Fifty thousand screaming readers rush the newsstand to get a copy of your latest research. Okay, maybe they’re not screaming, but the numbers probably aren’t that far off. While peer-reviewed journals may make the academic world go round, it’s through magazines and newspapers that your work can make its way into homes across the country – and you might be surprised to find out how interested Canadians are in what you do.
The Network in Canadian History & Environment (NiCHE) is sponsoring a one-day graduate student workshop on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. The workshop will teach participants how to propose a suitable article for a popular publication and effectively pitch it to a relevant editor.
The application deadline is February 15, 2010. Applications can be made using our online application form [now closed]. Accommodation grants are available for out-of-town participants. A limited number of participants living outside the BC Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island may be eligible for travel grants.* Anyone who is registered or intends to register as a graduate student at a Canadian university in 2010 can apply, though some places are reserved for students studying environmental history or historical geography. Space is limited.
Participants can opt to receive continued support by joining the Popular Publishing Writer’s Guild, a free organization which encourages and mentors young academics looking to propel their ideas into the public eye.
Workshop poster
Workshop schedule
Organizers
This workshop was organized and presented by:
- Adam Crymble, NiCHE
- Dr. Sean Kheraj, History Post Doc, University of British Columbia
Guest Speakers
The organizers would like to thank the following people who spoke to the group and helped critique student work during our workshop sessions:
- Dr. Tina Loo, History, University of British Columbia
- Laura Madakoro, PhD Candidate History, University of British Columbia
- Dr. Mary Lynn Young, Director, UBC School of Journalism
- Dr. Coll Thrush, History, University of British Columbia
- Dr. Michael Ducharme, History, University of British Columbia
Readings:
- How to Write Good Op-Ed Pieces
- How Can I Freelance for the National Post?
- Lessons from the 1918 pandemic: Focus on treatment, not prevention
- Copenhagen is PM’s Big Chance
- The Top Ten Mistakes Magazine Writers Make
- Submissions Guidelines – Canada’s History Magazine
- Editorial Calendar – Canada’s History Magazine
- Query Example
- Episode 198: Beginner’s Guide to Blogging
- Academic Blogs; Connecting People and Ideas
- Rejection: A Fact of Freelance Writing
- You Have a Full Plate: Do You Still Look for Work?
- Beyond the Peer Review
Reflections & Recordings
Participants
- Adam Crymble, NiCHE
- Sean Kheraj, University of British Columbia
- Ben Bradley, Queen’s University
- Sean Howard Atkins, University of Alberta
- Lauren Wheeler, University of Alberta
- Merle Massie, University of Saskatchewan
- Vicky Tran, Vancouver Archives
- Rosanne Sia, University of British Columbia
- Jeremy Milloy, Simon Fraser University
- Ashley Park, University of Victoria
- Crystal Fraser, University of Victoria
- Matt Cavers, Queen’s University
- Sinead Earley, University of Galway
- Jeff Slack, University of Northern British Columbia
- Kathryn McKay, Simon Fraser University
Generous Support Provided By:
- The Network in Canadian History & Environment
- The History Education Network (THEN / HiER)
- the University of British Columbia.