ASBPE Dallas/Forth Worth

Dust Off Your Job-Hunting Skills With ASBPE on March 24

2009-03-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

As a member of the media or someone who works closely with them, it is hard to swallow this advice: Don't buy into the doom and gloom headlines; 2009 is fabulous!

But, plan on coming to the FREE March meeting of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and learn some ways to change the way you think and feel about yourself and your job circumstances.

ASBPE will host Janet White, author of Secrets of the Hidden Job Market: Change Your Thinking to Get the Job of Your Dreams, who will talk about “Anything You Want, You Got It: a primer on using the Law of Attraction.”

Janet believes that every experience in your life stems from your thoughts, so if you believe your opportunities are limited because the economy is crummy or any other reason, you're right, because of the Law of Attraction, you're always right. Come to the ASBPE event to help you determine what you're right about.

The beautiful part about this is when you don't allow conditions or other people's opinions to determine what you believe to be true about yourself, then you will be unaffected by conditions formed by other people's opinion.

That's why the best way to make yourself marketable when everyone else is talking about how bad things are is to change the way you think, because when you change your thinking, everything changes - what you say, what you do, how you act, and most importantly, you change the way other people respond to you.

When: Tuesday March 24, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Legacy Books, 7300 Dallas Parkway Suite A120 in Plano, 972-398-9888, www.legacybooksonline.com

What: Anything You Want, You Got It! A primer on using the “Law of Attraction” to help you make it through the job crisis for journalists and beyond.

Cost: FREE.

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

For more information on Janet White, visit her website at www.jobmarketsecrets.com.

Join ASBPE for Happy Hour on Dec. 16

2008-11-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

Deadlines and holiday stresses getting you down? Step away from the office and the responsibilities for a few hours and join us at the next DFW Chapter of the American Society of Business Publication Editors event. We're hosting a holiday happy hour networking and business card exchange with the Freelance Alliance.

What: Holiday Happy Hour networking and business card exchange

When: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Where:

Trinity Hall Irish Pub at Mockingbird Station
321 E. Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, Texas 75206

The restaurant is located at the Northeast quadrant of the intersection of Highway 75 (Central Expressway) and Mockingbird next to the Angelika Theater. It is not visible from the street, but is easy to find once you turn into the shopping/entertainment center. You can park in the parking garage underneath the restaurant and movie theater or at the DART station about two blocks to the east.
Map

Cost: No charge except the food and beverages you consume.

Special benefit: Join ASBPE at the meeting and get remainder of 2008 included in the price of your 2009 membership.

For more information:
Please contact ASBPE's Tonie Auer at tonieauer@gmail.com or the Freelance Alliance's Pat Pape at patpape@yahoo.com or Kelly Lane at kelly@klanepr.com.

Western Region Azbee Finalists Announced; July 16 Last Day to RSVP for Awards Banquet

2008-07-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

The names of the publications that are finalists in the Western Region competition of the Azbee Awards of Excellence have been published at www.asbpe.org. The categories in which they won and the names of the winning articles, editors, and designers will not be revealed until the awards banquet, which will be held in Kansas City on Wednesday, July 23, just before the National Editorial Conference begins.

If you plan to attend the banquet, you must RSVP by Wednesday, July 16. Details here.

Recognizing Local Achievements

2008-06-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Fort Worth-based Branch Smith Publishing, the employer of DFW Chapter past president Jyme Mariani, was honored at the American Business Media second annual Achievement Awards earlier this month. Industry achievements in circulation, human resources, media kits and custom media were awarded.

Branch-Smith Publishing won first place in the ABM Achievement Awards category for print media kits. The award is for the 2008 Garden Center Products & Supplies media kit.

Congrats!

May 14 Luncheon Cancelled

2008-05-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

We had an exciting speaker on tap and a great location, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel our May meeting.

We will try to bring back this dynamic speaker in the fall for the 2008-2009 kick-off event. In the meantime, have a great summer.

How to Build a Better You

2008-03-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

Professional speaker, radio personality, and author, Bryan Dodge will be the featured speaker at the May 14 meeting of the DFW Chapter of the ASBPE.

Dodge will deliver his inspirational message, “How to Build a Better You” in his high energy delivery style focusing on the key areas of personal development. This program is designed to inspire you to have consistent upward growth in your life and in your career. He will present the "E.A.T. Philosophy," which will enable you to have a positive outlook andteach you the importance of dealing with every problem on its time. Bryan will reveal the three main laws of leadership and conclude with the power of personal energy and where it comes from.

When: Wed. May 14, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878
What: How to Build a Better You.

Cost: $20 for members, $25 for non-members - cash preferred
RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

Update: This meeting has been cancelled. We will try to reschedule it in the fall for the 2008-2009 kick-off event. In the meantime, have a great summer.

Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference

2008-03-10T09:15:00.001-07:00

The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference is scheduled for July 18 to 20 at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center in Grapevine.

The event will result in awards totalling $12,000 in cash prizes for the top six article/essay submissions and a $3,000 cash prize and book contract with UNT Press for the winning manuscript submission.

