2020 NFPW Communications Contest open for entries
The 2020 Communications Contest is open for entries for work published/created in 2019. See this page in the NFPW website for all the information. Arizona members will participate in the “at-large” contest as we do not currently have our own contest. See the At-Large page for information and to enter.
We invite all to check out the Communications Contest page. There are over 120 categories for work published in 2019. Entrants who are not a current NFPW member and who win a first place award in the “at-large” contest will need to join NFPW in order to advance to the national level. See the contest webpage for complete rules.
Presidents’ Message – September/October
Gwen Larson & Marie Fasano at the Fall Conference
September was so busy; I didn’t get a message out. So, I’ll combine two months.
Fall Conference
The APW/ANA Fall Conference, “Freedom to Write,” was a success! The speakers were right on with their topics. I picked up insights with each one.
Mark Athitakis gave us ideas on the attributes of a successful freelancer with concrete information about publications and how to approach editors. Jodi Weisburg not only did a great standup comic routine but talked about different kinds of humor with examples of how to use them in your writing. Gregg Leslie and Gwen Larson inspired us with ideas about who will defend the First Amendment and how we can access information for our research.
General Meeting
At our General meeting at the conference we had reports from our Central and Rim Country Chapters. Central is starting monthly meetings again with the first on Oct 12, 2019 with guest speaker Connie Cockrell. (See the October 3 blog entry for more information.) Rim Country continues to conduct their monthly meetings with excellent speakers and some months with the group sharing their writing projects and getting help from each other. The 6th Payson Book Festival is getting started.
The Treasurer’s report showed we are solvent and well within our budget this year. Let me know if those members who were not present at the meeting want a copy of the report. I will send it to you.
Our membership has increased, and we now have 46 members! So, two goals of our current Board have been met – a Fall Conference and increase in membership. Great News!!
We have updated our Bylaws and they were sent out to all members with some comments in return. Since we did not have a quorum, even with proxies, we will vote on the Bylaws at the Spring Conference.
Yes, we will have a Spring Conference, the date to be set at our November 16 Board of Directors meeting in Tucson. That will be followed by a Southern Chapter meeting and get together.
Your President has been networking this year with several literary and journalism groups throughout Arizona getting the APW name out there. We partnered with the Arizona Newspaper Association for our Fall Conference and with the Virginia G. Piper Institute for Creative Writing sponsor our speaker, Mark Athitakis.
We plan to give scholarships to students in the field of communications and honor them at the Spring Conference.
NFPW President
We were honored to have Gwendolynne Larson, our NFPW President, attend our Fall Conference. Gwen interacted with our members and talked about NFPW as a Federation rather than an Association. It is an organization, comprised of a set of smaller affiliates which seeks to bring attention to issues that are of importance to its members. Each affiliate that comprises the federation maintains control over its own operations. She encouraged members to join the First Amendment Network to keep abreast of free speech issues. She also encouraged us to get involved in the NFPW Communications Contest.
NFPW Communications Contest
We encourage our members to participate in the “At Large” section of the 2020 annual National Federation of Press Women’s communications contest because APW currently does not have its own state contest. The contest is open to writers, authors, copy editors, public affairs professionals, photographers, publishers or others in the communications field. Entries must be published in 2019. If you win first place in the “at large” contest, you must join NFPW to advance to the national level. Check the NFPW website for more information.
There are over 120 categories and sub-categories! Some forget we are an affiliate of a national organization and that membership allows us to participate in this prestigious contest – a major benefit to our members. In 2019 four members won awards. Let’s increase that number in 2020.
We also plan to have an Arizona Communicator of Achievement Award, so be thinking of who you want to nominate.
As you can see, APW is the move. We have much to offer to members and to the community. If you have been inactive for awhile, won’t you come to one of our meetings and get involved?
Keep Writing,
Marie A. Fasano
President, Arizona Professional Writers
APW Fall Conference – registration is open!
Registration is now open for the September 28, 2019 Fall Conference – Freedom to Write! See the fact sheet below. View a full-size version by clicking on the image. Then go to the conference tab to read more details, see the program, speaker bios and register. Or click on this link APW 2019 Conference SAVE THE DATE to print a pdf copy.
We have a special rate at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino where the conference will be held. See the fact sheet for details.
More At-Large Communication Contest winners!
