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ASJA offers so many opportunities for members to connect with potential clients and with each other, which hopefully lands us all more work. We'll feature member success stories each week. Share your success stories with us! Contact marijke@medhealthwriter.com.
Member Name: Marijke Vroomen Durning, Montreal Canada
Success Story: Found a new client.
How I landed the gig: I've met many writers online and I have formed online friendships with them, but meeting them in person at ASJA conferences has made a difference in how we see each other, I think. I've since received referrals from and given referrals to several writers I've met at the conferences. One such referral I received in 2015 has led to thousands of dollars of continued work from one particular client for over a year now. I wouldn't have known about this client had I not been referred.
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Marijke Vroomen Durning |
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Preview the annual ASJA conference on May 5-6 with conference chair Estelle Erasmus. Learn why you can’t afford to miss this year’s event with its jam-packed two-day format and more “Client Connections” on Member's Day that lead to new relationships and paid assignments. Get the behind-the-scenes details on some of the most anticipated sessions and learn how the conference will help you not only prosper but thrive as a freelance writer this year. Click here to register for the event on Wednesday, March 15, 1 p.m. Eastern.
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Estelle Erasmus, Conference Chair |
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Poynter
Even the best writers struggle from time to time in crafting their work. This can be especially tricky for bloggers, who want to produce a steady flow of content for their audience.
Not to worry. Every writer faces this dilemma. Here are some strategies to kick-start your work.
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The Content Standard by Skyword
You’ve been a writer for quite some time, so you get the importance of building a brand and marketing yourself as a way to help you land more freelance writing jobs. But, lately it feels as if you’ve been sinking your hard-earned money into marketing campaigns that don’t seem to be working for you. After your most recent attempt at boosting your communications and promotions on Facebook failed to garner any real attention, you’ve just about given up. You have a blog, a newsletter, and an active social presence, but you still haven’t grown your audience to a level you’re comfortable with.
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USA Today
Welcome to the gig economy, where technology and the rise of independent work has spurred on a new force of entrepreneurs and self-employed workers. It’s easy to see why freelancing is so attractive; it’s a great opportunity to be your own boss, create your own schedule, and work on the things that you truly love. But as we all know, freelancing isn’t free. And as a freelancer, especially in the tech industry, your projects — designing a website, keeping your tasks organized, creating APIs — can be costly and frustrating.
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The WRITER
How do you learn to read like a writer? One way, argues Roy Peter Clark, is through “The Art of X-Ray Reading,” which happens to be the title of his new book. He describes X-ray reading as a form of close reading that looks beneath the surface of the text for the sources of writing power. Think of it as a form of reverse engineering used to discover the writing strategies invisible to the average reader.
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By Sandra Gurvis
Ever asked yourself, “Why go to a conference when my writing is at a standstill (or worse)?” While attending may seem counterintuitive during tough times, it can actually boost your career to new heights, as the following story attests.
Beverly Gray, author of the bestselling and much-reprinted Roger Corman: An Unauthorized Biography of the Godfather of Indie Filmmaking and Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon ... and Beyond hit a professional wall familiar to many seasoned and even newbie writers. “In 2007, I sold a proposal on a film retrospective of the year 1967,” she recalls. “Because it was a university press, it took them a long time to get the contract together. Meanwhile another book on the exact same subject was published to rave reviews.”
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| A Plea To Members Who Want To Protect The Right To Read
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By Sally Olds
We are looking for volunteers to join a committee focused on issues of book banning all across America. ASJA’s First Amendment Committee owes its origins, back in 1981, to our alarm over cases in which local entities like schools and libraries reacted to even a single parent’s objection to the presence of a book in a school’s curriculum or a library’s shelf. We launched our campaign with a reading from banned books on the steps of the New York Public Library and with the creation of our red-and-white “I Read Banned Books” buttons (still available from our office).
Books are still being banned in various communities – classic books, prize-winning books by authors including Mark Twain, Anne Frank, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, J. D. Salinger, Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, and other authors, living and dead, including young writers whose names are not yet household words – but who may well reach that status someday. The ASJA continues to be active on this issue, including our participation in the planning for and participation in the annual Banned Books Week in late September/early October www.bannedbooksweek.org.
