The regular registration rate for AASFE’s national conference(Oct. 6-9) at the Poynter Institute has been extended. The conference schedule is posted below.

Members: $ 300

Non Members $450

Register online now!

Day passes:

For those who can’t make the entire conference, AASFE is offering day passes for a maximum of two days.

$100 for Thursday

$100 for Friday

$50 for Saturday

Event prices (for guests who are not AASFE members):

$50 for Wednesday’s opening reception

$50 for Thursday’s reception for Tom French and the Silent Auction

$30 for Thursday’s writing awards luncheon

$30 for Friday’s Hall of Fame luncheon

Conference Schedule :

Wednesday, Oct. 6

2 p.m. — 5 p.m.: AASFE board meeting. Room 131

6 p.m. — 8 p.m.: Opening reception (sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times): Great Hall

Thursday, Oct. 7

8 a.m. — 8:30 a.m.: Welcome and introductions. Barnes

8:30 — 9:45 a.m.: Jill Geisler on leadership and motivation. Barnes

10 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.: Show and Steal Part I. Barnes

Noon — 1:45 p.m.: AASFE Writing Awards luncheon (sponsored by The Dallas Morning News): Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg Times gives the keynote speech. Great Hall

2 p.m. — 3:30 p.m.: Al Tompkins on cool multimedia tools. Barnes

3:45 p.m. — 5:15 p.m.: Social media panel: Moderator: Ann Maloney, New Orleans Times-Picayune. Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times web producer; Gerry Galipault, Sarasota entertainment editor; Jeff Houck, Tampa Tribune, social media editor. Barnes

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Reception for Tom French of Indiana University and The Poynter Institute. (Sponsored by The Poynter Institute.) Great Hall.

6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.: Silent auction, with Roy Peter Clark on piano. Great Hall

Evening free

Friday, Oct. 8

8:15 a.m. — 9:45 a.m.: Choose between two Poynter breakout sessions.

Breakout A: Ellyn Angelotti on social media strategies. Room 105

Breakout B: Kenny Irby on multimedia storytelling. Amphitheater

10 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.: Show and Steal Part II. Barnes

Noon — 1:45 p.m.: AASFE Hall of Fame luncheon. Hank Stuever of the Washington Post gives the keynote speech. Great Hall

2 — 3:30 p.m.: Choose between two Poynter breakout sessions.

Breakout A: Ellyn Angelotti on social media strategies. Room 105

Breakout B: Kenny Irby on multimedia storytelling. Amphitheater

3:45 — 5 p.m.: Kelly McBride on online ethics. Barnes

5:15 p.m. — 6:15 p.m.: AASFE Best Sections presentation. Barnes

Evening free

Saturday, Oct. 9

9 a.m. — 10:30 a.m. A&E section redesigns discussion. Facilitated by Ann Maloney and Alec Harvey. Barnes

10:45 — noon: Roy Peter Clark on The Glamour of Grammar. Barnes

12:15 p.m. — 1 p.m.: AASFE board meeting. Room 131

Hotel Information:

We’ll be staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown St.Petersburg, right in the middle of the city’s nightlife and a short walk from the Pier and waterfront. The rate is a very reasonable $94 (plus tax) per night.

Call 727-892-9900 to reserve your room, or click on this reservation link: http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/PIEHSHX-P25-20101003/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

AASFE is proud to announce the winners of its 21st annual Excellence in Feature Writing Contest which featured both print and online categories. The winners will honored on Friday, October 8, 2010 during AASFE’s national conference at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg Florida (Oct. 6-9).

We invite winners and representatives from winning news organizations to attend the conference, Oct. 6-9. The early bird registration for the conference has been extended to July 30.