Keynote speakers include: N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer Prize winning author; Bob Shachochis, National Book Award Winner; and Candice Millard, former staff writer for National Geographic. Other journalists and writers include: Ben Montgomery, St. Petersburg Times and founder of Gangrey.com; Andy Van De Voorde, executive associate editor of Village Voice Media; Wright Thompson, senior writer for ESPN.com; Tim Madigan, narrative writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Brian Sweany, articles editor Texas Monthly; Nick Heil, writer and editor for Outside magazine; Paul Meyer and Stella Chavez from The Dallas Morning News; John Burnette with NPR; and Ken Wells and Alexandra Wolfe with Portfolio magazine.

For complete conference details go to: http://TheMayborn.unt.edu.

Taking Your Webcasts to the Next Level

2008-03-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

From boosting readership and ad dollars to raising brand awareness, learn how B-to-B publications are gaining a competitive edge through webinars.

Want to know what it takes to successfully produce compelling — and profitable — webinars for your trade magazine? Join the American Society of Business Publication Editors during a webinar on Friday, March 21st, to get the inside scoop from top experts at Nielsen Business Media and InXpo.

You’ll Learn How to…

• pick a compelling topic and present it for maximum impact.

• involve print and on-line staff editors in content development and presentation of webinars.

• manage the “church-state” divide and address common ethical issues when conducting webinars.

• package and market online events for potential viewers and sponsors.

• leverage webinars for related editorial content, including virtual trade shows, podcasts and e-newsletters.

Meeting Details

When: Friday, March 21st, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST.

Where: Your computer. A web conference dial-in number and access code is required, and will be provided to registrants in a subsequent e-mail.

How to attend: To reserve your place, submit a completed reservation form by March 17th to b2beditor@gmail.com or 201-221-8655 (fax).

Questions may be directed to Steve Roll at 703-341-5926.

You may also RSVP online at http://www.asbpe.org/.

Charge: This webinar is $10.00 for all ASBPE members and $35.00 for non-members.

About the Presenters

KRISTIN BEAULIEU is the Vice President of Client Services at InXpo, a leading provider of virtual online communities and tradeshows. She works with leading publishers such as Nielsen, The Wall Street Journal, CMP, IDG, Ziff Davis Enterprise and others to strategize their event businesses. Kristin was formerly the Vice President of Digital Events for the Consumer Small Business Division of Ziff Davis Media. She managed two online event divisions for Ziff Davis: eSeminars and PCMagCast. eSeminars was launched in 2000 and grew steadily to become a highly profitable division of Ziff Davis with year-over-year exponential growth in revenue and events. In January 2006, PCMagCast was launched as the dedicated online event division of PCMagazine. PCMagCast received both Gold and Bronze 2006 Folio Fame Awards for “Best Online Events of the Year” for its “Security and Mobility Virtual Tradeshow” and the webcast, “Selecting and Setting up an HDTV Set”. Additionally eSeminars received the 2005 Folio Fame Gold Award for “Best Online Event” for its Security Solutions Tradeshow “Protect Yourself Against Attacks.”

ELLIOT MARKOWITZ is Editorial Director of Nielsen Business Media Webcasts and Virtual Events and is responsible for the content of all web seminars across Nielsen’s publications and brands. He is also Editorial Director of Nielsen’s Small Business Resource Center and Mediajobmarket.com. Previously, Markowitz was Editorial Director of Ziff Davis Media eSeminars, where he helped build the company’s eSeminar business and launched its award-winning Virtual Tradeshow concept. Markowitz is an 18-year publishing veteran and before Ziff Davis, he was Editor of Hotel Business magazine and HotelJournal. Before that he was Editor-in-Chief of CRM Magazine and the destinationCRM.com website and related live events. Before CRM Magazine, he was Business Editor at TechTV, responsible for helping to manage the TV station's website as well as conducting live on-air interviews with key industry executives. Markowitz also spent 11 years with CMP Media's award-winning weekly newspaper Computer Reseller News (CRN), where he held many key editorial positions including News Editor, Business Editor, and Senior Executive Editor. In 1999 he was named Editor of CRN, responsible for the entire editorial operation of the newspaper and in charge of coordinating its redesign and re-launch in June 2000. While at CRN Markowitz initiated many key alliances including the Industry Hall of Fame event in Las Vegas and the annual CRN/Raymond James Conference. Early in his career Markowitz was a news reporter on Long Island for the Massapequa Post. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University and is a graduate of the Stanford Professional Publishing Course.

About ASBPE

ASBPE is exclusively an association of professional editors and writers who work for business magazines and their associated Web sites. The society’s central focus is helping members develop their editorial and management skills with a view to enhancing their performance and preparing them to play larger roles in their publishing organizations. The society makes editors aware of trends in advertising sales, circulation, marketing, production and the business of publishing. To that end, ASBPE hosts a National Editorial Conference, where editors can learn how to deal with management, technical, and financial issues impacting their publications. ASBPE also organizes an annual, day-long winter workshop; an annual Awards of Excellence competition; as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award and Young Leaders Scholarship. ASBPE additionally avails members of a salary and workplace attitudes survey, an on-line discussion forum, bimonthly newsletter, an online members directory and discounts on local chapter events.

For more info, visit http://www.asbpe.org/.

Next Meeting March 5: Cultivating Sources

2008-02-08T07:25:00.001-08:00

Do you hate cold calling sources for stories? Ever wonder how the best reporters cultivate sources?

