2008 events and training resources for communicators –
Something for everyone: business owners, freelancers and staff
Communication Central presents practical programs of value to communicators at all levels, both in-house and freelance, employee and employer. Currently planned offerings are listed below; more details will be available shortly. Programs are held at the Renaissance, 2500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY, unless otherwise noted. Details subject to change; consult www.communication-central.com for program details and new information.
Cost unless special program: $30/person for members of the EFA, STC, AWC, and Writers & Books, and participants in the 2006 and 2007 Communication Central conferences; $40, others. Discounts for series offerings, such as "Websites 101/102/103," and for taking more than one program in a given year. Contact Communication Central to see if your professional organization is eligible for the discounted rate.
Payment may be made by check or via PayPal. Click here for a PDF describing upcoming programs; here for PDF version of registration form. If using PayPal or planning to pay at the door, please send form to Communication Central, 2500 East Avenue, Suite 7K, Rochester, NY 14610, or fax to (585) 248-3638.
May 15-16, 2008 - Special Seminar : “Taking Control of Word,” Hilary Powers, author of Making Word Work for You: An Editor’s Intro to the Tool of the Trade (2008, Editorial Freelancers Association, https://www.the-efa.org/res/booklets.html#word) - at Writers and Books, 740 University Avenue, Rochester. The May 15 program is from 2-5 p.m.; the May 16 sessions are from 9 a.m.-noon and 2-5 p.m., with lunch provided for those who attend both sessions on that day.
Cursed and blessed in equal measure, Word is the tool of choice for most writing and editing tasks today. Communication Central brings nationally renowned Word expert Hilary Powers back to Rochester for this special seminar, cosponsored by Rochester’s Writers and Books, to give you the hands-on skills you need to make Word work for you, rather than make you crazy! This two-day special seminar will help those using Microsoft Word do so more effectively and efficiently, with a session on introductory tools and basics, a hands-on practicum session and an advanced session. Topics will include templates and other ways of gaining control over this complex, frustrating but essential tool of the editing, proofreading and writing trade.
For a sense of what Hilary has to offer, check out coverage of her program for Communication Central's first national conference, in 2006 in Rochester (http://www.communication-central.com/6.html), and at the 2005 EFA conference in NYC (http://www.writerruth.com/portfolio/EFAconf2005/EFAcoverageindex.html).
More information is available in the Writers and Books Spring catalog and online right here - for a full program description, click here. For a registration form, click here. Limit 20 participants, so sign up soon!
June 19: “Websites 103,” Kat Nagel, Owner, MasterWork Consulting, and Co-owner, Communication Central
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and why should you care about it? SEO is how search engines and prospective clients or customers find you on the Internet. This workshop will make you look at your website in a whole new way – the way Google and other search engines see it. Learn what site characteristics the search engines pay attention to, and ways you can improve your standing in search engine results.
July 17: “All about Newsletters,” Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Co-owner, Communication Central (change in original topic)
Whether print or electronic, newsletters today remain a major factor in the communications programs of businesses, nonprofits, associations and even individuals. Find out the basics of putting together newsletters that actually get read, whether you’re launching a new one or wish to improve an existing one – from content and planning to design and “the look of the book.” Presenter Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Communication Central co-owner, has been writing, editing and producing newsletters since before the days of desktop publishing or e-letters, and has lots of fun samples to share that
demonstrate what to do – and not to do.
August 21: “Getting the Most from Professional Organizations,” Kat Nagel, Owner, MasterWork Consulting, and Co-owner, Communication Central
Joining a professional organization can be a ticket to new jobs, improved skills and great friendships. Getting the most out of your membership is a skill of its own. Meet members and volunteer coordinators from several local communications-related professional organizations, and learn how to maximize your return from these excellent networking sources.
September 24-25: “Creating a Professional Presentation in Print, Online and in Person,” 3rd Annual “Build Your Communications Business” Conference; location and presenters to be announced
October 21: “Inch by Inch, Row by Row: Tending Your Client Garden,” Kat Nagel, Owner, MasterWork Consulting, and Co-owner, Communication Central
Once you’ve established your communications business, you need to build it up and keep it growing, by keeping current clients and continually finding new ones. The tips from this session will help you keep your client garden in bloom.
