Convention speakers needed
If you have specific expertise you're willing to share with other
freelancers and freelance hopefuls at this year's National Convention
and Journalism Conference in Chicago (Aug. 24-27), please let me know.
I need three panelists for each session. Here are the topics:
Getting started freelancing:
1)
Someone who can talk about organizing ideas and specialties, handling
rejection, importance of persistence (prepare list of helpful resources
including books, Web sites, magazines, subscriptions, etc.)
2)
Someone who has good success with queries and can talk about their
importance and the basic elements of crafting one (I'd also like to
provide a handout with the basic elements and examples of successful
queries)
3) Someone who can talk about the details of managing
multiple freelance projects, choosing the right projects, basics about
contracts, etc. (I'm hoping to have copies of ASJA's Guide to Freelance
Writing available for sale.)
Marketing yourself as a freelancer
1)
Someone with a strong and successful Web presence who is willing to
share that via LCD projector (talk about how you afford, who designed,
elements to include, payoff in terms of assignments)
2) Someone who teaches at some level to augment income and market self
3)
Someone who is masterful and working networks to build relationships
with editors and clients and/or someone who has successfully written a
book and successfully engaged in marketing at a high level (TV, radio,
newspaper, appearances, etc.)
There is a lot of interest in our
work so I want to make sure we give strong presentations that are
well-prepared with handouts whenever possible. There is no honorarium
paid for this work, so I need people who are planning to attend the
convention.
If anyone would like to share rooming costs with another freelancer, I'd be happy to post here.
E-mail me at whoke@spj.org if you're interested and tell me a bit about your expertise and what you can offer to the panel.