Winners:

Division One (under 90,000 circulation)

General Feature

1^st place: Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star

2^nd place: Amy Hotz, Wilmington Star News

3^rd place: Paul Grondahl, Albany Times Union

Honorable Mentions:

Lorraine Ahearn, (Greensboro, North Carolina) News & Record

Joe Duggan, Lincoln Journal Star

Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star

Short Feature

1^st place: Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star

2^nd place: Allyson Bird, Charleston Post and Courier

3^rd place: Kyle Kennedy, The (Lakeland) Ledger

Honorable Mentions:

Cindy Lange-Kubick, Lincoln Journal Star

Ray Routhier, (Portland, Maine) Press Herald

Tom Keyser, Albany Times Union

General Commentary

1^st place: Alicia Blaisdell-Bannon, Cape Cod Times

2^nd place: Isaac Bailey, The Sun News

3^rd place: Cindy Lange-Kubick, Lincoln Journal Star

Honorable Mention:

Tracey O’ Shaughnessy, Republican-American

Feature Specialty Reporting

1^st place: Cary McMullen, The (Lakeland) Ledger

2^nd place: Jennifer Gish, Albany Times Union

3^rd place Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star

Honorable Mention:

Charles Runnells, Fort Myers News-Press

A&E Feature

1^st place: Colleen Kenney, Lincoln Journal Star

2^nd place: Carrie MacMillan, Republican-American

3^rd place:    Brynn Mandel, Republican-American

Honorable Mentions:

Jeff Korbelik, Lincoln Journal Star

Brian Mackey, The (Springfield) State Journal-Register

Brett Johnson, Ventura County Star

Online Categories:

Blogging

1^st place: Kristi Gustafson, Albany Times Union

2^nd place: Lindsey Nair, The Roanoke Times

3^rd place: Andrea Martin, Carla Seward, Margaret Wimmer, Robert Lopez and Faun Finley (Greensboro, South Carolina) News & Record

Multi Media Storytelling

1^st place: Under 21, The Roanoke Times

A look at the drinking culture on college campuses and the efforts to spur discussions to lower the drinking age.

http://www.roanoke.com/multimedia/under21/main/index.html

2^nd place: The Mountains of Roanoke Valley, The Roanoke Times

An interactive graphic exploring the mountains in the Roanoke Valley

http://www.roanoke.com/multimedia/mountains_interactive

3^rd place: Hunger, The Fort Myers News-Press

An initiative to highlight the hunger crisis in Southwest Florida

http://news-press.com/hunger

Honorable Mentions:

True Grit, Lincoln Journal Star

Woman moves home to be near brother hero, Lincoln Journal Star

Story, video on a woman who is caring for her brother, who has ALS

http://www.journalstar.com/news/local/article_8af124b2-a4aa-11de-a249-001cc4c002e0.html

Why not DIY? Albany Times Union

http://timesunion.com/life

A video series exploring how to do it yourself in various contexts from cake decorating to dog washing.

Social Media Enterprise

1^st place: Jeff’s Top 5, Lincoln Journal Star

Jeff Korbelik’s year-long effort to find the best places to eat and his favorite dishes and beverages, with a forum and other interactive features.

http://moourl.com/ga5ou

2nd place: Tournament of Carols, Albany Times Union

An interactive “bracketology” of favorite holiday tunes

http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/tournament-of-carols/

Division 2 (90,001-199,999 circulation)

General Feature:

1^st place: Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman

2^nd place: Mark Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and  Matt Ehlers, The (Raleigh) News and Observer (tie)

Honorable Mentions:

Donna Keohn, The Tampa Tribune

Jessica Bliss, The Tennessean

Short Feature:

1^st place: Hart Seely, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard

2^nd place: Greg Borowski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

3^rd place: Lorraine Eaton, The Virginian-Pilot

General Commentary:

1^st place: Leslie Linthicum, The Albuquerque Journal

2^nd place: Mike Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel

3^rd place: Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Honorable Mention:

Michael Sragow, The Baltimore Sun

Feature Specialty Reporting:

1^st place: Kristin Davis, The Virginian-Pilot

2^nd place: Kevin Robbins, Austin American-Statesman

3^rd place: Rene A. Guzman, San Antonio News-Express

A&E Feature:

