Pre-Conference Seminars
APH 2012 Annual Conference—Turning Points
Hilton St. Louis Frontenac · Wednesday, October 17, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Building a Business that Works
Passion brought you to this profession, but you need more than passion to succeed. Whether you work in print, audio, or video, having solid start-up practices and an awareness of the basic business building blocks will set you on the path for long-term success.
This seminar will explore:
- What's the Plan, Stan? How to write a business plan and why it's necessary to have one
- Business A-B-Cs: From administration and bookkeeping, to contracts and more
- Identifying the Best Fit: Learn why you need to sell your strengths and buy your weaknesses
- Marketing: Learn where to find clients and the most effective ways to reach them
- Value for Value: Don't sell yourself short. Learn how to set your rates
- The Balancing Act: Learn how (and why) to run your business so that it doesn't run you
Paula Stahel has enjoyed a career as an independent writer since 1983. The daughter of self-employed parents, she and her also self-employed brother grew up absorbing the tenets of running a business; she has extensive experience in developing business plans and marketing support materials. Paula, who has specialized as a personal historian since 1998, knows that when you go to work for yourself, it will be for the toughest boss you've ever worked for. Paula served as president of APH in 2008-2009 and on the Board of Directors from 2000-2006. » www.breathandshadows.com
Boot Camp for Personal History Writers: Kick Your Writing to the Next Level
New to the personal history business or want to sharpen your writing skills? Need help transforming your client's ho-hum narrative into a good story? Want to learn how narrative arc, scenes, dialogue, dramatic tension, and descriptive detail will pump life into your stories? This is the class you need! This seminar will shake you out of old habits, flex your brain and writing muscles, and fill you with ammunition to be all you can be—as a writer and as a personal historian.
In this seminar, you will:
- Discuss writing tools (dialogue, narrative arc, tension, detail, etc.) and how they can enhance a story
- Analyze writing examples to explore what makes some more compelling than others
- Work in class, using various tools and techniques, to turn ordinary stories into extraordinary ones
- Simulate interview situations to learn how asking the right questions in the right way can help improve your client's narrative and help you shape it into a more readable and interesting manuscript
Dawn Thurston, co-author of Breathe Life into Your Life Story (Signature Books 2007), has taught life story writing at universities in California and Utah for the last 16 years and is a frequent speaker at national conferences, including previous APH conferences. She belongs to the Genealogy Speakers Guild, the Intl Assn of Family History Writers & Editors, and serves on the APH Board. Dawn has a BA in English and an MA in communications from UCLA. » www.MemoirMentor.com
Sign up early!
No more than 30 students, and no fewer than 10, will be accepted for each session. APH reserves the right to cancel either or both sessions, in which case we will provide full refunds. Fees shown are in addition to full-time conference registration fees.Pre-Conference Seminar Registration Dates & Fees
| Registration Period | Fee for Conference Registrant | Fee for Seminar Registration Only | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Nonmember | Member | Nonmember | |
| Early July 1 - 31 |
$150 | $200 | $250 | $300 |
| Regular Aug 1 - Sept 15 |
$175 | $225 | $275 | $325 |
| Late Sep 16 - Oct 10 |
$200 | $250 | $300 | $350 |
| Last Minute After Oct 10 |
$225 | $275 | $325 | $375 |
Note: Seminar attendees will have coffee service from 8:00 – 8:30 am & 10:00 – 10:30 am, compliments of APH, and will break for lunch on their own from noon to 1:00 pm.
If you are the primary presenter of a workshop or seminar, you can view your class list at any time.