Magazine Events

Page last updated on August 31, 2010.

Find out what's happening in the Alberta magazine industry. Hobnob with industry professionals, sip some wine, learn new skills. Keep reading to find out more about these exciting magazine events.

September 11, 2010

Sell Your Book, Not Your Soul

The Alberta Branch of the Canadian Authors Association, in collaboration with the Get Publishing Communications Society, presents a workshop by playwright/author Marty Chan. Through humorous anecdotes, he’ll highlight his successes and failures to illustrate the dos and don’ts of book marketing campaigns and how to approach self-promotion in a positive and productive way. Participants should be prepared for group work.

Date: Saturday, September 11, 2010
Time: 9:00am to 1pm
Location: TBA
To register visit http://sellyourbook.eventbrite.com

September 16, 2010

Maximizing the Potential of Your Web Presence


By now, most publishers, big and small have a web presence of some kind. But is it meeting your goals? Are you taking full advantage of the latest tools and techniques for building audiences at minimal cost? Is there more that your site could be doing in order to effectively sell subscriptions, build brand awareness or even (gasp) create revenue?

As part of AMPA’s Digital Learning Series, Rhett Soveran—web editor of WestJet’s inflight up! magazine—will show you how to maximize your Web 2.0 potential. During this three-hour session, he will go through case studies of publishers who are working the web, highlighting what is possible at different budget levels and for different goals. Rhett will also provide personal and interactive analysis and advice on websites you provide as audience members, answering questions you have about maximizing your web potential.

Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: The Kahanoff Centre, Room 202
1202 Centre Street SE, Calgary
Coffee and light snacks will be provided

Price: Early-bird rates for registration by Tuesday, September 7:
$20 for AMPA members/ students; $30 for non-members
Registration rates after September 7:
$30 for AMPA members/ students; $40 for non-members
To register, email ampa@albertamagazines.com or call 403-262-0081.

September 23 - 25, 2010

BPAA Annual Conference: Discover-ability

The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is holding their Annual Conference and AGM from September 23 to 25, 2010 at the Waterton Lakes Resort in the Waterton Lakes National Park. The theme for this year is "Discover-ability: Publishing and Selling Books in the Digital Age."

The deadline to register and pay the registration fee is September 10, 2010. Visit the BPAA website to obtain a registration form and preliminary conference schedule.

September 25, 2010

What Editors Want - A Workshop for Writers


A day for writers with speaker, editor and author Chris Roerden. This workshop is a unique opportunity for writers of all genres to interact with an accomplished professional editor.

- Learn the ins and outs of the submission process
- Find out what first level readers really want
- Acquire tips on how to improve your manuscript’s odds of surviving the initial process
- Participate in exercises covering several topics and emphasizing that elusive “voice.”
- Learn from hands-on editing with samples provided by Chris.

CHRIS ROERDEN has edited thousands of manuscripts for such publishers as St. Martin’s Press, Berkley Prime Crime, Rodale, Viking and more. Her own two non-fiction books include Don’t Murder Your Mystery, which won the Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction, and Don’t Sabotage Your Submission, which won the 21st annual Benjamin Franklin Award™ for Literary Criticism, was shortlisted for ForeWord Magazine’s Writing Book of the Year, and won the Florida Writers' Book of the Year Award for 2009.

DATE: September 25th, 2010
LOCATION: Calgary, Greenwood Inn
WORKSHOP: 9:30am to 4:30pm
LUNCH: INCLUDED
FEE: $99.00 ARWA members/ $129 non-members*

*Presented by the Alberta Romance Writers’ Association

Registration and Membership Information: www.albertaromancewriters.ca

October 13, 2010

Freestylin’ for 20 years: Freefall Literary Magazine at Wordfest


As part of the 2010 Wordfest line-up the 20th anniversary of Freefall Literary Magazine will be marked by readings from Blake Brandley, Jane Cawthorne, Rosemary Griebel and Richard Harrison. To see the full line-up of wordfest events, visit http://www.wordfest.com/index.php/events.html

Art Gallery of Calgary, noon to 1pm

Tickets are $8 - call WordFest at 403.237.9068.

October 15, 2010

WMA Gala Reception and Awards Ceremony

The Western Magazine Awards Gala Reception and Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, October 15, 2010 at Vancouver's Century Plaza Hotel and Spa. The annual event features a day of professional development at Magazines West, and then an evening celebrating the best of Western Canadian magazine publishing.

Find out which AMPA members made the list of finalists on our News page.

