7 Virtual Events for Journalists and Bloggers in May 2021

Welcome to Blogger Events, a monthly column of what’s happening in the blog world. If you have an event you’d like featured, reach out to the Beyond Bylines team via Twitter at @BeyondBylines.

The coming weeks offer several unique events for journalists and bloggers, covering solutions journalism, food writing, and more.

Check it out!

May 3-30: How to report safely: Strategies for women journalists and their allies

The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas will host this four-week online course. It is open to anyone interested in how to plan and mitigate risks for women journalists. Alison Baskerville, a documentary photographer and personal safety trainer, will lead the course. The modules will cover safety planning, situational awareness, harassment, and sef-care/mental wellbeing.

May 5: Solutions Journalism 101

This webinar from the Solutions Journalism Network will “explore the ins and outs of solutions journalism, talk about why it’s important, explain key steps in reporting a solutions story, and share tips and resources for journalists…”

May 11: How to Combat Disinformation

Laura Garcia and Shaydanay Urbani from First Draft will lead this webinar. “They will provide a run-through of the main narratives surrounding disinformation about vaccines and other issues, how to spot them, quick tricks to verify them, and how to leverage your communication platforms to slow the spread of disinformation.”

May 12: International Food Blogger Conference | Monetization

This is the next virtual session from IFBC in 2021. The Monetization session will help food content creators “add a side of revenue” to their business. Topics will include “Maximizing Cookbook Sales,” “Teach Your First Cooking Class Online,” and “Craveable Consumer Content.”

May 18-June 8: Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism

This four-week seminar will be hosted by Poynter and taught by ProPublica assistant managing editor Alexandra Zayas. Attendees will analyze existing investigations and learn how to apply the strategies to their own reporting. You’ll learn how to choose the right story, access the information, and craft a story around it. This seminar regularly sells out, so apply soon!

May 19-21: Collaborative Journalism Summit

This fully online summit will feature lightning talks (5-minute presentations), workshops, and discussions on a range of collaborative journalism topics and projects. The three days are packed with interesting sessions, but don’t worry: you’ll get a meditation break to recenter yourself between activities.

May 20-21: We Are Podcast

If you’re ready to start making money from your podcast, this is the event for you. Attendees will learn industry secrets from successful podcasters, strategies for building a profitable show, how to use audio apps like Clubhouse, and more. The interactive event will action things in real-time, answering questions on the spot.

Looking Ahead…

Summer Course: Vox Media Writers Workshop

Apply now for this no-cost, hands-on training and mentorship program from Vox Media. It will pair people new to the industry and interested in a career in journalism with experienced editors and writers. Three remote workshops are scheduled in June, July, and August. According to the site, “Each mentor will work with two people to help them develop, refine, and strengthen one reported article, to be published on the workshop website.” Apply by May 16, 2021.

June 7-10: Reporting in the Age of Social Justice

This four-day workshop from Poynter will include two 90-minute online lessons per day. Attendees will also receive a private coaching session to address their specific challenges. Journalists will learn to create stories that matter to society. They’ll hone their storytelling skills from conception to interviewing and storyboarding. Apply by May 10, 2021.

June 11: BlogHer Creators Summit

“BlogHer was founded on the premise that women’s collective voices hold boundless power. In a time when connection is needed most, and with the health of our attendees, speakers, and sponsors in mind, we launched our virtual event series. And we made it accessible to women everywhere by making it free to attend.” The agenda for the summit is TBD and registration will be open soon.

June 14-25: High School Journalism Program

This is another popular online program from Poynter. Attendees will build their portfolio with a personal essay, audio package, and video-based fact check. Other topics will cover journalism ethics, storytelling, and understanding misinformation. The program aims to “give young people the chance to learn about writing and develop a passion for the values and craft of journalism.” You can apply by May 17, 2021.

Make sure to bookmark our calendar of upcoming events for journalists and bloggers. 

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Rocky Parker is the manager of Audience Relations at PR Newswire. She works with journalists, bloggers, and content creators to create their targeted newsfeeds from PR Newswire for Journalists. Rocky has also counseled on content writing best practices. Check out her previous posts for Beyond Bylines. When she’s not working, Rocky typically can be found cooking, binge-watching a new show, or playing with her puppy, Hudson.