We still hear of book banning cases on an irregular basis, maybe at a frequency of once a month or so when we are asked to sign on to a letter, a statement, or an amicus brief. However, since so many nationwide First Amendment issues have arisen in recent months, the First Amendment committee has decided that the committee needs to focus our energies on cases that can affect the entire country.
But we still want to remain true to our original goal of fighting the suppression of books. So here’s our call for volunteers to respond to cases of book banning: To make your voice heard on this issue, please contact Sally Olds, chair of the First Amendment committee, wendkosolds@alumni.upenn.edu or 212-600-0623, and we can talk about what would be involved and how you can help.
By Jennifer Goforth Gregory
As an added bonus to ASJA members, we are having a mini-VCC the week of April 4th with Lilly (O'Donnell) Dancyger, Deputy Editor of Narratively and Jennifer Carofano, Managing Editor of Nailpro. Check out the Virtual Client Connections webpage for detailed information about the publications and what each editor is looking for.
We know that VCC is a very important event to members that has resulted in many assignments over the past 18 months. However, it is very time consuming for both staff and volunteers and expensive to use the lottery matching software. In an effort to continue to offer VCC multiple times a year, the VCC committee is holding an April Mini-VCC to test out a first-come, first serve registration process. ASJA has successfully used first-come, first serve to fill cancellations during VCC as well as for SIGs and Virtual Pitch Slam. Based on how registration goes, we will then make a decision regarding registration for our next full VCC, which will be the week of June 5. Note that Client Connections at the New York Conference will still be a lottery and no changes are planned for this process.
The first-come, first-serve registration for the April mini-VCC will open on Tuesday, March 28 at 2 p.m. EDT and the link for the registration will be posted on the VCC website. You will be able to only register for one editor at this time and as soon as an editor’s appointments are filled, it will be removed from the registration form so you can sign up for your second choice editor instead. If there are any open spots with the other editor, you can sign up for additional appointments starting on Wednesday, March 29 at 2 p.m. EDT. Note that you cannot sign up for a specific time due to the increased volunteer effort this would require. However, if you are assigned to a time that you are unable to meet, we will do our best to find another member to switch with you.
If you are not available to register on March 28 at 2 p.m. EDT, ask a friend or family member to sign up for you. Since the registration is through Google Forms, you do not need your ASJA password to register, just your name, email, phone number, Skype ID and bio. To save time during the registration process, we are recommending you write your bio ahead of time. If you have any questions or concerns, please email JenniferGregory@nc.rr.com.
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The newest, busiest topics in our members-only online forums
CONTRACT SAVVY PAYS OFF
A member explains how the education ASJA has given her about contracts paid off in a successful negotiation with a new client. Her first priority: killing the dreaded indemnification clause. (Join the conversation)
WHITHER MEDIA BISTRO?
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Mark Obbie, Forum Chair
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ASJA members debate the quality of Media Bistro’s resources and whether they have maintained their value over the years. (Join the conversation)
BOOK PROMO/WRITING BALANCE
When it’s time to hit the road to promote a new book, how does a writer shift gears from the solitary work of writing to the extroverted tasks of public relations? (Join the conversation)
ANNUAL CONFERENCE PLANS
Looking to share a room? A get-to-know-you drink? Tips on how to make the most of networking at the ASJA Annual Conference? In the weeks leading up to the conference, check the forums (starting with the conference’s own forum) for connections.
JOBS, JOBS, JOBS: New posts seeking writers or editors on health care IT, investigative reporting, and many more. When you see freelance work opportunities, please share them in this forum — it’s a group effort.
Log in daily to see the latest discussions and check out tips on making the most of the forums. Remember, you must log in to the forums in addition to logging in to the members-only side of the ASJA website.
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The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) does not endorse any company, product, or service sold by any corporation, institution or member supporting our organization. Corporate partnerships, advertisers and sponsors are not an endorsement of a product or service and may not be represented as such, in any way. The use of the ASJA name and/or logo, or representation of such, without the written consent of ASJA, is strictly prohibited.
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