1^st place: Peter Cooper, The Tennessean

2^nd place: Doug MacCash, The Times Picayune

3^rd place: Mary Carole McCauley, The Baltimore Sun

Honorable Mentions:

John Przybys, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Sandra Sperounes, Edmonton Journal

Online Categories:

Blogging:

1^st place: Alison Sherwood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2^nd place: Renee Studebaker, Austin American-Statesman

3^rd place: Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Multi Media Storytelling

1^st place: Gambling Addiction, Las Vegas Sun Staff

A look at the high toll of gambling addiction in Las Vegas

http://www.lasvegassun.com/gambling-addiction/

2^nd place: Sculpture Park, Michael Morain, The Des Moines Register

Online exploration of new sculpture park, with map, photos and video

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/pappajohn-sculpture-park

3^rd place: Changed in a Moment, Elizabeth Simpson, Stephen M. Katz, Mirand Mulligan, The Virginian-Pilot

People with brain injuries tell their stories.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/changed-moment-inside-lives-those-living-brain-injury

Honorable Mentions:

The Great Race, William Loeffler, Justin LaBar, Steve Adams, Steve Segal, Christine Zirngibl, Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Coverage of popular running event

Moon landing, Karl Merton Ferron, The Baltimore Sun

Commemoration of 40^th anniversary of the moon landing

Multimedium, Mary Ann Roser, Ralph Barrera, Jenni Jones, Austin American- Statesman

How a little girl’s skull was reshaped – the story behind the story

http://photoblog.statesman.com/multimedium

Fort Hood, Jay Janner, Rodolfo Gonzales, Ricardo Brazziel, Jenni Jones, Austin American-Statesman

Social Media Enterprise

1^st place: Addie Broyles, Austin American Statesman

http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/food2/index.html

2^nd place:  Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/artcity.html

3^rd place The Tennessean

mobileroo.com

Division 3 (more than 200,000 circulation)

General Feature

1^st place: Laura Blumenfeld, The Washington Post

2^nd place: Jaimee Rose, The Arizona Republic

3^rd place:  Shari Roan, The Los Angeles Times

Honorable Mentions:

Todd C. Frankel, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Scott Farwell, Dallas Morning News

Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press

Short Feature

1^st place: Michael Kruse, St. Petersburg Times

2^nd place: Lee Hill Kavanaugh, Kansas City Star

3^rd place: John Barry, St. Petersburg Times

Honorable Mention:

Lini S. Kadaba, The Philadelphia Inquirer

General Commentary

1^st place: Philip Kennicott, The Washington Post

2^nd place: Linda Winer, Newsday

3^rd place: Elizabeth Wellington, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Honorable Mention:

Carrie Sturrock, The Oregonian

Feature Specialty Reporting

1^st place: Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times

2^nd place: Robin Givhan, The Washington Post

3^rd place: Samantha Critchell, The Associated Press

Honorable Mention:

Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle

A&E Feature

1^st place: John Barry, St. Petersburg Times

2^nd place: Neely Tucker, The Washington Post

3^rd place: Cindy Hoedel, Kansas City Star

Honorable Mentions:

Tony Brown, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Jeff Klinkenberg, St. Petersburg Times

Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press

Online Categories:

Blogging:

1^st place: Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

2^nd place: Gabriel Campanario, Seattle Times

3^rd place: Liz Kelly, The Washington Post

Honorable Mentions:

Steve Spears, St. Petersburg Times

Eric Deggans, St. Petersburg Times

Multi Media Storytelling

1^st place: For Their Own Good, TampaBay.com

Stories of abuse at a boys’ home decades later

http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/marianna/

2nd place: Motown, Freep.com (Detroit Free Press)

50 years, 50 videos from Motown

http://www.freep.com/section/special0302

3^rd place: Scene In, The Washington Post

Fashion and style in D.C.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/artsandliving/scene-in/

Honorable Mention:

Choosing Thomas, Dallas Morning News

A couple finds out their unborn son has a genetic disorder.

