Want to help ACES and get some writing experience?

David Sullivan of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the newsletter editor, sent out this note Wednesday. I think I might be blogged out from the conference prep and city guide.:

From: Sullivan, David [dsullivan@phillynews.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:01 PM

Friends of ACES,

I am delighted that we will be seeing each other and many of our friends at the conference. It will be smaller than past years, but what isn't, except my belt size?

As I know you to be longtime friends of ACES I am coming to you, albeit very late in the game, to see if you would be willing to do some reporting for the newsletter and for online coverage. Each year we have an overview story, reports on three or four sessions, and interviews with the winners of the prizes -- Robinson, Glamann, and Aubespin.

I am hoping that some (most? all?) of you would be willing to undertake one of these assignments, and also we are looking for people to write online about sessions that we will not cover in the newsletter.

I hope you will be willing to do something along this line. If you would like to write about a session you plan to attend, 7-8 grafs for the newsletter (you'll have 2-3 weeks afterward to write it) and a brief thing to post online the day of; or if you can interview the winners, post two or three grafs, and then write a 10-to-12-inch story for the newsletter; or if you can do one of these things but not the other -- please let me and Daniel know. If you know of someone I have not contacted whom you think would be willing, also, please let me know -- Vince, that means you in particular, I know you will have your hands full but you may know of people in the Cities who would be willing to help out.

Thanks and again I apologize for the late notice. My one advice on sessions is this -- write about a session you want to go to, but remember that a session that is mostly give-and-take rather that a presentation of advice and ideas does not work as well in a recap.


David Sullivan
ACES newsletter editor

When you have a chance this week

* Check out all the Twin Cities (OK, mostly Minneapolis) material on the site. Got suggestions, especially on eating and drinking establishments? I hope to do "Notes from locals" on both in the next week.

* All of you who have commitments for the auction, please send me a list of items. Trying to put together a master for the national folks.

Checking in

No luck with General Mills. They, like Caribou, have specific charities they deal with and no others. It was a good idea, though.

The PiPress will be printing the conference booklets. Our marketing director is in charge; if I hear anything from her, I'll pass it along. It sounds like there are still discussions about size and whether it will need folding.

I'll check in again with Lauri Hopple and make sure she's still planning on the Saturday yoga session.

What else?