Tuesday, September 9, 2008
You Can Write the Book, but How Do You Publish It?
Come to IWOC's September meeting to vote for the new officers and board and hear a terrific program. There will be a very brief business meeting, followed by speaker Arnie Bernstein, a successful author whose fourth nonfiction book is Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing.
You've got an exciting book topic, but as you rush pell mell to the computer to start writing, you stop dead in your tracks. How will I get this published? Do I need an agent? Should I write it now or look for a publisher before I tap that first key? If this is your dilemma, you won't want to miss IWOC's September program. Bernstein will discuss how book projects typically get started; how writers can attract publishers; what goes into an effective book proposal; how to negotiate advances and royalties, and much more. This program promises to tell you what you need to know about the business end of publishing a book, whether or not you've already stumbled on that sure-fire idea. Visitors are cordially invited.
The meeting will be held in Room 5008 at National-Louis University, 122 S. Michigan Avenue (across from the Art Institute) in Chicago. Networking with snacks and beverages begins at 5 p.m., followed by the business meeting and the program at 6 p.m. The meeting is free for all IWOC members. Nonmembers pay $15. Plan to stay for a buy-your-own dinner at a nearby restaurant afterwards, where we'll continue our networking over dinner.
IWOCFest Reprise
We were blessed with near-perfect weather for our annual summer party on the rooftop of Pegasus restaurant. A large crowd of IWOCers and guests turned out to kick back their heels and celebrate the waning days of summer. The food was wonderful, and the company even better. Everyone pigged out on delectable Greek specialties, and IWOC's treat—the table wine—flowed as members swapped war stories and tall tales. What more can we say about a party? It was fabulous!
July Meeting Reprise
 In July, we had another packed house to hear Blagica Bottigliero's wonderful presentation on blogging and the online community and what they can do for us as business people. Wow, did we learn a lot! We all scribbled madly to get down every nugget Bottigliero passed on, and she didn't waste a minute. Besides giving us some insight into how we could turn blogging into a paying proposition with a little enterprise and some creative thinking, Bottigliero shared some of her favorite sites that we can use to accomplish our new-found goals. Most of us came away from the meeting with the realization that we aren't doing half of what we could to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the online world.
June Meeting Reprise
In June, a capacity crowd of IWOCers and many guests gathered to hear Ruth L. Ratny, a pioneer in Chicago film and online zines. In a lively interview conducted by IWOC's own vice president, Catherine Rategan, Ratny entertained and informed us with anecdotes and a history of how the film industry came to Chicago, a move for which she was largely responsible. Ratny’s reminiscences on Chicago’s film industry were fascinating, but Rategan made sure to ask plenty of practical questions of interest to the IWOC audience. “What are today’s growth industries where freelancers will find opportunities?” Rategan asked. Ratny responded that trade publications are a thriving outlet that will not disappear. Other tips: today everyone should have a website and be persistent when soliciting editors.
"Start with a good presentation and good writing samples, then make as many phone calls as it takes to get that interview,” she said. "Everything is a story if you have the right angle."
May Meeting Reprise
  There was barely an empty seat at the May meeting on association publishing, and speakers Jean Roberts and Jay Strother didn't disappoint. Roberts, who is director of production and manufacturing at the American Medical Association, told us that she frequently uses freelance editors and proofreaders and an occasional writer as well. Strother, who is group publisher at Smith-Bucklin, has direct responsibility for more than 30 client publications, but the firm serves more than 200 groups overall, and they produce many online and print publications, so there are writing opportunities in a wide variety of areas. Both speakers gave specifics on pay rates, ways to approach their organizations, and more.
