Hear the Organizer’s Voice!

All TALKING! All THINKING! ALL HOUR LONG!

All TALKING! All THINKING! ALL HOUR LONG!

Tomorrow at 17:00 PDT (or 20:00 EDT, or barely into Wednesday at 00:00 GMT) you can hear the organizer of The Shebeen Club interviewed on Blog Talk Radio with Wayne Herlbert. In addition to the possibility he’ll mention an up-coming title or two for his publishing house, here’s what Mr. Herlbert is claiming will be discussed:

Independent book publisher and President of Atomic Fez Publishing, Ian Alexander Martin, shares his views on current and future trends in the publishing industry. Ian describes the challenges facing publishers in the current economy and with the rapid changes taking place in the publishing industry. Ian shares his thoughts on genre busting fiction, developing a niche market for specific titles, and how an author can get published in today’s highly competitive marketplace. Ian also offers some advice for successful online book marketing including some very unique and unexpected tactics for which Atomic Fez has become famous.

Frankly, it might be a bit of a stretch to say that “Atomic Fez Publishing has become famous”, but we’re hardly going to dissuade Mr. Herlbert at this point.

The interview is an hour long, so Ian will have to work at being briefer than normal. More than likely, about half-way through everyone will get far off the subject and start debating the various advantages of tea-making techniques. Also possible is comparing of the cinematic visions of Akira Kurosawa v. Francis Ford Coppola or Terry Gilliam v. Orson Welles.

It’s also entirely likely that they’ll talk about books. You never know.

  • STREAMING LIVE: Tuesday, May 31st at 5PM Pacific / 8PM Eastern / 00:00 GMT (Midnight at the start of Wednesday): CLICK HERE

UPDATED: and we’re done! For those of you who missed it, head TO THIS PAGE and click the little button on the player to start the 66 minute babble. Or, if you’re into that sort of thing and would rather download it and play it as a podcast, HERE’S A LINK FOR THAT.

Fucking Writers’ Conferences: how do they work?

This is our April topic. I can drop an F bomb in it because the speaker said it was okay, and that was because the speaker is me and I’m the one who puts the PRO in profanity, right? Damn straight.

This month we’re on the 4th Tuesday instead of the 3rd Monday, but oh well, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, eh? And we’ll be starting at 6pm instead of 7, and it’s all cash, $20 a head for the set meal. Everybody gets the earlybird price this month.

There’s been a bit of chaos around Shebeen Global HQ this month, but we’re finally organized. We’ll be in the Revel Room upstairs again, from 6-8 or so. This way you don’t have to grab a snack before the meeting!

I’ll be speaking about how to get the most from a writer’s conference, and having been on the board of a couple and an attendee and speaker at more than I can count without taking off my shoes, I have a lot to share. If you do too, we want to hear from you.

And don’t forget the Women&Words conference this coming Friday and Saturday. Guess who’ll be speaking there as well? [insert smiley of your choice, as I am far too bloody dignified to use them myself]

By the way, if you have a favorite conference, please do drop a link to them in the comments. The more the merrier, and it’d be great to do one grand roundup post of all the conferences within reach of BC.

Job Posting of the Day: Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Image via Wikipedia

Pure genius. Found right here on WordPress.com via Gawker, and YES IT IS A REAL JOB POSTING. More proof, if proof were needed, that Florida is a universe unto itself.

We want to add some talent to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune investigative team. Every serious candidate should have a proven track record of conceiving, reporting and writing stellar investigative pieces that provoke change. However, our ideal candidate has also cursed out an editor, had spokespeople hang up on them in anger and threatened to resign at least once because some fool wanted to screw around with their perfect lede.

We do a mix of quick hit investigative work when events call for it and mini-projects that might run for a few days. But every year we like to put together a project way too ambitious for a paper our size because we dream that one day Walt Bogdanich will have to say: “I can’t believe the Sarasota Whatever-Tribune cost me my 20th Pulitzer.” As many of you already know, those kinds of projects can be hellish, soul-sucking, doubt-inducing affairs. But if you’re the type of sicko who likes holing up in a tiny, closed office with reporters of questionable hygiene to build databases from scratch by hand-entering thousands of pages of documents to take on powerful people and institutions that wish you were dead, all for the glorious reward of having readers pick up the paper and glance at your potential prize-winning epic as they flip their way to the Jumble… well, if that sounds like journalism Heaven, then you’re our kind of sicko.

For those unaware of Florida’s reputation, it’s arguably the best news state in the country and not just because of the great public records laws. We have all kinds of corruption, violence and scumbaggery. The 9/11 terrorists trained here. Bush read My Pet Goat here. Our elections are colossal clusterfucks. Our new governor once ran a health care company that got hit with a record fine because of rampant Medicare fraud. We have hurricanes, wildfires, tar balls, bedbugs, diseased citrus trees and an entire town overrun by giant roaches (only one of those things is made up). And we have Disney World and beaches, so bring the whole family.

Send questions, or a resume/cover letter/links to clips to my email address below. If you already have your dream job, please pass this along to someone whose skills you covet. Thanks.

Matthew Doig

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

1741 Main St.

Sarasota FL, 34236

(941) 361-4903

matthew.doig AT heraldtribune.com

I’m in!