At the next DFW Chapter of the American Society of Business Publication Editors meeting, you’ll get a two-for-one deal learning from both sides of the issue – Bob Francis, editor of the Fort Worth Business Press, and Cynthia Pharr Lee, president of public relations and marketing communications firm C. Pharr & Company. Both Bob and Cynthia will offer advice on how to develop sources to help you write great stories, meet deadlines and maybe get those elusive scoops we’re all looking for.

When: Wed. March 5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Branch-Smith Publishing training room, 120 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth

What: Quit cold calling – cultivate sources with tips from the experts

Cost: $20 for members, $25 for guests. Cost includes lunch. Join at the meeting and get the members’ price.

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

Remembering Rene Cappon

2007-12-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

While checking emails at the start of the day this morning, I read my SPJ daily update and saw the obituary of Rene J. Cappon. Newsvine.com has a wonderful obituary for him calling him the word master behind some of the best writers at AP. He died Sunday at the age of 83.

I'm really saddened by this. Not only is his book "The Word" still on my book shelf to the right of my computer, but he was a visiting lecturer during my days in J-school at Baylor University back in the late 1980s. He provided captivating instruction and gave you that real world experience that many university lecturers sorely lack, having only intellectual experience from books.

According to Newsvine.com:
The Viennese-born Cappon, known to colleagues as Jack, died Sunday in a nursing home in Port Washington, N.Y., said his wife, Susan. He died of what was believed to be natural causes.
Over a half-century at the AP, Cappon held a variety of jobs: editor and reporter in Baltimore and Kansas City, Mo.; editor of AP NewsFeatures; writing coach; and general news editor when that was the top editorial position for the news cooperative. He retired in 2002. At AP NewsFeatures, he presided over a group of writers that came to be known as the Poets' Corner, including Pulitzer Prize winners Saul Pett and Hal Boyle, and Jules Loh, Sid Moody, Hugh Mulligan and others.

How to win awards webinar

2007-12-06T07:52:00.000-08:00

Editorial Winners Tell All!

You're invited to participate in a FREE webinar featuring on editorial directors give the low-down on why you should enter—and how to prepare for—the 2008 Azbee Awards of Excellence.

Want to know what it takes to nab an "Azbee" award in 2008 and what the honor can mean for your publication—and for your career? Join the American Society of Business Publication Editors during a webinar on Friday, December 14th, to get the inside scoop from top editors at Hanley Wood and IDG, which garnered numerous editorial and design awards in 2007.

What You'll Learn…
• How and why the editors chose the articles they entered;
• What the awards have meant to the winners' careers and to their publications;
• How to build award potential into the articles you write and edit; and
• How to apply the standards of editorial competitions to your day-to-day work.

Meeting Details
When: Friday, December 14th, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST.
Where: Your computer. A web conference dial-in number and access code is required, and will be provided to registrants in a subsequent e-mail.
How to attend: To reserve your place, RSVP online at www.asbpe.org or email b2beditor@gmail.com and request a reservation form. Questions may be directed to Steve Roll at 703-341-5926.
Charge: This promotional webinar is free for all ASBPE members and non-members.

About the Presenters
BOYCE THOMPSON is the editorial director of the Builder, Multifamily, and Technology groups of magazines published by Hanley Wood, LLC. He also directs the company's editorial council. In addition to Builder, Thompson serves as editorial director of Big Builder, Multifamily Executive, Digital Home, ProAV, Developer, Affordable Housing Finance and Apartment Finance Today magazines. He manages an editorial franchise that includes 10 conferences, house plan sales, eight websites, and two show homes. Thompson has 27 years of experience writing and editing articles about home building, architecture, and retailing. He is the founding editor of several Hanley Wood titles, including Prosales, Residential Architect, Big Builder, Digital Home, and Developer. He also assisted in the creation of several other company titles, including Building Products, Custom Home, Kitchen & Bath, and Builder's Best Home Designs, serving as both an editor and a writer.
DON TENNANT is vice president and editorial director of Computerworld and InfoWorld. In this capacity, Don is responsible for the editorial operations of the two IDG media outlets. Since joining Computerworld in 2000, Don has held several positions, including editor-in-chief. He previously spent eight years as editor-in-chief of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the prestigious Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. His weekly editorial column won national gold awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) in 2006 and 2007, and a national gold award from Trade, Association and Business Publications International (TABPI) in 2006. Under his leadership, Computerworld has won dozens of editorial awards, including ASBPE's Magazine of the Year Award in 2004 and 2006.

ASBPE is exclusively an association of professional editors and writers who work for business magazines and their associated Web sites. The society's central focus is helping members develop their editorial and management skills with a view to enhancing their performance and preparing them to play larger roles in their publishing organizations. The society makes editors aware of trends in advertising sales, circulation, marketing, production and the business of publishing. To that end, ASBPE hosts a National Editorial Conference, where editors can learn how to deal with management, technical, and financial issues impacting their publications. ASBPE also organizes an annual, day-long winter workshop; an annual Awards of Excellence competition; as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award and Young Leaders Scholarship. ASBPE additionally avails members of a salary and workplace attitudes survey, an on-line discussion forum, bimonthly newsletter, an online members directory and discounts on local chapter events. For more info, visit www.asbpe.org.

