Moving to PostLocal as a Web producer

I’m happy to announce: After about a year as an overnight producer at the Post (with a recent stint on the night desk), I’ll soon be making the move to a Web producer position with PostLocal.

I could not be more grateful for all that I’ve learned working in the wee hours of the night: how to push out breaking news on at least four platforms and two social media outlets; when a breaking story warrants alerting (read: waking up) a boss; how to prepare our content for the morning surge in traffic; and how to make friends with our CMS.

Our night team and early-morning homepage crew have been fabulous to work with during the bookends of my day, and the foreign editors and correspondents who were the recipients of many an e-mail or phone call have been a treat as well.

I’m excited to tackle some new challenges when I make the transition over to the Local section, once a new night/overnight producer is trained and ready to go.

Apply for ACES scholarship by Nov. 15

I know you’re probably up to your eyeballs in internship applications, but add this to you to-do list: Apply for an ACES scholarship worth up to $2,500.

Each year, ACES gives out five scholarships: four $1,000 awards and one $2,500 Merv Aubespin Award named for the “godfather” of ACES.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 15, but don’t procrastinate. The application process is fairly comprehensive, but well within your reach if you start soon.

What you’ll need to send in

Complete info is available on the actual application form, but here’s the rundown:

Please send FIVE copies of this form and FIVE copies of each of the following items. Use 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

• A list of course work relevant to copy editing. You may include courses outside journalism.
• A list of your copy editing experience, including work on student and professional publications.
• An essay on what you think makes a good editor and why you want to be a copy editor. Write no more than 750 words, double-spaced.
• Two recommendation letters: one from a faculty member or adviser at your college and one from someone on a college or professional publication. Letters should include information about your commitment to professional copy editing.
• Copies of five to 10 headlines you have written. (Photocopies on 8.5 x 11-inch paper, please.)
• A copy of a story you’ve edited that demonstrates your ability. Include an explanation of the changes you made in the story, along with the circumstances under which it was edited (tight deadline, etc.). If possible, include an unedited version of the story.
• Material that appeared online may be downloaded to a CD; send five CDs with your entry.

I was lucky enough to get one of the ACES scholarships last year, so I know how much an extra $1,000 can help.

Apply now.

ONA09: “What if I’m not going?”

The Online News Association’s 2009 conference is about to kick off. … And it’s already taken over my Twitter feed.

Not going to this year’s conference?

No worries. You can catch free livestreams of the conference’s keynote speakers:

• Twitter CEO Evan Williams – Friday, 9 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. Central
• Technology journalist Leo Laporte – Friday, 1 p.m. PDT/3 p.m. Central
• BlogHer CEO Lisa Stone – Saturday, 9 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. Central

This will be my second time seeing Evan Williams speak. About a hundred folks were lucky enough to hear his thoughts when he spoke at UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications last April.

Want even more ONA09 goodness?

Also free for ONA members: [Livestreams of] 16 of the 18 sessions from The Front End and The Back End tracks on Friday and Saturday on Journalists.org.

Access to both tracks will be available for non-members to purchase for $25 each day. (Not a member? Join now.)

All in all, I have high hopes for this conference. (Just take a peek at the schedule.) I’ll be tweeting throughout, and you can follow the #ONA09 hashtag for thoughts from the rest of the crowd.