It’s been a whirlwind weekend of networking, coffee, pitch sessions, and schmoozefests. I arrived home last night from New York City, where I attended the American Society of Journalist and Author’s annual conference. Some of you who follow me on Twitter have seen my tweets, mostly sound bytes from the panels and speeches I attended. Now that I’ve had a chance to digest the information from the conference, I thought I’d share a few of the over-arching themes and tips that emerged.
- Think multi-platform. Several panelists and speakers bemoaned the death of print markets as we know them. Others suggested ways for entrepreneurial writers to capitalize on new technology by creating iPhone apps, eBooks, podcasts, online videos, and other products. It’s no longer enough to write great articles. Compelling stories can carry over from print to video and other media.
- Get social. But be transparent. Social media in varying forms came up in virtually every panel or speech. Some writer embrace it, some writers hate it, but the consensus was that we can’t afford to ignore it. During his keynote speech, Peter Shankman said, “bad writing is ruining America. Good writers will win at social media.” That got a round of applause! Shankman also emphasized the importance of transparency and relevance in social media. If you don’t give readers information in the format they want (be it RSS, email, vblogging, or podcasting), they’ll get it somewhere else.
- Buy the domain for your book title. This issue came up in multiple panels. I’m not actively pursuing a book deal yet, so I focused on panels for journalists rather than book authors. But panelists kept mentioning how important this is (one even bought the domain before the deal was formalized, just in case), so I filed this away for future reference.
- Think of yourself as a “content expert.” These days, most publishers insist on buying all rights to articles, which kills the writer’s chances of selling a reprint. Instead, one of the panelists urged writers to repackage all that research and knowledge, reslanting the piece for a different market. My blog readers know this isn’t a new idea, but the way she described us as “content experts” got me jazzed about revising my old articles for possible reslants.
- Remember, everything is negotiable. Given the rapidly changing media landscape, it’s understandable that some writers feel powerless to negotiate better contracts or payment terms. However, as the panelists in “Self Defense for the Self-Employed” pointed out, it’s still possible to negotiate. Beyond negotiating for more money, writers can ask to drop or alter indemnity clauses, adjust deadlines, and shorten the exclusivity time period.
Did you attend ASJA, too? What was your impression of the conference? Anything you’d add? Or if you didn’t attend, do you agree or disagree with these tips?
at $325 to register, and $250 per night for 2 nights at the hotel for non-New Yorkers, this comes to roughly $200 per "lesson." And considering the lessons–an unemployed former editor of a nationally distributed woman's magazine told us to "get a website"; a panel on "blogging for dollars" suggest to "share and care." You'd have to have been living in a cage. Bang for the buck?
That's one way to look at it, but I definitely feel like I got my money's worth (full disclosure: I shopped around for a lower rate to the Roosevelt and ended up spending $168/night instead of $250/night, which I split with my boyfriend). It's not just about the panelists and keynote speakers (admittedly, some of the speakers left a little to be desired). I connected with several new editors, met a bunch of writers I admire, and swapped notes with other attendees so I could get info from the panels I didn't attend.
Thanks for sharing these! I thought the conference was fantastic and well worth the investment. Plus, the contacts & knowledge I gain pay off with assignments, so this is always a moneymaking weekend for me long term!
Susan–first of all, nice to finally meet you! Second, I fully agree with your comments. I've yet to attend a conference where every single aspect was stellar, but I thought there were many panels and speakers who made the fee well worth my while. Plus, for me, the real reason to go is to connect with other writers and editors.
@Camille: Great meeting you, too! I was SO stressed before Personal Pitch, but it went really well.
@Camille & @Sandra: All those contacts are great, but I also feel like just being around other writers reinvigoratd my own writing. That feeling is priceless!
I feel like I got my money's worth, too. Even though there's lots to feel uneasy and pessimistic about, I felt like I mined a fair amount of wisdom and some good contacts from this year's conference. (Full disclosure: I got a $119/room rate
.)
Sorry I didn't get to meet you, Susan, but congrats on your reading Saturday. I was there, and you were great.
In my experience, there are two kinds of writers–and I should know, I've been working with writers for ten years–Those who are proactive and positive and those who passive and whiny.
