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
A long-time member tells us:
Dear Patty, I greatly
appreciate my SPAWN
membership and all
that you and others do to
keep SPAWN going.
I learn from and am
stimulated by SPAWN's
newsletter and email messages
and responses.
I continue to work as an
arts consultant, writer and
publicist for arts organizations,
foundations and galleries
and artists, including the
Happy Valley Cultural
Center and Zolle Theater
in Ojai.
All best,
Andora
Webmaster
New Local SPAWN Chapters, 2004
Many members have been asking about local SPAWN Chapters. Well, now we're creating local Chapters!Read 10 Steps to Starting a SPAWN Chapter
If there is no SPAWN Chapter in your area...... as a SPAWN member, you may be interested in forming one. It's fun and a great way to meet and interact with other SPAWN members. Local SPAWN Chapters provide opportunities for SPAWN members to get to know each other and work with other professionals within their own community.
What happens at Chapter meetings?
SPAWN Chapter leaders are SPAWN members. Chapter leaders can run meetings devoted to any aspect of writing, publishing, illustrating, or marketing books. Chapters can be simply discussion groups, or they can highlight meetings with invited speakers.
A Chapter might be designated as:
- a writer's critique group where everyone brings writing to be reviewed.
- a mystery writer's group where members discuss police procedures and forensics.
- a romance writer's group where members talk about romantic locations and the optimal level for explicit love scenes.
- a book cover design group where members share the best cover designs for bookstore sales.
- a book typesetting group where members comment on book design and how it affects ease of reading.
- a book marketing group discussing the latest Market Update.
- a self-publishing group working their way through Mary Embree's The Author's Toolkit or Dan Poynter's The Self-Publishing Manual.
- An unpublished author group working their way through The Writer's Market to find the best publishers for each member.
This is just a quick list to get you thinking about the possibilities. I'm sure that you'll come up with a lot more Chapter topics.
What are the advantages of being a Chapter leader?
AS a SPAWN member, you have the nationwide organization to help you. As a Chapter leader you will get to know all the members of your Chapter and they will get to know you. This will give you increased visibility and more opportunities to network on your own behalf. Your responsibilities are to identify other leaders in your community and encourage them to help you build the Chapter.
First you must locate an appropriate meeting place. This can be your home, or a bookstore, or a restaurant willing to lend a small private room, or your office, or…
After establishing the meeting location, it's just a matter of sending out news releases to announce your meetings to your local papers, facilitating the monthly meetings, and keeping in touch with Chapter members.
Read 10 Steps to Starting a SPAWN Chapter
Where can Chapter leaders get materials and more ideas?
The SPAWN national office provides membership forms online, Printable Application Form in PDF format.. We also provide information, guidance and support for all SPAWN member Chapter leaders. This Chapter page at http://www.spawn.org/chapters.htm will host an ongoing list of suggestions for meeting topics, plus other ideas and help.
Get the printable SPAWN Brochure
Cool stuff for Chapter members!
Your Chapter will receive 5 copies of the first edition of The Author's Toolkit, one for each of the first 5 Chapter members who join SPAWN. (This offer holds until all copies of the first edition have been given away.) The Chapter leader who recruits at least 5 new SPAWN members will receive a complimentary SPAWN membership renewal. Contact Patty Fry now to discuss your Chapter plans: Patty@spawn.org.