Magazine Writers' Craft Fair

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 — MABC

On Saturday, June 26, 2010 at: 10:00am

End: 06/26/2010 - 3:30pm

Saturday, June 26, 2010
10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
SFU Harbour Centre, 515 Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC

Room 7000, Earl & Jennie Lohn Policy Room

Sponsored by

The Magazine Writers’ Craft Fair is the essential professional development event for emerging and aspiring writers who are interested in crafting their careers in magazine writing. Industry professionals share their knowledge in an intimate and interactive forum.

Cost for full day: $50/$40 for students and BCAMP members. Lunch is included.

WIN A "PITCH & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT" PRIZE PACK

All attendees will be entered in a draw to win:

A 30-minute one-on-one pitch/feedback session with Anicka Quin, executive editor of Western Living magazine (date and time to be mutually agreed upon)
PLUS $200 in BCAMP professional development dollars (can be used to attend any future BCAMP professional development event, including Camp BCAMP and Magazines West)

You must be present at the time of the draw (3:15 p.m.) to be eligible to win.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW

Session 1

BUILD YOUR BRAND
10:00–10:50 a.m.

As a freelancer in today's competitive world, you need to have something that sets you apart from other equally skilled writers in the minds of editors. Frances Bula talks about two elements of her work that help build her brand. One is becoming an expert in a niche area— something that media outlets are increasingly anxious to have in times of reduced resources. The other is amplifying that brand and expertise through a blog—a tool that allows writers access to advantages that used to be restricted to big newsrooms.

Frances Bula is a journalist specializing in urban issues and city politics in the Vancouver region. She covers a broad range of issues, from drug policy to land development to the 2010 Olympics. Bula has a regular column in Vancouver magazine, "Urban Fix," and makes frequent contributions to the Globe & Mail. She has also recently written for BCBusiness, Canadian Architect and The National in Abu Dhabi, and does political commentary for CKNW and CBC radio.

Session 2
GETTING INTO THE MARKET—AND SURVIVING
11:00–11:50 a.m.

So you’re ready to hang your freelancer shingle. Feeling anxious? Let magazine writer Daniel Wood guide you through the process of entering—and staying in—the job market:

Knowing what types of work and markets are available
Turning ideas into stories
Pitching, finding a focus, researching and interviewing, and structuring articles
Making money, travelling the world and other elusive pleasures of freelance life

Vancouver’s Daniel Wood is one of Canada’s best-known magazine writers, and winner of more than 30 national or regional writing awards. He’s also the author of 15 books. His stories often deal with conflicts around social justice, cultural change, environmental abuse and the outsider’s role in a doctrinaire world. He has taught writing at Simon Fraser University for 20 years, and is one of the founders of both the Western Magazine Awards and the Federation of BC Writers. In recognition of his work, the Western Magazine Awards gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award, the only freelance writer so honoured.

NETWORKING LUNCH

12:00–1:00 p.m.

Lunch is included with your registration fee. Don't forget your business cards!

Session 3

THE HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BLOGGERS

1:00–1:50 p.m.

Everybody and their dogs have blogs these days—how do you take yours to the next level? From community engagement strategies to social marketing tools and content monetization, our blogging gurus have got you covered.

Speakers

Although she coded her first website in 1997, Rebecca Bollwitt has been blogging about life in BC since 2004 on Miss604.com, and she has been podcasting since 2005. Listed among Vancouver’s most visible on the web, Miss604.com was voted "Best Local Blog" by the Georgia Straight for 2009, "Best Local Blog" by The Westender in 2010 and has been ranked within the top ten blogs in Canada. Rebecca co-founded sixty4media, a WordPress website development firm, and has co-authored the book, Blogging to Drive Business. (Photo: kris krüg)

Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time freelance writer and blogger on Bowen; her work has appeared in magazines such as Reader’s Digest, Woman’s Day, Writer’s Digest, Health, and More. Pawlik-Kienlen is The Adventurous Writer who created and maintains the “Quips and Tips” series of blogs, including Quips and Tips for Successful Writers. She is also the Psychology Feature Writer at Suite101.com.

Moderator

Lisa Manfield has worked in print and online publishing for 13 years as managing editor at Orato.com, marketing manager at TheTyee.ca, contributing editor for Backbone Magazine, business & finance editor at Suite101.com, associate editor at CGA Magazine and editor at Realm Magazine. She is an instructor with SFU's Writing and Publishing Program and Summer Workshops. Manield was formerly a member of the editorial collective of Room magazine and BCAMP vice-president.

Session 4

WHAT EDITORS WANT

2:00–3:15 p.m.

Our panel of editors—representing consumer, literary and online magazines—discuss their expectations of writers, how they like to be pitched and what writers can do to keep them coming back for more. Bring your questions!

Moderator
John Burns is executive editor of Vancouver magazine. Previously, he was managing editor and senior content producer of The Georgia Straight. He has worked as an editor, reporter, freelance reviewer and broadcaster, and is the author of two books. He teaches classes in writing for magazines at Capilano and Kwantlen universities.

Panelists

Ian Cockfield is the managing editor of EVENT, a celebrated literary journal. He also runs EVENT's Reading Service for Writers, is a past fiction editor of PRISM international and has a MFA in creative writing from UBC. His fiction, non-fiction and poetry have appeared in various Canadian journals and anthologies. He served as president of the BC Association of Magazine Publishers from 2005 to 2007 and has edited for UBC Press, Anvil Press, the Vancouver School Board, Douglas College and the UBC Creative Writing Department.

Matt O’Grady is editor of BCBusiness magazine, the province’s most-read business publication. Prior to joining BCBusiness in 2008, Matt was a freelance writer as well as the associate editor at Vancouver magazine and assistant editor at Western Living. He also interned at Harper’s magazine in the fall of 2000. Matt was director and treasurer of BCAMP between 2004 and 2007.

Anicka Quin is the executive editor at Western Living magazine, where she’s worked for eight years. Previously, she was managing editor at the environmental magazine Alternatives Journal, and editor-in-chief of id magazine, a Southwestern Ontario alternative weekly. She relocated to Vancouver in 2001, where she completed her Master of Publishing at Simon Fraser University. She is past president of the BC Association of Magazine Publishers, a director of the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, and a member of the professional development committees for both Magazines Canada and BCAMP.

Alexandra Samur is the managing editor of the online news magazine rabble.ca. Alex's career in independent media spans seven years and includes stints at Ricepaper, Adbusters and Capital magazines. Her work has also appeared on Granville online, BC Living, The Tyee, Torontoist.com, New York Magazine and CBC Radio.

WRAP-UP & PRIZE DRAW

3:15–3:30 p.m.

All attendees will be entered in a draw to win a "Pitch & Professional Development" prize pack consisting of:

A 30-minute one-on-one pitch/feedback session with Anicka Quin, executive editor of Western Living magazine (date and time to be mutually agreed upon)
PLUS $200 in BCAMP professional development dollars (can be used to attend any future BCAMP professional development event, including Camp BCAMP and Magazines West)

You must be present at the time of the draw (3:15 p.m.) to be eligible to win.