Present:
Lou, Fin, Lorraine, Helga, Jen, Maarten
Absent: Anna
Chairing this meeting: Findlay
Co -Chair: Lou
Taking minutes this meeting: Lou
Meeting -12:45pm commenced: finished 3pm
The following key points were discussed in
this meeting:
Discussion pre-meeting:
Discussion occurred at or before the Novel group meeting
about determining rules and regulations for the writers group as well as future
anthology projects
A motion was put up for vote at the beginning of the Novel
Group Meeting to have rules and penalties governing participation in any future
anthology projects and to have a project manager for managing deadlines and a
project plan. It was approved unanimously.
The “Motion for Anthology Project Meeting” document by
Lorraine was circulated at the Anthology meeting and was asked by Findlay to be
abbreviated and posted on the FWG blog.
Jen – requested to raise concerns:
- disappointed with how things got to; didn’t like name in
correspondence and asked group to ask her permission before including her name
in future correspondence
- requested that future meetings need to stay to the agenda
and that all personal topics are saved until after the meeting
Lorraine – need discussion / change to terms of engagement
for future projects is needed
Maarten – suggested to close subject; all agreed
1. Introduction (preamble re media,
promotions etc. ) Findlay.
-
activity divided in three parts (pre-launch,
launch day and post-launch)
-
Pre-launch = promotion of the launch
-
Launch day (how to run the day)
-
post-launch = supply and distribution
-
Need to determine our goal as a group (eg to go
to reprint) Group discussion
Need to be realistic in what we can do – eg highly unlikely
that tv will promote the launch of our anthology however good avenues to pursue
with radio that suit backgrounds of our authors and/or content of the stories
Reminder that greatest chance of selling anthology is to
friends, family and FWG members, and through word of mouth
Positives for media attention are:
- Lorraine’s experience of the flood
- Helga’s experience of WWII in East Germany
- Jen’s experience as a friend of a family supporting a son
with schizophrenia
2. Confirm spokespersons;
the nature of the role of a spokesperson, details, phone numbers, availability
Lorraine, Helga and Jen agreed to be primary contacts for
radio press releases
Idea: cheat sheet for members to assist with radio
interviews with details of anthology launch and suppliers of books;
- Agreed; Lou to develop cheat
sheet by next meeting (10 September)
Anna to be primary contact for generic press release; Fin
and Lou as back ups for contact information.
3. Approve/alter media releases:
Discussion on each media release:
(a) Helga’s
story
(b) Lorraine’s
story
(c) Jennifer’s
story (Jen to email Fin with new word for ‘harrowing’)
Fin to email corrected media
releases to members
(d) Generic
for print publications (newspapers, other)
Lou has all comments; will email
final copy with minutes to members
4. Discuss “angles” and briefing for
spokespersons/authors approach to media
-
Lou: Queensland Writers Week is 10 – 16 October;
free media kit available with registration of our launch on the QWW website;
Lou registered launch and will follow up with QWW contacts to include our
details on their website
-
Fin – Coffee News publication for local cafes;
will follow up to see if launch can be included on their ‘newsletter’
5. Decide time-lines for distribution of
media releases, contact with radio stations etc
- Fin
to contact radio stations (6124QR; 4EB) and Brisbane News by 15 September;
possibility of 4KQ and 4BH if other stations do not work out
- Jen
to contact 4RPH and The Road Ahead (by 15 September?)
- Lou
to contact print publications with generic press release;
- add
City news to Quest Newspapers on Media Contacts List
- Local
News – by Tuesday 30 August
- Quest
/ Courier Mail – by 10 September
- QWC
October 2011 and February 2012 Newsletters – done (Anna to do interview
for February newsletter)
6. Determine media outlets to be
approached (Lou and Findlay to supply same)
-
see Media Contacts list as per email from Lou
-
radio stations to approach and how to do so
See Point 5 for list and by when
7. Internet: spread word on Facebook,
Twitter, emails to friends, relatives etc Full meeting discussion.
-
QWW website with State of Writing
-
FWG blog
-
Promote on FWG Facebook page and on our own
social networking media sites
8. Determine other organisations that
may have an interest in buying the anthology
Eg. Seniors clubs, schizophrenia support groups etc.