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2009/thomas/

Social Media Enterprise

1^st place: Mom2Mom, Kady McMaster, Kansas City Star

Mom’s site

http://www.mom2momkc.com/

2^nd place: Houston Chronicle

Nightlife site

http://www.29-95.com/

Registration deadlines:

July 10 (early bird) and Aug. 30 (regular)

Members: $275 early bird (by July 10)
$300 regular (by August 30)
$325 late (after August 30)

Non members: $450 early bird (by July 10)
$475 regular (by August 30)
$500  (after August 30)

Register online now!

Conference Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 6

2 p.m. — 5 p.m.: AASFE board meeting. Room 131

6 p.m. — 8 p.m.: Opening reception (sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times): Great Hall

Thursday, Oct. 7

8 a.m. — 8:30 a.m.: Welcome and introductions. Barnes

8:30 — 9:45 a.m.: Jill Geisler on leadership and motivation. Barnes

10 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.: Show and Steal Part I. Barnes

Noon — 1:45 p.m.: AASFE Writing Awards luncheon (sponsored by The Dallas Morning News): Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg Times gives the keynote speech. Great Hall

2 p.m. — 3:30 p.m.: Al Tompkins on cool multimedia tools. Barnes

3:45 p.m. — 5:15 p.m.: Social media panel: Moderator: Ann Maloney, New Orleans Times-Picayune. Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times web producer; Gerry Galipault, Sarasota entertainment editor; Jeff Houck, Tampa Tribune, social media editor. Barnes

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Reception for Tom French of Indiana University and The Poynter Institute. (Sponsored by The Poynter Institute.) Great Hall.

6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.: Silent auction, with Roy Peter Clark on piano. Great Hall

Evening free

Friday, Oct. 8

8:15 a.m. — 9:45 a.m.: Choose between two Poynter breakout sessions.

Breakout A: Ellyn Angelotti on social media strategies. Room 105

Breakout B: Kenny Irby on multimedia storytelling. Amphitheater

10 a.m. — 11:45 a.m.: Show and Steal Part II. Barnes

Noon — 1:45 p.m.: AASFE Hall of Fame luncheon. Hank Stuever of the Washington Post gives the keynote speech. Great Hall

2 — 3:30 p.m.: Choose between two Poynter breakout sessions.

Breakout A: Ellyn Angelotti on social media strategies. Room 105

Breakout B: Kenny Irby on multimedia storytelling. Amphitheater

3:45 — 5 p.m.: Kelly McBride on online ethics. Barnes

5:15 p.m. — 6:15 p.m.: AASFE Best Sections presentation. Barnes

Evening free

Saturday, Oct. 9

9 a.m. — 10:30 a.m. A&E section redesigns discussion. Facilitated by Ann Maloney and Alec Harvey. Barnes

10:45 — noon: Roy Peter Clark on The Glamour of Grammar. Barnes

12:15 p.m. — 1 p.m.: AASFE board meeting. Room 131

Hotel Information:

We’ll be staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown St.Petersburg, right in the middle of the city’s nightlife and a short walk from the Pier and waterfront. The rate is a very reasonable $94 (plus tax) per night.

Call 727-892-9900 to reserve your room, or click on this reservation link: http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/PIEHSHX-P25-20101003/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

Kalyani.Chadha Uncategorized

AASFE is delighted to announce the Top 15 Winners of its 2010 Best Sections Contest.

The winners will honored on Friday, October 8, 2010 during AASFE’s national conference at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg Florida (Oct. 6-9).  We invite representatives from winning news organizations to attend the conference, Oct. 6-9. Register by July 20 and take advantage of the early bird deadline !

Division 1 (Up to 90,000 circulation)

The Maine Sunday Telegram

Judges Comments:

This paper is impressively local – a strong sense of place throughout. Lots of stories off the weather news. They’re great at finding stories that are uniquely Portland. They wisely use reader interaction to their advantage. The apple and public art packages were especially eye-catching and informative.