November 20: “Holiday Promotions for Freelancers,” Kat Nagel and Ruth E. Thaler-Carter, Co-owners, Communication Central
It’s one of those perennial questions for business owners, whether the business is a company with several employees or a one-person freelancing venture – what’s an appropriate way to thank current clients and promote your services to prospective new ones? The holidays are a perfect time for answers from colleagues who have made holiday promotions a byword of their businesses.
December 18: “New Year’s Resolutions and Goal-setting for Business Owners,” Kat Nagel and Ruth E. Thaler-Carter,
Co-owners, Communication Central
What’s the best way to wrap up the old year? By focusing on the new one. Energize your approach to your business with ideas for making the new year your best one yet!
To attend these programs, you may make advance payment by check to: Communication Central, 2500 East Avenue, Suite 7K, Rochester, NY 14610, or PayPal to: conference@communication-central.com. Payment also may be made at the door by check. To pay at the door, please fax registration form to (585) 248-3638 in advance.Please register in advance so we can provide sufficient seating, handouts and refreshments.
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The 2007 "Build Your Communications Business" Conference
We had a great time at the second annual "Build Your Communications Business" conference, held on September 28 & 29, 2007, in Rochester, NY, with two pre-conference workshops on Sept. 28 – one on Acrobat Pro 8 and one on information design – and a full day of conference programming on Sept. 29, featuring continental breakfast, an opening panel, two concurrent morning sessions, a networking luncheon, two sets of two concurrent afternoon sessions each, and a closing reception. There was a Business Development track and a Practical Skills track for each concurrent session timeframe. Topics included launching a business, marketing and promoting that business, onscreen editing techniques, writing for the Web, coping with work-related stress, and more. Popular Rochester-based presenters were joined by prestigious speakers from DC, Montreal, Seneca Falls and Poughkeepsie, representing the software powerhouse Adobe, maker of Acrobat, and a variety of communications businesses.
Lori DeFurio of Adobe has pre-conference workshop morning participants enthralled with Acrobat Pro 8 capabilities.
In the afternoon pre-conference workshop, Geoff Hart explains what it takes to design documents that people will use as you intended.
At the opening session, Victoria Posner outlines key business details of value to new and existing communications businesses.
Merry Bruns weighs ways to make Web content more effective.
Rich Adin explains how to make an editorial business a well-paying proposition.
Jill Marie shows off a lunch entree both elegant and delicious - the food was a big hit at this event!
Great giveaways!
Among the giveaways at this year's "Build Your Communications Business" conference were a signed copy of the new book by Word guru Hilary Powers, Making Word Work for You: An Editor's Intro to the Tool of the Trade, just published by the Editorial Freelancers Association (www.the-efa.org); a free subscription to Byline magazine from publisher Robbi Hess; a copy of Acrobat Pro8 courtesy of Adobe's Lori DeFurio; and custom chocolates and a variety of other promotional items from presenter Rich Adin, as inspiration for marketing a business. Packets included recent issues of the Editorial Eye newsletter and of Byline and the brand-new FPO magazines.
Handouts included these samples of promotional materials - a folder, bookmarks, business card and brochure - from tech business owner and editor Judy Shenouda:
Speakers
The 2007 conference featured business owner/marketing pro Rich Adin (www.Freelance-Editorial-Services.com) • Web-writing trainer Merry Bruns (www.sciencesitescom.com) • Lori DeFurio of Adobe • Tech writer and editor Geoff Hart (www.geoff-hart.com) • Business owner/editor Judy Shenouda (www.easescommunication.com) • Business coach Victoria Posner (www.bizplanrx.com) • and Communication Central co-owners Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com) and Kat Nagel (www.masterworkconsulting.com). A special thank you to Victoria Posner, who provided nametags and tent cards for the event.
Adin • Bruns • DeFurio • Hart • Shenouda
About our speakers
Rich Adin has earned a mid-six-figure income from his copyediting services every year for the past 20 years. He started Freelance Editorial Services (FES; www.freelance-editorial-services.com) in 1984 as a part-time business to provide copy editing and desktop publishing services to publishers and has devoted full time to FES since 1991. In 2007, Adin formed wordsnSync Ltd to develop and market editorial enhancement services for freelancers, authors and publishers.
Merry Bruns of Washington, DC, is a renowned online content strategist, Web editor and Web-writing trainer who focuses on communicating Web content to readers clearly and effectively. As principal of ScienceSites Communications (www.sciencesites.com), she has been producing and editing websites since 1994 for business, government, educational and science organization clients.
