Make Money with Magazines: Jacqueline Howe at the Alberta Magazines Conference

Don't miss your chance to hear Jacqueline Howe at the Alberta Magazines Conference on March 22 to 24, 2012, in Calgary. With a 25-year career in magazines, Howe has built, branded and managed some of Canada’s favourite magazines.

Howe will share what it takes to make a magazine a money-making proposition. The key of course is recognizing that your magazine is, in fact, a business. "Creating a great magazine business for ROI will give you the freedom to do what you want: reinvesting cashflow to continue to build your business, creating a business that can thrive without you as the owner with a high performing team or selling as your exit strategy. Putting the discipline in place now will ensure you have what you need [to meet your goal]," she emphasizes.

In her session, ROI ASAP: Build to Sell, Howe will help you do the following:

• Make your company a stronger competitor
• Increase efficiency and productivity that will help your bottom line
• Identify bottle necks in your business process
• Creating a dynamic team that will allow you to let them run things with confidence

Don't miss out. Just a few more days left to register before the deadline on March 15! Do it now!

---Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

Good Old-Fashioned Editing with Charlene Rooke at the Alberta Magazines Conference

I for one am excited for Charlene Rooke's encore presentation at the upcoming Alberta Magazines Conference. She was kind enough to share her wisdom a few years back, and we're thrilled to have her return. Charlene knows a lot about magazines of course, but she also knows a lot about Alberta magazines specifically. She grew up in Edmonton and spent several years in Calgary editing the U of C's magazine, as well as Avenue. In other words, she "gets" it. I learned alot from her back then, and am keen to learn more in a couple of weeks' time.

So what can you expect from her sessions? Her first is called STET: A Return to Good, Old-Fashioned Editing. I asked her what she considered "good, old-fashioned editing." She tells me, "Good editing puts the reader first and respects the writer's voice. Bad editing is creating an article that is subject to the editor's whims!"

She'll offer practical advice that will help you develop what she considers the most important job of editing: creating "reader-friendly magazines. Do the story, photos, packaging elements, display writing, work together to draw the reader in? Sometimes, as editors, we get too obsessed with an insider's view of what we do." She'll also help you keep your editing reader-focused and you'll walk away with "insider information and advice from both sides of the desk (writer and editor), plus concrete tools and tips for editing long-form journalism, a craft most often learned intuitively rather than taught."

Her second session focuses on keeping your editorial spreads varied and appealing. She'll walk you through "tons of examples and inspiration for different story formats to wake up tired magazine pages."

This will be Charlene's first visit back to Alberta in a while and she "can't wait to see that airplane-window view of the Prairies! Praying for a Chinook..."

You have until March 15 at 4pm to register for Alberta Magazine Conference sessions!
 

--- Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

Calling All Designers to the Alberta Magazines Conference!

If you haven’t already heard, AMPA has scored an amazing art director to speak at this year’s Alberta Magazines Conference (register now; early bird deadline is March 1, 2012!). Alice Cho is currently an art director at Wired magazine in San Francisco, but she has Alberta roots, hailing from Edmonton and graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) in Calgary. She has worked on several magazines, including Print and the ever-fabulous SEED.

She’ll be giving two sessions at the conference. The first is about apps—Improve your App Aptitude, which will be a session focused on an art director’s view of apps. “I think apps are incredibly important to the future of magazines,” says Cho. “While I don't feel like print is going to disappear any time soon, its app counterparts will play an increasingly larger role. I think the design of apps is just as important as the design of the print magazines. The apps should get as much attention to detail as anything else.” She’ll give you the low-down behind designing apps for Wired, and what tools are needed for these mobile designs. “I'm hoping to share a bit about the app-making process and why it might be important to magazines that haven't made the leap yet.”

Her second session about tactile design will resonate with those who consider magazines paper arts, as I do. But it’s also a must-do for those designers who haven’t explored much beyond their desktop or have forgotten that magazine design doesn’t only happen on a computer. Cho will share handcrafted design ideas that work well on the page or screen, and most importantly, convey clear relevant messages to your readers. “I'm hoping that people will be inspired to look past the computer to communicate ideas,” she says. “I hope to share my enthusiasm for craft and maker culture in an industry where we spend a bit too much time behind a monitor.”

To ensure you get some face-time with Cho, be sure to register today for the Alberta Magazines Conference, taking place March 22 to 24 in Calgary. Early bird deadline is Thursday, March 1, so don’t hesitate and you’ll also save some bucks. 

--- Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

2012 Alberta Magazines Conference : Register by March 1 and save!

MARCH 22-24, 2012
Calgary, Alberta

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE MARCH 1
Final deadline to register March 15

Hear industry experts from across the continent speak on timely topics in all areas of magazine publishing, and connect with old colleagues, new contacts and potential mentors.

Dine and celebrate the industry’s best at the Alberta Magazine Excellence Gala on Thursday evening. 

Preview this year’s Showcase Awards entries—including the new category for Best Online Presence.

Spend a full day Friday soaking up ideas, inspiration and tricks of the trade from industry leaders at professional development sessions, including:

• Improve Your App Aptitude: An Art Director's Perspective, with Alice Cho
• Stet: A Return to Good, Old-Fashioned Editing, with Charlene Rooke
• Building Community Post by Post: Blog Case Studies, with Kat Tancock
• Gold-Standard Design, with Domenic Macri
• Big Circulation Ideas for Tiny Budgets, with Faith Drinnan

 

Find out why quality content counts at the Friday keynote luncheon with Gary Stephen Ross, editor-in-chief of Vancouver Magazine.

Meet the country’s top printers at a free panel discussion, and find out how they can help you generate revenue.

Follow AMPA on Twitter @albertamags #AMC2012 for real-time updates during the conference and the chance to win prizes.

