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Archiver > GEN-EDITOR > 1998-03 > 0891118131


From: Selna V <>
Subject: Re: First Family Newsletter
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 15:48:51 EST


I've been the editor of Evans Events and it is a very enjoyable process for
me. A newsletter exciting and fun. My newletter is published quarterly (make
sure you watch that you don't need to publish around the holidays). I started
out with six pages, printed on both sides, folded and stapled. This way I
only needed to use one first class stamp. This way you don't have to buy
envelopes. This does sometimes gets butchered in the mail though. With all
the information I keep gathering on such a common name, I have increased the
size to twelve pages, put in an envelope. Other editors have recommended that
I keep the subscription year the same for all subscribers, so there is only
one time when renewal letters have to go out. I have adopted this idea and it
works great for me. I use clip art from my Printmaster program, and also scan
in pictures from all the Dover clip art books that you can easily get from the
library.
Genealogists are by nature supposed to be resourceful. In order to keep your
publication reasonably priced, make through use of the library resources.
There are books on how to edit newsletters, all the clip art books mentioned
above, books on genealogy in general, and about particular families, books on
different genealogy programs, and on and on. Make full use of them.
I always proofread my newssletter when I print it, and then make sure someone
else (my sister) proofreads the newsletter before I make copies, in case I
made any errors that I missed. Just a way to get a quality publication.
I get copies at Staples, but check around for prices from time to time.
I have fun putting quotes about endurance, perserverance, and life in general,
under some of the clip art. Jokes may be fun, but you have to be careful that
they don't offend anyone.
The more common the name, the more subscribers you have a chance of getting.
If you are doing this for a small family, with more current information, you
will have to be careful of libel issues, and may have a harder time charging a
reasonable price for the newsletter. If you are having a newsletter about
descendants of a particular couple, I wouldn't break the newsletter into
different branches. It seems like a lot of work to have four newsletters
instead of one. For a smaller family, you might have a more difficult time
getting information to put in the newsletter.

I hope these tips help. The people on this mailing list have been very
helpful and encouraging to me, and I thought I'd return the favor.

Shelina

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