Sept. 27-29 for wordsmithing weekend

The sixth annual AAN/Medill Alternative Journalism Writing Workshop is scheduled for Sept. 27-29 in Evanston, Ill.

The writers’ conference, held at the Medill School of Journalism on Northwestern University’s campus, brings alternative newsweekly staff writers and editors together with academics and distinguished writers from within and outside the alt-weekly industry for an intensive weekend of wordsmithing.

The sessions are scheduled from 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 through noon Sunday, Sept. 29.

Past topics have included ethics, decoding financial documents, investigative techniques and group workshops on powerful writing. Sessions focus on both news writing and arts coverage. New York Times media reporter David Carr, former editor of Washington City Paper, has agreed to return to the Medill workshop as an instructor this year.

From 1997 through 2000, attendance at the workshop increased each year, reaching 57 in 2000. Attendance at last year’s workshop, however, fell to about 30, battered by terrorism fears after Sept. 11 and a faltering economy. However, attendance is expected to rebound this year, and space is limited. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and will be closed if the workshop sells out.

Tuition for the workshop is $150 for AAN members and $200 for non-members. Tuition includes dinner on Friday night, and lunch and dinner on Saturday.

AAN has reserved a block of rooms at the Best Western University Plaza (formerly the Holiday Inn Evanston) at a rate of $89. The hotel is within walking distance of Medill. Attendees can register for rooms immediately by calling (800) 382-6786 or (847) 491-6400. The cutoff date for group rate hotel registrations is Aug. 26.

Registration materials and the program schedule will be mailed in August.