Guess which kind gets ahead the fastest, furthest?
Thankfully, there were more of the first kind at the ASJA 2010 than otherwise, which made for a great experience, for anyone who wanted to have one.
@Christina: Good point! I admit I sometimes fall into the latter camp, but when I'm in public meeting with editors and other writers, I always try to psych myself up to be positive and proactive. And usually that feeling lingers even after I've gone home.
Susan, great summary post, and nice meeting you this weekend. I left the conference quite excited about new possibilities and ideas (and will admit that I slept on a friend's couch, so only paid for the conference), particularly about new ways to use social media to promote my new book, shooting video, and access to new editors and potential markets.
–Cheryl Alkon
Really liked this post — and totally agree. I've been putting off attending the conference (or even joining ASJA) for years, but after finally going this time, I'm thinking, "How can I not go?" I got tons of tips on things I can do or do better, new directions to pursue, new markets and new contacts — plus simply connecting face-to-face with writer friends is totally worth the price of admission. I'm actually excited about my career again, and it's hard to buy motivation.
Susan, this is a great post. But I think it's worth mentioning that the most valuable thing about going to a conference is almost never the panels, but rather the opportunity to make connections with people you never would have met in person otherwise. I have made significant progress in my career over the last three years because of personal relationships, many of which were either started or solidified by in-person meetings at ASJA. Christina hits the nail on the head (as usual) with her assessment of two kind of writers. I have noticed this on writers boards and in groups and on blog comments. The profession of writing, like life, is what you make of it. Look for something to complain about and you will find it; look for lessons your can think about, learn from and expand on, and you will grow. So thanks, Susan, for helping us find lessons to grow on!
Susan, thanks for a great summary. The conference is always good, as it gives me a chance to meet lots of people and concentrate on all things writing. Just being around an atmosphere like that forces me to think big(ger). Sorry I missed your reading; hope it was great!
Thank you for sharing these insights! I am not a member of ASJA, but I am a member of SATW (travel writers) and #1 is coming up a lot on our member bulletin board and in professional-development sessions. Diversify!
Susan, I'm glad it went so well. Conferences are always such an energizing experience. Sounds like you definitely garnered some new momentum for your writing. It works! I went to a local conference this weekend here in Fargo (North Dakota Professional Communicators). Though it wasn't as big scale, the smaller, relaxed atmosphere was really enjoyable. I came away with a few goodies that I'll be writing about soon. Happy return.
Thanks for your great comment on the conference! (Disclosure, I'm the writer who bought the domain name for my title before the book was sold, and never regretted it!)
Glad to hear so many people got so much from the conference. We known NY ain't cheap (though networking with ASJA members will often help find cheaper rates) and that the conference itself is an investment. But I know I at least have gotten many, many thousands in work from steady clients met at the conference, without even counting connections made through ASJA.
Best,
Minda Zetlin (ASJA vice president)
P.S.: If you're curious, the domain I grabbed is: http://www.geekgap.com
@Minda: I enjoyed your video panel and I think Geek Gap IS a great title! You'll be interested to know that in addition to you, several other panelists urged us to get the domain for our books.
Great post, Susan! I'm so sorry I didn't get to meet you there. I was just there for a while on Saturday.
@Linda: I heard great things about your panel! I was torn between that and a few other panels. Maybe we'll run into each next time!
Hey Susan I do agree with those tips and I strongly know if a writer has those tips they will make it in the world of writing.
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I missed this year's ASJA conference but plan on attending next year. Thanks for the rundown on the overall themes. I'm debating buying a few of the audio recordings of the sessions. Are there any that you'd recommend?
@Kristen: Peter Shankman's keynote speech was a highlight for a lot of people (including), so that might be worth buying the audio. Otherwise, it really depends on your interests or curiosities.
If I could impart one lesson to attendees, it would be: Spend more time talking to your fellow attendees.
I chatted with several fellow writers and always opened up the conversation by asking them what they write about. I noticed the smart writers also showed an interest in me. The not-so-smart writers didn't ask me one question about myself. Not smart because you never know if that freelance writer might also have connections that would benefit you. I actually hooked up a few people with work.
So show as much interest in other writers as they show in you. It could pay off!