I thought it was a good idea at the time...

As I said in my previous blog, this is my second time on the FIL committee, previously I was Membership Secretary and had decided that this time on the committee I would remain as 'just' a regular member, no special role but just contribute to FIL in general.

Well, that was the idea!  Unfortunately as I have realised over the years, what I intend to do and what I end up volunteering to do are always two very different things.  After rejoining the committee a message went out saying volunteers were needed for a couple of roles, Vice Chair and Newsletter Editor.  I read the email and decided to just ignore it and let somebody else step forward for the role..... oh how I wish I'd listened to myself.

I knew the Vice Chair role wasn't for me - you need to be outgoing and confident, not me in any way, I hadn't even noticed that I was already considering taking on a role!

All of a sudden I found myself thinking, 'well, how hard can editing the Newsletter be?'  I really should have known the answer to that one, having edited a Newsletter previously for our Archery club. The next thing I knew was I was sending an email off to Marie, saying I'd like to take on the role of the Newsletter Editor if she hadn't had any other volunteers, she hadn't.

Oh good I thought, she's accepted me...

 now what do I do?

To be honest the role isn't hard, the most difficult part is getting enough articles and although we have had to delay publication a couple of times, we have so far managed to get the Newsletter out. 

So, what is involved?

As I say, I need to encourage people to write for the Newsletter, my first victims - oops I mean contributors are always the FIL committee members.  Well, if they have volunteered to join the committee, they can at least contribute to the Newsletter, even if it is just to tell the membership who they are....oh yes, that reminds me we have new members on the committee...Note to self, send emails to remind the new members to write an article for the Newsletter.

So, that's what you find yourself doing, you read something in a journal, on the internet or via an email and think, 'that would make a good article for the newsletter'.  Another message goes off to the author/originator asking if they would like to write up an article for the newsletter. I'm gratified to say, so far I've not been refused and then of course there are those wonderful people who volunteer articles! 

These people are the 'saints' for us Newsletter editors, they have an idea, approach you to see if you would like an article(of course we do!) and then write and submit their articles. 

So all you future saints out there, please don't think that you can't write for a Newsletter; or that what you have to say isn't interesting or important. I can guarantee, somebody out there has the same ideas, opinions as you and there will be some who have the opposite ideas and opinions (excellent another article on it's way). There will also be people out there who will learn something new from your article and you may even find people contacting you to expand your ideas or start a new project to improve methods of inter-lending.

Having an article published also looks good on your CV and who knows where it may take you, you may discover a hidden talent and your publishing career can sky rocket. I know of people who have written an article for a newsletter, then been asked to expand the idea for a conference presentation and ended up writing more articles and initiating projects nationally and internationally. 

So today the FIL Newsletter, tomorrow world domination.....or is that going a bit far!

Tracey Jackson

FIL Newsletter Editor

FIL Newsletter Archive