The annual NFPW Communications Conference will include a celebration of NFPW’s 80th anniversary, and workshops on creative non-fiction with Pulitzer-prize winning author Rick Bragg; how to talk about your book on television; copyrights and trademarks; monetizing your blog; tightening your writing for busy readers; the future of community newspapers; changes in the AP Stylebook, and a panel on covering racially-charged events and situation.

This year’s conference will be held in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 7-9. A pre-tour, Rockin’ Rockets, is slated for Sept. 3-5. A post tour, Sept. 10-13, will be a literary pilgrimage. Longtime member Verna Gates is planning the tours. She leads six to eight press trips a year for the Alabama Department of Tourism, hosting journalists from all over the world who come to learn about our Civil Rights history, great food and renowned music and literature.

Details will be posted to the NFPW website.