[Nfb-editors] Making the newsletter work

Sun Mar 13 01:05:07 UTC 2011

Consider the newsletters you and I receive in the mail.  The one from our
health care provider; the one from our insurance agent; from our church;
from our liquor store; from our neighborhood burglar;  do you read them?  I
certainly don't.  Mostly I read the article titles.  Usually the title tells
the story.  Sometimes I read the first paragraph and occasionally, the
entire article.  In my experience, newsletters are, by their nature mostly
mundane collections of information. Under certain circumstances , they can
be much more.

I was a state newsletter editor.  I couldn't sustain the content.  Finally,
I had the sense to resign for the good of my affiliate.

Our state is about to publish its long-dormant newsletter under a new
editor.  And voila, events have conspired to provide us a deluge of
information that will profoundly and negatively effect the blind in my
state, Wisconsin, for many years to come.  Our newsletter that has hitherto
provided useful if pedestrian news has the opportunity to not only report
history, but to be transformative to the blind of Wisconsin.

Bill Meeker

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Jewel
Sent: Saturday, March 12, 2011 4:04 PM
To: jsorozco at gmail.com; Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Making the newsletter work

I just stared the draft for April's newsletter, and I agree that no articles
is kinda pointless...we do phone reminders and reminders at meetings...we
don't need to print it out or any such. However, I also agree with what was
said about reprinting. It should serve a point.
Reprinting an article from the Brialle Monitor would probably be redundant,
unless your membership is mostly people who don't read the Monitor (*gasp*).
But reprinting can serve a purpose. Reprinting an article from a local
newspaper in a state newsletter could draw people's attention to a problem
elsewhere in their state.

One thing I have been told not to do and have sooo much trouble avoiding is
state legislature in our local (county) newsletter. We're in the state
capital (Raleigh, NC), so the state legislature is right here, and our local
members are active in it, most particularly our president. But I know that
should be left to our state newsletter, the News and Views.

One thing I've done and will do again with the April newsletter is a member
profile. I did a member profile on a member who was quiet at meetings,
always listening. Turns out, he's involved with a health group who are as we
type in Africa, helping people with eye diseases, either with surgery or by
training them to use the techniques related to blindness (cane travel, for
example). The member profile highlighted this work and got the group
interested in what he was doing. Now we are on pins and needles waiting for
an update on how he is doing. I look back and am proud of my member profile,
becuase it did what it was meant to do, which was highlight the work of one
person in the local community who is fighting for the cause. That is what I
strive for in our newsletter beyond the fundraisers and upcoming
meetings...to highlight the work of individuals and the group as a whole to
fight for the cause, for equality, opportunity, and security for the blind.

Ok, I'll shut up now *big grin*

Sincerely yours,
Jewel
Wake Federation of teh blind, Raleigh, North Caroina

On 3/12/11, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:
> Here's an idea worth mulling over.  What about regional publications?  
> It would open the scope for additional writers and open the range for 
> additional issues, especially in states where legislation may be hot.
> Sadly, I agree with Bridgit's post.  I think a newsletter ought to be 
> a newsletter, articles and all, but enthusiasm that will never succeed 
> at drawing blood from a stone only leads to disillusionment that makes 
> it easy to presume that if the newsletter cannot happen then maybe the 
> chapter won't get stronger or the affiliate more popular.  Maybe a bit 
> extreme, but you get the point.  The idea here is also a little off 
> the wall, but maybe we need to think crazy to make things work.
>
> Joe
>
> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their 
> sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at 
> all."--Sam Ewing
>
>
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--
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com

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