The (Springdale, Arkansas) Morning News

Judges Comments:

The first thing you notice is the clean, clever design. The sections are packed with local content and faces – this is a paper that really embraces all kinds of community coverage. The paper’s arts coverage is particularly fresh and vibrant. ‘Morning News’ readers should have an easy time deciding how to use their free time.

The (Appleton, Wisconsin) Post-Crescent

Judges Comments:

The Post-Crescent scored high in all three major areas: Content, Service and Presentation. Each lead package had inviting elements that added to the wow factor as well as the serviceability of the piece. The design is crisp, inviting. The mix is also impressive, from off-the-news reported pieces to a full-page pop culture charticle that looks as if it were as fun to put together as it was to read.

The (Wilmington, North Carolina) Star News

Judges Comments:

The Star News is adept at local angles and coverage. It’s easy to navigate and easy to follow. There’s some great writing in their pages, which is especially impressive considering the number of repeat bylines. You get a real feel for what life is like in Wilmington – it’s just very reflective of its readers and has a strong sense of place.

Albany Times Union

Judges Comments:

Each section is packed with surprises, wit and humor, from the story on the aging porn star (complete with quotes and school photos of former classmates) to a well-reported story on male birth control. The writing is sharp, informative, authoritative, and the sections are full of local content. Good mix of quick hits and more informed pieces.

Division 2 (90,001-199,999 circulation)

Austin American Statesman

Judges Comments:

The Austin American Statesman is easy to navigate, uses lots of local writers and has interesting and unexpected story choices. The headlines are grabby, too, with the judging panel’s favorite being “Larry Hagman is a God.” (Who wouldn’t want to read that story?) The writing is above-average, the stories are timely and the sections are full of reader service. Another plus: The section consistently and clearly uses the 360 label to point people to its website.

Baltimore Sun

Judges Comments:

The Baltimore Sun’s sections were very local, well designed and filled with stories driven by solid reporting and reader service. The writing was above-average – we especially loved the 100 Things Every Foodie Should Do in Baltimore piece – and the sections were easy to navigate. The Sun effectively uses other Tribune critics to fill out its coverage. The sections also smartly pointed readers to more coverage on the Web.

Charlotte Observer

Judges Comments:

This is a section that knows how to have fun. The judges were almost (almost!) duped into believing the Observer’s very fun but fake April Fool’s Day front. The “Spabecue” photos were fantastic! The section consistently offers reader service and it’s obvious the writers really know the area. The Who in the World is Delmar article was surprisingly fun and very well done, and the judges also appreciated the timely and different take on 5 New Things on Your Plate.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Judges Comments:

The Star-Telegram offers readers a good mix of stories that are timely and local. We loved the reader engagement with the Winter Blunderland piece; the reader contributions were thoughtfully chosen and the illustrations and headline really furthered the concept. We also like the scavenger hunt put together in the West Meets East package. Overall, the section had great design, lots of staff bylines and really captured the flavor of the area.

Raleigh News & Observer

Judges Comments

This is an easy-to-read section with strong content. The design is simple and clean, making for a section that readers can navigate easily. The one-word section toppers such as “Go” and “Fun” provide good reader service. The “Triangle Top 50” piece was fun and informative and showed real insider knowledge of the area. Little details – such as the color swatches on “Wearing of the Green” — provided a great way for readers to connect with stories.

Division 3 (more than 200,000 circulation)

Chicago Tribune

Judges Comments

The Tribune’s staff has defined its mission – to guide readers on everything to do in Chicagoland – clearly and distinctly. Its design facilitates utility with great labeling, placement and tone. The Sunday magazine is no longer printed on slick paper, but the tabloid still held its own with a good mix of big and small stories – a long piece on chef Rick Bayless didn’t overwhelm the 32-page section. We liked the Play charticle offering new options for classic liquors and the On the Town package debating whether concert-goers should stand up or sit down during shows is a classic Tribune talker. While the section titles were a bit confusing and the design a tad frenetic, we thought the labeling played a big role in showing online offerings and giving importance to inside features.

