll post it when it is up.

One of ASJA’s perks for members at the conference is the Personal Pitch, in which conference attendees get short appointments with editors and agents to discuss ideas. It’s a great opportunity. I’m on the organizing committee for the One-on-One Conference, which is very similar.
That eight or ten minute appointment is great. You can learn a lot about editors and what they want. However, too many people seem to think it’s the be-all and end-all of their career, and it’s not. It’s just ten minutes.
So when you find yourself in a short meeting with an editor, at a conference or a cocktail party, here’s how to handle it:
1) Bring a card, nothing else. If the editor wants clips and a resume, send them later. The editors don’t want to carry tons of stuff home.
2) It’s a conversation. You have ideas, but so does the editor. How does she like to work with writers? Does she assign, or does she prefer queries? Should you send clips, or will she check Web sites? Then, you know how to follow up. Even if the editor loves the idea, she’s not going to assign it at the conference. You MUST follow up.
3) If you don’t get a chance to meet the editor of your dreams at a conference like this, simply send a note that says “I am so sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet. Here’s my great idea.” You have a ready-made reason to send a timely query! And you’ll be more impressive than the writer who had the meeting, who also had a great idea, but who didn’t follow up.
4) Finally, do not chase the editor down the hall, follow her into the bathroom, interrupt her when she’s on the phone. Editors want to work with professional writers. Nothing says “I’m an unprofessional pain in the butt” than “David? Is that you in the next stall? Let’s talk now about my great idea about how kids these days like rap music.”