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Austin Chapter

A new member tells us:
I can tell you this.
The encouragement
and support I have
received in just these
two short months has more
than paid for the membership.
We are going to have a
strong chapter here in Austin, TX.
I would encourage
members everywhere
to form a chapter.
E-mail is great but nothing
beats face to face conversation.
Again, thank you.
Tweed










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Set #1: Small Publishers, Artists, and Writers Network Chapter Meeting Ideas

Welcome Chapter Leaders:

We'll be adding content to this page periodically in an effort to help you provide optimum opportunities, information and resources for your Chapter members and future members. Please let us know if you have a special need and we'll do our best to accommodate you through this page.

SPAWN Chapter Meeting Ideas

We have already given you some possible Chapter theme ideas such as, a writers' critique group; a gathering of independent, small and self-publishers; a genre writing group (mysteries, romance, sci fi, poetry, etc.); book marketing discussion group; an unpublished author group and so forth. If you're not sure what type of Chapter you would like to foster, wait and your members will help it to develop naturally. In the meantime, here are some ideas:

Here's a sample meeting agenda
  1. Welcome members and guests.
  2. Talk about SPAWN and share the Mission Statement.
  3. Distribute membership packets. Packets should include:
    Membership application (download from SPAWN Web site)
    SPAWN brochure (download from SPAWN Web site)
    Any other information of your choosing from the SPAWN Web site
  4. Explain that SPAWN Chapter meetings are for members. A guest may attend only 3 Chapter meetings before becoming a member.
  5. Invite members/guests to introduce themselves and briefly describe their current project or state what they hope to get from their affiliation with SPAWN.
  6. Introduce the guest speaker.
  7. After the program, invite everyone to stay for 30 minutes and network with one another. If you notice that folks tend to gravitate toward the same people after each meeting, encourage them to widen their scope of networking by speaking to 3 different individuals before leaving that evening.
  8. Be sure to announce the date and time of the next Chapter meeting
Meeting Styles
  • Speakers/presenters (Invite experts from various fields related to publishing.)
  • Round table or panel discussion (Ask members and others to participate.)
  • Writers' critique session. (Everyone brings his/her work to be critiqued.)
Topics
  • All about self-publishing.
  • How to land a publisher/agent.
  • Tips for writing query letters and book proposals.
  • Honing your speaking skills.
  • Working with printers/POD.
  • Marketing your book.
  • Magazine article writing.
  • Rights: copyright, foreign rights.
  • The world of screenplays and scripts.
  • How to land and conduct interviews with high profile people.
  • How to be successfully interviewed.
  • Retail sales for publishers/breaking into Borders and Barnes and Noble.
  • Collaborating: author/article-writer/scriptwriter and illustrator/graphic designers/videographer, etc.
  • Setting up your publishing time-table.
  • Handling writer's block.
  • Finding salable ideas.
  • How to organize a nonfiction book.
  • Writing about local history.
  • Writing for regional magazines.
  • Networking tips.
  • Bookkeeping tips for writers.
  • Journal-keeping.
  • Poetry.
  • Writing for children.
  • Writing for seniors.
  • Research techniques for writers (have an Internet savvy researcher as well as a librarian available that evening).
  • All about contests for writers or publishers.
  • Grants for writers.
  • Writing for the Christian audience.
  • Memoir writing.
  • Travel writing.
  • Publishing contracts.
  • Creating and selling calendars or greeting cards.
Other events
  • Poetry reading or poetry slam.
  • Writer/publishers/artists workshop.
  • Book fair-invite the public to see what local authors are doing.
  • Have a Chapter meeting at local libraries and/or colleges on occasion for greater exposure.
  • Book binding demonstration.
  • Participate in local book festivals under the auspices of your local SPAWN Chapter.
  • Discount night. Have everyone share their best prices for publishing/writing/art supplies.
  • Character night. Encourage everyone to wear something related to their latest book. theme. Each member can either act out, speak about or read from the book.
  • Field trips: to POD company or fully operating magazine or book publishing house.
Fundraisers
  • Poetry or short story contest.
  • Tape meeting presenters and, with his/her permission, sell the tapes.
  • Ask members to donate a copy of their books to raffle off at meetings.