April Meeting Reprise
Left to right: Jim Kepler, Catherine Rategan, Jeff Steele, and Jennifer Lyng
New members and seasoned veterans alike gathered to hear a panel of IWOCers — Jim Kepler, Catherine Rategan, Jeff Steele, and Jennifer Lyng — tell us what many old-timers already knew: membership in IWOC gives us a great return on the bottom line. Still, as the panelists’ stories unfolded, many of us were startled to realize just how much we actually do get back for our relatively modest outlay for dues. Several panelists said that the work they had received through their IWOC connections would pay for their memberships for literally hundreds of years. Panelists received work in a variety of ways: from tips from other members, member referrals, the online and print directories, Writers’ Line, links from the IWOC website to their websites, and from speakers’ leads or networking with them at monthly meetings. The speakers all stressed that they got the most from IWOC when they got involved by coming to meetings, joining committees, and generally giving back to IWOC. Panelists praised IWOCers for their generosity in helping other members with tips, support, and how-to help as well. All said they had also made lasting friendships among the membership. As we left the meeting, we all felt pretty smug that we had made a wise choice in electing IWOC membership.
IWOC
Workshops/Seminars
IWOC
periodically offers workshops and seminars to help writers advance
their skills and/or to introduce them to new fields of writing.
These professional development events are open to the public as well
as to IWOC members. Nonmembers can get a reduced member rate if they
join IWOC on or before the date of the workshop. Watch this space
for upcoming offerings.
IWOC
welcomes nonmembers at these
informal gatherings. Come and
network with fellow writers in
your community. It's best to get
in touch with the contact person
first, though, in case of a time
or venue change.
First
Thursday of every month: IWORP
Monthly Breakfast (Independent
Writers of Rogers Park). The
Rogers Park and North Side IWOCers
meet at 9:00 a.m. at the A&T
Grill, 7036N. Clark St., Chicago. For more information,
call Esther Manewith at 773/274-6215.
Fourth Thursday
of every month: IWOOP
Monthly Lunch (Independent Writers of Oak Park).
Join near western suburbanites at noon at Poor Phil's, 139
Marion Street, Oak Park. For more information, call Barbara
Dillard at 312/642-3065 or e-mail her at bdbusiness@sbcglobal.net
The
Far North Group and the Streeterville Group are currently
inactive. If you're interested in reviving them — or starting another group — check
out your directory and find others who live in your area.
It's easy to do via e-mail, and the get-togethers are a great
way to get to know other IWOCers better. If you get a group
going, notify webmaster@iwoc.org so we can
post notices of your meetings.
Notices
of Events of Other Organizations
Illinois
Women's Press Association (IWPA)
No current information about upcoming events.
Chicago Women in Publishing (CWIP)
Locations
and Times: National-Louis University
Board Meetings
Dates TBA; Time
6:00 p.m.
Next program TBA.
Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC)
Next event TBA.
Chicago Headline Club
Please join the Chicago Headline Club on August 24 from 2-8 p.m. for the Les Brownlee Kick-off Media Mixer at the home of Priscilla Ruth MacDougall, the widow of Les Brownlee, at 537 Judson in
Evanston
Mix and mingle with other journalists. Food and drinks will be provided.
Les was a Chicago Headline Club president and SPJ's first African-American member. His widow, Priscilla Ruth MacDougall, is a former journalist and a long-time attorney for the Wisconsin Education Association. She is best known for fighting for women's rights and challenging the Supreme Court's 1972 ruling in Forbush v Wallace that mandated married women must use their husbands' surnames on their driver's licenses.
This event is open to the public and other non-Headline Club members. No RSVP necessary.
A donation of $10 is suggested, which will go to the Chicago Headline Club Foundation. Copies of Les Brownlee: The Autobiography of a Pioneering African-American Journalist will be available.
Midwest
Writers Association
Next event TBA.
American
Medical Writers Association
No
current information on scheduled events.
Midwest
Society of Professional Consultants (MSPC)
Next program TBA.
Marcello's Restaurant
645 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL
Free parking at the restaurant
Meetings are the first Wednesday of the month
Programs before and after dinner begin with registration
at 5:00 p.m. Nonmember price is $55, but by calling any
member or the president, nonmembers can attend at the
$45 member price. Call
312-201-0596 for a reservation or call president Joe Cavolick
or any board member directly.
Joe
Cavolick
MSPC President 2006
http://www.mspc.org
847-753-9898
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