APW had several winners in the National Federation of Press Women’s At-Large Communication Contest. Two members won honorable mention for their entries.
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- Dianne Ebert Beeaff
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- Jan Cleere
Dianne Ebert Beeaff won honorable mention in the category- “Short Stories- Single Story,” for A Packet of Arthritis Pills in the Potomac Review Issue 62, Spring 2018.
Jan Cleere won two honorable mentions in the category- “Columns/General.” Jan won for her articles in Western Women columns that she writes for the Tucson Arizona Daily Star.
Congratulations to both!
NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television.
Brenda Warneka – A First-Place Winner in 2019 NFPW At-Large Communication Contest
Congratulations to Brenda Warneka – a First-Place Winner in 2019 National Federation of Press Women At-Large Communication Contest!
Brenda Warneka with her award-winning book, “Around Laughlin.”
Brenda Warneka, a member of Arizona Professional Writers, is the First-Place winner in the category of “non-fiction books for adult readers, history” in the 2019 National Federation of Press Women’s at-large communications contest. Entries were judged and ranked by professional communications experts from throughout the United States.
Warneka’s first-place winning entry was her Arcadia Publishing Company’s Images of America book “Around Laughlin.” At-large winners compete with first place state winners from throughout the United States in the national competition of the NFPW communications contest.
This is what the judge had to say about Warneka’s First Place entry: “This book used every means necessary to engage me as a reader. This author took an area of our country that held little to no interest to me and I was captivated. The pictures, illustrations, and excellent research of the very people who lived in the inhospitable land held my interest as I flew through the pages. I enjoyed this one immensely.”
NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television. Winners of the national contest will be notified in late March or early April. The winners will be honored at an awards dinner on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the NFPW conference in Baton Rouge, LA
APW member Beverly Raphael Konik Dies
Beverly Raphael Konik, owner of Write Visions Communications, worked as a free-lance writer. She served for more than a decade as state treasurer of Arizona Professional Writers (APW) and was in this capacity on the APW State Board of Directors until her death on Nov. 6, 2017. Bev passed away in her sleep after battling cancer for a brief time. She enjoyed friendships with many APW members who appreciated her quick wit, great sense of humor and compassion for others.
Bev joined APW in 1995 and also was a member of the National Federation of Press Women. A respected freelance writer, she used her strong writing, organization and research skills as a volunteer working on many APW projects. These included APW high school student scholarships, educational programs for journalists and organizing state conferences. Bev was an avid reader with a strong curiosity and love of travel. She delighted in meeting authors and helped secure grants for the Payson Book Festival, an APW literacy project.
Born Dec. 28, 1938 in Pittsburg, PA, Bev came to Arizona in 1975. She worked for the State of AZ in labor relations where she helped resolve conflicts and then worked for the City of Phoenix for more than 15 years.before retiring in 1996 to take care of her father. She was a community activist who mentored youth and helped promote positive changes in education, environment, wildlife and social issues.
She is survived by her daughter, Rachel Harvey of San Francisco, brother Barry Konigsford, and his wife Kitty Konigsford of Mt. Prospect (Chicago,) IL, and their children Brian Konigsford and Janice Konigsford, and Sue Jaeger, sister-in-law. She was preceded in death by her brother, William Konigsford, and parents Evelyn Konigsford and Lewis Konigsford.
A memorial service/celebration of life for Bev is scheduled for 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Dec.2, 2017 at Christ’s Community Church, 3710 W. Orangewood, Phoenix, AZ 85051. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Arizona Community Foundation, 602-381-1400 or www.az.foundation.org .
If you have memories or photos to share, you can send them to the APW Facebook page and to an email address established by the family: bevsmemorial2017@gmail.com .
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- Bev Konik, volunteer, at the Payson Book Festival July 2017 selling raffle tickets and accepting donations for scholarships. Photo by Bing Brown
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- Bev Konik in purple volunteering at the Payson Book Festival July 2017. Photo by Bing Brown.
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- Pam Stevensen (left), APW president, and Beverly Konik (right), treasurer, work on APW records. Photo by Brenda Warneka.
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- Bev Konik (center) looks on as Pam Stevenson (center), APW president, presents Betty Merritt of the Merritt Center in Payson a copy of APWs “Skirting Traditions.” (2013) Photo by Bing Brown
