Become An ASJA Member and Reap the Rewards

During our popular Client Connections event (check out our list of participating editors) on ASJA Member's Day, Friday  May 5, ASJA members (who apply for the event via a lottery) get to meet with top editors, agents and content agencies who are searching for experienced freelancers. 

Click here for more information. 

WELCOME KEYNOTE SPEAKER: VANESSA HUA (Members-Only Day May 5th) Shedding a Light on Untold Stories (K01) Vanessa Hua will discuss how setting can help you develop your characters, who are a product of place, culture, and history. Her fiction builds upon her journalism, and in turn, fiction writing strengthens her nonfiction. She will also talk about her twin paths toward publication and the importance of fostering community in winning fellowships and landing gigs. Bio: Vanessa Hua is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of Deceit and Other Possibilities. [More Info]

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: LANE SHEFTER BISHOP (Members-Only Day May 5th) Advice from the Hollywood Book Whisperer: Sell Your Story in a Single Sentence (K02) At its core, life is about selling (in many ways) and thanks to MTV and our rush of technology, attention spans have gotten very short. More than ever, it’s important to find a solution to pitching an idea, story, or book quickly and efficiently with punch. That solution is a great logline. After all, you can be the best writer with the best material in the world, but that makes no difference if you can’t sell it! Lane Shefter Bishop constantly sells to A-list TV and film producers, networks and studios, usually with only partials and book proposals but all with one thing in common — a well-crafted logline. She will discuss why loglines work and what is and is not a logline; explore the “rules” for writing a logline, such as discovering your “hook,” the length of a logline, how to cut down, and how to finesse. Lane will offer examples from her own projects and others. If there’s time, attendees can present their loglines. Bio: Lane Shefter Bishop is a multi-award winning producer/director. [More Info]

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: JENNY BLAKE Pivot: The Only Move that Matters is Your Next One (K03) Jenny Blake teaches that no matter your age, life stage, bank account balance, or career level, you can learn how to pivot strategically into your next opportunity or grow within your current role. By doubling down on what is already working, you can cut through confusion to move more quickly in a new direction. Pivoting is a mindset and a skill set, and it is one we can all improve. This interactive keynote will resonate with anyone facing the question of what's next by providing a simple 3-stage framework to map your next move, one that you can cycle through as many times as necessary. Jenny will also share insights into the publishing process behind PIVOT and how you can apply the pivot method to creative projects and bigger career moves. Bio: Jenny Blake is an author, career and business strategist and international speaker who helps people organize their brain, move beyond burnout, and build sustainable, dynamic careers they love. [More Info]

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ANDREA KING COLLIER The WOKE and Sustainable Writer (K04) There was nothing in Andrea King Collier's journalism bio that screamed political commentary, but that didn't stop her. A successful freelance journalist, essayist and author, she had developed strong bylines in health and in health policy. But she began to pivot into more opinion pieces and commentary in 2008. She says, "In 2016, between the violence, the uncivil discourse and all the other drama of the past few years, I felt like I needed to find my political voice." It was then she started asking the questions that nobody was asking about "culture, class, and all the ‘isms’ that separate us. And then I listened, which was really hard, and wrote about what I heard and saw." She calls it being WOKE, and she's found a way to make it add to the bottom line, but not without challenges. Bio: Andrea King Collier is a multimedia journalist, essayist and author. She’s been on the full-time freelance path for over 25 years. [More Info]