Lori DeFurio (www.adobe.com) has worked with Adobe Acrobat software for more than 11 years at Adobe, first as a systems engineer involved with the sales team and then as the Acrobat/PDF technical evangelist. Now, she works closely with the Acrobat User Community, writing a blog at blogs. adobe.com/loridefurio and a column at www.acrobatusers.com, and traveling around the world to help people get the most out of Adobe Acrobat.
Geoff Hart (http://www.geoff-hart.com) of Montreal, Canada, is author of the new e-book, Effective onscreen editing: new tools for an old profession, and has been a fulltime independent consultant since 2004, providing developmental and substantive editing, with a specialization in the sciences. He has worked extensively with authors for whom English is a second language, as well as with government and corporate clients.
Kat Nagel is a tech writer/editor, computer coach, and the owner of MasterWork Consulting Services, a technical communications company that offers writing, editing, web development and computer coaching services (www.masterworkconsulting.com). She has worked with PayChex, Kodak, Xerox and other major players in technology. She is also co-owner of Communication Central (www.communication-central.com).
Victoria Posner, owner of BizPlan Rx (www.bizplanrx.com), runs business planning and financial management workshops for entrepreneurs; is a frequent speaker at Small Business Administration, Chambers of Commerce, SCORE, etc., events; and writes about small business. She has worked for Chase Manhattan Bank in commercial lending; designed training for the Treasury Department; and served on non-profit, small-business loan funds.
Before starting Shenouda Associates Inc. (www.easescommunication.com) in 1986, Judy Shenouda taught English and Language Arts at the secondary, post-secondary and college levels; provided academic support and career services at the college level; and worked as a freelance writer. She is a senior member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and active in Toastmasters.
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter (www.writerruth.com), co-owner of Communication Central (www.communication-central.com), is an award-winning freelance writer and editor whose motto is "I can write about anything!"™; speaker on starting and managing a freelance writing/editing business, as well as other topics; author/publisher of a booklet on “Get Paid to Write! Getting Started as a Freelance Writer”; and author of “Getting Started as an Editorial Freelancer,” to be published this year by the Editorial Freelancers Association.
For a PDF of speaker bios, click here. For greater detail about these stellar presenters and their businesses, go to their individual websites, noted above.
Conference sessions (in alphabetical order)
A Practical Agenda for Dealing with Work-related Stress
Handling stress can be a real challenge for freelancers and business owners, especially when trying to balance the demands of your own business with those of family commitments. Get practical tips on reducing that stress and achieving that balance.
Business Strategies to Make a 6-Figure Income as an Editor
Get to the heart of the matter: the practical aspects of making more money as a communicator. Find out why it’s worth learning to use macros in editing; why the average editor makes more money than the best editor; what your service is really worth in today’s marketplace and ways to combat that reality; and why equipment and software matter.
Designing Documents that People Really Read and Use (pre-conference workshop; available separately)
Learn all about: how readers read, and the implications for writing; how viewers view, and the implications for graphics; the “art” and science of combining words and graphics; how to create effective visual designs; and how to confirm that those designs meet the needs of your audience.
Essence of Effective Editing
Transferring editing skills into the onscreen environment is often challenging. Ease your transition from paper and pick up proven tips and tricks to maximize productivity and effectiveness. This session is based on the new e-book, Effective onscreen editing, based on 20 years of experience as an editor and mentoring other editors.
Getting Over the Fear of Getting Business and Making Money
Learn the ins and outs of marketing, and how to overcome the fear of marketing. Open your eyes to essentials for marketing in today’s global market — the website, the domain and e-mail; what it takes to run a business as a business; and how to compete against off-shoring through smart marketing practices and collaboration.
Getting Started and Keeping Going - Do You Have What It Takes?
Learn about the personal characteristics essential for success, vital aspects of planning and setting up your business, finding markets and clients, financing basics, and more. Even those already in business will learn about ways to be more targeted, effective and profitable.
Making the Most of Acrobat Pro8 (pre-conference workshop; available separately)
The Acrobat software program from Adobe is one of the most valuable and increasingly widely used tools for editors and proofreaders, as well as graphic artists, tech writers and editors, secretaries and assistants - anyone responsible for producing and disseminating documents. Find out what Acrobat has to offer and how to make the most of it from Adobe “Evangelist” Lori DeFurio. There may be a drawing for a free copy of Acrobat Pro*!
