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Archiver > GEN-EDITOR > 1997-11 > 0878497467


From: Elizabeth Whitaker <>
Subject: Re: Complimentary issues
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 1997 14:04:27 -0500 (EST)


At 12:26 PM 10/27/97 -0500, Pat Hall wrote:
[snip]
>pretty good for a first start, but we have really improved. We have about 48
>families who take the newsletter now. It is new material we have come with,
>officers short bio's new members short bio's, I was fortunate to have my
>g.g.unle James Harvey Rhea's journal of 1872-1873, so that has been included
>a little at a time.
>
>We have a query section. We include poems geared to family and genealogy.
> It's pretty much up to you, but you have to give the subscribers something
>that's going to keep them coming back for more. I do not include GEDCOMS, I
>do include census records, tips on genealogical research. I have been a
>genealogist for over 20 years.

I've been publishing The Bryson-Clayton-Snyder Families Association
Newsletter since July 1995 on a somewhat irregular basis. (I had some
health problems in '96 (one issue) and, this year, have had assorted
personal, family, and financial crises (three issues so far in '97).) I
started out publishing it as an eight-page quarterly, but, due to
problems keeping it on schedule and getting material, went to a
monthly, variable size in January. I'll publish a total of 12 issues
dated 1997. What I have in each issue depends on what material I
have on hand.

I do publish queries, all of which so far have been from non-members. (I
send a free issue in return for each query I publish from a non-member.)
I haven't had any offers of poetry, but I do publish family-related
documents, and genealogical research done by members and me. (I
have been an amateur genealogist since 1984 and a professional
one since January 1995.)

>Since Sept. we have become an unincorporated family association, and drafted
>bylaws and constitution. Now we are receiving data that we probably would not
>have received if we had just been a newsletter. Research of others.Newspaper
>articles, Books, etc. for us to keep.

At this point, I am the association. The major problem blocking further
organization at this point is distance: I'm four hours by car from most of
my membership. I got the newsletter following a (rare) family reunion in
May '95 because I was the only one with a computer.

>Taking on a not for profit newsletter, is a labor of love. I also believe
>taking on any newsletter is a labor of love, because as in any venture when
>you start out, all that money goes back into your business. I know one lady

I can second that. I'm in the process of getting my second business off the
ground. (I'm the only female web designer I know of in my area, and I'll be
soliciting some people in my area for capital quite soon. To support myself,
I am presently engaged in a variety of activities, such as admin. work for
my father (a physician), professional genealogy, substitute teaching, and
freelance writing.)

>who puts out a onename newsletter and has for the past 16 years, and she says
>she still only breaks even. Size wise is up to you.
>
>We started out with 4 pages, it went to 6 and now its to 12, back and front.
>You just never know.
>
In the interest of keeping postage down to 32 cents per copy, I restrict
the size of each issue to 5 sheets of paper. I have 18 members and
send copies to a newsletter editor in the U.K. (issue exchange) and
to several libraries, including Salt Lake and the Library of Congress.
I also advertise sporadically on soc.genealogy.marketplace as well
as elsewhere on the 'Net.

I charge $10 a year for membership, which covers most of the postage
for one mailing of each issue. (Two members aren't able
to afford even this, so they're being carried for free.)

Incidentally, I live in a very small town, so it wasn't any problem for me
to speak directly with my postmaster about postal permits for
bulk and second-class. She didn't have a hard time talking me
out of second-class: the minimum mailing for a second-class permit
is 200 copies. Bulk mail will not be forwarded.

Elizabeth Whitaker

computer columnist, THE BETHUNE PAW PRINT
http://Web.InfoAve.Net/~elwhitake

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