HOW TO WRITE A NEWSLETTER
The production of a newsletter typically involves the following steps:
1. List all things (sections) to be included, e.g. News items, calendar, section reports.
2. Determine illustrations and photos that will be required.
3. Assign contributors space allocations and set deadlines for copy.
4. Make a mock up (dummy) of the newsletter, showing what parts will go where. This can be done manually or electronically using a DTP program.
5. Collect copy from contributors by the set deadline.
6. Tidy up and mark up copy for typesetting or typing.
7. Paste up for printing prior to set finishing deadline.
8. Print.
9. Distribute.
So how can you go about getting your work published whether it is traditional or online? Firstly in your quest for this you need to understand fully what publishing means. Publishers work to edit the content of what you have written to make it as engaging and captivating to the reader as possible. They will also develop your work to give it strength in the media mass, which you may succumb to if you’re not clever – they will help with marketing and the distribution of your work.
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Newsletter Items
Newsletter items should always answer the five "w's":
· Who
· What
· When
· Where and
· Why
The style of writing should be brief, fresh, crisp and to the point. It should communicate enthusiasm, and not waste the reader's time with artistic prose. A newsletter (or column) aims to communicate information, not convey artistic feeling.
The beginning of a longer article should summarise the story that follows. The content should vary from edition to edition. Do not allow a column to seem to be the same from one edition to the next.
Always double check that names, places, times and dates are correct. At best, errors in these areas will be irritating to your readers; at worst, they will lead to confusion and inconvenience.
It is worth keeping in mind that errors in writing are generally seen to be the fault of the writer, so if you have any doubts about the veracity of your material, double check your facts before the editing and proofreading stages. Don’t leave it to someone else to pick up mistakes. An editor or proof reader (if there is one) may be too busy, or simply may not be aware of any mistakes.
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