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Communications Director Wanted

suessian megaphone

Here’s a juicy job opportunity in the world of do-goodery, a field which I know appeals to Shebeen Club members. Found it on Twitter.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Director, Communications
Organization: Small Change Fund http://smallchangefund.org/
Location: Toronto, Ontario or Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario

Small Change Fund empowers Canadians to make big change with small change. Athttp://smallchangefund.org/, we provide a place for people to discover, share, connect with, and support amazing grassroots projects in communities across the country.

Small Change Fund is a young and rapidly evolving organization searching for our first Director of Communications. As our Director of Communications you will have the chance to shape the future of an award-winning organization, and have an impact on all of the grassroots projects we support.

Your journalistic ability will enable you to draw out the stories behind the grassroots projects supported by Small Change Fund, and your skills in marketing will allow you to reach and engage sponsors and donors in supporting these important local efforts to enhance environmental sustainability and social justice.

Your aptitude for multi-tasking will allow you to transition between strategic and operational efforts in a fast-paced environment, while keeping an eye on detail. You excel in using social media for social good and your established network of media contacts support these efforts.

Your energy, enthusiasm and creativity lend well to Small Change Fund’s team, who believe that flexibility, an enterprising spirit, and positive outlook contribute to enabling us to consistently innovate in the area of grassroots giving.

The overarching goals of this position are to:
1. Build and reinforce Small Change Fund’s corporate identity/brand (visual, language) among target audiences
2. Engage target audiences in supporting the projects featured on smallchangefund.org
3. Build new and repeat traffic on smallchangefund.org, and work with staff team to ensure an innovative, unique and authentic experience for donors

Key Responsibilities include:
* Together with the Board Communications Committee, external advisors and staff, develop and execute a strategy using communications, marketing and public engagement standards and practices that reflect SCF’s mission and values.
* Develop a value proposition and key messages to communicate our core brand identity, and work closely with SCF team to ensure messaging is consistent with overall communications, marketing and public engagement objectives
* Provide strategy, content oversight, and creative management to SCF team, including working with consulting writers, designers, and programmers.
* In collaboration with the Program Team, write, create and assist in the dissemination of materials to attract high quality projects to smallchangefund.org
* Continually improve the presentation of projects on smallchangefund.org, including creating tools for donors to explore projects (i.e. video), and developing compelling language
* Working with the Program Team, create strategies and tools that encourage project leaders to tap into their networks, help them share their stories and report on their activities
* Focusing on pipeline and prospect development, and working across related areas, calendar, develop, and drive campaigns to targeted audiences to encourage engagement and philanthropy
* With support from the Program team, lead the creation of a donor centered experience that is creative and effective in maintaining existing and attracting new donors
* Manage media relations, research editorial opportunities and build relationships with key industry media.
* Leverage social networks to build affinities with potential partners, sponsors or issue positions
* Together with the President, Executive Director and Program team, lead the development of community or issue specific funds (e.g. indigenous people’s fund, climate change fund) that may be of particular interest to donors
* Monitor trends in social media tools and applications and appropriately apply that knowledge to increasing the use of social media at Small Change Fund
* Monitor social networks for potential threats or opportunities
* Measure the impact of social media on the overall marketing efforts
* Plan and administer budgets for communications/marketing for the organization
* Provide monthly reporting to executive team.

The successful candidate will have:
* A diploma or degree in communications, marketing, journalism or related area
* Minimum of five years of experience
* Demonstrated interest in the public sector

Interested candidates may send their resume and expression of interest, including links to online writing, blogs, articles, twitter feeds (in both attachment and copied into the body of an email) to info(at) smallchangefund.org* by March 15, 2011.

 

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New Opportunities at the Banff Centre

Got this from an email:

Writing With Style

Spring program dates: April 17 – 23, 2011
Application deadline: February 15, 2011
Writing genres offered: first chapter novel, poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction

Program director: Elizabeth Philips
Spring faculty: Wayne Grady, Audrey Thomas, Zsuzsi Gartner, Carolyn Smart

Whether you have attended many writing workshops or this is your first, Writing With Style will be an intense and transformative experience. Amidst a diverse community of writers, participants will encounter new ideas and gain confidence in their own style and voice, while shaping and editing their work-in-progress under the guidance of an experienced writer and editor.

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Literary Journalism

Off-site manuscript development: May 2 – June 24, 2011
On-site residency: July 4 – 30, 2011
Application deadline: March 15, 2011

Program chair: Ian Brown
Faculty editors: Katherine Ashenburg, Don Gillmor

Literary Journalism offers eight established writers of non-fiction an opportunity to develop a major essay, memoir, or feature piece. A month-long residency enables writers to work on their manuscript during individual consultations with faculty and during round-table discussions. Participants are able to advance their professional development through work with the program chair, experienced and exacting faculty editors, and through interaction with each other, invited guest speakers, and with artists from other fields. In addition to a $2000 commission fee, writers accepted to this program will receive an award to cover the program fee and travel expenses.

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Self-directed Writing Residency

These residencies offer the time, space, and facilities for creative thinking, editing, and manuscript development. Writers in all genres are invited to apply.

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Information on these and other Literary Arts programs

For more information please contact:

1-403-762-6180 or 1-800-565-9989
arts_info@banffcentre.ca

more to come, I’m sure.