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| Session Descriptions |
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| Thursday, March 25 |
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Host: Linda Kramer Jenning ’72
J. Courtney Sullivan ’03
J. Courtney Sullivan discuss the power of women’s words and the role women writers have played in changing history and shaping our culture. |
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Panels
Media at a Crossroads
Moderator: Patricia Skarda
Panelists:
Jenny Kuntz Frost '78
Martin Antonetti
Cheryl Coward ’91
The entire media landscape is changing. Newspapers and magazines are folding, books are going digital, and the Internet has made it possible for anyone to be a published writer. During this panel, we will consider the impact of these changes and attempt to envision what the future holds for the written word. Some questions we’ll be considering: What role can blogs play in serious journalism and literature? How has the Internet helped or hurt writers? Is the printed word really dying—and does it matter?
Life in the Media: What's Ethics Got to Do with it?
(produced in collaboration with the Smith’s ethics program and departments of philosophy and government)
Host: John Connolly, professor, philosophy
Panelists:
Jan Friedman Constantine '70
Ellen Weiss '81
Charlise Lyles '81
We all have to confront moral challenges in our work. What ethical challenges do alumnae face in the media--both traditional and new? What questions of honesty, fairness and justice confront reporters, writers, editors et al. today?
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| Friday, March 26 |
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Session I (choose one)
Finding Your Voice: Fiction Writing
Host: Kate Carlisle ’83
Participants:
Ann Downer-Hazell ’82
Nora Johnson '54 author, The World of Henry Orient
Fiction writing has been described as a transformative experience; finding a unique author’s voice is part of the imaginative process. This session will consider how writers reconcile this transformation with the hard work of writing. Along the way, we’ll discover how authors work through writer’s block, overcome self-doubt and lack of confidence to find their voice and focus on the act of writing.
Freelance Survival: How to Launch Your Career and Be Free of the 9-to-5
Host: Lindsey Rowe Roberts ’06
Participants:
Diana Burrell ’88
Andrea Cooper ’83
Carolina A. Miranda ’93
Once upon a time, freelancing was the perfect choice for writers who simply grew tired of the 9-to-5 grind. These days, with full-time staff positions being cut, many writers are being forced into it. This session will uncover some of the secrets to launching a successful freelance career, whether you’re new to journalism or a cubicle veteran looking to make it on your own. Participants will provide useful advice from their own careers, answering questions such as: How can I make the most of my professional network? How can internships lead to networking and story assignments? How do I get a Web site and business cards started? What are the best ways to craft a pitch that an editor will love? They’ll also talk about the nitty-gritty of structuring their days, making deadlines, paying taxes, and continuing their education—whether in a nighttime copyediting classes or a full-fledged master’s program.
Writing About/Preserving Women’s Lives: The Sophia Smith Collection
Host: Judith Glassman Daniels ’60
Presenter: Sherrill Redmon
The Sophia Smith Collection houses an impressive array of papers, manuscripts, documents, and photographs related to women journalists, broadcasters, and writers. Included, for example, are luminaries such as Fanny Fern, the first American woman to have a regular newspaper column; Gloria Steinem ’56, co-founder of Ms. magazine; Pauline Frederick, an early broadcast journalist; and author and Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown. By reviewing some of the highlights of the collection, this session will provide a historical overview of how women have influenced the fields of journalism, broadcasting, and publishing. At the same time, you’ll find out how to use the collection both as inspiration and as part of your own research. |
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Session II (choose one)
Perfect Pitch
Host: Susan Goodall ’83
Participants:
Katy McColl '99
Susan Cernek '02
It’s an age-old question: What do editors want? In this session, editors from major national publications will discuss how freelancers can best work with them, what to pitch and what not to pitch, and how to develop a rewarding freelance-editor relationship.
Finding Your Voice: Nonfiction Writing
Host: Kate Carlisle ’83
Participants:
Ann Hornaday ’82
Beth Taylor ’75
Wendy Kaminer ’71
DESCRIPTION TO COME
Not So New Anymore: Tackling New Media and Blogging
Host: Lindsey Rowe Roberts ’06
Participants:
Tish Grier AC ’01
Cynthia Samuels ’68
These days, it’s not enough to simply be a great editor, writer, or journalist. To be successful, you need to have experience with all sorts of new media, including blogs and social networking sites. In this session, we’ll discuss how writing a blog can make you more marketable; the dos and don’ts of blog writing; and how to gain attention and turn your blog into a money-making venture. Participants will show examples of successful blogs and explain why they work, as well as discuss the usefulness of Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Lastly, we’ll discuss the value of reading new media, including how to create a kind of self-selected newspaper on a Web homepage using RSS feeds and more. |
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Closing Panel
Courageous Journalism
Host: Linda Kramer Jenning ’72
Moderator: Judith Milestone ’66
Participants:
Kate O’Brian ’80
Gail Cameron Wescott ’54
Joanna Slater '97
It takes courage to report and tell the stories that we all need to hear and to give voice to the voiceless. Smith writers and reporters have put themselves at personal risk to report from both global hot spots and the streets of our own cities. They show us that whether in print, on film, or via the Internet, this kind of reporting can change the world. How and why do they do it? What is it like to be in a war zone? What are the special challenges writers and reporters face when seeking to shine a light in places where others fear to go? |
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