For updates on event details, visit the WMA website: http://www.westernmagazineawards.ca/

October 17, 2010

Commemorating Legacy Magazine at Litfest

For fourteen years, Legacy Magazine was an open love letter to the culture and heritage of Alberta. Legacy wrapped up about a year ago, but founder and publisher Barbara Dacks is pleased to present Alberta Encore, a coffee table format book featuring favourite photos, stories and poetry from Legacy. Join host Laurie Greenwood and feature guests Stuart Adams, Marty Chan, Barbara Dacks, Eunice Scarfe and Paula Simon, on for the Litfest launch of this extraordinary and lively memento.

This event takes places October 17, 2010 at 2:00pm at the Milner Library Theatre, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton. For the full Litfest event schedule, visit www.litfestalberta.org/home.aspx

October 22 & 23, 2010

Litfest 2010 Mag Sessions


The Alberta Magazine Publishers Association (AMPA) proudly presents two magazine-themed sessions at this year’s Litfest in Edmonton, on October 22nd with Andrew Potter and October 23rd with Lawrence Scanlan:

Making Your Opinion Matter: On Blogging and Op-Ed Columns with Andrew Potter
In today’s sea of ubiquitous self-publishing and universal social media, making your opinion matter can be challenging. However the difference between quality, compelling op-ed that’ll have your audience looking forward to your next column or post, and the purely narcissistic or mundane remains distinct. Writer and blogger Andrew Potter discusses what it takes to make your blog or opinion column fresh, relevant, interesting, and able to stand out from the crowd.

Andrew Potter is currently a public affairs columnist with Macleans magazine and features editor with Canadian Business Magazine. Potter co-authored the international bestseller The Rebel Sell with Joseph Heath and has just published The Authenticity Hoax. He blogs regularly for Macleans.ca and at authenticityhoax.squarespace.com.

Date: Friday, October 22
Time: 2:00pm
Location: Room 6-7, Stanley Milner Library, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton
Price: $10 for students and AMPA members; $15 for non-members; add $5 for tickets at the door
To register, email ampa@albertamagazines.com or call 403-262-0081.


Creating a Winning Magazine Feature with Lawrence Scanlan
Everybody loves a great magazine feature—the kind of story that is fresh and compelling, has voice and quality writing, is well-researched and effortlessly connects with your audience. But how do you get from the nugget of an idea to flawless final product?

Lawrence Scanlan discusses what it takes to go from pitch to publication. As both former editor and award-winning writer, Scanlan examines the process from both sides of the divide: exploring the tensions, diplomacies and battles that often mark the writer-editor relationship. He offers practical tips on how to go from first draft to final, while sharing experiences on how to make the process move along swimmingly, and common pitfalls that can force it off the rails.

Lawrence Scanlan is a former magazine and newspaper editor for publications including The Whig-Standard and Harrowsmith, a former CBC Radio producer, and the author of six best-selling books, including Wild About Horses and Little Horse of Iron. He has won three National Magazine Awards for his journalism. Scanlan discusses how to create a winning magazine feature from pitch to publication.

Date: Saturday, October 23
Time: 9:00am to 11:00am
Location: Room 6-7, Stanley Milner Library, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton
Price: $10 for students and AMPA members; $15 for non-members; add $5 for tickets at the door.

To register, email ampa@albertamagazines.com or call 403-262-0081.

November 5-9, 2010

Magazines Canada School for Advertising Sales 2010
Presented by Dollco Printing

Where: Pillar & Post Inn, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
How much: Members $2500, Non-Members $3700

Who Should Attend: Sales people who are new to the business or who need a refresher; publishers and managing editors who also sell ads; editors and circulators who would benefit from understanding the sales side of publishing.

You will learn about...

* The power of print and the benefits of magazine advertising
* Selling campaigns (and not single ads!)
* Creating value-added packages that get the business
* Countering deep discounting and keeping advertisers on the rate card
* What advertisers want
* Handling objections and making the sale
* Expanding your territory and increasing advertising opportunities in your magazine
* Up-selling to get more business from your current advertisers
* How tools of the trade (PMB, CPM, CARD, etc) can work for you
* Prospecting without wasting time
* Effective closing

ADDED BONUS: Magazines Canada's panel of media buyers will assess YOUR media kit!

To register

For more information, please contact Edra Sefton, Professional Development Manager, 416.504.0274 x224 or Gwen Dunant, Program Manager, 416.504.0274 x225.

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Copyright 2010 Alberta Magazine Publishers Association | T: 403.262.0081 F: 403.670.0492 E: ampa@albertamagazines.com
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