I had the honor of presenting at the Association of Health Care Journalists 2010 conference here in Chicago today and was delighted to speak to a packed room (on Sunday morning!  at 9 a.m.!) about how freelance writers (and everyone else) can build their own websites to publish and promote their work online.

We covered static websites and platforms for blogging — and the differences between them — and how to add extras, like a Twitter feed or links saved to delicious.com.

The wide-awake group asked great questions about incorporating social media and how best to engage and interact with readers. Then something grand happened: One of the attendees, Bob Babinski, suggested that those new to blogging first try writing about a hobby or passion to get themselves more comfortable with the process. They can learn the technology without the risk of making a professional faux pas.

Smart suggestion, right? A perfect crowd-sourcing moment. But wait, it gets better. We then looked at his site: http://dockjumping.wordpress.com

And it’s awesome.

I doubt you’ll find anything more rewarding today that these snapshots of the pure joy that comes from leaving land behind. And despite what you might expect, this site has nothing to do with thrill-seeking dogs. Rather:

This blog site is a gathering point for all those people who dare to dream and let themselves leap into life. As simple as the act of jumping in may be, it represents the crucial first step we take in any significant human endeavor. And it all starts with believing in yourself.

I can’t think of a better metaphor for the session itself. So go check out Canada’s Dockrider family and the many smile-inducing submissions (here are my faves).

Oh, yes, and today’s handouts ….

Tools & Tips for Writers AHCJ 4.25.10 (PDF)

How to Set Up Google Alerts and iGoogle AHCJ 4.25.10 (PDF)

Feel free (really!) to check in with me if you have any additional questions or if you get stuck along the way. Most importantly, enjoy yourself. Social media is generally very forgiving, so don’t be afraid to jump in.

Thanks again for taking part, and don’t forget to check CWIP’s calendar for more great networking events and classes.

Without further ado …

- Tools & Tips for Chicago Women in Publishing
- How To Create Google Alerts and Set Up a Personal Social Media Dashboard Using iGoogle

Mostly for nonprofits, but individuals will find helpful hints here, too:

- Social Media Glossary & Resources
- Better Blogging Tips
- Why Blog?

If you’re a writer wondering if a blog can help show off your expertise, or an editor who has thought about using Twitter to connect with other people interested in the topics you cover, or if you’re just trying to figure out how to manage those pesky privacy settings on Facebook, this presentation is for you. We’ll cover some helpful free tools and I’ll show you how to create your own easy-to-use social media and news portal.

The program is Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. It’s at the Willis (er, Sears) Tower.

There will be handouts. And a Q&A. And refreshments!

Register here.

image/FredCavazza.net

Hi class! Thanks for being such a great group, willing to spend three + hours indoors on a gorgeous summer morning.

Here are the class handouts. The first document is a new addition containing links to sites and services we discussed (the presentation minus the Powerpoint formatting). We didn’t spend much time on online fundraising, but here you’ll find case studies and articles about using Twitter and Facebook to raise money for your cause.

I also added resources on social media ROI and, in response to the question of how to keep up with changing tools and issues, I included five sites you may want to subscribe to (by RSS or email) that will help keep you informed.

Finally, below you’ll find three screenshots of my iGoogle page you’re welcome to use for reference. As mentioned, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions. Good luck!

• Class Links & Resources (*new)
• Social Media Glossary
• Better Blogging Tips
• Blogging Toolkit
• Why Blog
• Google Alerts and iGoogle

Plus: Tracey at the Axelson Center sent a note about an upcoming program on Chicago Access Network Television – this Sunday at 10 a.m., John Bracken, of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, joins a discussion hosted by Community Media Workshop on the promise and peril of new media and its impact on nonprofit groups. I don’t have the channel, but let me know if you watch and have any pointers to share.

The three-hour class is geared toward nonprofit organizations and will take place in the computer lab (hands-on training!). We’ll cover major social networks and discuss how they’re changing online communications. All registrants will leave with:

* Their own personal online portal that will help them work more efficiently and effectively
* Tools to follow what’s being said about their organization and topics of interest
* Handouts for diving in deeper to blogs and other social media, including suggestions for free tools and software
* Tips and best practices for using social media to reach members and donors

Interested? Visit North Park University for more information and registration.

I don’t have a clearer sense of whether newspapers will survive, or how good journalism will be funded (I’ll still argue, as I did in one session, that reader-supported journalism such as spot.us is a promising idea but not viable on a large scale). But I do know nonprofits are doing all they can to make the best of this crazy new world — and to ensure that their stories don’t get lost in the shuffle.

