Dear Fellow ASJA Members:
Along with marching on its stomach, any successful army or endeavor relies upon its volunteers. The same is true of ASJA, “especially during the Conference,” observes 2017 volunteer coordinator Emily Paulsen. She, along with Greg Breining who is handling mentors only, is in charge of herding cats, er, independent freelance writers, so that the massive, complex undertaking known as Pivot Publish Prosper: ASJA’s 46th Annual Writer’s Conference runs smoothly. Along with receiving a $25 per day discount for your time, ASJA members have cornucopia of opportunities to choose from.
For new members, Emily recommends serving as a greeter during registration for either or both days. “It’s a great way to meet people and strike up a conversation,” she observes. “I have made many lasting friendships that way; people in ASJA are always willing to share advice and information.”
Plus you’ll be at the center of everything, so if you get lost – as I always do, especially when trying to locate a session which is just about to start – someone will surely assist with wayfinding. Experienced members might find their niche in answering questions posed during the conference with the hashtag #AskMeAnythingASJA, a job that can actually be done while attending the various sessions, although “you’ll need to be checking your Twitter account at regular intervals,” adds Emily. More experienced members can also sign up to mentor newer members or others trying to break into a new market or area of expertise.
Among others, additional opportunities include:
Member’s Day, Friday
Client Connections
- Hall monitor (aka “Desk duty”) – Managing the table where people come to sign in
- Escorts — Fetching coffee, water and any other legal substance for the editors and agents
- Ballroom hosts—Greeting people as they arrive and leave for their meetings. No dancing skills required.
- Door bouncers—In asking politely asking people to move along, “you don’t need to be burly, just assertive,” explains Emily. Although in this case, bigger is probably better whether it be physically or just in terms of personality.
- Bell ringers—Frustrated musician? Here’s your chance to be heard.
- End-of-day member liaison: Making sure that everyone finds their way to the awards ceremony and cocktail reception. Not responsible for their behavior after a couple of drinks.
Saturday
- Signer-uppers– For subject matter and agent round tables and The Pitch. Volunteers are also needed to make sure that the right people are at the correct tables.
- Mentors: Helping other writers get a leg up on their careers. “It’s a great way—and a fun way—to become involved,” adds mentor coordinator Greg Breining. Along with helping others, “you make new friends as well.” Sign up when you register or email Greg at or call him at 651-644-4164 .
Other cool gigs for both days, depending upon one’s level of extroversion and sense of direction, include:
- Social media—Live Tweeting during the conference and touting various events on Facebook. Again, these will need to be done on a regular basis
- Herders — Guiding attendees to the keynote ballrooms and the plenary sessions and making sure they are seated in a timely manner.
- Time/microphone police – Needed for the Saturday round tables and during keynotes on both days. No physical contact required.
Except for those interested in mentoring (see above), email Emily Paulsen before your dream job is gone. See you there!