-
Agreed to wait after the launch to see how many books
we have to promote and sell to seniors groups; should be at a discount (“a seniors’
discount”)
-
Jen to investigate newsletters for schizophrenia
support groups / Queensland Health sponsored newsletters for mental health for
promotion and possible sales
9. Discuss other possible outlets for
media coverage: eg Road Ahead, LinkedIn, etc
- see above
for Coffee News, and print and online promotion
- approach
Nicole Johnston to include launch details in her newsletter
- Lorraine
to forward press release to other writing groups
10. Allocate work-load for pre-launch
media/promotions, poster distribution
-
Jen and Lou to print posters on A3; Jen to pass copies
to FWG members at 10 September meeting; Lou to assist with poster print as back
up to Jen if required
11. Launch day.
Order of speakers/authors readings. Availability of lectern,
microphone, stage(?), catering, seating, thank-you gifts for speakers etc.
-
number of books for launch vs reprint (Lorraine
and Helga's email)
-
may need members to put their allocated books
back in the pool for sales depending on how numbers go
-
Need to check with Library / Librarian on
availability of lectern and microphone; or check with Nicole Johnston’s office
-
Thank you gifts – (3) – Nicole, Estelle and
Sophie to each receive a book and a bottle of wine ($10 each)
-
Run Sheet:
-
Anna as MC
-
Estelle and Sophie to speak
-
Helga, Lorraine, Jen and Anna (?) to read from
their stories
-
Nicole to close
-
Anticipating if everyone speaks for 5 minutes,
then total speeches are 35 minutes
-
Seating needed (60 chairs were available for
2009 Anthology Launch) and tables where authors can sign and sell copies of the
book
-
Catering: Lorraine to look into options for $250
budget (Coles platters and local caterers) and will email the group;
tea/coffee/juice were supplied by library last year and needs follow up again;
150 estimated to attend
-
Money handling and sales on the day:
-
Members not reading to assist Carol Jell with
selling the book
-
Receipt books to have duplicates to keep track
of contact details of those who purchase
-
Helga to design sign for table; asked Fin to
email design ideas – sign for selling books at launch and other future
functions
-
tee shirt interest (Helga)
-
three orders taken
- Photographer for launch day –
Helga has friend who can take professional-looking photos for no cost and will
approach them
12. Post launch.
-
Discuss stall in Fairfield Gardens
-
Helga to approach centre management to put up
posters as well as a stall in the shopping centre
-
Further media including QWC newsletter article
for February 2012
-
Indooroopilly Library book signing again (as per
first anthology)
-
Suggestion to have a book signing at Fairfield
in future, rather than Indooroopilly? For future discussion
-
sales possibilities and how to keep retailers
stocked
-
money collection and handling after sales
-
See below on tax invoices and clear book covers
-
Record keeping for an archive for future members
13. Any other business
Helga – 50c per clear cover for all consignment books; to
protect them at the book shop / retailer; Agreed to buy
Helga / Lorraine – draft tax invoice for record of
consignment sales; will be emailed to members
Lorraine – GST costs for retailers and profit margins;
proposed we increase margin for retailers to cover GST: make $4.95 per book
($12.95 = $8 cost + $4.95 profit) and retailers make $7.00 ($1.81 GST +
profit);
Agreed by group
Lou - Avid Reader Event – dates for 18 and 20 October from
6pm – 8pm are free for a book signing/reading event at Avid Reader; for a
private event, the cost is $300 and Avid provide staff, seating, microphone and
catering (wine and cheese)
- group concerned
the cost is too expensive; Lou to approach Avid when Events Organiser is back
at work (30 August) to negotiate a reduced cost
Carol confirmed that all anthology participants had paid the outstanding fees towards publication.
• Lorraine had arranged for the final proof to be delivered to the printer, For the Love of Books, Moorooka on Friday, August 12.
• The launch of “Life’s a Roller Coaster” was now confirmed: 11am-1.0pm on October 15, Fairfield Library, Fairfield.
• A sample of the anthology was likely to be available for the FWG meeting on September l0.
• It was hoped the finished book would be ready by October 8, and it was hoped copies could be distributed to each participant at the Fairfield library on that day.
The meeting heard that ten businesses and other premises had agreed to take some copies of the anthology on consignment and/or display FWG posters.
There was a wide-ranging discussion regarding media/promotions and marketing but because of time constraints it was agreed that a special meeting be held as soon as practicable to focus purely on those issues. Anna undertook to set a date and advise anthology members accordingly.
T-shirt: Helga brought a FWG tee-shirt to the meeting and it was decided that each member wishing to purchase a tee shirt for $24.95c would be able to decide the wording that would accompany the FWG logo: ie Working with Words or Fairfield Writers Group.
It was agreed that customers could be offered a package deal-ie a copy of “Beginings” and “Life’s a Roller Coaster”.
