CHAPTER 4
Where does the newsletter content come from?

If you like to download a copy of this chapter, please download the Adobe version: Chapter 4.

This chapter makes several references to NAAP, which is the AACA’s ‘new’ as of 2007 Newsletter Achievement Program. Please refer to Chapter 7 for complete details on this program.

Now that you have decided on the main layout of your newsletter, it is now time to concentrate on what you are going to print in your newsletter—the content. There is a variety of sources for articles but there are several that should be included in every issue.

The nameplate is the logo or design on the front page that identifies that newsletter. If you don't have funds for, or access to, a graphics designer, use transfer lettering (see Appendix B for sources) to do your newsletter's name. If your region or chapter has its own logo, it belongs in the nameplate. The AACA logo needs to be prominently displayed somewhere in your newsletter; the nameplate is a good place to put it. Or you may choose to use some antique auto clip art; see Appendix B for clip art sources.

When designing your nameplate, try to keep it simple, clean and bold. Make it something unique that defines your newsletter. If possible, use a tagline to describe the purpose of the publication—the official publication of the Antique Automobile Club of America.

Even if you do not go with the more formal nameplate as described above, it is important that your Region or Chapter name be prominently placed on the front cover. In either case, put a frame around, or a solid line under, your nameplate to set it off from the remainder of the cover page or the beginning of the body copy.

The rest of the front page can serve as a formal cover, or you can begin the body copy (the main text) of your first article immediately under the nameplate, as shown here. In either case, put a frame around, or a solid line under, your nameplate to set it off from the remainder of the cover page or the beginning of the body copy.

If you use a cover page, photos of members' cars, of some major trophy, or of your group at its last outing, make interesting covers. Some clubs have special artwork for the cover that stays the same from issue to issue; others have a different cover each issue, using automotive artwork or clip art appropriate to the season or to the upcoming meeting: a Valentine for February's cover, food art for a covered-dish supper cover, perhaps part of the meet flyer for the issue just before a big meet.

Somewhere on the cover you also need to show the month and year of issue (January 1990, for example), a volume number (Vol. I for the first year, Vol. II for the second year, and so on) and an issue number (No. 1 for the first issue you produce in any year, No. 2 for the next one, and so on). The month and the issue number change each month; be sure to update them!

A masthead is the listing of contributors, writers, photographers, and editors. This information usually doesn't change from issue to issue; just lay it out for your first issue and update it as necessary.

Here is some other information that needs to be in every issue and can be incorporated into the masthead:

* - the publication name

* - the club name (region or chapter name, and national name, spelled out)

* - editor's name, address, and phone number (including are code)

* - a permission statement about copying your material

* - information about the geographical area you serve and where and when your regular meetings are held.

* - Each issue also needs to contain the names, addresses, email, and phone numbers of all club officers, and the names and phone numbers of committee chairmen and your newsletter staff.

Or, if you prefer this information may be placed in a separate box in a conspicuous place (the back cover, for example). Separate the masthead from the regular text by placing it in a box or defining it graphically in some way.

NAAP scoring:                                                            Value (+)

# 1-AACA Logo on cover                                             05

# 2-Cover Page Layout(01 to 10)                                  10 max

# 6–Region or Chapter Logo used on cover, plus
somewhere in the newsletter contact information
for President and Editor (telephone number
including area code, email, or both)                        05

The following are point deductions if missing

NAAP scoring:                                                              Value (-)

#20-Cover page does not list Region/Chapter name,
and/or newsletter name                                             -25

#21-Cover page does not show a month and a year           -25

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

A calendar of upcoming events will keep your membership informed about what is happening within your Region/Chapter. While the content of the calendar will change with every issue, its format and placement should always be the same so your readers can easily find it.

It is a good idea to include the calendar of National AACA car shows and tours as well as your surrounding Region and chapters.

