The ABSW timetable of forthcoming briefings, sponsored by The Geological Society, currently looks like this.
For venue times and directions, see bottom of post.
Picture - Authors Gabrielle Walker and Richard Hollingham (right) and literary agent Peter Tallack discuss "How to write a popular science book" at the ABSW's previous Briefing in March.
April 23 Copyrights & Responsibilities - POSTPONED! Our apologies - the speaker has been called away. This course will now take place on AUGUST 19.
£10 (ABSW), £25 (Join on night for £15 discount.)
Copyright issues for beginners - issues surrounding rights grab, intellectual property and essential copyright law for journalists. Especially valuable for freelances.
If you smith words for a living – whether as a freelance or staffer, or as a writer or commissioner – you need to know about intellectual property. This briefing will explain how copyright is the stock-in-trade of the writer, and the opportunities for earning it represents. It will deal with the balance between self-interest and duty that arises from the law of copyright and the associated issues of moral rights, attribution, the increasing problem of rights grab, and the special implications of copying in the digital age. If time and demand permit, it will also stray into simple law for journalists, and dream a bit about ways of improving the contract terms to which freelances have to submit.
May 15 Angling & Wrangling
£10 (ABSW), £25 (join on night for £15 discount) £5.00 Students
A high proportion of the words that appear in print or broadcast media have been generated by freelances. Self employed writers maintain offices, generate copy, send the invoice, collect the fee, police the use of their material and, often, carry the can. In every respect they are running micro-businesses. Their clients are mainly large corporations who are dependent on them for material to publish. To survive in this asymmetry, each side needs to understand the problems faced by the other. This briefing will look at issues of pitching and negotiating, how to couch a proposal, what editors look for, how to negotiate the detail, secure terms and follow through to payment.
The speaker, Mike Harrison
Mike Harrison regards himself as a fraudulent member of the ABSW. Sure, he does write, and has done it for a living, with roles ranging from staff producer/director in BBC television to lonely freelance churning out news and features for radio, magazines and newspapers. And he does have a bit of science, with a Physics BSc and a chunk of career developing new ways of teaching the stuff. But the skeleton in his cupboard is the long periods he has spent in management, both in large corporations and in developing small, high-tech businesses – even a stint working inside that most fearsome of business organisations, a management consultancy.
Attending
For both these talks, non-members will be offered the opportunity to join ABSW on the night. Those who arrive with their forms fully filled out will receive their £15.00 refund in the form of a reduced membership fee.Attendance at both events is limited to 25. Spaces will therefore be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please note we are now offering student discount at £5.00 for "Angling & Wrangling", on May 15.
To reserve a place email ted.nield@geolsoc.org.uk now. You will be told if you have secured a space, and asked to send a cheque in advance to confirm it. Places unconfirmed within one week will be offered to others.Cheques made payable to ABSW should be sent to: Dr Ted Nield, c/o the Geological Society of London, Burlington House, Piccadilly, LONDON W1J 0BG. Or you can use your PayPal account. Please make payments to absw"at"absw.or.uk. Please indicate in the box which course you are paying for.
June 05 (Note: Change of Date! Was June 18)
This evening will be a student special, where aspiring science communicators and journalists will be able to hob-knob with established professionals. More details soon.
July 16 Learned Society Magazines
Mark Peplow (Chemistry World) and Ted Nield (Geoscientist) on the world of learned society magazines - a great springboard for a writing career. Emily Baldwin (Astronomy Now) completes the line-up, as a "worked example".
Students £2; ABSW full/associate £5. £10 non members. (Join on night for £5 discount.)
August 19 Copy rights and responsibilities (postponed from April 23)
£10 (ABSW), £25 (Join on night for £15 discount.) No student discount.
Copyright issues for beginners - issues surrounding rights grab, intellectual property and essential copyright law for journalists. Especially valuable for freelances. If you smith words for a living – whether as a freelance or staffer, or as a writer or commissioner – you need to know about intellectual property. This briefing will explain how copyright is the stock-in-trade of the writer, and the opportunities for earning it represents. It will deal with the balance between self-interest and duty that arises from the law of copyright and the associated issues of moral rights, attribution, the increasing problem of rights grab, and the special implications of copying in the digital age. If time and demand permit, it will also stray into simple law for journalists, and dream a bit about ways of improving the contract terms to which freelances have to submit.
The speaker, Mike Harrison
Mike Harrison regards himself as a fraudulent member of the ABSW. Sure, he does write, and has done it for a living, with roles ranging from staff producer/director in BBC television to lonely freelance churning out news and features for radio, magazines and newspapers. And he does have a bit of science, with a Physics BSc and a chunk of career developing new ways of teaching the stuff. But the skeleton in his cupboard is the long periods he has spent in management, both in large corporations and in developing small, high-tech businesses – even a stint working inside that most fearsome of business organisations, a management consultancy.
September 17 Podcasts – new medium or just cheap radio?
Adam Rutherford (Nature Podcast) and Jeremy Webb (Editor New Scientist) speak for and against the utility of podcasts to science magazines.
Students £2; ABSW full/associate £5. £10 non members. (Join on night for £5 discount.)
October 21 See my blog
Natasha Loder (The Economist) and Charles Arthur (Guardian) discuss the interaction between mainstream journalism and a reporter's personal Blog.
Students £2; ABSW full/associate £5. £10 non members. (Join on night for £5 discount.)
November 18 TBA
December 15 (Xmas special, attendance unlimited) – PAWS before the punchline
Communicating science using drama and comedy. Timandra Harkness and Helen Pilcher will round off this evening, jointly presented with the PAWS Drama Fund.
Students £2; ABSW full/associate £5. £10 non members. (Join on night for £5 discount)
January 20 (2009) TBA
February 18 TBA
March 17 TBA
Please put these dates in your diary now and keep checking the website and the ABSW Blog for updates.
Charges
Briefings all attract a nominal charge. There will be special rates for ABSW members and a Student Rate. Non-members will pay a higher fee, or be invited to join on the spot to benefit immediately from the discounted rate. Rates will vary according to event - please check in each case.
PayPal at last!
New! You can now pay ABSW via your PayPal account, to absw [at] absw.org.uk.
Please write in the comment box that you are paying for a briefing and please say which.
Venue
The Geological Society of London, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG.
Directions
Times
Unless otherwise stated, all talks follow the same pattern.
- Coffee and Tea at 1800-1830
- Briefing 1830-1930
- Adjourn to pub 1930.
