Publishing a Newsletter:

Issues and Decisions

© Pat McAlexander, 2013Editor, 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, creativewriting

“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 picsTroy, 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 13On 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 newsletterprinted and disseminated?

The UGA College of Education printsThe OLLI Times for us.

A copy is mailed (U.S. Mail) to everyOLLI@UGA member—now over 1,000.

How is your newsletter funded?

We pay for paper, mailing: $5849 lastyear (included a “special” short 7th Fund Development issue) +The UGA College of Education does the formatting and printing.

Newsletter administrative structure:

Who makes decisions about your newsletter?EditorExecutive Director of organizationPresident of organizationCommittee(s)Other?

OLLI Times: First three

How to schedule publication dates for timeliness?

OLLI TimesSetting up the schedule for publication:

Material due by --- but earlier betterMaterial 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 aboutthe nominees for organization’s officers

What type of content (besides news offuture 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—anyspecial practices here?For example, what goes onthe 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’sofficers 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 )

CLASSESTRAVELSPECIAL 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/qualityLength (cutting??)Organization

Factual accuracyClarity

Proofread for:Correct grammarCorrect mechanicsCorrect 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 consciousperson, I am excited about Farm 255.

Caption for a photo:Bill X and his wife, Jane Y, at the Christmasparty

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 groupphoto

Formatting photos

Writing captions—note length, parallel structure; sometimeshumor

Photoscropped tosamesize

Caption ProblemforFormatter(two linesVsOne line

Collage(usingPicasa)

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?

FullPage--$10,000moneyor in-kind

HalfPage—$5,000Moneyorin-kind

QuarterPage--$2,500moneyorIn-kind

a problemwith thislayout?

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 themThus more attractive to advertisersMore effective in promoting the

organizationMost accessible record of organization’s

history

Disadvantages of hard copy newslettersTimeliness more difficultPictures not in color (yet) for someEXPENSE!!

OLLI@UGA members seem to like and readthe OLLI Times, as shown by the songsung at a dinner group’s meeting tothe tune of “Cover of the Rolling Stone”(see next slide)

THE END