[Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] How to?

[Judy Rasmussen]

Hi Darian,
In answer to your question about who writes articles for newsletters, we
have one person who collects information about members, i.e., who got
married, graduated from high school, received an award, etc. I usually talk
with our state president and a couple of others for ideas.  I often
interview people, and write one or two articles. We often write about a
particularly good panel at our state convention. Articles about BELL
programs, and anything blind kids do always make good reading.  I am sure
you get the idea!        


Judy Rasmussen, Kensington, Maryland
E-mail:  judyras at sprynet.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-editors [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Wunder, Gary
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 9:32 AM
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] [NFB-editors] How to?

Hello, Darian. I was once the editor of the Blind Missourian, and I now
watch as the current editor tries to come up with material. Often she
encourages people to make submissions, and they all agree they will. When
the deadline is at hand, she asks once again, but normally what she gets is
minimal compared with what she has been promised.

I don't think that doing the job of producing a statewide newsletter has to
be a job done only by one person, but my experience suggests that it is a
job done mostly by one person. You do have to chase articles. You do have to
write member biographies if you want them. Since your reputation belongs to
you, you can't let it depend on what others say they will do or what you
hope they will do or what you know they are perfectly capable of doing and
should do.

My friend Tom Stevens was once the editor of our newsletter. He asked for
articles, begged for articles, and, when he found that he was short of them,
decided he was going to keep his promise about a quarterly newsletter and
produced one. It's lead article was on the hazards of smoking. This was
about a decade after the Surgeon General's report and the topic was quite
controversial. Smokers didn't want to hear in their NFB newsletter about
their vice of choice. They legitimately asked why we were spending money
raised to help the blind with material unrelated to the struggle. Tom was
unrepentant. "I asked you for material, you promised it to me, and you
didn't deliver. I did the best I could. If you don't like what you see,
please know that I will gladly replace it with what you write, but, until
then, I'm going to keep our schedule."

Through this list you have tremendous resources that Tom Stevens never had
in looking to fill our newsletter. We publicly say that anything we write is
free for using in other Federation publications. Put out your newsletter. If
people complain that it is lacking in original content, say something like
Tom Stevens said. Try not to let your reputation, your integrity, and your
ability to keep a promise be determined by others. Give folks a newsletter,
and let them make it different if they want to make a contribution. Have fun
at your writing, your reading, your preparation, and your good feeling when
you realize that something you have edited hits the streets.



-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-editors [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Darian Smith
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 8:52 PM
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: [Nfb-editors] How to?

Hello  All,

 As affiliate newsletter editors, how much of the work that you do is done
only by you?   Are there situations where you call upon others to help you
put together the newsletter? do you have committees?  that help you do the
work? how do you end  up  Collecting the submissions you get? how much
chasing do you do to make sure you get articles for   folks?
 I'm  giving a go at putting together my affiliate's newsletter and these
pointers are very helpful.
   Thanks,
  Darian    
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