Golden Quill

[ronbarn]

Almost everything I know about being an editor for a newsletter I learned from my involvement with the AACA publications program and from other editors past and president. Also from some very good answers to question posted on this DF.<P>I've been doing The Marmon News for The Marmon Club for the past year and just read in Old Cars Weekly that the newsletter won a Golden Quill award for 2002. <P>Thanks to all of you who have helped.

[Guest BruceW]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!<BR>Way to go!

[Guest snkchevcol]

Way to go Ron!! With all the hard work you put into the newsletter I know you have to feel good. Congratulations!<P>Rock

[JanK]

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but I have yet to hear of anyone who entered that contest who didn't "win" a Golden Quill. In all honesty, I think it's a marketing tool to get their name out.<P>Please don't take that to mean I don't think you do a great job on your newsletter!<P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[Peter J.Heizmann]

JanK...every day of our lives we can rain on someone's parade. I just wonder "why" do it.

[ronbarn]

Jan, Our newsletter was sent to OCW for several years before I became the editor and did not win the Quill. This is only a sample of one so I cannot refute your comment completely. I certainly would NOT equate the award to the AACA Master Editor level. It probably equates to the Excellence or Distinquished level. In any case it does give a bit of recognition to the newsletters that cannot compete in the AACA newsletter contest which is definitely one of the best out there.<P>As far as rain, when I'm at the parade I just pull out my Antique Automobile umbrella and smile and think of my Marmons

[JanK]

Thanks for the feedback on the Golden Quill. Based on our personal experiences, I've always regarded this as somewhat of a "participation" award. I've never liked those for car shows, since they really were meaningless if everyone got one, and I couldn't see endorsing a newsletter equivalent. However, when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong -- so consider me corrected. <P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[1937hd45]

Congratulations Ron! Now I'd better get those Marmon powered Bonneville land speed record (LSR) car photos off to you. Hope they get you Quill #2.

[Guest]

Ron......I agree with you in that not every publication that is entered for the GQ wins. As a matter of fact, the Sparkplug was entered two consecutive years before it picked up its first GQ then received it for three more years running.<BR>However, I disagree with you that it is not on the level as an AACA ME award. I think there are as many publications entered in the OCW "contest" as there are in the AACA newsletter contest and a few that I have seen are superior to some of those that have received ME awards.<BR>My sincere congratulations on picking up a GQ, I know how hard they are to come by.<BR>By the way, how is Sally progressing and will you two be in Hiwassaee later this month?

[Guest]

I don't know why I'm not registered but will do the drill again.

[fordee9r (Ron Springstead)]

I think it would make their awards more meaningful if "Old Cars" would also publish the number of entrants in their various categories. I, like Jan, figured that if you entered you won a "Quill". <P>By the same token, I have thought that if you enter the AACA newsletter contest you will at least receive an "Award Of Merit". I have been told that this is not true but have never seen any numbers to back up this claim. My first newsletter was a really pitiful cut & paste rag that looked really crude yet brought home an "Award Of Merit". <P>I have seen where a couple of Editors have stated that they have entered the "Golden Quill" contest without receiving an award. Are there any Editors out there who have entered the AACA's newsletter contest without receiving at least an "Award Of Merit"? Just curious.

[JanK]

I agree with Ron that a breakdown of winners vs. entries might give the Golden Quill more validity. The list in the issue that announces the winners seems to go on and on. And I have yet to find out any specifics about how the GQ is awarded.<P>We aren't even certain about how you get entered into the contest. We never sent anything in last year, yet we received notice that we had won. We figured someone in our club must have entered our newsletter. We still don't know the answer to that one! <P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[ronbarn]

Ron, I haven't been on the Publications Committee for several years, but for the eight years that I was a member, the Merit level went pretty deep in the well. Yes, there were a few that just did not even merit (pun not intended) that level. Our feeling was that if an honest effort was made, the newsletter should get some recognition. The bandwidth of the Merit Award was pretty broad in those days and we were fairly critical at the Distinction and Excellent levels. ME was tight.<P>Ironically, many of the better rated newsletters of yesteryear would not fair well by today's standards. Only a few were done on computer and those were not much more than WP cut and paste - just using the computer as a typewriter. The advent of more powerful computers with desktop publishing and now with digital photography (still my personal nemisis) have elevated the standards enormously. Some of the worst today were good enough for high ratings then and some of the best then would be hardly qualified.<P>Sally and I have a ME plaque on the wall and I would hang my head in shame if what we did back then was the best we can do now. <P>I will contact OCW and see if they will release some numbers and identify their criteria. As for Jan's question about how their contest is entered, I never filled out a form but was told by my predeccessor that I should send copies to OCW.