Learn a New Skill Today the ASJA Way

If rough waters are ahead for freelancers because of the effects of a wavering economy on current sources of writing income, learning a new skill is one way to stay relevant and set yourself up for success.

ASJA has a long history of helping independent journalists, nonfiction book authors, and content marketing writers thrive regardless of the business climate. One of many benefits the organization offers is education, including training on new skills.

ASJA has an abundance of resources for picking up a new skill, whether it’s learning the basics of Canva or generative AI applications like ChatGPT, improving how you use LinkedIn to market your business, or adopting more inclusive language in your work. Some of those resources are articles. Others are webinars or sessions from past conferences. Some past sessions are free for members and $20 for non-members. Others are $20 for members, $30 for nonmembers. See short descriptions below and click on the links for complete descriptions and pricing information.

Content Marketing Writing Skills

Breaking Into Multimedia Content Marketing Writing. One way to expand your services is by learning how to write content for podcasts, videos, and webinars. This panel originally presented at ASJA’s 2022 virtual conference explains how to get started in multimedia content marketing and what it takes to succeed. ASJA member Kelly McSweeney moderates the session, which includes panelists: Alex Soto, a freelance managing editor and writer from Soto Communications; Daniel Littlewood from Vox Media’s The Explainer Studio; Matt Egbert, director of accounts at Blink; Cara Chatt, community manager at Skyword, the Boston-based content marketing company; and Hannah Cheney, Hilton senior managing editor of content marketing. Attendees will come away understanding why writers should consider branching out into multimedia content, the types of projects companies hire freelancers for, how writers can make the transition from text to audio/video, and more. The session is $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

Nail Your Client’s Brand Voice. One way to make your clients love your work is learning how to write content that nails their brand voice. This session originally presented at ASJA’s 2022 virtual conference covers three common brand “voices” and how to customize them for your clients. The session instructor is ASJA member Jennifer Goforth Gregory, who wrote the best selling book, The Freelance Content Marketing Writer, hosts a popular Facebook group, and has written for IBM, Dell, Microsoft, Salesforce, AT&T, and Verizon. The session is $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

Social Media Skills

Canva Tips and Tricks for Freelance Writers. As a freelancer, it’s essential to find tools and resources that enhance our assignments, especially tools that also make work easier. Canva is a digital platform for creating social media graphics, presentations, postcards, promotional merchandise and websites with free and subscription-based services. In this December 2024 tutorial, ASJA member and self-taught Canva connoisseur Maria Satira explains fives ways to can start using Canva now to elevate your freelance business. Recordings of the session are free for members; $20 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

How Volunteering for ASJA Led to Bankable Skills. ASJA board member Merlisa Lawrence Corbett explains how volunteering to run ASJA’s social media channels turned into a crash course in social media management, which led to a $1,500 monthly assignment. In the process, Corbett learned the ins and outs of all the major social media channels and how to use the Sprout Social social media management app to post to them.

How to Use LinkedIn So Your Next Client or Job Finds You. In this webinar from April 2024, ASJA member Jennifer Riggins demonstrates how freelance writers with free LinkedIn accounts can use keywords and connections to optimize their profiles. Then, Riggins explains how to grow your network through weekly postings and other strategies, all with the goal of leading clients to find you. Recordings of the session are free for members; $20 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

Freelance Journalism Skills

LinkedIn for Journalists. For tips on how freelance journalists can use LinkedIn, listen to recorded session from ASJA’s 2022 virtual conference. Session speakers included Jaren Anderson, leader of LinkedIn’s LinkedIn for Journalists program; and Gorki De Los Santos, a LinkedIn corporate communications senior manager and leader of that team’s work on equity and inclusion. The session is $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

Writing and Pitching Reported Personal Essays. Personal essays are still popular but many editors now want pitches that combine research, interviews, expert quotes, journalism skills, and creative nonfiction storytelling. In this January 2025 webinar, ASJA member and New School writing professor Candy Schulman explains different types of personal essays and explains the formats, processes, and tools needed for the reported personal essay genre. She also shares advice on popular personal essay markets, including travel, parenting, style, health, and op-eds, and how to pitch editors. Recordings of the session are free for members; $20 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

General Writing Skills

Disruptive AI and Blabbing Chatbots: Are You Ready to Fight or Adapt? This January 2024 ASJA webinar discusses how AI could disrupt your freelance journalism, content marketing writing, and nonfiction book writing business, and how to adapt. Panelists discuss what AI is, how it works, and whether writers and researchers can use the tools effectively to brainstorm, research and outline new ideas. They include: Harry Guinness, an Irish freelance technology writer and photographer; Jeanne Dietsch, former New Hampshire state senator and founder of MobileRobots and ActivMedia Research; Jon Christian, investigative reporter and executive editor of Futurism; Linda Whitaker, novelist and computer scientist; and moderator Arielle Emmett, a writer, visual journalist, and traveling scholar specializing in East Asia, science writing, and human interest. Recordings of the session are free for members; $20 for nonmembers. Once you register, you’ll receive an email with a link to the recording. Purchase the recording in ASJA’s online store here.

Advice for Becoming a More Inclusive Writer. ASJA’s then DEAI task force co-chairs Leanna Lee and Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez joined consultant Janet Stovall of Pragmatic Diversity on a June 2024 webinar discussion of how to write more inclusively in order to avoid perpetuating harmful narratives and biases faced by historically marginalized groups. The speakers fielded questions submitted by ASJA members before the event and during a live Q&A. Read Leanna Lee’s ASJA Confidential post for key takeaways and access a free recording of the webinar on YouTube here.