ANTHOLOGY NEWSLETTERS FOR AUGUST

FWG 2^ndANTHOLOGY

FAIRFIELD WRITERS’ GROUP MEETING

Anthology Meeting re media /
promotions / marketing

27th of August 2011

        

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

FWG 2nd ANTHOLOGY

FAIRFIELD WRITERS’ GROUP MEETING

13th of August 2011

Present: Findlay, Lou, Anna, Helga, Jennifer, Carol and Maarten
Absent: Lorraine
Chairing this meeting: Anna
Taking minutes this meeting: Findlay

The following key points were discussed in this meeting:

Anthology payment:
Carol confirmed that all anthology participants had paid the outstanding fees towards publication.
Anna brought the meeting up to date with progress on the anthology:

• 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.

• Endorsements would be included in future media releases.

• 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.

Supporters: 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.

Media/promotion: 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.

Package: It was agreed that customers could be offered a package deal-ie a copy of “Beginings” and “Life’s a Roller Coaster”.

Next Anthology Meeting: Saturday 27th of August 2011

12pm at the back of the Fairfield Library