The Dallas Morning News

Judges Comments

It is obvious that The Dallas Morning News features sections hold some sway in the town. The stories on the front and inside come from a place of authority—a breadth of commentary, criticism and analysis devoted to arts, books and entertainment. The Oct.11 package on the opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center offered readers many layers—literally if you count the double truck graphic showing the center’s unique architecture. The staff’s heavy commitment to other parts of the Dallas cultural scene is also apparent. The outstanding piece in this entry is F/D Luxe, the monthly niche publication. It knows its audience well, incorporating good shopping tips with features on grand homes and people. This is definitely aspirational. The design is clean but still contains many elements that help with reader navigation.

The Los Angeles Times

Judges Comments

The L.A. Times features staff shows us how to go big or go home. These sections are all about making bold statements. The decade in review section was exhaustively good, with layers of voices both big and small. Its post-Oscar section felt like it took three days to build – but we knew it was done in a matter of hours. Another special look at the future of fashion reaffirmed the Times authority on lifestyle subjects. We especially liked the food piece guiding readers on a tasty treat along a new public transit line.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer

Judges Comments

The Plain Dealer has the right blend of local and national stories smartly packaged without making the reader feel too light-headed. It sweats the details – the Aug. 7 Friday is a keeper for the staff’s ratings on tacos in the city. The staff gets the sense of place right – with local content scattered throughout, it feels like you know Cleveland. Its fashion coverage is upscale, but not exceedingly so. The Download page has the right mix of online promos, tips and profiles. Readers get a lot for their money from these sections.

The Washington Post

Judges Comments

The Washington Post’s best asset is its ability to key most of the stories and presentation into the news of the day. These sections are an invaluable part of any Post reader’s daily life. Some examples: A look into the White House “crashers” financial woes, the ever Reliable Source and off-lead stories on the demise of Gourmet magazine and David Letterman’s pain after an extortion attempt. It’s deep with utility, too. A great package on Filipino cooking offers extensive instructions on where to buy special wrappers for lumpia. The museum special section (Oct. 4) employs striking design to accompany a strong profile on the architect of the African American museum.

Dear AASFE Member,

We are excited to invite you to AASFE’s national conference! This year, we’ll gather at The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. Please save these dates: Oct. 6-9, 2010!

Whether you’re an editor looking for leadership ideas, a senior reporter looking for storytelling tools, or a forward-looking journalist searching for multimedia training, AASFE and Poynter will have the programming for you.

Topics we’ll cover include:

Leadership and motivation
Multimedia storytelling
Online and multimedia ethics
Social media
Narrative writing

We’ll also have the classics from AASFE’s conferences, including Show & Steal and presentations of our Best Feature Writing, Section and Online contest winners.

Poynter faculty who will present include:

Jill Geisler, Leadership & Management Group Leader

Al Tompkins, Broadcast & Online Group Leader

Ellyn Angelotti, Interactivity Editor

Kelly McBride, Ethics Group Leader

Visiting faculty:
Lane DeGregory , Reporter, St. Petersburg Times

Registration deadlines:

July 10 (early bird) and Aug. 30 (regular)

Members: $275 early bird (by July 10)
$300 regular (by August 30)
$325 late (after August 30)

Non members: $450 early bird (by July 10)
$475 regular (by August 30)
$500  (after August 30)

Register online now!

Hotel Information:

We’ll be staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown St.Petersburg, right in the middle of the city’s nightlife and a short walk from the Pier and waterfront. The rate is a very reasonable $94 (plus tax) per night.