Paula LaRocque Writing Workshop

2007-10-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

Some of you asked for details on a special Saturday writing workshop Paula LaRocque teaches twice a year at SMU. The fall 2007 workshop will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13. It’s taught through Continuing Studies, and is open to the public. The morning session is appropriate for anyone who ever has to write anything. It offers specific guidelines for achieving accuracy, clarity, brevity, interest, and warmth in written communication, whether electronic, memos, letters, reports, press releases, etc.

The afternoon will look at the more creative aspects of writing but applies to both fact and fiction. The focus will be on writing with color, voice, and freshness, whether for features, profiles, narratives, story-telling, etc,

Course title: “The Secrets of Writing Well: The Ultimate Guide”; 10/13/2007 Saturday, 9 to 4, with an hour’s lunch break. SMU provides participants with complementary copies of the required text.

Course code: M072WRIT205
The URL below will take you directly to a description of the class and includes a link for registering as well. (Click on the course code link.)

https://contsturegister.smu.edu/ShowSchedule.awp?&Search=INSTRUCTOR&Target=MDEwNTAxNDEyODg3&Title=Courses%20Taught%20by%20Paula%20LaRocque

Or you can register or get more information through Continuing Studies:
214-768-1020
fax 214-768-1071
www.smu.edu/think
______________

Also, Paula is participating in an unusual book-signing event at the North Richland Hills Barnes & Noble from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20. It’s a group book-signing involving the published authors of the DFW Writers’ Workshop. Signed books make special Christmas gifts. For more info:

Richland Centre
8525 Airport Freeway
North Richland Hills, TX 76180
817-281-7042

Finally, Paula will appear on KERA’s “Think” (FM 90.1), Monday, Oct. 15, from noon till 2 pm. Listeners can call in with questions about writing, grammar, pet peeves, whatever -- the language in general. The show will be during the station’s fall pledge drive, and the KERA folks will give listeners signed copies of her latest book, “On Words,” as a pledge gift.
The fall seminar will be Saturday, Oct. 13. There’s also an interesting book-signing coming up at the Richland Hills Barnes & Noble Oct. 20.
________________
Paula LaRocque is author of “The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well” and “Championship Writing.” Her new collection of print and radio commentaries, "On Words," was published last month by Marion Street Press.

Managing the Editor-Freelancer Relationship in the Digital Age

2007-10-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

The American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) will host a Webinar, Friday, Oct. 19th, which will explore how the digital platform is raising new questions and methods for managing freelancers.

We are pleased to announce that our October 19th call will be sponsored by Beacon Communication Services at www.beaconlive.com. Beacon is ASBPE's vendor of choice for all of our audio and web conferencing services.

Some editors are exploring the payment of freelancers based on a Web-centric, performance-based pay model, in which freelancers are paid based on the number of "hits" or "visitors" their articles generate.

Freelancers are also seeking new ways to adapt to the Web 2.0 universe. As more publishers diversify online content by including content generated by readers and vendors, freelancers must compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace. The time is fast approaching when freelancers must have the skills to allow them to say: "I have a great story pitch and a cool video/podcast/slideshow/animation/mashup to go with it."

Chris Linquist, Online Editorial Director, CXO Media, and Matt Bolch, a successful Atlanta-based freelance writer and editor will also discuss:
• How much and when (upon acceptance, upon publication?) should a freelancer be paid?
• What rights will the publication retain over the freelancer's work?
• Should "kill fees" be publication policy? If so, how much?
• How to develop long-term relationships with effective freelancers?
• How should freelancers break into the B2B press?

Please join the American Society of Business Publications Editors (ASBPE) and your colleagues in the trade and association press for a timely discussion on working with freelancers.

Date: Friday, October 19
Time:1 to 2 pm EST
DETAILS FOR HOW TO CALL IN ETC. WILL BE PROVIDED UPON REGISTRATION
Cost:
• Free to the first 50 ASBPE members* who register
• $25 to ASBPE members who register after the first 50 registrants.
• $35 to nonmembers
*Free to those who apply for ASBPE membership ($75 for editors; $50 for freelancers). Join ASBPE by faxing the attached membership form to the attention of Steve Roll at (703)341-1625.

Membership includes, among other things, ASBPE's national newsletter, discounts for ASBPE's annual National Editorial Conference and Azbee Awards of Excellence competition, and access to original editorial-related research.

RSVP by following the registration instructions below.
To register, please fax the following information to (703) 341-1625 to the attention of Steven Roll, ASBPE or e-mail the information to Steven Roll at b2beditor@gmail.com:
1. Your name:

2. Company and publication:

3. Street address:

4. City, State, and zip code:

5. Number of reservations for members or nonmembers:

____(members) ____(nonmembers)

6. Type of credit card:

7. Name as it appears on credit card:

8. Total authorized charge on credit card:

9. Card number:

10. Expiration date:

11.Signature:

Names of people to attend. (We must have names of attendees in advance):

Please save a copy of this form for your records.

