Had to share...

[JanK]

One of our members wrote up a short article on the Phantom Corsair for our February Beam. We also featured the article on the Beam Excerpts page on our website.<P>A short time later, we received an envelope in the mail from another member. In it was a short note and several pictures. He said he had received his Beam the day before and sat down to read it. (Score one point for us; someone looks forward to reading it!) He saw the article on the Corsair, and dropped us a line to say that his dad had seen the car on a used car lot in Chicago. His dad had checked the car out and had his picture taken with it. Those pictures, and his note, were featured in the March Beam, which was mailed last Saturday.<P>I saw the author of the Corsair article at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and told him the March issue would have a surprise in it for him. He thought I was referring to the story on the parade, because he had lost a piece of one of his shocks on the way to the parade. I shook my head and said it would be better than that, but refused to say any more.<P>Last night the author called to say he had received his March issue. He was completely blown away to see the pictures of the Corsair. He was quite flattered that his article had caused someone to respond in such a fashion.<P>Bottom line: The first member knows that his article was read and appreciated. The second member got a chance to add some interesting tidbits to the first article. After he gets a call from the first member, he'll also know that his contributions were appreciated.<P>For an editor, this is what makes it all worthwhile!<P>Note: This weekend I'll be adding the Corsair pictures to the Beam Excerpts page on our website, in case any of you want to see them. I held off adding them, until the first member had a chance to see his copy of the Beam. <P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region <A HREF="http://www.aaca.org/wisconsin" TARGET=_blank>http://www.aaca.org/wisconsin</A> <BR><p>[This message has been edited by JanK (edited 03-29-2001).]

[Guest BruceW]

Jan,<P>Thanks for sharing the story with us. Its nice to know when people benefit from your work as an editor.

[novaman]

I love stories with happy endings. (sorry no crying smilie available)<P>It sure is nice when you recieve comments back about the work you have done. Wether it is the newsletter or website.

[JanK]

Please don't misunderstand. The kudos go to the people who contribute the articles. They're the ones that provided the content, which others then read and respond to.<P>As editors, we have to try to locate that kind of content on a regular basis. And if we do, it often results in this kind of feedback. To receive confirmation that people care about what is printed in our newsletters is great motivation for an editor to persevere. It reminds us of why we all do this job in the first place.<P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[novaman]

Jan, <BR>Sorry if my comment was taken wrong. I know what it is like to get infromation from people (in my case for webpages. I do them for three different orginazations.) What I meant by I just love happy endings is I think it is really neat when people talk about something and that item turns up. What really makes this neat for you is the fact it was due to an article in your newsletter and for the sounds of it you might have been wondering if anyone reallys reads it. <P>It is things like this that are a real moral booster for taking all the time needed to do publications. <P>To Everyone else: <BR>Please, let your newsletter and web people know that you have seen the work they have done and give them feedback. It is nice to know people are looking at the work done, and it gets tiredsome to keep coming up with ideas month after month after month just because they can't get the membership to give them articles and infromation to use.<BR>

[soxfan]

The pictures of the Phantom Corsair were mailed back prematurely, so they won't be added to the website after all.<P>Our apologies to anyone who went to our website to see them.<P>

[fordee9r (Ron Springstead)]

Hey Jan,<P>Great story! I guess I don't have to tell you how lucky we Editors are on that rare occasion when members submit stories for us to use in our newsletters. They almost always make for very interesting reading!<P>Now, if we could all find a way to keep these stories coming month after month, we would all find this job as Editor a little easier and much more enjoyable.<P>Anyone have suggestions on how you can get this flow of information to occur on a more regular basis?<P>------------------<BR>Ron Springstead, Editor<BR><I>The Schoharie Valley Rambler</I>

[JanK]

We're mean. When we had a 12 member Board, we insisted that each member provide a story for one of the monthly issues. They could write it themselves or twist someone else's arm to get them to do it -- we didn't care! <P>Now that we have a 10 (soon to be 9) member Board, we'll have a few "unassigned" issues. That's where the newsletter exchange comes in handy. We've occasionally found some interesting articles worth reprinting (always with permission!) from them. We also reprint some of the articles from the Rummage Box. Since that's a quarterly, we have three issues in which to feature the relevant articles. And now that I've learned I can edit the articles to fit my space, I'll be able to use much more of the Rummage Box content.<P>Each year we get a few new members and I try to get them to tell the club a bit about themselves. If they have a car (not all do), I ask them to tell me why they bought the one they did, how they found it, what they did to it (restoration), and so forth. If they don't have a car, I ask them what brought them to the hobby, and what they hope to own someday.<P>The other thing our members seem to like is when we fill with old magazine ads. We've featured a number of beautiful ads for cars, and one on trunks (although one brain-dead member questioned what that had to do with the hobby), among others. One newsletter we receive from a Model A Ford club features clothing ads on their Ladies Page. (We don't have a Ladies Page -- our ladies didn't want one.)<P>We also try to turn our monthly events into cover-worthy write ups. Our most active times are May - October, so those issues are usually pretty full. Our November-April issues are typically the lean ones, so I try to save the articles that aren't seasonal for those issues.<P>Flattery is essential, and doesn't have to be faked. I often suggest to people that they just scribble their thoughts, and tell them I'll clean it up a bit for them before publication. Many of our members don't feel confident about their writing ability, so they don't want to volunteer. Those that meet me halfway have been pleased to see their column in print, and often end up asking for extra copies to share with family and friends. I offer to make extra copies available to those who contribute articles, particularly if they're featured on the cover. Besides, you never know if one of these extra recipients will become a member!<P>Enough for now. I'll let someone else have a turn. <P>Jan K.<P>