ACN Awards Deadline is April 15.
By Jessie Scott, chair, ACN Awards Committee
As I’m writing this, our team is wrapping up our year-end performance reviews. I know not everyone sees the value in this exercise, but I have always appreciated the chance to stop, reflect on all the great work done over the last year, identify where improvements could be made, and start planning for the year ahead.
The process for entering the Ag Communicators Network (ACN) communications contest feels very similar. It’s a great time to look back at your best work from the year before. The story you procrastinated on until the last minute because you were nervous about doing the topic and the source justice. The one that made you want to pull your hair out because of your editor’s notes. (That’s my job now, but hopefully the process isn’t that painful!) It’s your best work — defined by you and grounded in what we each know about how to best serve our audience.
Every entry in ACN’s awards receives a score and feedback from the judges. This constructive feedback will not only benefit your entries for next year’s contest, but it’ll also help refine your skills and ensure your work improves.
While entering the awards isn’t about winning, there is no denying that with all the talent in our industry, placing in ACN’s awards is quite a feat. No one becomes an ag journalist for the fame (we do it for the money!). But once a year, it gives us a great excuse to come together and celebrate the outstanding talent in our field.
ACN’s communications contest is open until April 15 (early-bird deadline) or April 30 for all the procrastinators out there. Review the Call for Entries for information on the categories and general instructions. Enter the awards here. Good luck!
– Scott is the editor of Successful Farming.