ASBPE is exclusively an association of professional editorsand writers who work for business magazines and theirassociated Web sites. The society's central focus is helpingmembers develop their editorial and management skills with aview to enhancing their performance and preparing them toplay larger roles in their publishing organizations. The society makes editors aware of trends in advertising sales,circulation, marketing, production and the business ofpublishing. To that end, ASBPE hosts a National Editorial Conference, where editors can learn how to deal withmanagement, technical, and financial issues impacting their publications. ASBPE also organizes an annual Awards of Excellence competition; as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award and Young Leaders Scholarship. ASBPE additionally avails members of a salaryand workplace attitudes survey, an on-line discussion forum,bimonthly newsletter, an online members directory anddiscounts on local chapter events. For more info, visit www.asbpe.org.

Rocking your writing with Paula LaRocque

2007-09-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who attended our Sept. 19 meeting featuring author, writing coach and former Dallas Morning News editor Paula LaRocque. It was informative and I've already started using her tips to improve my writing.

We have photos to come from the event including our regional award winners in the Azbees for a future post, but for now, here are some of the highlights listed from LaRocque's presentation.

*Make your text clear. Readers don't want to study and dissect the sentence to understand it.

*Ditch your concept of formal writing. Write as you speak, when you speak well, she encouraged.

*The unsellable is unreadable. Read your work aloud and note the language and flow. Does it read well? Simple subject, verb, object sentences are understandable. She also cautioned against long sentences. Using active voice was another tip.

*Another common mistake made is trying to impress instead of communicate.

LaRocque gave an example of simple versus too long:

Jimmy just hit me.

Following an altercation in the sandbox, Jimmy hit me.

Some of LaRocque's guidelines for better writing:

*If telling a story, begin as you would tell the story to a friend.

*Use a road map with a beginning, middle and end. Write quickly without interruptions. If you edit as you write, you lose the spontaneity and your good ideas.

*Write your piece before you have to write it. She admonished (gently) journalists as procrastinators and characterized writing best on deadline as an excuse.

*She recommended building time into your assignment to write and then leave the story alone. Then, return to it with your editor's hat on.

*Edit first for wordiness, which gets in the way. Once you make it tighter, then read it aloud and send it to the editor after that.

She added the following tips:

*Keep sentences short.

*Have an average sentence length of 25 words or less.

*Have variety of lengths for your sentences.

*Keep one idea per sentence.

*Try not to back-end your sentences. Avoid using words like 'amid' at the beginning of a sentence, for example.

*Avoid pretentions.

*Change long difficult words to simple ones with the same meaning.

*Prune your sentences and try to use single syllable words, when possible.

*Make sure your words are accurate. The word is lectern, not podium; check to see if you should use gauntlet or gantlet; comprise of is wrong - compose of is right.

*Adding words can make sentences less interesting. For instance:

made an effort - we tried

they made a decision - they decided

she gave a report on the results of the study - She reported on the study.

on a regular basis - regularly

*Avoid redundancy: sum total, potential promise, blue in color, tall in height

*Watch vague qualifiers: totally, really, very, quite, somewhat, rather

She named several authors and books as suggested reading to understand some of her tips on being concise, being clear and using simple sentence structures. "A Perfect Storm" was one example of making a topic perfectly clear, which makes it perfectly interesting. Authoer P.D. James' "The Lighthouse" was another suggested read because of the beauty of the writing. Stephen Ambrose was another author she mentioned.

Don't forget our upcoming meeting:

What: Headline Writing with writing coach and author Paul LaRocque, who retired as student publications director at Texas Christian University, where he also taught reporting

When: Wed. Nov. 14, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878
Cost: $20 for ASBPE members, $25 for non-members. Price includes discussion and lunch - cash payment preferred
RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

Don't forget Sept. 19 Meeting

2007-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder about our September meeting featuring author and former Dallas Morning News editor Paula LaRocque.

In her talk titled, "The Secrets of Good Writing," you will hear LaRocque's easy-to-apply tips for making all workplace writing accurate, clear, brief, warm, and interesting. (Her guidelines can be found in The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well.) She also will discuss the most common errors in workplace writing.

When: Wed. Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878

What: The Secrets of Good Writing.

Cost: $20 for the meeting and lunch - check or cash preferred

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

See you there!

ASBPE, TABPI Partner on 2007 Magazine Critique Service

2007-09-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

WHEATON, IL -- The American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and Trade, Association and Business Publications International (TABPI) are joining together to promote and further develop the Magazine Critique Service (MCS), a program intended as a first step for b2b magazines interested in gauging their current performance. The MCS allows editors to get feedback from some of the most respected editors working in b2b journalism today, and benefit from their colleague-to-colleague analysis of what's working and what can be improved.

Designed to help magazines assess their design and editorial — at prices lower than typically found in the B2B publication market — the ASBPE/TABPI Magazine Critique Service helps you take your content to the next level. The MCS provides objective, outside analyses that can show the decision makers in an organization how to take content to the next level. Magazines participating in the MCS will have three reviewers give detailed feedback on specific editorial and design aspects of the publication. TABPI and ASBPE will provide a report to the editor, who can thoroughly review the results with the editorial and design staff.

The service is a good investment for magazines desiring a revamp or a refresh after years in the industry. Magazines get to ride on the experts' learning and minimize costly trial and error situations. More dynamic editorial and design equates to more credibility with readers and advertisers, who will recognize the publication as the voice for the industry it covers.

