Publishing a Newsletter: Issues and Decisions Pat McAlexander, 2013 Editor, OLLI@UGA s OLLI Times, 2010-present
Purposes of newsletters? Inform about organization s business (transparency), events (past, present), members Entertain with above, plus photos, creative writing Connect the organization Publicize the organization to others Make money ads, motivate members to give (Development Fund, Leave a Legacy)
Some newsletters represented here: Your organization and location? Title of your newsletter? How often published? Approximate length? Formatting process?
Our OLLI@UGA newsletter (facts, evolution): We publish six issues a year, usually September, November, late January, March, April or May, and June.
SIZE/LENGTH? Our paper has to have a number of pages divisible by 4. It has gradually grown from 8 pages to 12, 16, 20, once even 24 as we ve added more photos, stories, and most recently, advertisements. One person called it the OLLI magazine.
People said, We need a name for the newsletter. I tried to think of one one that would tie in with our motto: Having the Time of Our Lives with OLLI@UGA.
Formatting Our newsletter material is sent in a Word document, along with separate photos via Picasa email, to a formatter in the UGA College of Education. He puts our material into newsletter form.
Example: MARCH 2012 5,243 words, 26 pics Troy, This should be 12 pages! Front page pictures: put at least one on top half of newspaper. Please at least start the 2 stories below on page 1. Page 1: Picture of group on stairs. Caption: OLLI artists met with Joanne Roth and Jeani Goodwin to plan the Art Fair. Front row l. to r.: John Weber, Margaret Agner, Cam Bridges, Jeani. Back row: Elizabeth Barton, Joanne, Chip McDonald (photo by Pat McAlexander) picture of coleus i.e. leaves. If possible, use as inset within story of art fair. Can be small. Caption: Margaret Agner s silk print Coleus OLLI ART FAIR AND PLANT SWAP ON LUCKY FRIDAY, APRIL 13 On Friday, April 13, 1:00-4:00 p.m. at Central Presbyterian, OLLI is holding its First Annual Art Fair, which Joanne Roth, who initiated the idea, is whimsically calling Drawing More Than Flies. At the same time there will be a "Need More Plants - Garden Plant Swap" on the church grounds. OLLI members are invited to participate in these free events as artists/craftspersons or as gardeners. The events will be open to the public.
How is your newsletter printed and disseminated?
The UGA College of Education prints The OLLI Times for us. A copy is mailed (U.S. Mail) to every OLLI@UGA member now over 1,000.
How is your newsletter funded? We pay for paper, mailing: $5849 last year (included a special short 7 th Fund Development issue) + The UGA College of Education does the formatting and printing.
Newsletter administrative structure: Who makes decisions about your newsletter? Editor Executive Director of organization President of organization Committee(s) Other? OLLI Times: First three
How to schedule publication dates for timeliness?
OLLI Times Setting up the schedule for publication: Material due by --- but earlier better Material to formatter/printer by--(1-2 days later) Mailing week ---up to 2 weeks later Problem: how to get fast-breaking stories out on time. Example: story about the nominees for organization s officers
What type of content (besides news of future events) to include in a newsletter? Or: What NOT to include? Our editorial policy: news about OLLI, its members, and OLLI events
Placement of content any special practices here? For example, what goes on the first page?
PAGE ONE --Decisions to be made: Eye-catching news (like to have a photo) Important upcoming events Important past events Select in relation to what s available for that issue.. Important Function: TO GET MEMBERS TO READ IT.
Page 2: President s Note List of organization s officers and committee members Publishing info (deadlines etc.)
INSIDE: Sections on the organization s EVENTS (past, future) if not on page 1 (sometimes just separate articles ) CLASSES TRAVEL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS)
Fund-raising articles/appeals
Feature articles on interesting members
5) Creative writing by members What kind of creative writing to include? Memoirs often have historical significance Poems Other?
5) OLLI Briefs 6) Filler boxes
Box--
Editing and proofreading: Who does it?
Edit for: Content/quality Length (cutting??) Organization Factual accuracy Clarity Proofread for: Correct grammar Correct mechanics Correct names/spelling Consistent style (plural of word OLLI=members)
Examples for proofing/editing: Applications for vendors is not being accepted at City Hall and online. As a quote-unquote health conscious person, I am excited about Farm 255. Caption for a photo: Bill X and his wife, Jane Y, at the Christmas party
7) PHOTOS Sources of photos? Functions of photos? Make layout of paper look good Interest/entertain/inform members Call attention to particular articles Illustrate the nature of the organization *Make subjects look good (no unflattering photos) *When possible, give photo credits
Good group photo
Formatting photos Writing captions note length, parallel structure; sometimes humor
Photos cropped to same size
Caption Problem for Formatter (two lines Vs One line
Collage (using Picasa)
PHOTOS: How do you choose photos? Does the subject matter fill a purpose? Quality? Will they look good as black and white? Some feature photos I chose for The OLLI Times (and how some looked in print):
Advertisements and their placement : Do you have ads in your newsletter?
Full Page-- $10,000 money or in-kind
Half Page $5,000 Money or in-kind
Quarter Page-- $2,500 money or In-kind a problem with this layout?
Effects of the increasing availability of online material?
Hard copy newsletters vs Online newsletters, websites, social media
Some claimed advantages of hard copy newsletters vs online sources Many members prefer hard copies, so more members read them Thus more attractive to advertisers More effective in promoting the organization Most accessible record of organization s history
Disadvantages of hard copy newsletters Timeliness more difficult Pictures not in color (yet) for some EXPENSE!!
OLLI@UGA members seem to like and read the OLLI Times, as shown by the song sung at a dinner group s meeting to the tune of Cover of the Rolling Stone (see next slide)
THE END