Call 727-892-9900 to reserve your room, or click on this reservation link: http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/groups/personalized/PIEHSHX-P25-20101003/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

George Getschow, writer in residence of the nationally renowned Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, is inviting nonfiction writers and anyone interested in the narrative craft to the 6th annual conference, July 23-25 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas, five minutes from the DFW Airport.

The 2010 conference will explore a variety of storytelling genres: screenwriters, memoirists, bloggers, musicians, foreign correspondents and photographers. Our speakers include some of America’s top narrative practitioners: Mary Karr, author of two New York Times bestselling memoirs; Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down; Bryan Burrough, author of Public Enemies and Barbarians at the Gate; David Grann, author of The Lost City of Z; Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder and Hellhound on his Trail; Gary Smith, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, who Slate calls “the best magazine writer in America.”

Conference fees are $295 for the general public. Educator fees are $270. Student fees are $225. The fees include fine dining. Conference seating is limited.

To register, visit the conference site: <http://www.themayborn.unt.edu/>

For more information, contact George Getschow at getschow@unt.edu <mailto:getschow@unt.edu>  or by phone: 972-746-1633, or Project Coordinator Jo Ann Ballantine, joann.ballantine@unt.edu,  940-565-4778, cell 940-368-1998.

This note from my esteemed colleague, Kathy Blackwell at the Austin Statesman-American:

Because some of the new categories had people scrambling at the last minute, we’re happy to announce that we’ve extended the AASFE Writing Contest deadline to next Wednesday, April 7. The goal of this year’s changes was to make the contest easier to enter than ever –  fewer copies are needed, some of the categories are broader to be more inclusive, the best section dates are a lot more lenient, etc. — but whenever there’s change, there’s confusion. Thanks so much for all of your questions and your patience. 

 Quick note: You CAN pay by credit card. If you’re paying by check but it hasn’t been cut yet, just make a note with your entry and send the check when it’s ready.

2010 Diversity Fellowship

When: Oct. 6-9, 2010, Poynter Institute, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Sponsor: American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors

Who is this for: Journalists of color who produce arts and features content for news organizations or those interested in pursuing careers in arts and features.

Application deadline: June 1, 2010

The American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors is committed to developing newsroom staffs representative of the multicultural communities its members serve. Toward this goal, AASFE is sponsoring a Diversity Fellowship Program for journalists of color in conjunction with its annual conference at the Poynter Institute. Programming will have heavy emphasis on convergence journalism, drawing from the expertise of Poynter’s internationally acclaimed staff, as well as other distinguished journalism professionals.

Diversity Fellows learn what’s happening in features departments nationwide while networking with outstanding journalists specializing in lifestyles coverage. Fellowships cover AASFE conference registration, airfare, hotel and most meals. Fellows are asked to contribute to the conference report by either tweeting or blogging about what they learn as sessions unfold.

How to apply

Application must contain all the following:

* Resume

* Single-page essay explaining what you love about your job and how you have distinguished yourself in arts/features coverage at your news organization.

* Photo of yourself for conference program and AASFE Web site.

* Letter of recommendation

Submit THREE SETS of work examples:

* For writers, three storytelling examples from print and-or online editions.

* For editors, three samples of sections or pages with comments on how stories were generated or edited.

* For copy editors, three headlines with stories attached, plus two stories with editing comments.

* For designers, three samples of single- or multi-page layouts.

* For journalists with online-only work, list Web links in your application letter. Include a short explanation of your role in site design and/or maintenance.

Applications are due June 1, 2010.

Winners will be announced July 1, 2010. Submit to AASFE Diversity Fellowships, c/o Chris Christen, Omaha World-Herald, 1314 Douglas St., Omaha NE 68102. Or e-mail applications with PDF attachments to chris.christen@owh.com. Questions: 402-444-1094

Related link: www.aasfe.org.

The American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors’ Excellence-in-Feature-Writing awards honor the craft of feature writing and the people who do it for a living at daily newspapers and for wire services. AASFE also presents a Best Feature Section competition, which honors regularly scheduled feature sections.

Read more…