This year’s Convening offered an array of ideas, tips and strategies for how literary presenters can utilize new technologies to further their missions.  The day included a keynote, three panels led by six leading literary presenters, magazines and presses, 2 readings, and special presentation about the future of the book ... Sending attendees home with many new ideas for implementing comprehensive technology strategies in their own organizations and presses.

Convening Highlights

One of the issues that became crystal clear during this convening was how valuable planning and implementing a comprehensive technology strategy over the long term will be for literary organizations. Some of the topics discussed included web site design and upgrades, as well as on-line fundraising, marketing, and promotion.  The three-pronged challenge of e-book format conversion, distribution and marketing has come into even sharper focus for independent publishers in the months since the convening. 

The Council of Literary Magazines and Presses is deeply involved in research on this issue and CLMP, as always, welcomes questions from all NYS publishers (www.clmp.org).  Bob Colley of Stone Canoe Magazine suggested everyone read Ken Auletta’s article on the future of publishing in the April 23rd, 2010 edition of The New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/04/26/100426fa_fact_auletta

The day included a keynote, panels led by six leading literary presenters, magazines and presses, readings, and special presentation about the future of the book ... Sending attendees home with many new ideas for implementing comprehensive technology strategies in their own organizations and presses.

Welcome and keynote introduction by
NYSCA Executive Director, Heather A. Hitchens.

Panels and Discussions

Book Publishers
Moderator: Hoong Yee Lee Krakauer,
Executive Director, Queens Council on the Arts
Lars Reilly & Veronica Liu, Seven Stories Press
Geoffrey Gatza, BlazeVOX
BlazeVox replies

Literary Organizations
Moderator: Michael Kelleher, Just Buffalo Literary Center
Beth Harrison & Billy Merrell, Academy of American Poets
E.J. Van Lanen, Three Percent, University of Rochester
Academy of American Poets replies

Literary Magazines
Moderator: Maribeth Batcha, Publisher, One Story Magazine
Alexis Boemhler, Managing Director of Circulation & Development, BOMB magazine
Lena Valencia, Web Editor, BOMB magazine
Adam Robinson, Publishing Genius
BOMB Magazine replies

                               
Steven J. Tepper                                      Tepper and Kathleen Masterson

Keynote Address
Steven J. Tepper
Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University:
“Creative Engagement and the Future of Literary Arts”

                  
Featured Speaker                            Stein with Veronica Liu (Seven Stories Press)
Bob Stein, Institute for the Future of the Book

When discussing new technologies even the most computer savvy of us can feel overwhelmed by all of the new upgrades, versions, gadgets and gizmos. How do you post podcasts to your web site? What is the best way to archive back issues on your web site?  To help us navigate this complicated and ever-changing world of technology, we asked Veronica Liu of Steven Stories Press, one of the key planners of the convening in October, to provide us with a toolkit: a list of resources to help get you started as you plan your literary organization’s technology strategy. In this toolkit Veronica explains various methods for presenting audio and video on your web site, how to archive print content on your site, how to file share in the office, and email marketing options.  Huge thanks go to Veronica and Billy Merrell of the Academy of American Poets for providing this helpful guide.

Click here to download Technology Toolkit

Review the Convening AGENDA
Review the Convening PRESENTER BIOS
See all of the Convening photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/fractiouspress/FacingPages2009#