All submissions for the MCS must be received on or about Oct. 1. The average processing time will be eight to 10 weeks from the time materials are received. Complete details on the program, along with a submission form and two sample critiques, are available on the TABPI website, at http://www.tabpi.org/, as well as at the ASBPE website, http://www.asbpe.org/.

About ASBPE
Founded in 1964, ASBPE, Wheaton, Ill, (http://www.asbpe.org/) is the nation's only professional association for full-time and freelance business-to-business editors and writers who work for business, trade, association, and professional print magazines and newsletters and digital/Internet publications.

The Society helps editors develop and improve editorial and publishing management skills, enhance their ethical standards and the editorial excellence of their publications. ASBPE tries also to prepare members to play larger roles in their publishing organization.

The Society is widely known for its annual Azbee Awards of Excellence competition in editorial and design of magazines, newsletters, and digital publications, as well as its annual National Editorial Conference.

ASBPE has more than 700 members and chapters in 14 locales—Atlanta, Boston/New England, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, New York, Northern California, Northern Michigan, Southern California, Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul), and Washington, D.C.—which host meetings to provide face-to-face professional guidance, networking, and educational presentations to editors at the local level.

The Society also sponsors an annual scholarship for young editors and conducts a host of original editorial-related research. ASBPE's Web site features a popular job posting area, along with a members-only section with a wealth of how-to articles and a discussion forum geared to help editors do their work more effectively.

For more information about ASBPE, contact: Janet Svazas, executive director, ASBPE, 214 North Hale St., Wheaton, IL 60187, 630-510-4588.

Western Region Award Winners Announced

2007-07-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

The West Region Winners for the 29th Annual Awards of Excellence have been posted.

Go check out the 2006-2007 editorial and design winners.

Sept. 19 meeting featuring Paula LaRocque

2007-07-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting Sept. 19 featuring author and former Dallas Morning News editor Paula LaRocque. In her talk titled, "The Secrets of Good Writing," you will hear LaRocque's easy-to-apply tips for making all workplace writing accurate, clear, brief, warm, and interesting. (Her guidelines can be found in The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well.) She also will discuss the most common errors in workplace writing. We will post more information about that talk as we get closer to the event, but you don't want to miss it. Most people have to pay big bucks to hear LaRocque's presentations, but for $20, you get a chance to learn from a master AND get a good meal in the middle of the work day.

We also plan to honor our regional Azbee Award Winners at this luncheon.

When: Wed. Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878

What: The Secrets of Good Writing. You will hear LaRocque's easy-to-apply tips for making all workplace writing accurate, clear, brief, warm, and interesting. (Her guidelines can be found in The Book on Writing: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Well.) She also will discuss the most common errors in workplace writing.

Cost: $20 for the meeting and lunch - check or cash preferred

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

Congratulations Local Award-Winners

2007-06-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

ASBPE announced its national and regional finalists in the Azbee Awards of Excellence and our DFW Chapter has three regional winners for the West division, which stretches all the way to the West Coast.

The categories in which they won and how they placed will be kept secret until the respective awards banquets, but in the meantime you can see which publications won regional awards. The national awards banquet will take place during the National Editorial Conference on Aug. 2 in New York City. Magazine of the Year and Website of the Year awards are given nationally only.

Among our regional winners are:

publication: Environmental Protection
editor: Angela Neville, Editorial Director
circulation: Under 80,000
location: Dallas

publication: Occupational Health & Safety
circulation: 80,000 or more
editor: Marc Barrera, Associate Editor
location: Dallas

publication: The Meeting Professional
circulation: Under 80,000
editor: Tom Domine, Editor in Chief
publication: Meeting Professionals Intl.
location: Dallas

Many congratulations to these regional winners!! We hope to honor you at our September meeting. Stay posted to the blog for updates on the next meeting, which features outstanding speaker, writer and editor Paula LaRoque.

Vote for Jyme

2007-06-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Kudos to our very own Jyme Mariani, immediate past president of the DFW Chapter of ASBPE, who is up for the treasurer position for the national ASBPE Board of Directors.

Other nominees are Steve Roll, Washington, D.C., chapter president for president; Amy Fischbach, previously Kansas City chapter president for vice president; and Jyme for treasurer.

ASBPE members who are eligible to vote are those who are employed in an editorial capacity by a business publication or are freelancers who edit or write regularly for business publications. A ballot was printed in the May/June 2007 member newsletter, which members recently received in the mail. Members also can download the newsletter from the website. Elected officers will serve two-year terms beginning after the Aug. 2–3 National Editorial Conference.

Voting members should mail completed ballot to National Election, ASBPE, 214 N. Hale St., Wheaton, IL 60187, fax to 630-510-4501, or e-mail to info@asbpe.org. Votes must arrive by July 2. Write-in votes will be accepted.

Jyme is managing editor of three national trade magazines and two quarterly publications at Branch Smith Publishing in Fort Worth, Texas. She has been with the company for 12 1⁄ 2 years. Mariani is a Texas Certified Nursery Professional, although her background is in journalism. Mariani was president of the DFW Chapter for six years and is now immediate past president as well as treasurer. She received her B.A. in Communications from the University of Texas.

