Writing the club newsletter

by Lisa Crane, Toastmasters Berne, May, 1999

Introduction

Here is some information about how I do the newsletter. Graham added some paragraphs at the bottom about sending files and converting the newsletter to a Web version.

1. Notes

If I take notes at the meeting, I always use the same format. This helps to save time and ensure that I have all the necessary information.

a. At the top of the page I have the date

b. I then make two columns, 8 lines long and these include the various positions:

TM (toastmaster of evening)
TTM (table topics master of evening)
TTS (best table topics speaker)
S#1  (first speaker)
E#1  (first evaluator)
S#2  (second speaker)
E#2 (second evaluator)
S#3 (third speaker)
E#3 (third evaluator)
MEV (master evaluator of evening)
Timer
Grammarian
Ah Ha counter

c. Of course the name of each person is also written in immediately

d. The next section of my notes is for the names and addresses of any guests.

e. After the section for guests, I have a section for any business items which need to be put into the newsletter. I don't flesh this out completely. Just a few notes regarding events, etc. and then I contact you and others to get more details at a later time.

f. The next section is the table topics. I usually just write the table topics question and who answered it.

g. The last section is the speakers and their speeches. I write the name of the speaker, the title of the speech and the number of the speech. I then try to pick out two or three highlights from the speech as I am listening.

h. As each winner is named, I put an asterisk next to the person's name at the top of my note page. (item b above). Except of course, for the best table topics speaker, I write the winner's name on the appropriate line.

2. Preparing to write the newsletter

a. I review my notes from the meeting to determine if I need any additional info on events, etc. If I do, I then contact the appropriate person by phone and request the information either over the phone (if it isn't a lot), via e-mail or by post. The time spent on this depends upon the volume of information. I might take a half hour to read through it all and try to pick out the important parts.

b. I also contact the VP of Education via telephone to get the most recent, updated assignments. This takes about 10 minutes.

c. I also dig out my TM manual so that I have the names of each of the manual speeches (ie: Be in earnest, speak with knowledge, etc.)

3. Writing the newsletter

a. Once I have gathered together all of the information, I sit down and write it. I always bring up the file of the last newsletter I wrote and save it with the new meeting date. I then make the necessary changes. This way I never have to write a newsletter "from scratch". Except, of course, for the very first one I wrote. This also ensures continuity in format and flow between each newsletter. b. The "images" (the TM symbol and the Bern flag at the top of the page) are saved as part of the newsletter file. That makes the newsletter file so big (2MB or more) that it won't fit on a standard 3 1/2" disk. Also, some computers don't have enough memory in RAM to handle the size. But this has not been a problem for me because of the equipment I have.

c. I use Wordperfect to write the newsletters. The header for the newsletter is just 4 lines centered between the two images. The main body of the newsletter is 3-column, balanced newspaper style with .3" between the columns. The Assignment table and the small column to the right of the table are 2-column, newspaper (not balanced) style. A "table" has been inserted into the left of the 2-column format. The back of the newsletter is 3-column, newspaper (not balanced) style.

d. It usually takes me between 1 hour and 2 hours to write the newsletter in full, front and back. The length of time depends if I am using my own notes or someone else's notes, if there are a lot of "extras" to be put on the back of the newsletter (events, etc.) or if there is something interesting on TV which distracts me (ha, ha! just wanted to see if you were paying attention)

4. Printing the newsletter

I just use a photocopier. We usually print about 30 copies, 20 for members, 5 for guests and 5 for other clubs.

5. Address labels

I also use WordPerfect for these. The format is 3-column newspaper (not balanced) style. It takes me a few minutes to type in the names and addresses for each new guest. I make sure that the guest label has a very small (6 pt.) number on it. This helps me to keep track of the number of times each guest gets a newsletter. The first meeting a guest attends will have a (1) on the address label. The guest then gets two more (2 and then 3) newletters before I stop sending them. After a guest gets a third newsletter, they are deleted from the address label file.

6. Preparation, stamping and posting

a. It takes me about 30 to 45 minutes to address an average of 30 to 35 envelopes, tri-fold the newsletter and supplementary contents, place contents in the envelope and seal the envelope (self-adhesive). It could take longer, depending on the quantity of additional papers which are included with the newsletter.

b. I give them to my shipping department at work and they run them through the stamp machine and give them to the postman who picks up our mail daily.