NAAP scoring:                                                              Value (+)

# 9—Calendar of meetings and events                          10+

A. Calendar includes events of nearby Regions/Chapters                                            05

B. Calendar includes events of
National AACA                                                          05

#10-Large ads for upcoming Region/Chapter
events to encourage attendance (¼ page
or more to include time, dates, and directions)       05

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

Now that you have plenty of ideas, it's time to get down to the actual writing of the newsletter. Before you begin, remind yourself of the purpose of your newsletter, then be sure each topic you include and every word you write is appropriate to that purpose. The mood and of the newsletter comes across as the attitude of the club as a whole, not only to your members, but to everyone else on your mailing list.

Your writing style should be friendly, positive, and conversational. One way to keep your tone chatty is to write as if you were writing notes to your best friend in the club. A massive vocabulary is not a requirement, but good grammar and correct punctuation are. Watch for typos, too; errors take your reader's mind off the content and focus it on your mistakes.

To help defray production and mailing costs, your newsletter could sell advertising space. But keep in mind that the main purpose of your newsletter is to keep the membership informed about what is happening in the AACA and is not a yellow pages. Keep the number of pages devoted to advertising to 25% or less of your total number of pages. For example with a eight page newsletter, you should not sell any more than two pages of ads.

8 pages x 25% = 2 pages

You can either sell regular ads or business card ads. Make sure that you do not lose money when selling ads. Make sure that the revenue collected equals the cost to produce that page.

One full page of advertising could be the cost of one page of your newsletter. For example with an eight page newsletter that costs $640.00 to produce, a full page ad should sell for $80.00

$640.00 /8 pages = $80.00 per page to produce

Your advertising rates would be as follows:

Full page ad-$80.00

Half page ad-$40.00

Quarter page ad-$20.00

One-eighth page ad—$10.00

Assuming your newsletter uses the 8½” x 11” format, you can fit 10 regular business cards per page. For example with an eight page newsletter that costs $640.00 to produce, a business card ad could sell for $8.00 per business card ad.

$640/8 pages = $80.00 per page to produce

$80/10 ads = $8.00 per business card ad

NAAP scoring:                                                                Value (-)

#23—Over 25% of newsletter pages are
commercial advertising                                       (-) 06

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

To help keep down on the number of new articles and ideas that you need to furnish for each issue, include some regular features.

Look first to your club's leadership: your officers and committee heads. Your club secretary can give you a board report and a notice of the next board meeting; your program chairman can give you details about the next meeting, your technical chairman can arrange for a "Technical Tips" article, and so on.

Here are some examples -

* - Published minutes of meetings

* - Something from the editor

* - A message from the President

* - Report of last club meeting

* - Report of other Region/Chapter activities

* - Annual slate of officers (include nominee profiles)

* - Report of annual meeting

* - Reports on past local events, including those of nearby Regions or Chapters

* - Reports on National AACA rules, judging, changes, museum, library, youth, etc.

NAAP scoring:                                                             Value (+)

#14-Published minutes of meetings                               05

#15-Reports on past local events, including
those of nearby Regions or Chapters                     15

#16– Reports on National AACA rules, judging,
changes, museum, library, youth, etc.                   12

#18-Something From the editor                                    10

#19-Words from the President                                     10

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

There are plenty of resources for material for a newsletter, but the single source most important to the success of the newsletter is your own club members.

But how do you get them to contribute? Ask them--individually. Remember—every member has a story just waiting to be told.

Here are a few suggestions of the type of member stories:

* - Restoration stories (include photos if possible)

* - Winners list-club members who have won awards at meets and displays

* - Tour review-review of a tour they recently participated on

* - Member profile-this is an excellent way to introduce new members

* - Acquisition stories

* - Collector stories-club members who collect automobilia (postcards, spark plugs, literature, license plates, signs, etc.)

* - Travel tales

* - Hard Luck Stories

Always give your contributors credit. For regular contributors, make up a heading that's all theirs." If your "reporter" says he just can't write, offer to ghost-write the material for him as long as he gives you the details well in advance of the usual deadline.