Jyme said one of the most important issues for ASBPE seems to be the same problem that we are all facing as business editors: ASBPE needs to stay relevant to our members. Today, with so many avenues grabbing people’s attention, we need to make sure that ASBPE continues to identify the issues that are the most important to members and addresses them in a timely, easy-to-digest manner.

"I’m excited about the chapter blogs. I enjoyed updating and creating the DFW blog when I was chapter president. I think ASBPE is good at reflecting what is going on in the real world. Another area where we need to continue to be diligent as an organization is recognizing the needs of all of our members. Sometimes we have a disparity between small and large publishing houses and organizations. We should make sure that both sizes are recognized and represented. For the record, I work at a small publishing house.

"The main reason I’m a member is that ASBPE is the only organization that is out there for me — the business editor. I’ve tried other associations, and I never seemed to fit in. For the media, we are in the minority, which is why we need to stick together. I’ve learned more from my ASBPE colleagues — at conferences, on the online discussion forum, and through e-mails — than from any other source. My boss frequently has me ask my ASBPE friends how they handle certain situations.

"Even if you’re a member outside of easy access to chapter meetings, there are so many benefits. The salary surveys and the discussion forum are worth the price of membership."

Go vote for Jyme!!!

Common Sense & Psychology Combine for Job-Search Success

2007-05-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Our May 9 meeting brought out a smaller crowd than the previous meeting, but it was led by a wonderful author and speaker, Janet White, explaining "the secret" to turning things around when you feel like the universe is working against you. You may have an accurate assessment and perhaps your job hunt has faltered, but White knows the secret to getting the job: It’s the universal Law of Attraction.

In her new book “Secrets of the Hidden Job Market: Change Your Thinking to Get the Job of Your Dreams,” White explains how the Law of Attraction works for not only a great job, but just about anything in life.

How it works
The Law of Attraction states you draw to yourself anything you think about, focus on or believe, just like a magnet.

“You can’t turn the Law of Attraction on or off, you can’t get away from it, you can’t deflect it and you can’t minimize its effects,” White writes in her book. “But when you understand that it’s always working and how it works, you can harness its incredible power to change your life.”
The universal Law of Attraction has been known for centuries, but recently was made popular in a new book, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. Once Oprah Winfrey talked about “The Secret,” it flew off bookshelves.
You don’t have to become an existentialist or give up your religion to make the law work in your favor.
“Jesus spoke of the Law of Attraction when He said, ‘Ask and it shall be give to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened for you,’” White said.
Be aware the Law of Attraction works with positive and negative thoughts and beliefs.
In the job market, many hunters have planted the belief that it’s hard to get an interview, White said. That’s the Law of Attraction at work – if you believe it’s hard to find a job, or if you believe you’re not good enough for a job, that’s what you get in return.
Instead, make the Law of Attraction work for you when looking for a new job.

Steps to get started
White writes about six secrets to finding your dream job.
* Stop looking. Stop reading the classifieds and stop perusing the online job boards. But isn’t that how you found most of your jobs? Yes, but you’ve been using a “system that’s designed to fail,” she said.
And if you must network, associate only with peer-to-peer trade groups.
“Stop the angst and stop the negativity associated with looking for jobs,” she said.
* Start finding. This sounds like a conundrum, but White said jobs will come to you when you begin to imagine yourself already in your dream job even before you apply.
“You’ve been led to believe that the ‘hidden job market’ exists,” she said. “But it doesn’t exist because nothing is hidden from you. Your dream job is only ‘hidden’ because you can’t see it.”
* Know what you want. This is an extremely important step. If you generalize what you want, such as, “I want to be in the airline business,” the Law of Attraction won’t work in your favor. Instead, narrow it down to, “I want to be a public relations specialist for a domestic airline and specialize in building the business traveler network.”
Your mission is to know what you want and replay it often in your mind.
* Be who you are. White said that the fastest way to manifest your dream job is to think, speak and act as if you already have it.
“Have a business card printed with your dream job title. Mingle with peers at trade functions. Don’t allow fear, doubt, misgivings or anyone else’s opinions sway you from your conviction that what you want is already yours,” she said.
* Do what feels right. Your job is to know what you want and to expect it. It’s the universe’s job to get it to you. This is where people who follow the Law of Attraction correctly will notice synchronicities and coincidences.
“You’ll be at the right place at the right time,” White said.
* Be grateful. Allow, accept and be grateful that you’ve already received your dream job, even if it hasn’t yet happened.
“Being grateful is the first step to counter negative thinking,” she said.
Try a gratitude exercise. Find five new things to be grateful for each day.

In the book
“Secrets of the Hidden Job Market” also helps job-hunters create better resumes and cover letters. White offers tips for interviews and how to handle questions and objections. The book also features a chapter about thank-you letters.

Visualization techniques
It may be difficult to visualize yourself at a dream job.
To help make your vision more clear, ask yourself, what am I doing? What am I wearing? What does the office look like? How much money am I making?
It may help to write the answers in a journal.
Or try cutting out pictures in magazines and posting them on a bulletin board. Read your journal or study the pictures every day.
Keep your affirmations in the present and always think positively.

Dossier
A self-described career hopper who is now happily self-employed, White has gotten every job she really wanted for more than 30 years.
She is president of Bariatrics Unlimited LLC, a provider of patient care equipment for hospitals nationwide.
“Secrets of the Hidden Job Market” is her first book. It’s available for $16.95 at her website.

