From SFLink

Contents 1 Newsletters 1.1 Notes 1.2 Consumables 1.3 Equipment 1.4 Examples of Newsletters Online 1.5 Room 1.6 Staff 1.7 Content of Newsletter 1.8 Blue Sky 1.9 Style 1.10 Insurance 1.11 Sponsorship 1.12 Legal 1.13 People

Newsletters

A number of large conventions write newsletters to keep their members informed, and to entertain. There is also some appeal of the newsletter to those unable to make it to the convention. The newsletter may in some cases be the most tangible experience of the convention as it is often saved as a souvenir.

Notes

• One edition on Friday, two on Saturday, two on Sunday, one on Monday.
• Different colour A4 paper each issue.
• Double sided A4
• templates prepared in advance
• articles for friday, and space fillers prepared in advance
• equipment to be *tested* in advance
• suggested print run of 3/4 of membership - perhaps 750 for most editions, but less on Friday.

Consumables

• 2 reams each of seven colours (ok six and some reserve) (a ream being 500 sheets)
• toner for the printer on a sale or return basis.
• some floppies for laptop owners to submit articles on.
• paper and pens for article submission.

Equipment

• at least two computers
• at least two laser printers (black toner - not colour)
• Do not rely on a single computer or printer - have spares
• cables
• power connectors
• maybe a photocopier but this is usually harder to move. It may or may not be cheaper than printing the whole thing on laser.
• software - OS, Wordprocessor or dtp package, simple text editors. printer drivers.
• A box for people to drop newsletter articles in.
• A Lan would be good, but not essential.
• JonJo has a Samsung ML-1210 which looks to be ideal. Cheap but able to do large quantities. He and Sharon are buying another at some point and I would suggest the convention buys one too for the newsletter (ie so the newsletter has two or three!)

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPR-Samsung_ML_1210~ZD-1 http://www.epinions.com/pr-Printers_Samsung_ML_1210_Stationary_Personal_ML_1210/display_~reviews#

Examples of Newsletters Online

• http://www.baycon.org/2003/newsletter
• http://www.plokta.com/koka2/
• http://www.dowd.demon.co.uk/newsletter/
• http://www.keepsake-web.co.uk/paragon/ (no newsletter AFAIK but PR's)
• http://www.apricot.com/~outis/sf2001/ Look for the "Hourly Newsletter" team!

Room

• Newsletter room contains significant computer kit and must be secure when not attended.
• Desks/tables/chairs to be supplied by site. How to check this.
• power
• internet if possible. It makes sense to make the newsletter to be the focus of computer activity...

Staff

• Need an editor where the buck stops
• a typesetter/collator familiar with dtp package or word processor. (often just the Editor)
• reporters x many, some prepared in advance, some will just appear.
• runners/distributers - needed at predictable times.

Content of Newsletter

• Programme changes
• awards won, (masquerade, eastercon +2years, etc)
• hugo nominations
• news of interesting events
• plugs for programme items from whoever bribes the newsletter staff.
• cartoons done in advance?
• a big watermark 1,2, 3,4, 5, 6 to help people identify newsletter.
• and whatever people write...

Blue Sky

These are ideas which may be looked at if the newsletter all goes fine. These are listed in order of decreasing likelyhood and importance.

• uploading newsletter during convention (could be done with mobile and laptop if necessary)
• "permanent" internet link
• article submission by email (or sms?)
• WiFi access point to link
• Blog system for convention membership to post their own experiences. (eg a LiveJournal community)

Style

• A consistent style is of course advisable but I don't really think there are rules.
• Don't make the text too small, or the font too hard to read.

Insurance

•  ?

Sponsorship

• Can newsletter be sponsored ? it does cost a fair bit in consumables and equipment.

Legal

• Libel? don't slag off anybody :-)
• ISSNs are not required for private club periodicals such as a newsletter. Though we could possibly apply for them to be smarmy.

People

Some people to contact.

• [Jan van T'Ent] - reporter extraordinaire
• [JohnDowd] - ex editor
• [MikeScott] - ex editor
• [WilfJames] - reporter, tech expert
• [PeteYoung] - Nova award winning fanzine editor :-)
• SteveCooper is doing newsletter at Worldcon 2005 in Glasgow