The Making Media Connections 2009 conference, Chicago’s largest media conference, brought together a few hundred people engaged in various aspects of news making/promoting/reporting. The keynotes and a few of the larger sessions were blogged live, and a number of attendees, such as Marc van Bree, took excellent notes. Trainer Beth Kanter (who I turned into a geeky fan around when meeting in the elevator) posted a bunch of good information from her session on listening literacy.

In the midst of all this, the conference sponsor, Community Media Workshop, released a report on the state of local online news — “The NEW News: Journalism We Want and Need” that sparked much discussion outside and inside the conference.

I taught a workshop on how nonprofit organizations use blogs and other social media to advocate issues and connect with conversations in their communities. Nowadays participants all know what a blog is, and some are blogging for their organizations, so the focus is more on writing engaging entries, tracking and organizing information, and making your voice heard in a sea of  voices (here are a few tips).

I also had the pleasure of taking part in a panel titled “Words on the Web” with three super smart panelists — Patrice Tuohy, founder of TrueQuest Communications; Brad Flora, creator of WindyCitizen.com; Annie Kinnaird Williams, business development director of Emma Email — and moderator extraordinaire, consultant Emily Culbertson, who has my full support in her war on jargon.

Flora mentioned driving traffic to your site by “plugging holes in the internet” — creating or highlighting resources that other sites will want to link to. It’s a neat turn of phrase for an essential but often overlooked step.

Building skills and sharing information are a big part of the conference, but so is networking. This year the connecting also took place on Twitter — see coverage at #mmc2009. I’m psyched to have met so many great folks, particularly as conversations continue about the future of Chicago’s old and new media.

Writer Alan Richman traveled across the United States in search of the 25 best pizzas (slideshow) and found his number one pick less than two miles from my home: Great Lake, a 14-seat restaurant tucked away on a side street in popular Andersonville.

There are many restaurants within two miles, but the fact that there is a pizza place that sells a “cheese pie prepared with fresh mozzarella made in-house, grated Wisconsin sheep’s-and-cow’s-milk cheese, and aromatic fresh marjoram instead of basil,” described as “slightly shy of unbelievable,” and I haven’t tried it yet, is pretty remarkable.

(For the record, I did try to try it once, but a family emergency note was taped on the door. We promised we’d be back. That was last summer.)

I’m a pizza snob, except when I’m in New York, when any slice that flops will satisfy. Living in the home of deep dish pizza can make a Bronx girl a bit homesick, and I’ll pull over for a sign that says “pizza by the slice” or “New York Style,” often to great disappointment. It’s puzzling why Chicago pizza restaurants think it’s acceptable to cut a round, thin crust pizza into squares, as though a hungry Little League team is waiting to devour it.

Still, Chicago has some excellent deep-dish alternatives: Crust, unique for its organic certification; and Apart Pizza, which offers slightly less flop and more arugula than a traditional New York slice but is still competition-worthy.

Last summer we visited a Vermont favorite, American Flatbread in Waitsfield. As is customary, we spent a few extra hours drinking outside with other dinner guests before a table was available. On another night, we watched the sun set over Stony Loam Farm, waiting for our curried squash pizza (the day’s special) to bake in a wood oven. Pizza on Earth is a tiny take-out hut at Stony Loam. A few picnic tables scattered outside provide seating on warm nights. The ingredients are locally sourced, and the farm provides the produce, including squash. We left with two pies and a fistful of garlic scapes, wishing we lived down the road.

Two miles in Chicago — 1.7 door-to-door, according to Google — is practically down the road.

*Great Lake doesn’t appear to have a website, but here’s a photo of the menu board.

Until April 30th, Community Media Workshop is offering you a special Early Bird Rate on The Making Media Connections Conference 2009. Each day is only $150, and is packed with workshops and panels from experts in social media strategy, as well as prominent journalists.

We are offering Conference scholarships to individuals from small organizations with budgets of $100,000 or less. For more information, contact Maggie Walker  at 312-369-6402, or email her at maggie@newstips.org. Also keep in mind that if registering two people from your organization, the second person gets in for half off.

After April 30, the registration goes up to $190 per day. Half-day rates are also available.

I’ve taken part in this conference before as a panelist, and this year I’m teaching a workshop on blogging for the arts. Check out all the other presenters and the packed schedule. Hope to see you there!

Yesterday I taught a day-long workshop on blogging (note to participants: hope you alert us all to your new blogs soon!). I’ve posted a longer update at Our Bodies, Our Blog.

Here are a few of the articles mentioned tonight:

- Twitter Makes Us  More …: Many, many responses gathered at Pistachio Consulting.
- How Twitter can help you improve, market and publish your creative writing: Though aimed at creative writers, these are helpful tips for anyone.
- A Non-Fanatical Beginner’s Guide to Twitter: A great article for getting started.

There are more resources in CWIP’s excellent take-away guide. If you’re looking for information on any of the topics discussed, or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.