Many thanks to White for her appearance. Thanks, also, to Past President Jyme Mariani for heading up the meeting in my absence and to Kelli Rodda for her write-up of the event.

Wednesday meeting reminder

2007-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder about the exciting meeting on Wednesday highlighting the elusive secrets to finding that perfect job.

Janet White, author of Secrets of the Hidden Job Market: Change Your Thinking to Get the Job of Your Dreams and president of You’re Hired Enterprises, will present a talk titled, “Six Secrets of the Hidden Job Market."

When: Wed. May 9, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: NOTICE LOCATION UPDATE: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878

What: Six “hidden” job hunting secrets to help you realize that when you change your thinking, you change your life.

Cost: $20 for the meeting and lunch - check or cash preferred

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

I will be unable to attend the meeting because I will be attending a funeral, but guests and memers will be in good hands as Past President Jyme Mariani will be leading the event. This meeting will benefit more than just ASBPE members or potential members, so bring anyone you know - even if they aren't looking for a job now. This will be a don't miss meeting.

2006 Katie Awards May Not Have Been Judged

2007-04-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

According to a story in the April 20 online Dallas Business Journal:

The new president of the Press Club of Dallas says he no longer believes the 2006 Katie Awards were judged at all. And the 2005 edition of the journalism and mass communications contest also is in question, club President Tom Stewart said Friday.

The club now plans to hire an attorney and seek a sworn statement from its former president, Elizabeth Albanese, Stewart added.

The Dallas Business Journal first reported April 14 that the Press Club of Dallas could not identify who judged the 2006 contest. The Katie program is the marquee event for the Press Club, which uses proceeds from the function to provide journalism scholarships to college students through the Press Club of Dallas Foundation, a nonprofit corporation.

Stewart late last week attempted to reach judges from a list of e-mail addresses provided to him by Albanese, who was chiefly in charge of finding judges to review the 2006 Katies entries.

"I received an e-mail back from one of them today," Stewart said following an executive session of the Press Club board of directors Friday. The e-mail, he added, said: "Yes, I did that. I helped participate in the process. And I'd be happy to do it again. Probably not to the extent that we did it last year."

Stewart said the e-mail contained the phone number of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

"When I asked for the person, they indicated that no one worked in that particular building at St. Jude's by that name," Stewart said.

Contacted about identifying the judges Friday, Albanese said she was in meetings all day but would contact the judges herself, and "hopefully have an answer" by this weekend. In earlier interviews, she told the Dallas Business Journal that she couldn't name a judge and had not kept records of the judging but was working to reconstruct a list.

Besides hiring a law firm to take sworn statements, the Press Club also is hiring a forensic accountant to review its books, Stewart said Friday.

A review of Press Club records shows that a Press Club Foundation credit card in Albanese's name included charges from the W New York hotel, the Barton Creek Resort in Austin and Saks Fifth Avenue in Dallas.

May 9 meeting reminder

2007-04-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you've been job-hunting and having difficulties getting hired, there may be some reasons. Our featured speaker for the May 9 meeting will highlight these and tell you how to overcome them!

Janet White, author of Secrets of the Hidden Job Market: Change Your Thinking to Get the Job of Your Dreams and president of You’re Hired Enterprises, will present a talk titled, “Six Secrets of the Hidden Job Market” that may be unlike any job hunting program you’ve ever heard.

When: Wed. May 9, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: NOTICE LOCATION UPDATE: Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins Street in Arlington. Restaurant phone number: 817-469-9878

What: Six “hidden” job hunting secrets to help you realize that when you change your thinking, you change your life.

Cost: $20 for the meeting and lunch.

RSVP: Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com

B2B Networking Flourished

2007-04-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Our April 18 meeting was awesome. We had about a dozen people present to listen to Women's Enterprise Magazine Editor Brenda Matamoros talk about dealing with advertising and finding B2B topics with a fresh approach.

Our wonderful past president Jyme Mariani recapped some of the main points in dealing with advertisers:
Embrace advertisers. We are in B2B. They are great sources.
Don’t let advertising influence who you write about.
Go a step beyond press releases to find angles for your market.
Pick your own products. Don’t let advertisers influence your choices. Go for what is best for your readers.

Brenda gave some great points in finding and choosing B2B topics, too, including:
Again, go beyond the press release. Find your angle for your audience.
Find an association that you can work with outside of the industry that can help you find a subject or information.
Try to approach editorial topics broadly.
Concept issues work for readers (e.g., an issue devoted to leadership).

A few other topics that we talked about roundtable style:
Keeping content fresh and timely is hard when you’re a monthly. Look for the angle that no one else will try.
Try working with an association that is outside of your industry for ideas.
Work with trade shows and associations to get a list of ideas from attendee comments on what THEY want to see or speakers that they want to hear. We partner with OFA, ANLA, etc., they might be willing to share survey results in the attendee comments section if we promise to use them for ideas, not publish them.
Use the Web for sources. You can find a lot about people and companies from Web sites.
http://www.profnet.com/ is a great source to find freelancers and it’s FREE to us.

Thanks to all the guests and members at the meeting for attending. Our next meeting is set for May 9 at Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins St. in Arlington. Please come and join us. It will be great!