Promoting Your Business
How do prospective clients and customers know you’re available for work? It takes more than a press release or website. Find out how to generate publicity about your business with creative peripherals – clever, practical and effective promotional items that can create, rev up and enhance an image, marketing efforts and branding for your business.
Writing (& Editing) for the Web
Writing for the World Wide Web is a specialized skill. Learn what it takes to write for websites and other kinds of Web-based communications – your own and those of your clients. Learn how – and why – to take content from print to Web, move to a Content Management Service, develop a new architecture, or make content scannable and readable.
Who we are
Communication Central is a business and training venture of freelance writer/editor and presenter Ruth E. "I can write about anything!" (TM) Thaler-Carter and tech writer/editor Kat Nagel. Our goal is to develop and offer programs for aspiring and current freelance writers, editors and others in the communications field who seek advice and assistance in launching and enhancing their businesses and skills.We are available for presentations to professional organizations and onsite editorial services at local businesses.
Nagel and Thaler-Carter draw much of their inspiration and knowledge from their involvement in professional organizations, as well as their professional experience. Because they both have gained insights and opportunities through these activities, they believe strongly in networking and "giving back" to colleagues. They are both active in the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA; www.the-efa.org), with Thaler-Carter presenting workshops and producing the publication noted above, and serving as editor of EFA's national newsletter and as Rochester chapter coordinator. Nagel is active in the Society for Technical Communication (STC; www.stc-rochester.org), serving as chapter webmaster and newsletter editor, and in chapter conference program planning. Both have spoken at STC-Rochester's annual conference. Thaler-Carter also is active in the Society for National Association Publications (www.snaponline.org) and Association for Women in Communications (AWC; www.awc-rochester-org), currently as Rochester chapter newsletter editor and VP/Communications, and previously as a member of the Columbia and St. Louis, MO; DC; and Baltimore chapters; Nagel serves as webmaster for the Rochester, NY, chapter. Thaler-Carter also has been actively involved with a number of other professional organizations over the years in St. Louis, DC and Baltimore.
Our networking service
To fulfill our goal of serving as a central point for information about the communications world, we're giving organizations and colleagues the opportunity to list upcoming events of interest to colleagues. For current listings and information about submitting your event announcements, just go to the Events Calendar. We also offer registration discounts for association members for most of our events and programs.
Increased availability
Communication Central co-owner Kat Nagel is revitalizing her business, MasterWork Consulting. Watch this space for further details.
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Our 2006 conference
The first "Build Your Communications Business" conference, held September 29-October 1, 2006, in Rochester, NY, was a great success!
The 2006 conference featured presentations from Peter Bowerman, author of The Well-fed Writer, The Well-fed Writer: Back for Seconds and his newest, The Well-fed Self-Publisher; Hilary Powers, popular Microsoft Word® guru; business-development/marketing advisor Mary Anne Shew; tech writer/editor Kat Nagel; and freelance writer/editor Ruth E. Thaler-Carter.
Here's what participants had to say:
"I can't say enough great things about Hilary and her workshop. It was wonderful to meet her and learn from her in person. Thanks, Hilary, for a terrific program! ... Thanks also to Ruth and Kat for all the preparation that made it such a success."
"[T]hank you SO much for a lovely, informative luncheon! I bought Peter's book with his signature and am already into it. The table I sat at was wonderful and I made contact with (a colleague) who also does academic writing. Have ideas about something I can do with ebooks. Peter is right. Writing, not copywriting."
"I want to congratulate you on a great conference and for having such an entertaining, informative speaker (Peter Bowerman) for your first event!"
"I'm really glad I decided to come. Thanks for putting this together. I look forward to next year!"
"Thanks for putting together a great conference!"
" ... what a GREAT conference!! I'm so glad I could attend! I'm recommending it to others, and I hope I'll be able to be there again next year."
Click here for 2006 program, topic and speaker details. For insights into what we learned from the experience of organizing and hosting that event, check out Ruth Thaler-Carter's article at the AdHub: http://www.adhub.com/columns/ruth_thaler_carter01.html
For background information about Ruth and Kat, just go to our individual websites (www.writerruth.com and www.masterworkconsulting.com).