Upcoming Workshops for Writers

Two writers representing Main Street Rag Publishing of Charlotte will hold a joint workshop and discussion on getting work published. Following the workshop, both writers--Anne Clinard Barnhill and Maureen Sherbondy--will read from their most recent books and hold a book signing. This workshop is scheduled for January 30, 1 p.m. at Literary Bookpost, located at 110 S. Main St., downtown Salisbury. For more information, call 704-630-9788 or visit www.literarybookpost.com.


The Writers' Workshop, a nonprofit literary center, is offering one-day classes that meet at the Levine Museum of the New South. The next two scheduled workshops are: February 6, Creative Nonfiction Workshop with Jeremy B. Jones; and February 20, Publishing Your Poetry with Richard Krawiec. Registration is in advance only. Financial aid in exchange for volunteering is available. For more information and to register, visit www.twwoa.org/chrwkshps.html or call 828-254-8111. Each workshop is scheduled from 12-5 p.m. and the cost is $75.

CAABJ Member Receives Grant for News Website

Qcitymetro.com, a website offering news and information specific to Charlotte’s African American community, has joined an online partnership with The Charlotte Observer and four other local websites. The project is funded with a grant from J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism, which promotes the use of digital technologies for delivering news and information. The Observer and its five partners will share content and explore ways to cover stories together.


Qcitymetro is led by CAABJ member Glenn H. Burkins, who serves as editor and publisher since launching the site in December 2008. Click here to read more about the grant and partnership.

Partnership Formed to Train Underrepresented Journalists

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Poynter Institute have announced a partnership designed to provide professional development to journalists and media leaders from underrepresented demographic groups in an effort to increase their effectiveness and presence in newsrooms. The partnership calls for Knight to provide a grant of $50,000 to Poynter and individual grants of $20,000 to each of six journalism organizations to help fund scholarships to Poynter programs for more than 100 journalists.

"I see this grant as a stimulus to keep good journalists in the news business," said Karen Dunlap, president of The Poynter Insitute. "To survive and thrive, these journalists and media leaders need continued grounding in journalistic craft and values and new multimedia and entrepreneurial skills. This funding compliments Poynter's ongoing scholarship campaign and its intent to provide access to training for as wide a range of journalists and media leaders as possible."

Dunlap noted that the current downsizing of America's newsrooms has been particularly hard on journalists from underrepresented demographic groups -- the same people that news organizations had been slow to hire and promote when economic times were much better.

The grants are intended to provide the journalists who are selected for the program -- they will be known as Knight-Poynter Fellows -- with training in one of Poynter's broad range of training venues, including News University; Poynter Online; Webinars; online chats; on-site seminars and regional workshops.

Click here to read more.

'State of NABJ' Teleconference Town Hall

Please join NABJ President Kathy Times and Treasurer Gregory Lee for an NABJ Town Hall Teleconference Meeting to discuss the "State of NABJ." This teleconference is scheduled for Wednesday, January 13, 11 a.m.-noon (Eastern time), and is for National Association of Black Journalists members only. Use of a computer is required to participate in the visual component of this teleconference and to submit questions. Members may also dial-in to participate in listen-only mode. Questions may be submitted in advance at nabjtownhall@gmail.com. To register, click here.

Observer Seeks Freelance Science Writers

The Charlotte Observer is looking for freelance science writers. This is what it posted on its Facebook page today:

Are you a freelance science writer or know somebody who is? The Observer is looking for NC-based freelancers interested in writing science stories for the paper. Particularly looking for people with a background in journalism; who have existing contacts at NC universities and colleges and who have strong clips. For details, email sgunn@charlotteobserver.com.