NAAP scoring:                                                                 Value (+)

#11—Member Story (about anything car related,
including car, person, memories,distant
show or tour report, vacation
experience, etc.)                                                20+

Bonus points of 10 max to be added
to initial score of 20 points if -

Either—A. Original work, written by member         10 MAX

               with/without pictures         (+10)

OR –B. Compiled or written by the
     Editor, without photos           (+05)
    -if Editor adds pictures to story (+05)

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

If space allows it is a good idea to include general interest stories. This type of story will add variety and a personal touch and keep your newsletter from becoming cut and dry. Keep in mind, these articles should also inform, educate, and promote.

For example,

* - Vintage fashions-interested club members, other club publications, old ads and magazines, vintage fashion books

* - Technical tips-club members with specific expertise, local vendors, other club publications

* - Recipes

* - This day in automotive history

* - Sunshine report

* - Safety tips

* - From the Archives-club and local history (for example, news items or classified ads from an early issue of the club newsletter, stories about the founding fathers, the first accident, etc.)

NAAP scoring:                                                          Value (+)

#7-Articles meant for reading material to
 members (about most anything)

A. General car related article, i.e. history,
technical (not member personal)                       10

B. Other items, i.e. recipes, birthdays,
welcome members, scam alerts, etc.                   02

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

The AACA publication called the Rummage Box is another good source of material. It's published by the Regions Committee to communicate specifically with regions and chapters, and anything in it is available for your use. You can either retype articles, or cut them directly from the Rummage Box and paste them into your newsletter as is.

If you are using the Internet, you will find that the Rummage Box is posted on line at the AACA Website (http://www.aaca.org/), usually four times yearly. You are free to download anything in the Rummage Box that you find useful for your newsletter. If you are not on the Internet you should Headquarters by letter or phone and request that you be mailed a copy of the Rummage Box.

NAAP scoring:                                                               Value (+)

#17—Reprints from Rummage Box                                10

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

Develop a "filler" file of articles and stories, to fill in odd pages and columns when necessary. If it's non-copyrighted material from another club's newsletter, credit the source in your article. If it's copyrighted material, see Appendix A for how to deal with it.

Never use copyrighted material without permission—even cartoons!!

NAAP scoring:                                                                 Value (+)

#8-Articles reprinted from other Region/Chapter
 newsletter that the editor feels are good                      06

Note: see Chapter 7 for complete NAAP scoring sheet

4.6 DO'S FOR EVERY NEWSLETTER EDITOR

DO be enthusiastic; it's contagious!

DO list names generously-and spell them correctly!

DO be a promoter; promote future events and brag about past event-regardless of the level of participation.

DO keep it light and sprinkled with humor.

DO keep it simple; long fancy sentence structures and elaborate explanations will lose them in a heartbeat.

DO say it again, Sam; repeat important announcements in several spots for the skimmers.

DO write to appeal to the entire membership; remember, this is a family hobby.

DO proofread again and again. And then do it again!

DO publish on time, stick to your deadlines.

DO make wise use of your space. All members receive Antique Automobile and other publications, so reprints from them are repetitive and may violate, copyright laws. Detailed minutes of meetings (who made the motion, who seconded it are unnecessary.)

DON'T use copyrighted material without permission! That includes cartoons from newspapers and magazines, they're copyrighted material too, and their illegal use in newsletters is the most frequent violation of copyright laws. Be sure to read Appendix A to find out how to get permission.

DON'T print anything without checking the facts (names, dates, places, etc.).

DON'T report everything you know; remember your purpose. Always test material with three questions: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

DON'T allow the newsletter to revolve around your circle of friends.

DON'T use the newsletter for personal means or political influence.

DON'T air dirty linen in public.

DON'T print an unkind remark.

DON'T report, "we had a poor turnout" or "the same few turned out to do the work." Nothing will be gained but much will be lost!

DON'T fuss in print, it sounds tacky and unprofessional!

DON'T let personal feelings influence your writing.

DON'T ever hesitate to edit anything not in keeping with the purpose of your newsletter.

DON'T ever print a derogatory remark about another club’s event.

DON'T print private jokes.

DON'T take up space with articles that are of limited interest or that are readily available elsewhere.

Chapter 3 - Deciding on the newsletter's layout

Chapter 5 - Getting Ready to Print