News about the NASW/CASW joint meeting, selection of a designer for the NASW web site, plans for a series of service articles focusing on the business of freelancing, and an update on insurance.
Hot August news from NASW! Submit items for future e-newsletters to Mariette DiChristina, NASW secretary.
NASW SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY 2005 MEETING (Oct. 22 and 23) and THE 43RD ANNUAL NEW HORIZONS IN SCIENCE BRIEFINGS (Oct. 23-26)
Register early for the first Joint Meeting, this year in Pittsburgh!
NASW and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing are teaming up to offer members professional skill building workshops and briefings on groundbreaking science developments. Multiple field trip options round out the offerings.
Registration closes on September 22, 2005.
NASW student members: If you're interested in volunteering to help out at the meeting in exchange for free registration, write to workshops@nasw.org.
NASW TRAVEL FELLOWSHIPS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to the following 10 NASW freelance members who have received a $750 fellowship funded by money received from the Authors Coalition. The competitive fellowship covers expenses for the 2005 CASW/NASW joing meeting: Milly Dawson, Maitlind, Fla.; Catherine Dold, Boulder, Colo.; Rachael Moeller Gorman, Tucson, Ariz.; Tim Friend, Alexandria, Va.; Nadja Geipert, West Hollywood, Calif.; Hannah Hoag, Montreal, Canada; Daniel Keller, Glenside, Pa.; Leslie O'Hanlon, Albuquerque, N.M.; Kendall Powell, Broomfield, Colo.; and Jennifer Wettlaufer, East Aurora, N.Y.
And a general reminder to all members: each person who fills out the Authors Coalition survey each year helps us secure the additional funds that enable us to offer such programs!
— Diane McGurgan, executive director
NETWORKING LUNCH
The popular Networking Lunch is back for Saturday, October 22, and we need your help to make it work. Volunteer to host a table. It's nothing more than coming up with a topic (any topic!) you want to talk about with your colleagues and then getting the ball rolling as you all sit to nosh. Past topics have included "Writing about Science for Kids" and "Science Writing in the Government Sector." If you're interested in hosting a table, please write workshops@nasw.org by September 10, 2005.
WEB REDESIGN UPDATE
After making two rounds of requests for proposals and carefully considering almost two dozen applicants, we have at last selected a Web designer: Andrew DeVigal, the principal of DeVigal Design (see web site for work samples).
Here is a short bio:
"Andrew has received many accolades for his design work, particularly his hand in redesigning several online publications including Honolulu Advertiser's Web site, Albany's (N.Y.) The Times Union Web site, the Associated Press and several companies in the Bay Area.
Andrew works closely with The Poynter Institute, teaching and directing seminars in the area of New Media and Visual Journalism. DeVigal has also designed and produced the Visual Edge Web site since 1998. Through Poynter, Andrew was involved with the Stanford-Poynter Project, a research study that examined how users read online news using an Eye Tracking System. Formerly, Andrew was an interface designer for Knight-Ridder New Media in San Jose, designing many of the early verticals offered by Real Cities. Before that, he was a producer for chicagotribune.com, shaping the look and format of the original Internet version. He got his early start in journalism as an informational graphic artist for the Chicago Tribune and the Contra Costa Times."
Next steps: Taking the members survey that we did last fall into account, the Internet Committee co-chairs and cybrarian are drafting a tentative reorganization of the existing Web content. The designer will use that map as a starting point for draft designs. With feedback from the Internet Committee and the board, we'll pick one to take to the next level. By the October meeting, we hope to have to show the membership the new Web design.
— Kelli Whitlock Burton and Mariette DiChristina, co-chairs
ONLINE BOOK STORE
The online bookstore has been revamped and hundreds of new books added. Buy, buy and buy some more! NASW gets a cut from each sale.
— Russell Clemings, NASW cybrarian
THE LISTS
We've revised the e-mail list policies to clarify that excessive excerpts from copyright materials are forbidden:
"Posting lengthy excerpts of material copyrighted elsewhere, such as a newspaper or magazine story, is also prohibited. Instead, post an except of no more than a paragraph or so, and include a link or other reference for those who want to read more."
— Russell Clemings, NASW cybrarian
FREELANCE COMMITTEE
The freelance committee is planning a series of service articles focusing on the business of freelancing. Topics will include contracts, what to do if you've been infringed, indemnity clauses, and basic accounting for freelancers. For the book authors among us, we'll have articles about what to expect from agents and how a publicist can help you.
— Dan Ferber, chair NASW Freelance Committee.
INSURANCE UPDATE
We have two toll-free numbers to the two groups that are willing to insure us. There is TEIGIT 800-886-7504-which insures some states, not all. TEIGIT uses Oxford. Then there is Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, which insures all states except New York and New Jersey: 800-349-1039. MMIC uses various insurers in different areas.
I just found out from NASE (National Association of the Self Employed) it is willing for us to go to it. NASE will not insure people living in New York or New Jersey. The contact is Jerry Mayhew, Jr.: 877-345-2960.
— Diane McGurgan, executive director
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