For all of those out there who have ever thought of writing a book (many PRs do), Mediabistro is launching the first online literary conference this summer.

From July 15 through August 1, the Mediabistro Literary Festival & Workshops will have weekly online sessions that focus on a variety of book-writing topics including how to overcome creative obstacles, use social media to build an audience for your work, get tackle nonfiction, and get your first pages written.

And, among the long list of expert speakers is Susan Orlean, the author of Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend, The Orchid Thief, which went on to become the (fantastic) Oscar-winning film Adaptation, and one of our favorite nonfiction stories, “The American Male at Age 10.”

More information about the Mediabistro Literary Festival & Workshops, click here.

Just last month, after many weeks of deliberation, the PRSA and its project partners revealed the new definition of PR. Now we’d like to know what you think PR looks like.

Is it the image of the stressed out worker? The words “public relations” sprayed across a step and repeat? You show us.

Read more

Marian Salzman, CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR in North America, is not a fan of the whole “let’s come up with a new definition of PR” thing.

“Those imbeciles at PRSA [Public Relations Society of America],” she says. “…I don’t think we need trade organizations to sit down and figure out the definition of public relations. We need a different industry if that’s what we need.”

This is just one of many thoughts Salzman shared with Mediabistro for its latest “So What Do You Do?” feature. From personal relationships to “group think” to miso soup, Salzman covers a wide range of topics spanning her life and career. Salzman got her start in market research and advertising, was sidetracked by serious illness, and made her way to the top levels of the PR industry.

With all she’s accomplished, Salzman is still her own harsh critic. ”I’m very good at advising other people; I’m absolutely stupid when it comes to myself,” she says.

For more, click here.

Welcome to the latest PRNewser Business Directory, offering a complimentary listing of PR firms from across the U.S. and around the world.

As always, the Directory is free to use and free to sign up, offering the basics about the wide range of PR agencies — from solo practitioners to large PR firms with locations around the world. If you’re looking for a job or seeking PR services, this is a great place to get your search started.

Click here to check out this month’s edition. Please note: the Directory is organized by city (fourth row).

If you have any questions about the directory, please feel free to contact us at PRNewser@Mediabistro.com. And thanks to everyone from signing up!

Yes, it’s Friday the 13th, but not everything that happens on this day is jinxed. The latest and greatest version of the PRNewser Business Directory closes at the EOB, and it’s all good.

The PRNewser Business Directory is a complimentary offering from PRNewser. For firms and solo practitioners, it’s a place to push out some basic information about what you do. For job seekers and potential clients, it’s a place to gather details and start the research process.

Click here to see the last version of the directory. Please note: it’s organized by city (fourth row). To include your firm, click through to our Facebook page, like us, and fill out the form by 6 p.m. The new directory will be on our site Monday.

If you have any questions, contact us at PRNewser@Mediabistro.com.

As the authority on breaking information in the black community, editors at Jet need to be in the know about, well, everything. For publicists with clients and products to place, that means a PR jackpot of more than 7 million readers.

“We’re not one of those publications that are like, ‘we only work with certain people.’ No, we’re open. We want to hear from you,” assured Jet‘s editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller. “We want to know what’s going on. It’s our job to have our finger on the pulse of everything that’s hot and happening. The only way we can accomplish this is making contact with people who are out there.”

But before you start mass-mailing pitches,  Miller advises publicists to customize the pitch to the right editor. An email blast without a specific feel for the magazine’s audience or style is guaranteed to get ignored.

For a full list of editor contact information, check out How To Pitch for PR: Jet.

ISLANDS has maintained its reputation as an intelligent travel magazine for the last 30 years, and it is “always  evolving,” said editor Eddy Patricelli in our latest How To Pitch for PR article.

As a publication dedicated to uncovering the “last little pockets of independent cultures,” editors are on a constant search for unique destinations. ”Mainly resorts, spa treatments, unique tours and whatnot tend to perk our interests,” said Patricelli. “We don’t do a lot of travel lifestyle products in ISLANDS.”

Get Patricelli’s contact info and more pitching guidelines in How To Pitch for PR: ISLANDS.

[Subscription required. Not an AvantGuild member? Click here for more detail about how to join.]

If you’re going to be in San Francisco on April 18 and think you might enjoy a free drink with friends and colleagues, read on.

Mediabistro and Horn Group is throwing a cocktail party that Wednesday at Bubble Lounge on Montgomery Street from 6:30 to 8:30 and you’re invited.

Hosted by the UCSF Department of Medicine editor, Erin Hartman, the Horn Group will provide the first 75 cocktails. Join the San Francisco crowd for a drink, some appetizers, and some good conversation.

Click here to RSVP.

The early bird deadline for Mediabistro’s Facebook Marketing Boot Camp is this Wednesday, March 28.

Over the course of six weeks, you’ll get hands-on experience launching a complete Facebook marketing campaign. The innovative online conference and workshop, starting April 24, will show you how to maximize engagement on Facebook Pages, create strategies for Facebook Ads, and measure results with Facebook Insights. The program includes keynote speeches from Facebook experts, practical how-to sessions, and strategic assignments to help you get started. Read more

With attractions ranging from the great outdoors to the great indoors, the Northwest of the U.S. is a destination for tons of travelers each year. Every other month, 600,000 AAA members get Journey magazine to help them make their vacation plans.

Journey is looking for travel-related pitches from across the PR industry. According to the latest “How to Pitch for PR” feature, about 30 percent of pitches turn into stories.

“I get a lot of information from the PR people,” says EIC Nicole Meoli.

Have you got a pitch that fits the bill? Click here for more information about how to pitch Journey. [Subscription required. Not an AvantGuild member? Click here for more detail about how to join.]