| Newsletters have become an increasingly popular | | | | You see a magazine editor probably has a sub-editor, |
| way tocommunicate and it isn't hard to see why. | | | | aphotographer, a picture editor and a number of |
| Back in the days when printing was the only method | | | | reporters orfeature writers. They probably still |
| of publishinga newsletter, the rules were different. | | | | complain that they are badlyunder-resourced. But |
| The production costs (print & distribution) were high | | | | they are not compared with you of course. |
| and thisexcluded many people from producing their | | | | So you've got to learn a few shortcuts! Here's one |
| own newsletters. | | | | to start with: |
| But with the Internet and Email, the rules have | | | | CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW AND TAPE IT. |
| completelychanged... | | | | Get hold of a key member of staff, head of the |
| Nowadays newsletters are incredibly cheap to | | | | sailing club,whoever is appropriate to your newsletter. |
| produce anddistribute over the Net. This fact has led | | | | Tell them that youknow that there's an audience out |
| to an explosion inthe number of titles. And whilst it's | | | | there who would just love tohear about his/her |
| impossible to knowprecisely, one recent credible | | | | views and that you're coming down to do |
| estimate said that there arebetween 3 and 400,000 | | | | aninterview (this can be done over the phone if need |
| newsletter titles published on the weband via email | | | | be). |
| each month! | | | | Now set your Voice Recorder, Answering Machine or |
| OBSCURE INTEREST GROUPS NOW HAVE THEIR | | | | Dictaphonerunning and ask the key questions you |
| OWN NEWSLETTERS | | | | know your readership iswaiting to hear the answers |
| The ultra low cost of producing a newsletter, | | | | to. |
| combined withthe global nature of the Internet, has | | | | Remember to ask the open ended questions. Those |
| meant that any bandof people with an obscure | | | | are the onesstarting with; who, what, why, when, |
| minority interest can now viablypublish their own | | | | where and how. |
| newsletter. | | | | Remember you want to keep the content as |
| Hence most Internet newsletters have a distribution | | | | interesting aspossible. And there's nothing more |
| of lessthan a thousand and many have memberships | | | | interesting to the readerthan hearing about something |
| in the lowhundreds or less. | | | | that answers a problem that theyhave. So keep the |
| THOUSANDS OF NEW NEWSLETTER EDITORS | | | | interview rich in problem solving andbenefits and you |
| But the explosion in newsletter titles has led to a | | | | can't go far wrong. |
| wholeband of first-time newsletter editors. | | | | When you've finished the interview off you go with |
| Many of them are home based. Nearly all of | | | | say 20-30minutes of recording and your job is simply |
| themunder-resourced for the writing task ahead. | | | | to play it backand write it out, editing as you go. |
| So here's one useful tip that during my lengthy | | | | Good luck, |
| newsletterediting career, I've used successfully many | | | | Michael Green |
| hundreds of times. | | | | © How To Corporation. All rights reserved. |
| I call it: | | | | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| "How To Write A Newsletter Without Doing ALL The | | | | The author Michael Green has developed a TOOLKIT |
| Hard Work" | | | | called |
| One of the greatest challenges for any newsletter | | | | "How To Write A Newsletter". It comes complete |
| editor is notas the job title suggests 'editing', but | | | | withhundreds of Copyright Free Articles, DTP |
| finding or producing thecontent. | | | | Templates a How To |
| Some people view newsletter editors in the same | | | | Manual and lots more. A must for all Newsletter |
| light as magazineeditors. Nice comparison shame it | | | | Editors! |
| just isn't true! | | | | |