Get insider insights on current media issues at the free Alberta Media Summit Panel discussion on Saturday, moderated by Jacqueline Howe.

Check out full session and event details, and register today at www.albertamagazines.com/conference!

Q&A with Alberta Magazines Conference Keynote Gary Stephen Ross of Vancouver Magazine

This year’s Alberta Magazines Conference (AMC) features keynote speaker Gary Stephen Ross, noted author, editor, publisher and screenwriter. He’s currently editor-in-chief of Vancouver Magazine and editorial director of Transcontinental Media West.

I had the opportunity to hear Ross speak in Toronto a few years ago, and picked up some good advice regarding feature writing. I have no doubt that he will provide many pearls of wisdom at the 2012 AMC. I asked him what people could expect at his luncheon keynote address. Here’s what he had to say:

Q. Your keynote address is entitled, "Style Needs Substance: In Defence of Content"; why do you feel content needs defending?

A. Because quality of content has slid down the list of what many media proprietors think is important. In the rush to embrace all things digital, and to recycle/optimize/maximize content they’re forgetting that whether that content is any good—has real value, is original, thoughtful, provocative, insightful, skillfully delivered—is the fundamental question.

Q. People have been saying content is king for what seems like forever—what's something new or critical that you will share?
A. That quality (not hype, not sex, not free, not gossip) actually sells. That’s one reason why publications like The New Yorker, New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Economist, Financial Times, are not merely surviving the tough times we’ve had since ‘09, but thriving in them. They deliver quality. Music equivalent: in the end, it’s Adele—original, genuine talent, the real deal—who wins the Grammys and sells the music and will endure, while Katy Perry—unoriginal, a packaged confection—has her manufactured moment, then gives way to the next Katy Perry.

Q. Bottom line, why should people come to see you? What will they walk away with?
A. Publications need editors with broad knowledge and critical ability and relationships with excellent writers, not just editing chops (I can cut 84 lines in 3 minutes) and administrative skill. Owners/publishers need to invest in improving their products for their customers (readers and advertisers) rather than constantly seeking to do more with less, when that means less hamburger and more Hamburger Helper in their publications. That’s what I’ll be trying to get across.

Clearly, Ross is all about the real deal. And I personally love his analogies to music and Hamburger Helper, and am eager to hear others. I hope you’ll join us and register today to hear this real deal in real life. (Ross will also be giving a seminar entitled, “What’s the story? Tools for narrative.)

--- Colleen Seto
AMPA Blogger-in-Residence

Feature Speaker - Scott Bullock

Meet today's feature Alberta Magazines Conference speaker - Scott Bullock.

With a 29-year career as a frontline circulator, national distributor, educator and entrepreneur, Scott has a unique insight into the industry. He is the owner of circulation consultancy firm Circ3, Smart Circulation Solutions, and has worked as circulation director for both consumer and B2B magazines, including Toronto Life and FASHION. He is also the creator of Coverssell.com. 

Intrigued? You won't want to miss his session at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference: 

Covers that Sell, Covers that Fail

Feature Speaker - Martin White

Meet today's feature speaker - Martin White.

 
Martin is the principal of Online Magazine Marketing, where he shares his expertise with senior management through strategic and tactical consultation. As the former publisher of TIME Canada and associate publisher of Toronto Life, Martin’s experience in the print and online magazine business is extensive. He has monetized web programs for large and small businesses from Bombardier, Pioneer and Reader’s Digest to Wedding Bells, Vantage and Downhome magazines.

Intrigued? You won't want to miss his sessions at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference:

1B - Selling Strong Online

3B - Making Money with Social Media

Feature Speaker - Beverley Sinclair

Meet today's feature speaker - Beverley Sinclair.

Writer, editor and chair of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Bachelor of Journalism program, Beverley is a self-professed word nerd. She has written many magazine articles, several of them award-winning, co-written a book (Western Journeys: Discovering the Secrets of the Land), was editor of the Georgia Straight for seven years, and is kind of fanatical about clear, sharp writing.

Intrigued? You won't want to miss her sessions at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference:

2A - Care and Feeding of Freelancers

3A - Online Content Dos and Don'ts

To download the conference brochure, with a full itinerary, session descriptions and speaker bios, visit www.albertamagazines.com/conference

Feature Conference Speaker - Sharon McAuley

Meet today's feature conference speaker - Sharon McAuley.

Sharon has more than 23 years of experience as a marketer and publisher, specializing in strategic brand and new business development of both trade and consumer magazines. As vice president and group publisher for the Urban Group at St. Joseph Media, Sharon’s portfolio includes Toronto Life, Ottawa Magazine, Quill and Quire and WHERE Canada.

Intrigued? You won't want to miss her session at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference, sponsored by Magazines Canada: 

2B - Ad Sales Toolkit: Show and Tell

To download the conference brochure, with a full itinerary, session descriptions and speaker bios, visit www.albertamagazines.com/conference

Feature Conference Speaker - Luke Hayman

Meet today's feature conference speaker, Luke Hayman:

A partner at Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design company, Luke’s wide-ranging design expertise encompasses magazines, books, identities and exhibitions. His work has received many honours, including a 2006 National Magazine Award (US) for excellence in magazine design. As former design director at New York magazine, Luke was instrumental in restoring the title to prominence. Since joining Pentagram, Hayman has redesigned numerous publications including TIME, Consumer Reports and The Atlantic.

Intrigued? You won't want to miss his two sessions at the 2011 Alberta Magazines Conference:

1C - A Print Designer in a Digital World

3C - Big Design on a 0.25 Pt Budget

To download the conference brochure, with a full itinerary, session descriptions and speaker bios, visit www.albertamagazines.com/conference

2011 Alberta Magazines Conference